When you are decorating your new journal, one of the things you probably want to add to it is pockets. Pockets are great for stuffing extra little things in. They add interest to a page but are also practical. And the great thing is there are so many ways to make pockets for junk journals or any other book project.
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Pockets can be made with lots of different materials and in all shapes and sizes. If you only have paper scraps there will be a pocket you will be able to make for your junk journal.
1. Fold an Envelope from One Sheet of Card/Paper
It can be as simple as folding the paper over to form a simple pocket and glueing the sides with double-sided tape or glue stick. You can use a thicker card to create a more sturdy pocket and add concertina hinges to help the envelope fit more things inside. I made two of these envelopes when I created my vintage writing junk journal. The beauty of this is it’s so simple. Grab any piece of paper and you can create a pocket. You can use pretty paper or just a plain piece and decorate it yourself. This is truly one of the easiest ways to make pockets for junk journals.
2. Side Pocket
If you just have a strip of card you can attach it to the side of the page by gluing the top, bottom and one of the sides to create a side pocket. It can be as simple as a scrap piece of card covered in pretty paper. Or you can stamp, ink or punch it to create a nice design.
3. Money Envelope
Money envelopes are cheap to pick up and are very cute ready made pockets. They just need a little decoration and they are good to go. The great thing about these is that they are small so fit in most books. They can be stuck on to a page or added into another pocket to create even more joy.
4. Corner Pocket
Again corner pockets can be made with paper scraps as they can be just small little tuck spots or can take up half of the page if you prefer. All it needs is tape on two sides and you have a corner pocket. To fit more in the corner pocket you can add little flaps to the back.
5. Self Adhesive Corners
Yes, we have already covered corners in ways to make pockets for junk journals but I couldn’t overlook these. They are so easy to add to books as they are ready made pockets. I use them in so many different books and they work particularly well in the inside front cover. They are transparent so if you don’t like that look you could always cover them with paper.
6. Make a Folio
This is a more intricate pocket system that you can create. It can be a mini folder that opens to house a couple of little pockets. Or more elaborate where there are lots of different pockets and flaps.
7. Mini Pockets Inside Something Else
Just like with the folio, you can add mini pockets to just about anything. They can be added to the inside of a book cover or on the back of a tag with another mini tag tucked inside. I love adding pockets within pockets to create more intrigue and interest in a project.
8. Stick Two Pages Together
When you are creating your book and have sewn in the pages you can glue a couple of pages together to create a pocket in the middle of your signature. This has the added benefit of covering your binding if that’s the look you prefer. If you want more stability for the pockets you could use card for the centre of the signature. Keep it simple and just glue the sided down, or add flaps and a simple enclosure for something more fancy.
9. Add Paper Bags
If you love the crinkle of paper bags, and who doesn’t, then paper bags are a great way to make pockets for your junk journal. They can be sewn in with the papers to create a side pocket or glued down onto a page, or even used as a removable pocket that can be added to another pocket.
10. Use An Image/Photo
All you need is a nice image and you can create a little pocket on a page. Use a circle punch to punch a half circle in the top to make it look more like a pocket. Glue 3 sides and you have a simple pocket. Or just glue 2 sides and leave the other 2 sides open.
11. Use Paper Scraps
There are so many things to do with scrap paper and making little tuck spots is one of them. Add a piece of card to the top of a page and tuck things in there. This adds a different interest to a page as you would normally expect the pocket to be at the bottom. Or add two spots diagonally away from each other and pop in a sweet image or photo between them.
12. Other Envelopes
We talked previously about adding money envelopes but of course, there are so many other ready-made envelopes you could add. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. You can get them from almost anywhere. They can be used as they come, decorated or even trimmed. They can be kept loose or glued onto the pages.
13. Add to the Front of the Book Cover
Sometimes it is nice to create something that is a little unexpected. There are not many book covers with pockets on the outside. You could create something cute inside the pocket and have this as the centrepiece of the cover.
The possibilities are endless for ways to make pockets for junk journals. Think about other materials you could use to add a different texture and interest to your book.