hey, hey crafty friend!
Welcome to Crafter Journal
Hi, I’m Cyna (pronounced sigh-nah) and it’s so lovely to have you here!
If you love junk journaling, printables, and paper crafting, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re new to junk journals or have stacks of beautifully crafted pages already, I hope you’ll feel inspired, encouraged, and at home here.
Why I Created Crafter Journal
Crafter Journal is my little creative space where I share my love for junk journaling, printables, and all things paper crafts.
Junk journaling started as a creative outlet for me. After years of working in graphic design, I wanted something more hands-on, creative, and personal. The moment I created my first junk journal, I was hooked.
I love how a junk journal tells a story – not just through words but through textures, layers, and little keepsakes tucked between the pages. It’s a space for creativity, a way to preserve memories, experiment with design, and make something uniquely yours.
I created Crafter Journal to connect with fellow junk journalers, share my printables and tutorials, and inspire others to create beautiful, meaningful journals. My hope is that this blog, along with my YouTube channel and Etsy shop, helps you bring your creative vision to life!
When life gives you junk, journal it into A treasure.
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What You'll Find on Crafter Journal
📖 Junk Journaling for Beginners
New to junk journaling? My Beginner’s Guide is the perfect starting point! Learn the basics - what a junk journal is, essential supplies, and step-by-step guides to help you create your first journal with confidence.
💡 Inspiration & Creative Ideas
Feeling stuck or looking for fresh ideas? Find inspiration through themed journals, creative prompts, and unique ways to make your pages come to life. Whether you need a seasonal spark or a completely new approach, check out these posts to fuel your creativity.
🛠️ Junk Journal Techniques & Tutorials
Take your junk journaling skills to the next level! From creative binding techniques to layered collages and interactive elements, these tutorials and deep-dive techniques will help you refine your craft and experiment with new ideas.
💕 Community
Junk journaling is even more fun when we do it together! Connect with me and fellow journalers and join us on social media to be part of a supportive, creative space. Let’s motivate, inspire, and connect - I’d love to see what you’re making!
My Background in Graphic Design
I’ve been a professional graphic designer for over 15 years, specializing in brand development and pattern design. I went to art school to study fine arts and graphic design and have always loved color, patterns, and vintage aesthetics.
Paper crafts are my passion and I come from a very creative, art-loving family. As kids, our parents would take my sister and me to museums and art shows. My uncle, who was a graphic designer too, would hand me these huge pieces of paper to paint on - at just 2 years old!
Over the years, I’ve honed my skills in composition, typography, illustration, and digital design, which now all come together in my junk journal printables.
My husband, Simon, is also a very talented graphic designer and artist (we actually met in art school!). While I love feminine, romantic, vintage designs, Simon has a knack for grungy, industrial, and steampunk-inspired styles. Occasionally, he contributes to Crafter Journal as well.
My Design Process
Every printable I create is a labor of love. Often, my designs start with hand-drawn or painted elements, which I then arrange digitally to create intricate, printable kits. I spend hours refining colors, layouts, and textures to ensure that each piece is both beautiful and easy to use.
I take inspiration from nature, vintage ephemera, antique books, and the seasons, which is why you’ll often find delicate florals, nostalgic colors, and old handwritten scripts in my work. Many of my printable collections tell a story, combining images, textures, and design elements to create something truly special.
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A Little More About Me
☘️ I live in a small town on the east coast of Ireland. I absolutely love the countryside, the coastline, and the slower pace of life here. When I’m not working on Crafter Journal, I enjoy being outside in nature.
📖 I’m a homebody and introvert, happiest when I’m crafting away in my cozy studio. But I’m also very family-orientated and love spending time with my family.
🎨 My love for art started young - I started painting when I could barely walk and learned calligraphy and photography as a teen.
📚 I have a deep love for books, philosophy, and storytelling, which often influences my journaling style. At university, I studied cultural science (with a BA degree) and philosophy (with an MA degree) – clearly, I really, really enjoy academia and books.
🌸 I love and adore flowers, botanicals, and nature-inspired designs—you’ll see these themes often in my printables!
- 💖 Current obsession: Working with gold foil – it adds so much elegance to journals!
- 🍰 Crafting fuel: Linden tea, lemon drizzle cake, and rose-flavored macarons
- 🎵 Go-to background noise while creating: meditation music, a podcast, and always Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
- 📚 Favorite authors: Jane Austen (Emma), Virginia Woolf (Mrs Dalloway), Karen Blixen (Out Of Africa), Toni Morrison (The Bluest Eye), Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven), John Kennedy Toole (A Confederacy of Dunces), Sherwood Anderson (Winesburg, Ohio), Sinclair Lewis (Babbitt)
- 🌿 If I wasn’t a graphic designer, I’d probably be… a herbalist (not what you were expecting, right?)
Connect with me
I love hearing from my readers – you are the reason I do this! Here are the best ways to connect:
- Etsy Questions: Please contact me directly on Etsy for questions about Etsy products and purchases. I also love reading your reviews of products you bought – they help me improve!
- Tutorial Questions: You’ll get the best, fastest reply by posting a comment directly on a blog post.
- YouTube: Come follow me on YouTube for step-by-step tutorials, fun journal flip-throughs, and sneak peeks of upcoming product releases.
- Social Media: Come say hi on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
- Brand Partnerships: Are you interested in working with Crafter Journal? Let’s chat! You can learn more here.
- Contact: Have another question not answered here? You can contact me here. I’d love to hear from you!
Let’s Craft Together!
I truly believe that creativity is meant to be shared. Whether you're here for inspiration, tutorials, or printable goodies, I’m so happy to have you as part of the Crafter Journal community.
Now it’s your turn! What’s your favorite part of junk journaling? Do you have a favorite journal theme or style? Drop a comment below - I’d love to know what you’re creating! 💌
Happy crafting,
Cyna xx