Nature Themed Junk Journal

Hello crafty friends!
Jennifer here, back on the blog with a nature-themed junk journal using the Large Rectangle Journal Covers—new over on the Clear Scraps website!

Large junk journal cover

I absolutely love junk journals. They’re the perfect way to use up leftover scraps, bits and pieces lying around your craft room, and the best part? There are no rules! Junk journals can be messy, mismatched, and completely unique.

These blank chipboard journal covers are so versatile and a great starting point for creating something that’s truly your own. Thanks so much for stopping by—I hope this inspires you to dive into junk journaling and create something magical!

Let’s Get Started

To begin this journal, I started by covering the chipboard covers with a piece of fabric from my stash. I cut the fabric about an inch larger than the chipboard on all sides so I could fold it over to create a clean, wrapped cover. I laid out the three pieces—front, back, and spine—on the fabric to make sure everything lined up correctly, then used 3-in-1 glue to adhere the chipboard pieces to the back side of the fabric.

Prepping the Spine for Sewing

Before gluing down the spine, I measured and marked a grid: every 2 inches horizontally and every 1 inch vertically. Where the lines intersected, I poked holes to create a guide for sewing in my signatures later.

(If you’re new to junk journaling: A signature is a group of folded papers sewn into your journal. I typically use 4–5 pages per signature and include three signatures in each book.)

You can use anything in your signatures—scrap paper, envelopes, burlap, fabric, you name it. Let your creativity lead!

Assembling the Cover

Next, I glued the spine between the front and back covers. Using an awl, I carefully poked holes through both the fabric and chipboard to line up with my signature sewing holes.

I trimmed the corners of the fabric right at the chipboard tips to reduce bulk. This clean edge allowed me to add metal corner protectors, which not only look great but also help prevent fraying over time.

Sewing in the Signatures

This is my favorite part! Before sewing, I make sure the signature pages are neatly aligned. I use alligator clips to hold them in place, then poke holes along the center fold.

To stitch them in:

Start from the middle hole inside the signature.
Go out through the spine, then up to the top hole and back inside.
Go down through the center again and out the bottom hole.
Bring the thread back in through the bottom and tie the ends in the center.

I repeat this for each signature.

Optional Tip: I like to add beads to the spine while stitching—it hides the thread and gives the outside of the journal a decorative touch!

Once the signatures are sewn in I measure 2 pieces of printed card stock to cover the inside of the front and back covers.

Decorating the Inside

Now for the fun part—decorating! I added:

Belly bands with tucked-in cards and journaling paper
Bookmarks with windows and pressed flowers
A wishing well, birdbath, and all sorts of creative pockets and tags
Lace and ribbon along the outer edges for a delicate touch
Charms scattered throughout the pages

To finish the journal, I decorated the front cover with a chipboard frame, flowers, moss, and a fox image—a perfect nod to the nature theme.