Free Vintage Fashion Ephemera + What Is the Difference Between Junk Journaling and Art Journaling?
What Is the Difference Between Junk Journaling and Art Journaling? A Creative Guide for Mixed Media Makers + Vintage Fashion Ephemera
In the world of mixed media, there’s a seemingly endless array of creative paths to explore, and among the most well loved are junk journaling and art journaling. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what exactly sets these two forms apart, or if you even need to choose between them, you’re not alone. I, myself, struggle to label my journaling as one or the other.
Both junk journaling and art journaling offer expressive, tactile, and deeply personal ways to connect with your creativity. They can be therapeutic, whimsical, nostalgic, or messy (in the best possible way). And while there are some differences between the two, there’s also a significant amount of overlap, especially when it comes to the materials used, the techniques involved, and the freedom to blend both styles into one beautifully unique journal.
In this post, we’ll break down what defines each type of journaling, where they differ, where they intersect, and how you can get started using free printable ephemera, like the vintage fashion design collage sheets available on this page.
Free 1920s Fashion Ephemera Sheets for Your Journal
Before we dive into the creative differences between junk journaling and art journaling, I want to highlight a free printable resource you can use no matter which journaling style you prefer.
On this page, I’m giving away a set of two free 1920s fashion ephemera sheets put together from authentic early 20th-century sources. These printables feature:
Elegant fashion illustrations from the Roaring Twenties
Stylized dresses, hats, and accessories
Vintage typefaces and catalog details
Feminine silhouettes perfect for journal spreads, tags, or collage elements
These sheets were designed with both junk journalers and art journalers in mind. You can use them as:
Focal points on a mixed media art journal page
Layering elements in a vintage-style junk journal
Cut-outs for handmade tags, pockets, and flip-outs
Mood board materials for themed spreads (like a "vintage glamour" or "style evolution" journal)
They’re high-resolution and ready to print at home. No sign-up required.
Grab your free fashion ephemera below, and keep reading to find out how to use them in both junk and art journaling projects. There are two separate printables, so be sure to scroll all the way down to check out both of them.
What Is Junk Journaling?
Junk journaling is a creative practice that centers around repurposing, collecting, and layering various types of ephemera—often items that might otherwise be thrown away. It’s a celebration of nostalgia, texture, and visual storytelling, and it’s especially popular with those who love vintage aesthetics and tactile crafting.
Core Characteristics of Junk Journaling:
Materials: Think old receipts, vintage book pages, tea-stained paper, fabric scraps, lace, tickets, tags, envelopes, and yes, plenty of free printable ephemera.
Style: Often has a vintage, shabby chic, eclectic, or grungy feel. Layers are king, and imperfections are embraced.
Purpose: Junk journals can be used for memory keeping, gratitude journaling, collage, or simply as a place to experiment with design.
Some junk journalers like to create themed journals such as a fashion-themed journal using vintage fashion ads, catalog pages, or design ephemera (like this free printable sheet), while others simply fill their pages with whatever bits and pieces catch their eye.
Junk Journaling Tip:
When starting a junk journal, consider collecting ephemera in a folder first. You can include free printable collage sheets, thrifted paper items, and fabric scraps. Build a stash that you can pull from intuitively as you create each spread.
What Is Art Journaling?
Art journaling leans more toward expressive and often introspective visual storytelling. It can be therapeutic, emotional, and abstract, or it can be playful, colorful, and technique-driven. While junk journaling often centers on found or collected paper goods, art journaling focuses more on artistic techniques and mark-making.
Core Characteristics of Art Journaling:
Materials: Acrylic paint, ink, watercolors, gel pens, markers, stencils, stamps, collage elements (including printable ephemera), and more.
Style: Bold, layered, and expressive. Anything from modern minimalism to chaotic mixed media grunge.
Purpose: A place to reflect, experiment, or simply make art for the sake of making art.
Art journal pages often combine handwritten thoughts, inspirational quotes, or poetry with layers of paint, sketching, collage, and texture-building. It’s less about the paper you start with and more about the marks and meaning you create on top of it.
Art Journaling Tip:
Don't overlook the power of printable ephemera in art journaling, especially as background texture or as visual focal points. A page of vintage fashion illustrations can add striking contrast or storytelling potential to a paint-heavy spread.
