A Little Nostalgia, a Stack of Old Magazines, and the Art of Making Something
When I was growing up, I had a thing for collages.
And when I say I had a thing for them, I mean I would take 8×11 sheets of paper, cut up magazines, catalogs, pictures, words, quotes, and whatever else I could get my hands on, and turn them into little pieces of art.
I would cover my walls with them.
Sometimes an entire wall, floor to ceiling, would be covered in these mismatched, colorful sheets of paper.
It was my own little collection of inspiration, creativity, and whatever happened to catch my eye at the time.
I don’t know if I thought of it as journaling back then, I don’t know if I was trying to express myself or simply loved cutting things up and putting them back together in a way that made sense to me.
I just knew I loved it.
And lately, I’ve been seeing that same sort of aesthetic making its way back around.
I’ve spotted it on Instagram, Pinterest, and even Canva.
Layered paper, vintage magazine clippings, handwritten notes, imperfect lettering, little bits of color, and pages that look like someone actually sat down and made something with their hands.
Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe it’s just another trend making its way around the internet. Or maybe there are quite a few of us who miss making things without worrying about whether they’re good enough to share.
Whatever it is, I decided I wanted to try it again.
So I bought a stack of old magazines.
Not because I have some elaborate plan or because I’m working toward a perfectly curated journal. I just wanted to sit down, flip through the pages, cut out the things I liked, collect words that caught my attention, and start putting them together.
And that’s where this begins.
Making Something Without a Plan
I think somewhere along the way, we started putting a lot of pressure on creativity.
We want the pretty journal. The perfect handwriting. The right supplies. The coordinated colors. The finished product that looks like something we found on Pinterest.
And listen, I love a pretty Pinterest project as much as the next person. But sometimes I think we miss the joy of actually making something because we’re too busy thinking about what the finished product is supposed to look like.
I don’t want this to be that.
I want to cut out a picture because I like it. I want to save a word because it resonates with me. I want to layer a piece of paper over another piece of paper and not worry about whether it matches.
I want pages that look a little messy, a little collected, and a little like me.
Maybe I’ll add Scripture. Maybe I’ll write down a thought from the day. Maybe I’ll find an old photograph, a beautiful flower, a recipe, a quote, or a sentence that makes me stop for a minute.
There really aren’t any rules.
A Little Bit of the Past, A Little Bit of the Present
There’s something sweet about returning to something you loved as a child.
We spend so much of adulthood taking care of things, managing schedules, answering questions, making decisions, and keeping all the little pieces of life moving. Especially in a house full of people, there is always something that needs doing.
And sometimes I think it’s good to have something that’s just yours.
Something that doesn’t need to be productive. Something that doesn’t need to turn into a business, a blog post, a social media series, or another item on the to-do list.
Just something you enjoy.
For me, this little collage project feels like revisiting a part of myself I haven’t spent much time with in a while.
The girl who covered her bedroom walls with magazine clippings is still in there somewhere. Apparently, she just needed a few old magazines and a pair of scissors.
This Is the Start
I don’t know exactly what this will turn into.
Maybe it will become a regular journaling practice. Maybe I’ll fill notebooks with collages. Maybe I’ll make another wall full of 8×11 sheets like I did when I was younger.
Or maybe I’ll simply enjoy the process and let it be what it is.
I’m sharing the beginning because I think there’s something worth celebrating about trying something again. Picking up an old hobby. Finding a little joy in something ordinary. Giving yourself permission to create without needing to be particularly good at it.
Sometimes beauty is found in the most unexpected places. Even in an old magazine, a pair of scissors, and a blank piece of paper.
So here’s to making things just because we can.
This is the start. And honestly, I’m pretty excited to see where it goes.
And I hope it inspires you to create something beautiful!
Love,
Ashley
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