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Monday, February 15, 2021

The Inspired Home "Junk" Journal ~ Romantic Homemaking Series

 I feel as if I had opened a book and found roses of yesterday sweet and fragrant, between its leaves.” 

~ L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island


I think that constant inspiration is needed in order to fulfill our desire for a romantic home life, the goals of making our home a lifestyle of beauty. To begin this Romantic Homemaking Series, I'd like to start with just that -- inspiration. Here is a little project that can be hand-tailored to your specific circumstances. We are all in different stages in our lives. Some with many little children, some right there in the middle and some in the "golden" years of life. These little "junk" journals (as they are called) are meant to take a few minutes in your week (or even longer if you choose) to create beautiful homemaking encouragement in one scrapbook-style volume. 


To begin, you will want to have a nice, old book that you don't mind altering. I chose something with a red hardcover to give it a romantic and timeless appeal. Removing dust-jackets from old books you are no longer interested in may also reveal a red cover if you desire one. I found my book at a thrift store but you can use anything, even a composition book or 3-ring notebook. Please choose something according to your taste or practicality.


Next, you will want to decorate the cover and spine. Here is the first PRINTABLE in the series with clip art to cut and paste images to make it easy for you. You can also glue in swatches of fabric, lace, scrapbook paper or pretty magazine pictures. The idea is to make this book lovely and inspiring to look at. When you feel like you are losing your spark, this book is designed to bring it back!


As the series go, I will have printables to paste into the journal. It may be inspiring quotes, recipes, lists, etc. Basically it will be anything that will encourage you to love and do in the homemaking world. And as you live your life, you can add whatever else you come across that will inspire you in your homemaking journey! Obviously you don't have to use the printable, you can always decorate with your own supplies and hand-write in your own entries. These are just to make it easier as the printable will contain information derived from the series.


The first printable in the series includes:

-- cover page clip art
-- clip art to decorate spine of book
-- clip art to decorate inside cover of book and/or pages in book
-- inspired homemaking quote (shown above) (shared from first post in series)


-- favorite homemaking book list (concept shared from second post in series)
-- favorite homemaking book wish list (concept shared from second post in series)

You don't have to include what doesn't interest you (for instance I did the book "wish list" but I didn't do the "favorite" homemaking book list since I already typed it here).


Also, in order to make this book functional, you will want to remove every other page in the book (simply remove a page every time you work on it). This way, the book doesn't get too thick with all your homemaking entries. I am saving my old pages for making "pockets" to hold some labels that will be coming up, to embellish gift tags, to make into shapes useful for decorations and for wrapping small parcels.


I have prepared the first part of the book very simply and timed it. It took 10 minutes of my time (and I prepared the cover, spine, inside of book, the homemaking book wish list, cut and pasted in some clip art and embellished with one piece of lace). I definitely could have done more (I haven't even brought out my  pretty scraps -- but oh dear -- when I have time!)! I just want to give you an idea of the basic version and the time it would take.


Perhaps you'd like to make one and pass it down to your daughter one day. Or a grandmother can prepare one to give to a granddaughter in the future. Maybe this is something you can work on with your daughters at tea time together. Whatever the case, I've tried to make it as easy as possible so that it can actually be done. I do hope you enjoy making your own "Inspired Homemaking" journal!


P.S. I am a bit behind on the scheduling of these posts so you may be land-blasted with a few posts in a row for a few days (so sorry!)... The reason for this is that I am going to post this series up to spring...

Happily homemaking,
♡ JES


Romantic Homemaking Series:


19 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea, Jess. I love roses and the Victorian look of scrapbooking. It has been a while since I did a scrapbook of quotes and old things I love. It brings such pleasure and calmness to look at this type of book. You are an inspiration and I will join along. Many blessings to you for all you share and your kind spirit.

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    1. Thank you Glenda! I thought a little whimsical fun might just be what some of us need right now ♥️

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  2. Thank you so much for this. Recently you asked us about our favourite type of your blogposts and I was going to reply that I love your old-fashioned inspirational posts - but I didn't get around to it. And today you post this! Perfect, thank you :-) Anne

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    1. Ah, thank you so much for the feedback! This really helps Anne ♥️

      Have a wonderful week!

      ♥️ JES

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  3. It would be fun to see the various books as people choose what to use.

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    1. I was thinking that too! I wish I had a platform to somehow share each other's pictures!

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  4. I love this, but I'm not able to read a complete post here, why?

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    1. I'm wondering if the complete page hadn't loaded yet... sometimes the internet takes awhile to download all the pictures... just a thought 💭 ♥️

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  5. Oh Jes! What an impossible task you offer me! I have just spent FAR TOO LONG searching the thrift shop or a book I could use for this lovely project ... how could I choose a suitable book? The fiction section, all too modern and not at all appropriate content; the non fiction section? Something on homemaking perhaps? But nothing except illustrated medical books there! Cookery perhaps? No, far too many of those at home already, and besides I couldn’t deface a cookery book! An atlas perhaps, that might be arty... but I’m not! An old children’s book ? An impossible choice; I passed over a wealth of old favourites, Heidi, Anne of Greengables, The Secret Garden, Mrs Pepperpot, I finally pulled Little House in the Big Woods of the shelf, an apparently unread hardback. Can I bear to use it? Of course I already have a copy on my shelves...but Oh!
    Perhaps I should start again and hunt somewhere else! I will catch you all up eventually 😊

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    1. That's funny! I actually understand! I was only able to deface the book in the picture because I already own a copy of it. It really took a big step of courage to do the first rip of a page 😔 (plus mine was a volume two and I being I didn't have the matching first volume gave me courage! 😂)... Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful week! ♥️

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    2. I have spent a very pleasant afternoon by the fire, rereading the wonderful homemaking advice included in the Little House book! 😊

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  6. I really enjoy how you find such lovely things to create in unexpected ways.

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    1. Thank you! That makes me happy to hear ♥️♥️♥️ Have a lovely weekend Jennifer!

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  7. This is such a great idea! I would love to see your homemaking books wishlist! ❤❤❤

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    1. Its fun to make! If you can read my writing, you can sneak a peek of my list right here in the post ♥️🥀

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    2. That’s ok! We all have those moments 😉

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