Appreciation for the Junk Journal Party

Keeping me creative and humble

I have started hosting a monthly arts and crafts day at my house. Each month one of my friends takes turns teaching the group a craft. This allows us to try new things. It forces us outside our comfort zones.

All art has the potential to be inspiring. All forms of making art can be therapeutic. This group just seemed like a wonderful idea, especially considering the crazy times we are now living in. Who wouldn’t want a fun art day stress release?

For the first class, I was excited to learn how to make a junk journal. Once I learned about them I watched many YouTube videos from ladies showing different ways to make them, what materials to use etc.

Originally junk journals were made with a variety of found and recycled materials. However, junk journals have now become a big business in the art world with products being made and sold specifically for junk journals. I bought some fabric, ribbon, and stationary pages to get started. It looked super easy. It also looked like a lot of fun.

When it comes to paper crafting I have had very little experience. I picked out the theme of my junk journal and the decorative papers. That was the easy part. Punching holes in the pages with an awl was a challenge. Sewing the pages into the book was a challenge. Glueing the fabric onto the cover was tricky as well.

There were several ladies at the table. Being the host, I waited until last to be helped by the teacher. I saw everyone else figuring it out. Many of them had more scrapbooking and/or sewing experience than I did. I was struggling. By the end of the night, I finally had a completed junk journal aside from the fact some of the glue still needed to dry.

Was it a masterpiece? No. It was my first junk journal. I’m not sure why I was expecting a masterpiece. I’m a writer, and I don’t expect my first draft to be polished.

The videos I watched on YouTube looked easy because the teachers had made countless junk journals. Many of them even sold their junk journals on Etsy. Once I realized this, I vowed to make another junk journal after the holidays and give it another try.

I learned a lot from this experience. I have gratitude for my junk journal party. I appreciate that I was pushed outside my comfort zone. I appreciate that I learned a new craft and acquired new skills.

I was reminded that sometimes the importance of art is the journey and not the end product.

I was reminded that becoming good at something requires practice.

As I got frustrated with my junk journal, I lost sight of the conversations we were having. I hadn’t seen many of the ladies in a long time. Reconnecting with friends was the most important part of the arts and crafts day.

I learned a lot about trying new things and hosting these events. In the future, I will lower my expectations of finished products.

Next time I will focus on enjoying the creative experience. The experience of doing something makes more memories than the end product. Next time I will also cover my table in sheets of newspaper! We had glue everywhere.

I know I will enjoy the next arts and crafts day even more. We choose our perspective. Instead of getting frustrated, I can laugh it off.

Arts and crafts days are meant to be fun. I really did enjoy the quality time I spent with my friends even if I want to hide my junk journal.

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