Summer is almost gone, and to celebrate fall, I started on a cottage core-inspired junk journal. For this project, I wanted to challenge myself by using acrylic paint as the main cover decor and incorporating naturally pressed plants and flowers to adorn it. As I continue its construction,  I will explore different image-transferring methods with ideas to use watercolor in my ephemera.

Want to craft your very own Junk Journal?

I will post a series of 'Craft Along, Elara's Junk Journal' videos starting this Saturday on YouTube. I invite you to join the fun! This experimental series will make use of a visual board and a concept story to guide the creation of the overall aesthetics. We will also be experimenting with watercolor paint and other forms of media. 

Visual Aesthetic: A soothing Tiffany green hue will be paired with a plum for depth, while dusty blue and grayish cream hues create a subtle, ethereal balance. The pages will be adorned with hand-painted tags and ephemera reminiscent of Monet's enchanting paintings, and the motifs of lush Victorian cottage gardens will decorate the pages. 

Concept Story

Elera's journal was inspired by my mother's own garden. In the busy city of Los Angeles, my mother's garden is a tranquil place for afternoons of watercolor sessions or to unwind and center from a busy city day. 

'A Garden of Dreams'

A young, free-spirited girl named Elara lived in a quiet cottage nestled far from the city's hustle and bustle. She was a lover of books, a painter of dreams, and a guardian of her enchanting garden.

On warm afternoons, Elara would find herself drawn to the tranquility of her garden. The space was a tapestry of wildflowers. Delicate butterflies fluttered from petal to petal, and birds serenaded her with melodious tunes. It was a magical place where time seemed slow and the world faded.

With a well-worn journal, Elara would sit among the blossoms, the sun casting dappled shadows through the leaves. She'd let her fingers dance over the pages, collecting recipes from her grandmother's handwritten notes. 

With swift yet deliberate strokes, she'd bring to life the flowers she saw around her - the velvet petals of the roses, the delicate fronds of the ferns, and the fiery red of the poppies. Every stroke was infused with the love she held for her secret haven.

Her evenings were often spent at her cottage's hearth, where the scent of herbs and spices mingled with the fire's warmth. She'd pore over her journal once more, studying the properties of plants, documenting their uses in remedies and potions. Her love for gardening was a connection to the earth, a source of inspiration, and a way to heal herself and others.

Elara's cottage was a sanctuary where the lines between the mundane and the magical blurred. With each stroke of her brush, each page filled with knowledge, and each moment spent in her garden, she wove a life that was as peaceful as it was enchanting. Her journal was a reflection of her soul, a story of a life well-lived and a world where dreams took root and blossomed like her beloved flowers.

Let's Get Started

Now, gather your materials and head over to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ONEHORNLA.com

Make sure to subscribe to receive notifications for the next video. 

Let us get started!