Falling in love again with scrapbook journaling

I have had so many questions about scrapbook journaling, it called for its' own post.  I've created some form of scrapbook journal for the last fourteen years.  A couple years ago, I set this way of creating aside to concentrate on other things.  To be honest, I was just bored with it.

Then earlier this year, I began to notice photos in magazines and online where journals were being created using products and embellishments from other forms of paper crafting.  I dusted off my original scrapbooking products and added a few items with birthday money... and a craft I'd become bored with was made fresh and new. 

I was asked why I like scrapbook journaling.  It's because through it, I can create visually the various emotions I'm feeling at the time.  What I am loving, a song or poem that has touched me, an event or a thought, a Bible verse, anything I want to put on paper.

Each page will be slightly different in this journal.  There is no right or wrong, no perfection.  As patient as I am putting them together, they still can turn out a little wonky and definitely homemade.  But someday I hope my children or grandchildren can look through these pages and not see perfect Art... but reflections of me!

I have shown you this page before but it was the first one I made for this new journal, celebrating the week my family spent together to celebrate my birthday in July.

This page is about a song I love, J. J. Heller's song called Someday.

And that it was my daughter who sent me a link to it on You Tube and told me when she heard it, she thought of me.  I find it often easier to print out the song or poem or prose rather than write it out.

This page shows some of the embellishments I used for the "Title Page" of the journal.

Often on the pages, there is an illusion that washi tape is used to adhere the pages to the sketchbook.  Actually, I have a few different kinds of double stick tape that I use... according to how heavy the paper is I'm adhering.  The washi tape is for texture and beauty.

I used three different types of washi tape on this one to create texture, interest, and color.  And in my own handwriting, what I was thinking at the time...

On the back of pages where embellishments make the paper fairly heavy, I adhere a simple magazine page.  In this case, one with a quote already on it that I like.  This magazine page was adhered with double stick tape and edged with narrow washi tape for texture.

I've shown you this before but it is a good representation of embellishment with washi tape on the corners, a three dimensional glittery butterfly, and paper flowers on the corners of the printed out quote.

I have used regular scrapbooks but I've found artist's sketchbooks work the best to create a scrapbook journal.  Their pages are heavy enough to support layered and embellished "art".

My last one was spiral so this time I bought one (with a half price coupon) that was bound.  It is sturdier but the spiral was easier to work with.  Since I had the basic scrapbooking supplies already and embellishments are very inexpensive (at least the kind I buy!)... my "new" crafting is budget friendly.

I was asked about washi tape.  It is a Japanese decorated tape, most of which has the feel of masking tape.  But the floral designs (bottom left above) are made of fabric and they came directly from China (purchased with Amazon credit at a very low price).

Washi tape is usually inexpensive.  One of my favorite designs is the red with white polka dots above that costs 99 cents at Walmart.  All of the rolls of narrow solid color washi tape came together in one package.  If I remember, it was $6.00 for the entire package. 

Oh, I was also asked about the boxes like the one shown above.  They originally contained candy and a friend was getting rid of them and asked if I wanted them.  I knew someday they would come in handy, just the perfect size for crafting supplies!  That is their original silver color.

Links to a few posts about past journals can be found on the Page labeled Scrapbook Journal, under the blog's Header.  I will be including the newer format I'm using in the same Page, those links labeled Scrapbook Art Journal.