Sometimes it not the need for journals, but just the joy of making them. You can also make journal/composition books and give them away to friends, Med staff, coworkers. You be surprised how happy you would make someone, knowing that you took time out to think of them. I do different crafting , I gift 🎁 to my coworkers and they love it. I get a chance to let my artsy. Crafty skills go but I don’t have that at home build up. Plus I’ve seen folks using them.
If I had seen this during 2020, I would have held on to my BOXES of transparency sheets instead of purging my shed of extra supplies because....what else was I suppose to do at that time! UUUUUGH! I absolutely loved the sewing!
This video is so satisfying in so many ways! To see all of your journals with varying styles of writing and using up what you have, I’m hooked on your channel now. Bought Lynda Barry’s book and now I want a sewing machine! I have one juicy composition book and have started another one more in the glue book style. I want to be unstuck and this video sparked something I needed. Thanks so much, more “quick” videos like these please 😂🙏🏽💓💓💓💓 *more on gloss varnish please!
Today I decided I was gonna sew. Cause I gotta use up all the inspiration I got from all your sewing videos as of late. Now I’m thinking I should get back to my poetry journals. What am I gonna do... I just hope I won’t run out of quarantine time with all the things I want to do and all the projects I have in mind. You have to do some journal with me videos. I’m dying to see what people are journaling about these days. Especially since I told my students that they should be keeping a journal during these historic times. I want to show them what you’re doing, so they can learn from more than one person. ❤️🥰❤️
yes, students and people of all ages should be journaling during these historic times -- it is an activity and can really help with creativity and stress managment. I am up to #4 just for corona virus (feel free to check out my youtube channel to see what I've been doing). Maybe one day it will be part of a PhD history research ! :-)
I've been doing this for most of my life. I used to just use Composition notebooks, but at some point I decided to start making my own covers and stuff. Yours are gorgeous!
I found composition books from Vietnam at Wal-Mart in the school supply section. The brand name is UStyle...under $2...they only had one box full compared to many other boxes of the cheaper brand, but glad I took the time to look at each brand. Good luck ladies...hope you find them too. So anxious to start my journal but waiting for the Syllabus book!!!
Well I was looking for help on what to do to create a JUnk Journal and you sure have left me with a lot to think about and help me. TY for sharing so much of what you have done and how to create your next journal. I do not sew so I will probably use Skor Tape to put the covers on the Composition books when I get them...and I might even have transparencies to cover them...or I will use shipping tape that I use for my Glue Books.
New subby here just came across your videos!❤️💯🙏🏻 I love your ideas, I have made these journals in the past. Always gluing two pages together and Washi taping the edge of the papers.
Thanks for the great video! I hope you’re staying healthy. It’s not really bothering me to have to stay home since I really enjoy it anyway...just wish I was a little more productive. I have been making lap blankets sort of for keepsakes for my three adult kids. I pieced together 40 squares of various fabrics and then I’m slow stitching on each square. The back looks awful with all of the knots, etc. but the front looks really cool. I’m starting on my third one. Thanks for all your inspiration!
I too use a composition book on a regular basis although I just made myself a junk journal. I can't wait to see the flip through of all the books individually. Thank you for sharing~
I love these notebooks. And if you don't have a sewing machine, you can use an awl (or small hole poking tool, you can find similar things in the beading or clay sections of your local craft store) and go around the edge with embroidery floss. :)
I LOVE your “marker florals”, would you consider making those into digitals for purchase? Really any of your artwork would be amazing if it were digitally available!! You are incredibly talented and I absolutely love your style and use of bright colors.
Thank you soo much! Your video put me in an creative mood... That had not happened in days and I really need it. These times are soo unsettling. I´m quit helpless in the face of so much anxieties ridden thoughts in my head. Its not helpful. And I know it, but can´t stop. Even your lovely dry wit seams to have a day of.... I ordered Syllabus! Thanks for the recommendation and your warm words.
The struggle is real, right! I get bored so easily and want something new. Maybe I need to start making my journals with only about 10 pages so I'll fill them up in a few of days and have a real excuse to make a new one! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you. Very cool! I used to journal in composition books. I love them. Now I have arthritis in my hands, so I journal on my computer. I'm going to print the entries. Maybe I'll do my next art journal in a composition book.
Just placed an order with Amazon. Thank you for pulling it all together in this tutorial. LOL-The comment about writing the volume with Velcro-still laughing 😂. TFS. I started keeping a journal 📓 in 2019 and called it my escape journal. I filled it completely. Working in it brought immense joy and want to continue this writing and art process. Have a good one!
