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Behind the Scenes, Creativity, Grunge Style, Junk Journal Making, Paper Arts, Techniques, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling, Tools and Supplies, Tutorials
Shadow Stenciling for Junk Journals (A Happy Worktable Experiment)
Some of the best ideas don’t come from planning… They come from not wanting to tidy up. 😉 A Rainy Day = Studio Time Today my plan is to finish decorating the Mother’s Day junk journals I’m making for my cousins and sister. It’s rainy here, which means I’m staying off the computer (old house wiring and storms don’t mix well), so it turned into a perfect excuse to spend time at my worktable. While moving things around, I came across some small botanical stencils I hadn’t used yet—and they were just the right size for these smaller journals (about 3 1/2″ x 5 1/2″). And then the idea hit……
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3 x 5 Projects, Junk Journal Ephemera, Junk Journal Making, Mother's Day, New Baby, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling
On My Worktable This Morning: Mother’s Day Junk Journal Ephemera
This morning, I’m working on something a little special—Mother’s Day junk journals for my cousins and my sister. We have a daily chat where we check in at lunch time and bedtime 😉There are four of us… and the other three are all Moms—and now, Grands. So this felt like the perfect project to create something meaningful just for them. Finding the Perfect Ephemera (Sometimes It’s Already Made!) As I was looking through my pre-made ephemera stash (as one does… 😉), I came across these sweet 3×5 pieces—and happily, I had enough to include one in each journal. The colors and images work beautifully together, and they fit perfectly with…
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Creativity, Ephemera, Junk Journal Making, Paper Arts, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling, Tools and Supplies
How to Save Paper When Using a Whale Tail Punch (Junk Journal Tip)
Whale tail tabs are one of the most popular elements in junk journaling. They’re useful, decorative, and add that layered, dimensional look that makes handmade journals feel special. But if you’re using a punch to make them, you may be wasting more paper than you realize. Today, I want to show you a simple method to maximize your paper and get more whale tail tabs from every sheet. The Original Whale Tail Punch The original whale tail punch from Stampin’ Up is no longer in production, but many crafters still use them. You can often find them: on eBay at thrift stores at garage sales They’re sturdy, reliable, and perfect…
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Creativity, Ephemera, Junk Journal Making, Organizing and Storage, Tink Recommends:, Tools and Supplies
Tink Recommends: Paper Crafting Tools to Hold Pieces While Glue Dries
I will admit, there are times when I wish I had three hands 😉 Sometimes, getting something to stay in the right configuration until the glue dries is the hardest part of a project! Today, I’m sharing two simple paper crafting tools that I use every day to solve that problem: Paper clips (with a simple storage upgrade) Scotch Removable Tape (a reusable temporary adhesive) These tools help hold paper pieces in place without damage, shifting, or frustration. Tool #1: Paper Clips for Holding Paper in Place Paper clips are one of the simplest and most effective tools for holding paper layers together while glue dries. However, standard paper clip…
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Creativity, Grunge Style, Junk Journal Making, Steampunk, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling, Tools and Supplies
Tink’s Tip: Using Glitter Glue for a Grunge-Style Junk Journal Finish
I’ll admit it right up front… I’m not a Glitter Girl. I’m much more at home in the world of vintage, distressed, and grunge-style junk journals. But every once in a while, a project calls for something a little outside my usual comfort zone. This was one of those times. 😉 The Problem: What to Do with Tiny Detail Holes I was working on a junk journal page featuring a stencil-style letter “D” (for Dog). The letter itself looked great, but it had small holes in each corner — the kind that are meant to suggest rivets or fasteners. Normally, you might use tiny brads for something like that, but…
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Creativity, Ephemera, Grunge Style, Junk Journal Ephemera, Junk Journal Making, Paper Arts, Steampunk, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling, Tools and Supplies
How to Use Distressed Tape in Junk Journals (Simple Techniques That Make Pages Feel Real)
Inspiration, Motivation, and Celebration for your junk journaling What is Distressed Tape in Junk Journals? If you’ve ever wondered how to make junk journal pages look more real, distressed tape is one of the simplest ways to do it. Distressed tape is regular clear or cello tape that has been altered (usually with ink or stain) to give it an aged, vintage look. It’s often used in junk journals to: • make ephemera look naturally attached • add realism to collage pages • create hinged or interactive elements • add subtle texture and layering 🌿 Inspiration – A Little Detail I Always Come Back To When I’m putting together junk…
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3 x 5 Projects, Ephemera, Father's Day, Grunge Style, Junk Journal Kits, Junk Journal Making, Mini Books, Steampunk
Planning Ahead with Steampunk Gentleman’s Accessories Junk Journals
I’m excited, because I got an idea for handmade Christmas gifts for the adults in our family. I’m going to keep noodling on that one for a while, but thankfully I’ve got plenty of time. 😉 But for other holidays, things seem to come fast, especially for those of us who make things by hand. So I wanted to share details for a small Steampunk Gentleman’s Accessories junk journal I made recently, because journals like this would make such good Father’s Day gifts. If you like making for the men in your life, or if you just enjoy a good steampunk project, this one might give you a few ideas.…
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Hidden Sliding Ephemera Pockets for Junk Journals
Hidden Sliding Ephemera: A Fun Little Junk Journal Trick I just shared a little peek on Facebook of a hidden ephemera trick I used in my junk journals, and I wanted to bring it over here to the blog too. I learned the idea from a YouTube video a while back, but sadly I’ve lost the link now. If I ever find it again, I’ll be sure to share it, because it really is a clever little method. https://www.facebook.com/junkjournalephemera/ At first glance, the piece just looks like an ordinary card of ephemera. But when you pull on the tab, a hidden piece slides out completely and can be tucked right…
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Creativity, Ephemera, Grunge Style, Junk Journal Ephemera, Junk Journal Making, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling, Tools and Supplies
Stamps that fit the original Whale Tail Tabs…
I’m working on a pair of Junk Journals (you can see them open at the top of the picture) I recently purchased a set of fun alphabet and number stamps. They hook together, making it easy to form words. Today I realized that four letters fit well on the classic whale tail tabs, in the 7 x 5mm size. You can see how they link together at the bottom of the picture. Here are some examples of how I used them… (Yellow Post-its are there to mark pages that still need embellishments 😉 ) Here they are on Amazon: Here is their Amazon link. Note – You get two sets!…
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Creativity, Grunge Style, Junk Journal Ephemera, Junk Journal Making, Tink's Tips for Junk Journaling
Quilt Shop Fat Quarters for Junk Journals: Vintage Chickens & Grunge and a Freebie
Inspiration – Play Day at the Quilt Shop In case you didn’t know, quilt shops are a great source of interesting fabrics for junk journaling. They sell pre-cut fabric in small sizes called fat quarters, which are usually about 18″ by 22″ depending on the original bolt width. A piece that size will last junk journalers quite a while and gives you plenty to play with for covers, spines, pockets, and more. This past week, my husband and I took a little play day and drove to a nearby town. We stopped at the local quilt shop “just to look,” and of course, we didn’t leave empty handed. The photo…
