Hey, everyone! Rhonda Ellzey of Joy Junktique, one of our amazing new Junk Journal Design Team Members, created a fabulous  ‘My Heart’s Door Junk Journal’ for us this week. As you know, we feature one new Junk Journal project each week created by one of our creative team of artists. Our Design Team Members select from the 100’s of Vintage Image Bundles on our Premium Membership Site, for their creations, in order to show you beautiful ways to use those images. We hope you will be totally inspired by this series!

Therefore, please make sure you check out the video tour at the bottom of the page…please scroll all the way down to see it. Are you ready to be inspired? I will step out of the way and let Rhonda introduce herself and tell you all about her incredible project…

Hi, everyone! My name is Rhonda of JOYjunktique, and I live in a small country town in Louisiana, USA. I have been creating since I was a little girl because it brings me so much joy. So, when I discovered junk journaling, I realized I could combine my love of creating with my love for collecting and repurposing vintage items. And I am so happy to be here sharing my very first design team project with all of you! It’s truly an honor!
As I started searching through the endless assortment of beautiful images available on the Premium Membership site, I found so much inspiration. I stumbled onto a distressed wood page in the Distressed Texture Photo bundle, and I immediately envisioned an old door. So that inspired this keepsake junk journal I’ve called “My Heart’s Door.” Behind our heart’s door is where we keep all
the things we hold near and dear… cherished memories along with keepsakes and treasures that remind us of the people we love and those special moments we want to remember. This journal is a collection of old photos, beautiful images, and little treasures that may reflect the kinds of things we hold onto.

To create this journal, I repurposed an old book cover and constructed a hidden spine by layering some wide ribbon and a vintage crocheted piece. At the top of the spine, I hung a heart-shaped “lock” that opens up to a floral heart background and a ring placed inside for safe keeping. I sewed in three signatures, with an assortment of printed, authentic, and hand-dyed pages, filled with pockets, tucks, and ephemera. I used the Ephemera/Blank Papers and Parchment bundle for journaling pages and to back the ephemera. I also used the search tool on the Premium Membership site to find images that would complement my theme. A list of all the premium site bundles I used is listed below.

This side view allows you to see all the layers of lace and trims billowing out of the edges of the book and peeking from its pages. To me, this creates a softness that is very comforting. You can also see some sweet Cottage Rose Hearts adorned with charms and lace peeping out from the layers. I used the hearts as tabs and tucks throughout the journal to emphasize the heart theme.

For the cover, I cut a door from the distressed wood printable that I printed on cardstock and double-sided. I hinged it with strips of fabric that wrap around the spine of the journal, and then added an old drawer pull to the front of the door that invites you in. The door opens to an old family photo, from the Family Tree Genealogy bundle, that is tucked behind a lace frame image covered with discolored plastic from old packaging.

I lined the inside covers with a collage page, from the Tattered Paper Treasures 2 bundle, that I printed on coffee-dyed vellum. I love that you can still see the library stamp mark through the vellum. I added a quote from the Family Tree Genealogy bundle. The fabric heart is made from scraps of leftover fabric and holds a tiny millinery flower bouquet. I love these tiny flowers, so I sprinkled them throughout the pages. I used a paper coaster and added the clock image, from the Shabby Clock Collage sheet, to create a journaling tag that tucks into a vellum ruffle.

I was thrilled to find this photo of the lady standing in front of the arched door, from the Haunted Scottish Castle bundle, since she would be a perfect addition to this journal. I coffee-dyed a junk mail window envelope and cut it down to fit the photo. It adds that age-old vintage look as you view the photo through the grungy window. It looks as though she’s going for a walk… thus the quote “a walk down memory lane”. The page behind it is a ledger receipt page I found in the Images section. I also made a scrappy notebook from a coffee-dyed paper bag that I embossed. It tucks into a side page pocket.

An old rusty bottlecap adds lots of vintage character to this tag and also serves as a clip to hold it onto a page. I tied a piece of rag strip ribbon to the top for a shabby feel.

I sewed lace to these beautiful wallpaper pages to make deep pockets that hold more vintage photos. There are tons of photos to be found on the Premium Membership site. The ones I used are from Family Tree Genealogy, Antique Portraits 1 and 2, Ancient Ancestors 1, and The Florist. The angel, from the Pastel Christmas bundle, looks beautiful watching over this mother and her children and serves as a tuck for the photo. I brushed some Sparkle Silk on her wings for a glistening effect.

This beautiful vintage photo is tucked behind one of the heart tabs. The lace doily page is from the Polar Hues Ephemera bundle. I printed it on coffee-dyed paper, so it looks as though it’s been around for years and years. Printing on coffee-dyed paper, as well as adding pieces of aged tape, is an easy way to create a vintage feel in junk journals.

I love how this cream and green wallpaper page compliments a lace pocket that holds a grungy vellum envelope with a recipe from the Rustic Tattered Treasures bundle.

To create interest within the journal, I enjoy using pages of all sizes and textures that layer and overlap, resulting in a beautiful spread. By using embossed paper, a glassine envelope, a paper doily, beautiful patterns, and lace trims, these pages offer lots of eye candy.

Inside the back cover, I added a wooden trunk image, from the Pirate’s Cove bundle, to hold a few more treasures. The round “2 of hearts” playing card was a perfect match to attach the couple’s photo to. And the music tickets tuck nicely down inside the trunk, along with a small, crocheted doily. Using a piece of cardboard, I made a writing board with two collage images, from the Instant
Ancestors bundle 1, that can be used to give a hard surface when writing in the journal.

I had fun creating some other ephemera pieces that could be tucked between the signatures of the journal. I added some crackle paint to the stained-glass image from the Stained Glass Windows bundle and made a keepsake ornament… I love how it gave the effect of real stained glass. An embossed envelope with a wax seal holds a framed photo pocket. The small window paper bag is filled with family record documents from the Family Tree Genealogy kit… I love the little tree charm! The tiny white sack holds ephemera stickers that I made with the Tattered Paper Treasures 2 bundle. All so fun!

And that’s my project! I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share it with you. I hope you find some inspiration. There are many more details that can be seen in the video flip-through below.

MY HEART’S DOOR JUNK JOURNAL SHOW  & TELL VIDEO TOUR

Premium Membership Bundles used in this project:

Distress Texture Photos
Ephemera Blank Papers and Parchment
Family Tree Genealogy
Vintage Paper Lace
Tattered Paper Treasures 2
Haunted Scottish Castle
Antique Portraits 1 and 2
Ancient Ancestors 1
Polar Hues Ephemera
Rustic Tattered Treasures
Stained Glass Windows
Pirate’s Cove
Pastel Christmas
The Musician – Tickets
Summer’s Bounty
The Florist
Little Women
Emma

Thank you for taking the time to visit. I’ll see you soon!

I hope you will visit me here:

Rhonda’s Instagram

Rhonda’s YouTube

Rhonda’s Etsy

Rhonda

Check out the Graphics Fairy Premium Membership Site HERE!