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Anastasiia Tysevych – Czech Republic
Tamara Morton – United Kingdom
If you’ve ever admired junk journals but felt unsure where to begin, this project is for you. Today, Graphic 45 Brand Ambassador Maria Smeshkova is sharing a stunning junk journal created with our Botanical Tea – Keepsake Kit, designed to inspire confidence, creativity, and curiosity. This journal is soft, botanical, and beautifully layered—proof that trying something new doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With thoughtful details, gentle textures, and plenty of room to make it your own, this project invites you to slow down, experiment, and enjoy the creative process.
A full video tutorial by Maria Smeshkova showing how the journal comes together
A finished junk journal flip-through highlighting pages, pockets, and interactive elements
Inspiration for adding fabric, lace, vellum, and stitching to paper projects
Ideas for combining paper layering with texture without overcomplicating your design
Functional design tips for creating journaling space, tags, pull-outs, and pockets
Encouragement for beginners and seasoned crafters to try something new with confidence
“Hello everyone!
Today, I’m excited to share my finished junk journal created with the beautiful Botanical Tea collection by Graphic 45.
This project is all about a calm botanical mood, layers, textures, and thoughtful details. The Botanical Tea collection works absolutely perfectly for this type of journal. The papers are elegant, soft, and full of delicate botanical illustrations that make every page look rich without feeling overloaded. They layer beautifully, work well with stitching, and combine effortlessly with fabric, lace, and vellum.
When creating this journal, I focused not only on decoration but also on functionality. Inside, there is plenty of space for photos and journaling. The journal includes many pockets of different sizes, tags, cards, and interactive elements that can be pulled out, rearranged, or added to over time.
I used a variety of page formats to make the journal interesting and dynamic: full-size pages, shorter pages, vellum inserts, folded pages, and pocket pages. This mix adds movement to the journal and makes it enjoyable to flip through, while also giving a lot of freedom for future use.
Texture plays a significant role in this project. I added fabric, lace, vellum, layered paper elements, and machine stitching throughout the journal. Stitching not only adds a decorative touch but also helps secure layered elements and pockets, making the journal sturdy and practical.
The journal is hand-bound, allowing it to open comfortably despite the many layers and dimensional details. Each signature is stitched in, giving the journal strength and durability while keeping a soft, handmade feel.
One of the things I love most about the Botanical Tea collection is its versatility. It feels timeless and gentle, and it supports creative freedom, whether you want to keep pages minimal or build complex layered compositions. This junk journal is now ready to be filled with photos, notes, memories, and creative ideas. I hope this project inspires you to create your own botanical-style journal.” ~Maria
Beginner Junk Journal Tutorial: Pockets, Tags, Lace & Vellum
Start simple. You don’t need to use every technique at once—choose one new element (like vellum or fabric) and build from there.
Let your papers do the work. Collections like Botanical Tea are designed to layer beautifully, making it easier to achieve a polished look.
Mix textures thoughtfully. Fabric, lace, and stitching add warmth and dimension while keeping your journal soft and usable.
Design for use, not just beauty. Leave space for photos, notes, and memories—you can always add more later.
This botanical junk journal is more than a finished project—it’s an invitation. An invitation to experiment, to trust your creativity, and to take that first step into junk journaling (or your next one!). We hope Maria’s tutorial inspires you to gather your favorite papers, add a touch of fabric or lace, and create something uniquely yours.
✨ Watch the video tutorial, explore the Botanical Tea – Keepsake Kit, and start your own junk journal today.
Be sure to share your creations with us—we can’t wait to see what you make!
