Junk Journals are a ton of fun to make but there are some stressful parts of making them. After all, how do you measure the paper for the text block or signatures? It’s important to get the book boards and text blocks to be compatible. If it isn’t properly sized, then the junk journal looks like it’s wearing too big of a winter coat. The sleeves are just a bit too long, it hangs wrong, and when you open it the text block looks out of place.

The first thing that I do is that I prepare my book covers. I reuse books, so I prepare the book cover to be upcycled. I might repair the spine or cut off the spine to make the covers. There is a variety of ways that you can upcycle book covers into junk journals.

This is a bit backward from traditional bookbinding where you create the text block size and then make covers to adjust to the text block size. Using upcycled journal covers means that you have to make some adjustments to the text block size. It can be tricky because you are creating an object that is meant to be handled and appreciated.

First, determine the covers and what binding method you are going to use. The below are vintage children’s school books. I’ve decided to bind them with the coptic hand sewn method with signatures. It it basically two boards with matching holes drilled into them.

The second thing that I do, is to measure the book boards. I use a metal ruler and blue painter’s tape to mark my measurements. You can use masking tape or other tapes that will cleanly lift off the ruler.

Notice that I’ve measured short of the edge by about half an inch or so. This will let the book cover overhang the text block/signatures. The reason this is important is because when you are junk journaling, you need a bit of ‘grace’ when it comes to the edges. Since you are adding random paper, paint, and pull-outs, if you go to the book cover edges, the signatures will ‘over flow’ outside the book covers. If the text block overflows, then your tabs or pullouts won’t be as visible either.

The next step is to either use the ruler to cut the paper to the right length. You can use it as a reference or you can line it up on your paper cutter. If you are like me, you won’t remember 6 inches and 5 10ths of an inch. 🙂 Kudos to everyone that can keep those measurements in your head. 🙂

I have a larger Fiskars paper cutter with a table. I transferred the ruler measurements to the paper cutter table. In this example, I’m measuring paper that has already been folded in half for signatures.

In addition, while you are selecting paper, the ruler comes in handy because it just takes a second to measure it out. It turns the tedious task of making signatures and text blocks into a more organic method of cutting the signatures.

Alternatively, you could use the ruler to tear the paper. 🙂

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions on how to make this process smoother. I find it helps to foster creativity to have the text block completed in a fairly uniform manner. It creates a solid foundation for your art journal or book journal. 🙂