Repurpose Junk Mail for Junk Journals – Let’s Add Images!
Hello, my delightful Graphics Fairy Friends! It’s Heather from Thicketworks.
Lot’s of folks are making Junk Journals these days – it’s a fun and green way to repurpose some of the ‘useless’ paper (is there such a thing?) that accumulates in our lives!
I’ve been experimenting with running various types of Junk through my inkjet printer, and the results are very cool.
It’s fun, it’s easy, and it will add TONS of bespoke charm to your Junk Journal Creations!
Let’s dive in!
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Of course, you’ll need to select the graphics that will appeal to you…
To get started quickly, you are welcome to download this Free Set of 7 Junk Journal Collages!
Just click HERE to grab your copy!
Graphics Fairy Source Images used in collages:
- Fabulous Peacock
- Colorful Feather
- Pretty Feather
- Colorful Plumes
- Colorful Bulldog Label
- Spencerian Writing Sample
- Antique Birds on Branch
- Light Fixture Diagram
- Ornate Gate
- Lina Cavalieri with Crown
- Spooky Trees
- Public Domain Fish Image
- Steampunk Hourglass
- Vintage Swirls
- General Store
- Ornate Steampunk Globe
- Steampunk Hot Air Balloon
- Quirky Mustache Man
- Vintage Circus Camel
- Vintage Circus Zebra
- Vintage Circus Giraffe
- Vintage Circus Elephant
Note: All images were printed on an Inkjet Printer – the heat fusion processing of Laser Prints could cause problems with the adhesives and clear windows of envelopes – don’t risk it!
Gather the following items, and let’s have some fun…
Supplies:
- Junk Papers from your stash!
- An Inkjet Printer
- Plain White Cardstock
- Sturdy Craft Knife
- Self-Healing Cutting Mat
- 12 inch Stainless Steel Ruler with Non Slip Cork Base
- ELMER’S Repositionable Mounting Spray Adhesive
- Grip and Rip Aluminum Tearing Ruler
- Distress Stain: Wild Honey
- Distress Stain: Gathered Twigs
How to print on Junk Papers:
Gather a whole mess of ‘useless’ paper ephemera!
I grabbed newspapers, catalogs, user manuals, and those fun window envelopes from bills.
Cut oversized pages down to just under 8 1/2 x 11 inches.
(This makes it possible to mount them to sheets of cardstock for hassle free printing)
Temporarily adhere envelopes, newsprint, etc. to sheets of cardstock with a good quality Repositionable Spray Mount.
Make sure to have proper ventilation – or step outside for this.
This step makes it super easy to ‘feed’ awkward papers through your printer, and it protects the interior of the machine from ‘overprinted inks’, too!
Smooth the surface of the papers, removing any wrinkles.
Now, here’s the part where you’ll need to follow the correct procedures for YOUR printer.
Take a look at the settings, determine how to feed the papers through in the correct orientation, and Print Away!
Peel the paper off of the cardstock carefully, and mount it again, (‘face down’ this time) to add images on the reverse of each page or envelope:
Here’s a peek at some envelopes that have been printed on both sides:
Depending on your printer, you may need to wipe away the ink from the surface of the envelope widows – I did.
Allow the prints to dry completely.
Peel them off of the cardstock.
Once the papers are printed you’ll have created this fantastic layered effect:
Add some fun distressed edges!
Here, I’m using one of my favorite tools: The Grip & Rip Tearing Ruler.
I really like the effect of simple line art over text:
Here, two envelopes were mounted to cardstock, then an oversized image printed across both at one time:
Once you’ve printed your papers, it’s time to start building your Junk Journal!
This is a very satisfying process, and the variety of methods is staggering!
I like to gather decorative papers and three dimensional embellishments to create mine…
This vivid Peacock Collage looks fantastic printed over newsprint…
And here, you can see the same Peacock Collage bound into the resulting Junk Journal:
This Vintage Circus Collage was printed over a large window envelope:
The Circus Envelope becomes a delightful pocket, nestled next to an Omni Gel Image Transfer.
A catalog page becomes charmingly nuanced with the addition of these printed images:
Once bound into a journal, it creates a lovely page:
The sky’s the limit with this technique!
Transform almost any ‘useless’ piece of paper into beautiful, personalized ephemera.
Thank you for visiting The Graphics Fairy today! It’s been such fun to share this technique with you.
Until next time,
Heather ♥
Our students have SO much fun in the Mixed Media for Beginners online course…
Click HERE to see if you’d like to join the Mayhem!
SHEILA MEINECKE says
Your work is always an inspiration. I know this was an old post, so I hope you see this. I am wondering if you have had any experience using the current day junk mail that is printed on the soft velvety touch card stock. I suppose I could just give it a try, but thought you might have already done so.
Thanks!
graphicsfairy says
Thanks so much Sheila, I personally have not tried it, if you do please let us know how it turns out 🙂
Rochelle says
Just found this, love it! Can you tell me about the cover? It looks thicker than just card stock. How did you make the cover? Thanks so much for all the great tutorials!
graphicsfairy says
Thanks Rochelle, this beautiful project was a guest post by the very talented Heather over at Thicketworks, you can find her here, https://thicketworks.com/ I am sure she would be happy to tell you all about how she created it.
