Welcome to another illustrated edition of Haley Drew This! You can support this newsletter by clicking the ♡ button at the bottom and sharing this publication with your friends. Paid subscriptions keep it alive entirely. Thank you! Some people have skeletons in their closets. I have junk journals. 
I was first introduced to the concept of junk-journaling in seventh grade, when my art teacher announced we’d be making them as part of our collage unit. The goal, she explained, was to transform an old book into a work of art. We could achieve this task in any number of ways, be it gluing in ephemera, painting the cover, or even pasting old gum wrappers down the page like shingles on a roof. The only rule, it seemed, was that there were no rules. To this day, I have kept two things from that project. First, the completed 2005 junk journal: 
if you could've printed out my 12-year-old brain, this would be the result
And second, the continued practice of junk-journaling. My junk journal is the one place I can unwind my creativity without feeling self-critical. When I write, I self-edit. When I draw, I erase or tap the “undo” button more than I’d like to admit. But when I’m junk-journaling, I grant myself the permission to rip and glue and arrange with abandon. The self-judgment is almost non-existent. 
I’ve found that the simple act of junk-journaling loosens some of the self-imposed rigidness hindering my other work. It’s not a miracle drug for creativity, but it’s certainly as close as I’ve gotten. If you’ve never junk journaled before, let this be your sign to try! Here are a few tips to get started: 1. Use what you have.One of my favorite things about this art form is its low-cost entry. All you really need is a journal or book (I try to source mine from Goodwill or art resale stores), a good pair of scissors, and glue/tape. From there, you can add anything you want.
2. Collect, collect, collect.Some of my favorite spreads have been the slow accumulation of everyday ephemera, be it produce stickers, postage stamps, business cards, or even paint chips. 
3. Experiment.Rip up paper and rearrange the pieces until it’s a new image entirely. Pair magazine clippings with surprising words or colors. Combine unlikely textures and items. Allow your junk journal to be a space for play. 
Realizing many of these pages are an ode to Brandon Vosika's mail club!
4. Let the happenings in your life guide the design.I typically associate journaling with writing down thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Junk-journaling can be an abstract take on this practice. Here’s a spread I made while grieving my late Nana.
5. Remind yourself again and again: No rules!Sometimes it’s nice to have constraints on a creative project, but the best part of a junk journal is the unpredictability of the next page. Follow your bliss. It’ll lead you where you need to go. 
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