Nesting Junk Journal

Hey, everyone! Danielle Robotham, one of our amazing Junk Journal Design Team Members, created a fabulous Nesting Junk Journal for us this week. As you know, we feature one new Junk Journal project each week created by one of our creative team of artists. Our Design Team Members select from the 100’s of Vintage Image Bundles on our Premium Membership Site, for their creations, in order to show you beautiful ways to use those images. We hope you will be totally inspired by this series!

Therefore, please make sure you check out the video tour at the bottom of the page…please scroll all the way down to see it. Are you ready to be inspired? I will step out of the way and let Danielle tell you all about her incredible project…

Hello lovelies, my name is Danielle of Fill A Space, soon to be Evelyn & Sage, and as always it’s a pleasure to be sharing another journal project for The Graphics Fairy! Inspired by the emergence of colour and the sound of birdsong during my early morning walks to work, as we enter Spring, it was only fitting that I created a journal to mark the occasion. I’ve found myself fascinated by nests of late and naturally like anything that sparks inspiration, I want to incorporate it into one of my journals. Birds most commonly nest between the months of March to July, so what better time to create this idea? Without any further ado, I introduce my ‘Nesting’ journal.

It’s been over a year since I created my last ring bound journal and I’ve been itching to create another. I thought this theme would marry perfectly with the loose style of a ring bound construction. I find you can have a lot of fun with the non-restrictive nature of this binding method, it gives you the freedom to move pages around as you create, similarly the end user can add/remove pages freely.

I hear you; I hear you, enough about the binding let’s talk about the scene stealing journal closure right guys?! I would be lying if I said this wasn’t my favourite element of the journal both to create and admire. It all started with this tiny nest…actually it started with the larger nest you can see as a photo prop but let’s pretend it started with the mini version, it sounds better! Using natural materials and clay, I formed this precious nest as the focal point of the cover. Knowing it may be a little bulky sitting directly on the front cover, I decided to incorporate it into a removable journal band/closure, to allow ease of use for the end user. I will be releasing an online course that incorporates how to create this idea, this year!! stay tuned.

The front cover in essence is actually pretty simple, I let the doily and the original music album shine by themselves with the exception of the sweet Blue birdy image I fussy cut from the selection of bird images I had sourced from the Graphics Fairy.

Before we delve inside, I want to talk about the accompaniment pieces I created for this journal…playing cards! Well sort of, I left the back sides plain for journaling space, but don’t they look
like a deck of playing cards!I pieced these images together on Photoshop using a variety of different images from both the Graphics Fairy Premium and free site, using the same Pink border to tie them all together, aren’t they cute. It was super easy and fun to do, I could have easily created all 52 to make a full deck, Patreon supporters stay tuned…possibly…maybe.

Using the same principle as the playing cards I used a Blue frame I found on the Premium site to create four specimen cards, two bound into the journal and two floating. All I had to do was search ‘Blue’, ‘Eggs’, ‘Nest’ and ‘Postcards’ on the Premium site and there you have it, all the inspiration you could wish for in one place.

I used this next idea in the very first journals I created and with bird imagery no doubt! full circle moment right here. Back when I was a newbie to journal making, I treated myself to The Graphics
Fairy Premium subscription (their catalogue of images blew my mind) anyway I digress. To print on book pages, you simply adhere a book page to copy paper with washi tape, as to cause no damage to the book page, upon removal. Then your book page is ready to run through your printer. The Graphics Fairy has an abundance of ‘backgroundless’ images, which work perfectly printed onto book pages and music sheets.

I printed these Blue Tits? (Insert shrugging shoulders emoji) onto a plain vintage book page and layered a lace pocket over the image. They look as if they are sitting amongst foliage, so pretty, yet
simple. Don’t we all need an effortless idea now and then. These birdies can be found in the ‘Spring Has Sprung’ kit, how fitting.

On the topic of simplicity, I give you my bird egg frame, cute right? The Premium site has a lovely selection of bird egg imagery and book plates. I printed this book plate image, die cut the frame in
the centre, backed it with some plain vintage paper, making sure to only glue three edges to allow for a pocket. Prior to adhering the pieces together, I sewed a sari silk ruffle around the frame, just for an extra dose of pretty.

Circling back to having fun with this method of binding, I created these ‘Chapter Tabs’ let’s call them. I just had to incorporate this nest imagery in a special way. I created three tabs in total, they were originally meant for the front cover, although they worked wonderfully, I loved the idea of them representing different seasons throughout the journal. One ‘Chapter Tab’ nest for Spring, one for Summer and one for Autumn…the best seasons wouldn’t you agree.

I printed the first nest onto vintage ledger then printed the same nest image onto plain copy paper. I then fussy cut the second nest to create the 3D element using foam tape. I used a beautiful Blue end paper printable on the back side of the tabs. I do hope this journal has given you some inspiration to start crafting some of your own Spring themed goodies.

Until next time, take care all!

NESTING JUNK JOURNAL SHOW & TELL VIDEO TOUR

Premium Membership Bundles I used:

Angels Among Us
Blossom Lane
Catharina Klein Birds
Delicate End Papers
Distressed Papers
Easter Flora & Fauna
Forget Me Not
French Blue & Cream Ephemera
Spring Has Sprung
Vintage Postcards

You can find me here:
Danielle’s YouTube
Danielle’s Etsy 
Danielle’s Patreon

Thank You So Much!

Danielle

Check out the Graphics Fairy Premium Membership Site HERE!