Sky Garden Junk Journal
Hey, everyone! Kathleen Mower of BeAgain Books, one of our amazing new Junk Journal Design Team Members, created a fabulous Sky Garden 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 Kathleen tell you all about her incredible project…
Some time ago, the Graphics Fairy produced a pretty astronomy bundle which they titled “Sky Garden.” I was captivated by the name and by the concept of a celestial garden of stars and other sky wonders. This journal is the result of my vision. The cover is from a recycled vintage book with gorgeous textural fabric in a deep navy blue. The title “Deeper Things” accurately reflects the astronomical wonders inside the book. I left the cover completely plain, except for my usual button and beaded elastic closure.
I live in an isolated area of the southwest USA where the sky is big and the view is 360 degrees of marvelous. And one of my favorite activities is watching the sky. So, on the inside cover I have used my very favorite Graphic Fairy image – storm clouds. The colors are just so pretty and reflect my love of the sky. On the opposite page you will see a little cluster tuck holding a vintage glassine envelope with a choice of three bookplates. I just didn’t want to cover that gorgeous image.
I love to use mixed media in my journals, wherever I can and this page represents the chaos of deep space, just light and darkness and an occasional sparkle. The little vintage playing card pocket reminds me of a moonlit garden.
I love seeing layers in a journal, so all my journals feature several staggered pages of “shorts.” I often use fibers and ribbons threaded through the holes left in the papers I choose for my shorts. the beautiful flowers around the edges of the astronomical chart reflects the truth of a garden in the sky.
I always do a bit of “smooshing” and hand-dyeing in every journal I make. It just adds a sweet touch, I think, and a little pop of gold and a bit of vintage lace makes everything look elegant.
This scrap piece of moonlit garden flowers makes the perfect pocket tag and the little silver charm sewn to the top is the perfect embellishment. This tag has a job, holding a small journaling card inside the hidden pocket. The scrap of book text as a title perfectly describes the Milky Way – a river of stars. How romantic that sounds!
I imagined this charm as Jupiter and her moons. I know the planet has more than two, but I’m just imagining two of them. It was simple to punch two of these planet (or moons) out of one of the printable sheets included in the bundle.
Speaking of printables, I used a printable page to make this layered “shorts” page. I love the image of a sky fairy, flitting about in a garden of sky.
This gorgeous constellation map is featured in the center of the second signature with a diagonal fabric bellyband. Tucked inside is a simple note-type journaling paper and a folded pocket tag with a second image card. I used glossy accents on the crown of the young woman in the image.
I enlarged the image of the antique telescope and fussy-cut around the image to create this large cut-out pocket. Two simple image cards have room to journal on the back and there is plenty of room for more papers, if needed.
I made a simple patch pocket with the image of the constellation of Cancer – the Crab. A small notebook with plain journal papers is covered with another of the astronomical images. It’s a perfect page – pretty, but still plenty of journaling space.
I finished the journal off with the other half of that stunning image of stormy skies and my favorite embellishment – antique lace.
Thanks so much for spending some time with me today. I hope you have enjoyed a little tour of my sky garden. Be sure to check out these gorgeous bundles on the Graphics Fairy Premium Membership Site.
SKY GARDEN JUNK JOURNAL SHOW & TELL VIDEO TOUR
Premium Membership Bundles used in this project:
Sky Garden
Endless Skies
I hope you will visit me here:
Kathleen’s YouTube
Kathleen’s Etsy shop
Kathleen’s Instagram
Thanks so much!
Kathleen
Check out the Graphics Fairy Premium Membership Site HERE!
rk says
I don’t always get to read these posts related to JJ posts (I really should make more time). I focus on the bundles and my never ending list of projects that make slow progress due to lack of crafting time. But this JJ is very unique and inspiring! The “sky garden” theme bundle that you were inspired by is fascinating! I am always amazed by how same kits seen by diff people produces totally different creations. Human creativity is amazing isn’t it?
Karen Watson says
Hi Rupa, that’s one of my favorite parts about design team. Occasionally we will have 2 team members pick a similar theme in the same month, but it really doesn’t matter as each journal is always so unique!
Linda Choudoir says
This journal is absolutely beautiful ! Every turn of the page was a new wonder. I can’t wait to try these ideas in my own journal. Thank you so much for sharing with us:)
Karen Watson says
I’m so glad you were inspired by Kathleen’s beautiful Autumn journal Linda!
Katherine says
I enjoyed this so much! You are so creative and I love your imaginative combinations and creations! Thank you for sharing!
HAMEL, CLARE LOUISE says
This journal has been so beautifully made – it’s a joy to look at and inspires me to keep going with my amateurish attempts to create images with papers and ephemera. I am often not very happy with the results and I don’t have a special room in my house to lay out supplies. But I love trying to put together something beautiful on my kitchen table.
Thankyou for showing us your wonderful work.
From New Zealand
Karen Watson says
So glad that you were inspired by this one Clare! Keep going with it, it’s amazing how quickly your skill levels can go up when you keep at it!
Kathleen says
Oh Clare – thank you so much for your sweet comment! I am so glad to inspire you and I hope you will continue to make journals. I really think making A LOT makes a difference and when you really love just the doing of it, you will soon be happy and excited to show off your work as well. The Graphics Fairy is here to help you, so I’m glad you are taking advantage of this blog.
Lynne Hughes says
Your journal is absolutely beautiful! I love how you added vintage as well as collaged items in the journal. Thank you for the inspiration.
Kathleen Mower says
My pleasure Lynne! I’m glad you like the journal as much as I do. Vintage is a passion so I love finding places for vintage things.
Jeri Aronowitz says
Wow Kathleen the Journal is so Beautiful!! I just read Where the Crawdads sing. It was such a great book and your Journal reminds me of it. I think you just pushed me into joining the premium membership. I have been getting inages off of Etsy and they haven’t been very good. I am definitly joining, seeing the beautiful images that you created this journal from put me right over the edge. Thank you! This journal is stunning and your mixed media is so on point. I have been wanting to experiment with midex media and you have given me the inspiration to do so. So well done. I just love it. Thanks again.
Karen Watson says
Hi Jeri, I’m so glad you enjoyed Kathleen’s beautiful journal! One of the bundles that she used was actually inspired by that same book. Such a great read! We look forward to having you join us as a Member!
Kathleen Mower says
Oh Jeri – thank you so much! Those of us who love the marsh seem to be everywhere this week. I am so pleased that you like the journal and very happy to show how lovely the images from the membership site are – and they are actually more than lovely! These images are meticulously prepared just for what we love to do – combine them and overlap them and use them to express our ideas. I think you will be very, very happy with your membership. Thank you for your comment and I hope you’ll stay in touch!
Tineke says
Wow, this journal is gorgeous. I love everything Kathleen.
Kathleen Mower says
That is so kind Tineke! Thank you very much!