Hi everyone! I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying your week. For this week’s blog post, I’m going to show you my first attempt at a college journaling page. Over the years, I’ve collected a wide range of collage materials because, honestly, there are an unlimited number of items to use in a collage. For this specific page, I wanted to focus on recent aspects of my life, such as activities, purchases, things I’m looking forward to, and any other recent ideas. Let me show you some examples of materials I used and the tools I used to complete the collage.

First, I assembled some essential tools that I knew I would need, including scissors, a journal, a cutting mat, an Exacto knife, glue, and other helpful items. You might also notice my iPad displaying the new Lorde album because having some music, a podcast, or a TV show to watch while I work helps me get in the zone. It was my first listen to the album, so it was a cool way to digest it all. Anyway, I also laid out potential materials to include on my page. I had many sticker books, washi tapes, stamps, and patterned papers. I also had items that I collected over the past week or so, such as packaging from makeup I had purchased, a receipt, sticky notes with some of my work hours, and a sticker that resonated with my attitude this week. I had no idea which materials I would use, but having many options was helpful. If you want to start collaging on a budget, consider keeping the packaging from your purchases or visiting the dollar store. Most of the paper I used came from a variety of packs of paper scraps that I found at the dollar store, and they’re perfect for this type of thing.

Now that I had materials, it was time to start laying out some ideas. First, I looked through my papers to see if there were any colors or patterns calling my name. Immediately, I liked the pink and navy striped papers because I had been thinking about using those colors for my Etsy shop theme. I also wanted to include a countdown to a concert that I’ve been excited about, so I included that on a paper star. Most of my decisions just came down to play, I didn’t have anything specific in mind other than those two things. I created a weaving pattern using navy and pink papers, which was very successful, and everything else flourished from there.

Before gluing anything, I laid it all out as I wanted it to look on the page. With some adjustments, I was able to arrange everything to my satisfaction. Then, I cut off any excess from the edges of the paper and started gluing the various elements to the page. I also added some pearl stickers as a finishing touch, as an ode to the pearl necklace I wear every day. Finally, my first collage journal page was complete. I’m pleased with how it turned out, and I encourage everyone to give it a try! Here’s the final look!

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week! I hope you all enjoyed the process of my collage and are inspired to create your own! Have a great week, and keep creating!

-Jenna