JaneEllen says
Have read about your classes several times but didn’t join in, thinking I couldn’t do it. Seeing this junk journal decided it was time for me to actually at least take a stab at it. Will be 78 next month and want to know I can do something out of my comfort zone, stick with it , complete it. Hopefully won’t be my last time.
Great tutorial , very helpful and thanks for junk sheets. You sure do inspire me.
Happy weekend
Rupa says
Heather, I have a question regarding the envelopes with flaps. The last pic shows the envelope flap open and yet it has printing on that side. This is great for tucking in little tags etc. but the only way to accomplish this is to open the flap and adhere the whole envelope to the CS and then print. But then the envelope opening itself would snag in the printer….no? Please clarify this for me. Sorry if I am complicating this unnecessarily but I have a need “to know” when something bugs me 🙂
Heather Tracy says
Hi Rupa. You guessed it – the envelope is opened, tacked to the Cardstock with spray mount, then fed through the printer again. I made sure to feed it through carefully but had no problems with snagging! Woo hoo! xox
rupa says
Thanks Heather!!
Heather Tracy says
xox!
Rupa says
OK…third time is the charm hopefully for my comments to show up? 🙂 I LOVE LOVE LOVE this junk (or junque as all things French seems to sound beautiful?) journal. So colorful! I have eyed and drooled over many junk journals and even bought some sheets from a junk journal junkie’s site 🙂 Unfortunately they were too clean and crisp for me to figure out how to make them look more “junky”. Enter Heather….as usual this genius has totally simplified the process and used actualy junk mail which I have plenty of! Who would’ve thought of such gorgeous images to be printed on those envelopes by simply adhering them to a card stock….Love the colorful images to boot. Thank you Heather for inspiring me every single day and being among us to make our lives so much more interesting!
Karen says
I will pass all of these along Rupa. 🙂
Heather Tracy says
So excited that you see the possibilities in this, Rupa! It’s been wonderful exploring the fun that can be had with Junque! Thank YOU for being unfailingly kind and encouraging – that always helps to fuel the creative fires! xox
Lady T says
OK Heather you Rock! Up till now I have been saving my junk to make pockets or cover them with new papers. Never thought to print over them. GENIUS! LOVE LOVE LOVE
~Lady T
Karen says
Thank you LadyT. I will let Heather know.
Rupa says
OK, I meant “drop dead gorgeous”, not drop dead peacocks lol. We don’t want that for sure. PS: Where is that undo button or edit button when we need it?
Rupa says
I have drooled over fancy junk journals and am embarrassingly admitting that I have even bought the images/collage sheets to make one but I have had brain freeze. Couldn’t really figure out how to use pretty, printed, clean images to achieve that real “junk” (or junque as some say – fancier when it has a French spelling?) feel to it. Once again, you have demystified this all with drop dead peacock and steam punk images! Whenever you share something, I feel totally confident that it will work and you have no idea what that means to me! Thank you Heather from the bottom of my heart for all you offer so kindly and generously. Your imagination knows no bounds, thank God we have you in our midst, to push our creativity daily!
Karen says
I will be sure to let Heather know Rupa.
Cynthia Murphy says
Thanks Heather, this looks like so much fun. I will save this and complete it later. No time right now, I am busy learning from you how to make a journal in Mixed Media for Beginners. Love what I am learning.
Heather Tracy says
Hey Cynthia! Too cool…I’m so glad that you’re diving into the course. And YES, this is oodles of fun. You will have a blast! xox
Didi Arias says
Great junk journal project this week. Thank you!
Heather Tracy says
Our pleasure, Didi! So glad you like this idea…it’s such fun. xox
Loretta Houben says
Wow, what an imagination you have. I have an older type printer, not sure if this would work, but I could surely try. It’s a lovely idea. Thank you!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Loretta! My printer is pretty old, too, and I didn’t encounter any difficulties. Fingers crossed that it works for you, too! xox
Abby says
Wow, thanks for all these ideas, links, and fantastic images for junk journals.
Karen says
You are welcome Abby. I would love to see some of your journals.
Dorthe says
Dear Heather, im smitten, but sitting here in Copenhagen, it has to wait, till another day. Only hoping my printer will “eat” the double layers. ? thankyou again for filling my life with all kind of exiting experiences. You are a jewel in the world of teaching. Hugs from Dorthe ? ? ?
Heather Tracy says
Dear Dorthe…what a lovely remark, my friend. I cherish you, and your creativity. Fingers crossed that your printer will play nice – you will have a wonderful time with this process! xox
Tracy Gentry says
These are really cool, thanks for the inspiration!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Tracy – thank YOU for visiting. Hope you have fun Junk Journaling – it’s a very low stress endeavor… full of just plain FUN! xox
Annie says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this junk mail junk journal idea! I might try this with rubber stamping and inks. I’ll be looking at my junk mail in a whole new way now!
Heather Tracy says
Hi Annie! Fantastic – you will have a ball with adding imagery to your Junk Mail – it’s super fun! xox