July Newsletter - Layouts

Hello Creative Souls!

This month, we’re putting the spotlight on one of the most fun—and sometimes most intimidating—parts of junk journaling: layouts! Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned scrapper, creating beautiful, functional page layouts can take your journal from “cute” to “captivating.”

Let’s explore easy ways to design layouts you’ll love and feel proud to flip through again and again.

What’s a Layout, Anyway?

A layout is simply how you arrange elements on a page—paper scraps, pockets, tags, washi, ephemera, stamps, photos, and more. Good layouts balance visual interest and personal meaning without needing to be perfect. There’s no wrong way to do it!

5 Layout Prompts to Spark Your Creativity

1. The “Three-Cluster Rule”

Pick three small areas on your page to cluster elements like a mini collage. Try top-left, center, and bottom-right.

2. Story Spread

Use two pages to tell a story—one for words, the other for visuals like photos, drawings, or ephemera.

3. Pocket Page Perfection

Create a central pocket and tuck in mini tags, journaling cards, or tiny notes to yourself.

4. Theme of the Month

Choose a monthly theme (like “bloom,” “wander,” or “gratitude”) and build your page around it using related colors, words, and found images.

5. Background First

Start with a layered background (paint, book pages, music sheets) and let that inspire your layout. Add from there!

 Layout Whisper

"Think of your layout like a little stage—what’s the story, and who are the stars? Let each page be a tiny performance of your imagination!"

Layout Challenge:

May Magic

Try this challenge: Create a “Botanical Page” layout using only greens, florals, and handwritten words. Share your page in our Facebook group or tag us @junkjournalnewbies 

We'd Love to See Your Pages!

Show off your layouts and tell us your process—what worked, what you loved, or even what you'd change. Your page might be featured in next month’s newsletter!

Keep Creating, Keep Layouting, and Most of All—Have FUN!

— The Junk Journal Newbies Team