2.5” x 4.25” Journal Cards
Key Differences Between Junk Journaling and Art Journaling
Let’s break down some of the main differences between these two popular forms of creative journaling:
Junk Journaling
Materials: Ephemera, recycled paper, lace, tags, printables
Focus: Collection and curation of found materials
Process: Layering and assembling tangible elements
Style: Vintage, tactile, nostalgic
Structure: Might be done in an old book or handmade book. Often includes pockets, flip-outs, and sewn pages
Purpose: Decorative, memory-keeping, themed collections
Art Journaling
Materials: Paint, ink, pens, stencils, printables
Focus: Self-expression through art techniques
Process: Drawing, painting, and mark-making
Style: Expressive, colorful, abstract or emotional
Structure: Flat spreads, typically on bound paper such as a sketchbook
Purpose: Emotional release, creative exploration
That said, these distinctions are not rules. Many folks blend both styles in a single spread, and your own approach doesn’t need to fit neatly into one box.
Where Junk Journaling and Art Journaling Overlap
Here’s the real magic: despite their differences, junk journaling and art journaling have a lot in common. In fact, it’s often hard to draw a clean line between them, especially in modern mixed media communities.
Shared Elements:
Creative Freedom: There are no rules. You can glue a tea bag to the page, or paint over a vintage receipt. It’s your space.
Printable Ephemera: Both styles use downloadable collage sheets, vintage illustrations, tickets, tags, words, and photos.
Layering Techniques: Paint can be added to junk journal pages. Vintage ephemera can be layered into an art journal spread.
Hybrid Journaling: Many artists combine both styles. A page may start as a junk journal spread and be finished with acrylics and sketching.
Thematic Journaling: Both can center on themes like fashion, nature, dreams, travel, or personal growth.
Example:
Let’s say you’re working with the 1920s vintage fashion ephemera sheet. You might:
Cut out the illustrations to use as collage elements in a painted art journal spread.
Mix the illustrations with fabric scraps inside a junk journal.
Add journaling prompts around the figures like, “What does confidence look like to me?” or “How has my style evolved over the years?”
In this way, the same printable elements serve both artistic and aesthetic functions across both journaling types.
Which One Is Right for You?
Here’s the thing—you don’t need to choose just one. But if you’re new to visual journaling, here’s a quick way to figure out where to start:
Ask Yourself:
Do you love collecting paper scraps, vintage printables, and decorative tags? → Start with junk journaling.
Do you find joy in painting, sketching, or layering textures with brushes and tools? → Try art journaling.
Do you love both? → Blend them into a hybrid journal that reflects your unique style.
You may also find that your mood or intention guides your practice. Some days might call for quiet collage and vintage paper layers. Others might call for bright paints and expressive scribbles. There’s no need to choose just one path—mix, match, and make it your own.
Free Resources to Get You Started
Whether you’re leaning toward junk journaling, art journaling, or a beautiful blend of both, you’ll find plenty of free resources right here on The Art Scavenger to spark your next creative session.
Try These Free Printables:
Vintage Postcards – Great for junk journaling pockets, backgrounds, or layered collages.
Victorian Trade Cards and Labels – Ideal for both junk journal pages and mixed media embellishment.
American Flora Collage Sheets – Perfect for nature-themed spreads or when you want a floral accent.
Alphabet Book Cut-Outs – Add whimsy or narrative elements to your journaling pages.
If you're building a fashion-themed journal or spread, try mixing the fashion design ephemera with lace, stitching, or stamped textures. Or, paint directly over the printables to give them new life in an abstract art journaling spread.
2” x 3” Journal Cards
Final Thoughts
The question isn’t really “What’s the difference between junk journaling and art journaling?” It’s “How can these two practices inspire and inform each other?”
Junk journaling invites you to cherish the past, gather beauty from the overlooked, and tell stories through texture and collected paper. Art journaling gives you a place to express what’s inside, to make a mess, to explore emotions or ideas without pressure.
Together, they create a space that is both deeply personal and endlessly creative.
Whether you gravitate toward vintage layers or expressive brushstrokes, or some gorgeous mashup of both, there’s room in your journal for all of it.
So gather your papers, pick up your brushes, download some beautiful printables, and just start. Your journal is waiting.
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
