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A glimpse at my scrapbook & past crafty endeavors.
I hope you find something here that inspires you to slow down and get a little messy!
me in Arts & Crafts at age 11!
Scrapbooking is by far the creative outlet I use the most at the moment, as I've become quite nostalgic in my twenties, and it's such a peaceful, interactive way to save physical memories.
Ever since I started taking scrapbooking seriously back in 2022, I've noticed I've become much more intentional about finding little bits of memory in the everyday, from receipts to ticket stubs to cute napkins from a restaurant. They might seem like small things to save for the future, but it's a pastime that encourages me to look up, stay present, and relish the beauty in the mundane.
Materials
You don't need a whole pad of pretty background papers, expensive washi tapes or lots of stickers to get started (though I'd be lying if I said I haven't collected many of those by this point, several years in, as I am a huge fan of decorative adds). Really, all you need to junk journal is right there in the name: a journal, a few junk scraps from the past day or week (could be a paper bag, a business card, a food label, a receipt, etc), a glue stick, and a pair of scissors.
For photos, I now use a mini bluetooth printer that connects to my phone to print pictures onto sticker paper, so I can then stick them directly onto the pages of my journal. I love it, but it was an investment purchase for sure (around $100 for transparency), and I only bought it just this year. Up until then, I just printed photos off my computer onto normal printer paper, and that method works perfectly! I tend to still do it that way when I want to print lots of photos, since buying the sticker paper for the bluetooth printer isn't cheap. Staples is also a great option for printing pictures, if you want higher resolution yet still affordable. Just organize your photos onto a PDF, and then use the normal printers at Staples. It's usually around $1.50/page for me, and the quality is great!
As for the aforementioned washi tapes, stickers, background papers, etc, if you're interested in a more artistic style of journalling, my main recommendation is to collect slowly but surely. This is not only because decorative bits are pricy (as opposed to daily junk which is ~free~), but also because your style will change over time. In my opinion, it's better to buy one or two rolls of washi tape at a time as opposed to fifteen all in one go, in case your vibe shifts or you discover that scrapbooking perhaps isn't for you in the longterm.
Here's a peek inside my scrapbook/junk journal at some more of my recent spreads, from earlier ones to my most recent creations. Maybe they'll give you some inspiration for your next journalling session! :)
Beaded jewelry ~ my other most loved craft.
I've been a beaded jewelry girl since day one (peep the photo of me at ten years old wearing a necklace I made in Arts & Crafts), but I really started to create it seriously when I was 19 and took a leave from college. I was going through mental health things at the time and craved an artistic activity that would get me out of my head. Growing up I was never much of a painter/drawer, and so beading soon became the first art form that I really latched on to (aside from scrapbooking & collaging). It taught me that creating colorful, nostalgic art is what truly speaks to me as an artist, and it was also the first time I felt confident using the term artist to describe my crafty side.
My current beaded jewelry box! It holds an archive of all my designs.
One of my few earliest designs that made it to the shop
Made in 2024 at summer camp, just for fun :)
My current beaded jewelry box! It holds an archive of all my designs.
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I absolutely adored the craft of jewelrymaking and created design after design. It's a mindful, tactile activity, and taking the time to sit down and string beads together into original, creative pieces helped me heal emotionally much more than I'd expected, as well as gave me a new hobby! Eventually I'd created so much that I started to give it away, first to family, friends, and campers at camp, until I starting selling via a small business, which I ran all throughout the pandemic. It was a great way to stay creative and connected with others while stuck inside for two years.
As perhaps would be expected (especially now that I know more about myself and no longer feel like every hobby needs to be commodified), after two years the pressures of running a business caused me to lose the joy in actually making jewelry. I pressed the brakes on all of it and took time away from the craft to try other hobbies. Just recently, however, I've started to get back into it again, and it's still brings me happiness. I have so much back-log of jewelry from the business days, so if you write me a letter (info is on the contact page!), I'll send a surprise piece along with my reply :)
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