Beach Journal Inspiration From Me & My Students

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During the summer, I hosted a Virtual Craft Retreat (now available as an online course/self-study workshop) where the idea was to create a beach-themed journal using my Driftwood Dreams digital kit.

Not only was the retreat a lot of fun, but I LOVED seeing the journals the other ladies made. I thought you might like to see them too, so a couple of them kindly shared some photos with me. Hopefully, you’ll get oodles of inspiration from these finished journals – especially if you’re making a beach or coastal-inspired journal like we did.

My Driftwood Dreams Journal

Let’s start with the journal I showed everyone how to make during the retreat. There was even a craft kit available – just in case anyone didn’t have access to a printer or were lacking supplies to actually make the project.

You can read more about the inspiration for this project here. But in a nutshell, I wanted to make a journal that resembled a weathered beach hut – complete with a window and ocean view in the front. I even had the idea to include a dangle on the side of the journal card, which were keys to the beach hut!

Okay, now you’ve seen the original project, check out how some of the ladies attending my retreat took the idea and ran with it! It just goes to show how you can all follow the same process, or take inspiration from the same place, yet your own creativity can power you through to result in a unique project you love.

Jane MB’s Journal

Jane MB's Driftwood Dreams beach journal

I love how Jane took inspiration from my project, yet decorated the journal in her own way. I adore how the shells look on the back of the flip-out pocket. Jane even used some of the leftovers to create extra ephemera and decorate some of her journal pages. Bravo Jane!

Here’s what Jane said about my Driftwood Dreams course: “Justine is an excellent communicator and craft tutor. She has a friendly and engaging manner as seen in her high quality videos. She is an encouraging, inspiring and helpful person who is highly talented in coming up with ideas and the creation of digital papers for use in lovely projects. Justine is a fantastic tutor who is very efficient and highly organized in everything she does, I thoroughly recommend her.”

Karen Eggleston’s Journal

Karen Eggleston's Driftwood Dreams beach journal

I remember when Karen first shared her journal and mentioned how she went for a shabby beach hut vibe. Isn’t it beautiful?! Karen also added some extra details to her journal, such as an additional pocket, a window on the back of the journal and even a notebook on the inside of the flip-out. So clever!

Here’s what Karen said about her Driftwood Dreams experience: “I was struggling with finishing any project and felt that I needed to be re-energized and inspired. I love Justine’s YouTube videos and thought this might be just what I needed. This was such a fun and pleasurable experience. The kit was stunning and the videos Justine created were fantastic, clear and easy to follow.“

Do you want to make your very own Driftwood Dreams beach journal?

If you’d like to sign up for my online course, you can check it out here. The course includes:

✨ Lifetime access to my tutorials and digital papers
✨ Bite-sized tutorial videos and written instructions to guide you through every step of the process
✨ A free copy of my Driftwood Dreams digital kit to help you make the journal (usually sold separately)
✨ A ticket to my summer Virtual Craft Retreat where you can chat with me and the other students via live video calls. The next one will be in June 2025.
✨ Plus… you can also grab an optional craft kit, which includes all the main supplies you’ll need (saving you time from having to gather or buy them yourself)

Driftwood Dreams envelope journal tutorial - here is what's included

Alternatively, you can grab my Driftwood Dreams digital papers separately from my Etsy shop if you’d rather use them to make a beach-themed journal of your own design.

Finally, if you’d like to join the waitlist for my future retreats, you can do so here. I plan on hosting a new retreat every quarter in 2025, and as with everything I do here at House of Mahalo, the retreats will be influenced by the seasons and the flora and fauna each season brings.

I hope to see you there! xoxo

Discover More Creative Journal Ideas

Junk Journal Toolkit

📦 What do I need to get started?

If you’ve got paper, glue, scissors and something to bind your pages with (like a needle, thread and an awl or pokey tool), you’re good to go! Check out my essentials vs. nice-to-have supply list for more info.

🤯 I’m overwhelmed by tutorials and ideas. Where should I start?

Start with my free Mini Junk Journal Masterclass. It walks you through the process step-by-step. Even though it focuses on a mini journal, the same tips apply to any size journal.

❓ I don’t understand the terminology. Can you help?

Absolutely! My A–Z Junk Journal Glossary breaks down all those confusing terms and acronyms. Jargon be gone!

🪡 How do you keep your binding neat?

I use my bookbinding cradle to line up my holes and avoid punching too far through the pages. Smaller holes give a neater and more secure binding, and I use this thin upholstery thread for a cleaner finish.

🧵 Do I need a sewing machine?

Not necessarily! A basic sewing machine is helpful for making fabric-covered journals, but strong fabric glue can work just as well. If you stick to paper-based journals or folios, you don’t need one at all. I like the sewn look and making fabric-based journals, so I personally use a simple machine (similar to this) that’s lasted me over 10 years – it’s a trusty part of my toolkit.

🖼️ What digital papers do you use?

I use a mix of my own designs and other favourites. You can see examples here. New to digitals? Check out my mega bundle for a big saving on some of my designs or sign up for my Mahalo Clubhouse membership to get brand new digitals sent to you every month.

📜 What’s the best paper for printing digitals?

I use this 100 GSM Presentation Paper for vibrant and high-quality prints.

🖨️ What printer do you recommend?

I love my Epson Ecotank. It’s affordable, reliable and the ink lasts ages. I used to spend £30 a month on ink – now I refill just once or twice a year for under £30. Check out my detailed review of EcoTank printers to see how much you could save!

🖇️ What glues do you use?

My go-tos are Collall All Purpose, Cosmic Shimmer and Beacon 3-in-1. Here’s how I use each one.

📖 What books are best for junk journaling?

I love using second-hand nature and botanical books. Here are some great titles to look for next time you’re thrifting.

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