So I found out about a little thing called Junk Journaling and now I'm obsessed. I've journaled on and off the majority of my life. I usually get bored with it and end up throwing my beloved journal in the back of a closet. I've been looking at bullet journals on YouTube and have been going back and forth about whether I like the idea or not. Then a couple of months ago, YouTube suggested a channel called Johanna Clough and I immediately binged all of her videos. She creates the most intricate, eclectic journals and shows her viewers how she makes them. Johanna prefers vintage children's books with quirky illustrations and different types/weights of paper. The end result is always beautiful and completely unique.

     After watching her videos I knew I had to make one. I went to a few thrift shops before finding a book that I liked and could bear tearing the pages out of. I did my research on the book before ripping it apart since I'm a strong believer in keeping vintage/antique items (of value) in tact. After that, my boyfriend, Josh, and I removed the pages and started measuring the spine. We worked out how many pages to put in each signature and how many signatures would fit in the book. Josh sewed in the signatures and made sure each one was evenly spaced. I decided not to alter the original cover since it's what drew me to the book. Once the signatures are sewn in, the bare bones of the junk journal is done.

     Now comes the best part.... the decorating! As I mentioned in my last post, Josh and I are currently in North Carolina staying with his dad and step-mom until he finds a job. Lucky for me, his stepmom is really into crafts and frequents estate sales. She has anything you could want for any type of crafting, including lots of vintage sewing items. With her permission, I explored her craft room and was able to find a lot of what I needed for my junk journal. I used a lot of fabric and buttons for tabs. I found old adverts in a quilting book. I found envelopes and tickets. Anything that I liked the look of, I added to my journal.

     The best part of creating your own junk journal is that it's completely unique. Everything you add is something that you picked because YOU liked it! The more you add to the journal the better. It's okay if patterns clash or if it's too cluttered... that's why it's called Junk Journaling.

We Are Okay
by Nina LaCour

You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

 
     I can't deny that I bought this book because of the gorgeous cover. I also can't say that I read it immediately after purchasing it. Looking at reviews can be a great thing. It can help people like myself that are quick to judge a book by its cover. Reviews can also hinder someone from reading a book they were previously excited about because they can be negative.

     We Are Okay had a lot of mixed reviews and I chose to believe the negative ones, that is until recently.  Here is why I decided to pick it up. My boyfriend just graduated law school and our lease was up on our apartment. Since we're both currently unemployed and kinda sorta homeless we're staying with his dad until he finds a job. I've been in this really funky mood because of this sudden but expected change. I needed to read something simple and poetic. Something that would allow me to wallow in my sadness.

"I have only just learned how to be here. Life is paper-thin and fragile. Any sudden change could rip it wide-open."

     When I saw reviews for We Are Okay a lot of them said that it isn't a plot driven book. That it's very much about character development. I think that's a true statement but that doesn't mean this book doesn't have a point. In my opinion, you need to be in a certain mindset to read it and luckily/unluckily I was.

     Our main character Marin is from San Fransisco but is in New York for college. The tone of the book and Marin's inner dialogue show that she left home earlier than expected without telling loved ones why. The timeline switches between past and present day. As of present day, Marian finally allows Mabel, her friend from home, to visit her in New York.

     The tone of this book was perfect. I could be projecting but I could feel how isolated and scared Marin is. The writing brought those quiet feelings to life.  It was really beautiful. I loved Mabel and Marin's friendship and how we get to see it transform through flashbacks. This makes the present day even more uncomfortable and heartbreaking.

"But it turns out that even the fiercest denial can't stop time."

     I can't say that I enjoyed this book but I can say that I loved it and that it's exactly what I needed during this weird time of my life. The writing is fantastic. I've tabbed and highlighted the hell out of the pages. It also gave me a chance to escape my sadness and explore someone else's.

Reading Playlist:
Not To Disappear by Daughter