I was recently introduced to your channel by a sweet sub of mine, and I'm so glad she did!! Loving your covers and the acetate is genius :) I've been using comp books for my journals for years and really enjoy them. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Welcome, Elizabeth! I've been a subbie of yours for a while and really enjoy your videos. You convinced me to subscribe to Mantra magazine, although now that I'm receiving it, I think I need two subscriptions... one to cut up and one to keep. :-)
I just came across your channel & I gotta tell ya... Although this is the very 1st video of your's that I've watched... But I do believe I'm hooked! I'll probably be binge watching all your videos starting this evening! Your journals are so beautiful & you make it look so easy! I'm definitely going to try my hand at it! Thank You for sharing your awesome ideas! I got an Amazon gift card for Christmas & I haven't even taken it out of the card it came in! But I think I want that book you recommended, so I'm going to go dig my gift card out & order it & the tape you use for bookbinding! The only thing is that I've never owned a sewing machine!!! I'll be turning 41 on February 5th & I think its time I look into getting one! If for nothing else, than to sew paper like you do to your covers! You are amazing & I can't wait to dig in to more of your content! ~🙏💙🙏Much Graditude, Erica Meares🙏💙🙏~
I guess I could try this on a spiral notebook? Just use a slightly different approach. I really enjoyed your video! Thanks:) During this time I get tired of quilting & sewing & needle work....switching to working with paper is a welcome change.
I have been trying so hard to get passed my creative junk journaling block and I think you just saved me! Thank you for the book recommendation as well
I really enjoyed your take on one of the most relaxing things to do in your life in recording what go's in it, through junk journaling, tfs. In His Grace Lorisa
A MAZ ING!!!! Your journals are just fantastic. I love them so much! I use composition books, too, but I have not made mine as amazing as your are! I think I have just been inspired!! I subscribed to your channel before I was even half way through your video.
I began a composition notebook journal in 2019 which I call my Positivity Notebook. The first was done in the weekly planner format and this year has been in the bullet journal format. There has been pro-cons to both formats. I began the journal on the advice of my therapist to keep me from being depressed about my family problems. I was curious to know how you added a shiny front to your notebook, so had to stop and watch your video. I didn't know somebody had actually written a book on the how-to's of composition notebook journaling. smile! I bought mine cause it was cheap and I didn't have to make my own book. My journal's signature got really wonky last year and was like BIG BERTHA. This year I've been switching it up- I turn it upside down from month to month to see if that helps with the wonkiness. It seems to have helped, except I had to add a different pocket to each end cause things kept falling out. I also use a stretchy hairband to keep my notebook closed. I have flip-throughs each month of my journal on my channel.
Looking at the way you work, you should have a class at community center, after school program or senior citizen center. I can see folks really enjoying themselves with you. Most composition vlogs are not sewn but glued/ mod podge. I thought it was laminated. I have some old acetate clear projector film too. Now I know what to do with it.
Wow what a cool idea I am into changing children books into journals but this is a great idea thanks for the inspiration. Breathtaking, I have so many art journals, writing journals, altered journals...
Oh my goodness Melanie I LOVE these journals so much! I am totally inspired to start one! Thanks for explaining how you choose your composition books, I always feel the paper so I get the good ones. I now will also be checking to see where they were made! Off I go to check my composition supply...
I’ve been binge watching your videos after scoring on some blank composition books at a thrift shop. I saw one where you(?) glued pages together. Now I’m watching this and you don’t even mention doing that. What have the viewers done that’s best? TFS!
Hi Kathy, I’m not Melanie but I watch a couple of different YT’ers that use comp books so I know what you’re talking about. I believe that you may have seen Elizabeth at NeverHopeless and confused her with Melanie Sullivan perhaps. I know for sure that Elizabeth has done the gluing pages in preparation in the past. I don’t remember Melanie suggesting that though I may be wrong.
Melanie, you mentioned a previous composition book journal video. Could you please provide me the link? You have so many videos and I would love to go through them all, but I also have a whole stack of composition books and I'm eager to try one of these! Thanks in advance!
I just made mine today! I'm going outdoors every day with my camera and documenting all my garden plants, so I figured I would just put the prints in a garden journal! Come see! :-)
These are wonderful! I wonder if you've adhered transparency film to the covers in other ways. I love what you're done, but don't have a sewing machine. Any advice?
You have inspired me to try crating in a composition book. I also need a link to when you make those little fabric snippets you showed...or the person who showed you...I would like their video...I cannot seem to find it.
I knew very quickly that you would be my new favorite channel . I too have a goodwill stickered box of transparency film.( I only have 1)and I wanted to say , I love your ideas ,your art is amazing, your color choices are genius. I just started watching inky art school too! (just guessing on some of your art). Anyways I do not own a sewing machine so was wondering any thoughts of attaching the trans film other than sewing?
