Mini Lace Junk Journal Flip Through & Ideas
I’ve recently put the finishing touches on some mini lace junk journals and so I’m super excited to show you my latest junk journal flip through.
Read on to watch my flip through video and find out what inspired me to make these cute little journals. I’ll also share a few basics of what I did and what techniques I used, so you can learn a bit about what was involved in making them.
Mini Lace Junk Journal Flip Through Video
Take a look at my video on Youtube to see my complete junk journal flip through of each one.
The Details
- Covers: upcycled from mini vintage dictionaries with fabric, lace and scrapbook paper embellishments
- Number of signatures: 1 per journal
- Number of pages: 40 each (counting front and back)
- Spine: exposed using wax thread
- Difficulty: easy (ideal for beginners)
- Techniques used: sewing, stamping, stencilling, fussy cutting, ruffles (and glueing!)
- Materials used: mini vintage dictionaries, fabric, lace scraps, assortment of vintage papers and scrapbook papers, bookplates and brads
New to junk journaling? Take a look at my junk journaling 101 blog post to learn a few basics.
The Inspiration
You might not know this yet, but I sell vintage papers and book pages via my Etsy shop for other junk journalers, bullet journalers and scrapbookers to use. Some people even use the papers in product photography or as an Instagram prop!
Don’t worry! I only use books that are basically falling apart on me for crafts and my Etsy listings… I even have “Rescue a book” and “Blind date with a vintage book” listings to make sure the beautiful books still intact can find a loving home.
Anyway, when I got my hands on some mini Collins Gem Dictionaries for my paper packs, I just knew I’d want to use the covers as mini junk journals in some way.
I didn’t know how back then, but once I did, the ideas came flying in… and just two afternoons (or is that “crafternoons”?) later, I’d finished all three journals!
Although I created these mini junk journals individually and gave them their own unique flair/vibe, they make a fantastic set of three because of their names: “imagine”, “create”, “inspire”.
Generally speaking, when you create something new, you first imagine how you want it to look (even if you don’t fully have everything mapped out yet). Then you create it. And then hopefully, you can inspire others to create something similar – or even yourself to create it again!
Once I knew which laces I wanted to use (and this was really dictated by what scraps I already had in my stash, what would fit the size of the covers and what went together), I then tried to use this to decide which combination of papers and colours I wanted to use inside. Once again, I dived into my stash to find what would work best.
From there, I used simple techniques to decorate the pages like stamping and stencilling. Mainly because I didn’t want to add too much bulk. As these journals are so small, tucks, pockets and lots of ephemera wouldn’t have really worked for them. But I still wanted them to look interesting and have plenty of surprises, which I hope I managed to achieve.
Love watching junk journal flip through videos? Here’s another one; this time for my pink chic ephemera folio!
The Verdict
Would I make these mini junk journals again? Maybe.
I really enjoyed making them, I love how they turned out and I think the “mini” size is so cute.
But I think these junk journals are best left for those “crafternoons” when you just want to work on something easy, cute and fun as they’re not a super involved project – even when you create three at once!
Discover More Creative Journal Ideas
- 21 Junk Journal Cover Ideas To Inspire You
- 10 Junk Journal Page Ideas To Inspire You
- 15 Junk Journal Tags & Journal Cards To Inspire You
- 10 Easy Junk Journal Pockets: Ideas & Tutorials
- Easy Junk Journal Embellishments: 20+ Examples & Tutorials
- 8 Ways To Use Junk Journal Embellishments (With Examples)
- 10 Junk Journal Binding Ideas & Tutorials To Inspire You
- 19 Hidden Journaling Ideas To Keep Your Writing Private
- 35+ Types Of Junk Journals You Can Try Making
- 14 Creative Things To Do In A Journal Or Notebook
- How To Keep Pressed Flowers In A Journal (7 Easy Ideas To Try!)
- 17 Fun & Festive Christmas Junk Journal Ideas
- 52 Junk Journal Prompts To Help You Write In Your Junk Journal
- Join My Free Facebook Group
- Check Out The Mahalo Clubhouse Membership
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. While I haven’t used it myself, some other crafters recommend the HP Instant Ink program.
🖇️ 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.
