Here’s how to make a mini Christmas junk journal: a little 4×6 gift journal you print, cut and fold from one A4 sheet, then stitch with twine. The cover and the back page are free, just below.
Get the free mini Christmas journal printable
Print page 1 at 100% on white card, then scroll down for the steps.
For personal use. Want to sell the journals you make? That’s included with the Creative Vault licence.
Tiny journals are my favourite thing to give at Christmas. They fit in a stocking, slip into a card envelope and take about twenty minutes to make, so you can make one for everyone on your list without losing a whole weekend.
This one has a kraft and red gingham cover with holly and pine, and an empty cream label for a name. The back is a soft candle page with plenty of room for a gift note. Print it, fold it, tuck some plain pages inside and it’s ready to give.
Table of Contents
What Is a Mini Christmas Junk Journal?
Quick answer: a mini junk journal is a small handmade book, here 4 by 6 inches (about 10 x 15 cm, postcard size), made from a printed cover with a few folded pages stitched inside.
Because it’s small, it’s quick. You don’t need dozens of pages or a fancy binding. One cover, three or four folded sheets and a length of twine make a proper little book you can write in, stick things into or wrap up as a present.
What’s in the Free Printable
Quick answer: two pages, printable on A4.
- Page 1: the cover and back page as one piece, printed at true size. Cut round the outside, fold in half and the kraft gingham cover is on the front, with the candle page on the back. Cut and fold marks are printed on, with the quick steps underneath.
- Page 2: a picture guide to printing, cutting, folding and binding your mini, step by step.
The cream label on the front is left blank on purpose, so you can write a name or a little title on it.
What You’ll Need
- White card, 160 to 220 gsm, for the cover. Thinner paper works, it’s just floppier.
- Plain or kraft paper for the inside pages: printer paper, brown kraft or leftover papers.
- Scissors or a paper trimmer.
- A bone folder, or the back of a spoon, for a crisp fold.
- Twine or ribbon for the spine, plus a needle and something to poke holes (a push pin or an awl).
- Optional: a glue stick, washi tape, a sprig of real pine to tie on.
If you’re shopping for a crafty friend too, my stocking stuffers for crafters and gifts for junk journalers lists have lots of little extras.
How to Print, Cut and Fold It
Quick answer: print at 100%, cut round the grey line, fold in half on the red marks.
- Print page 1 at 100% (Actual size) on A4 white card. Turn off “fit to page” so your mini comes out at a true 4×6.
- Cut along the thin grey line round the outside. Keep the two pages joined: they’re one piece that becomes the cover.
- Fold in half on the red fold marks, pictures facing out. Run a bone folder or the back of a spoon along the fold.
- Check it: the gingham cover is on the front and the candle page is on the back, ready for a gift note.
Printing on US Letter? Choose “Fit to page” instead. Your mini comes out a touch smaller, and everything still lines up.
How to Fill and Bind Your Mini
Quick answer: fold three or four sheets of plain paper, tuck them inside the cover and stitch through the fold with twine.
- Cut the inside pages. Cut 3 or 4 sheets of plain or kraft paper to 8 x 6 inches (about 20.3 x 15.2 cm). An A4 sheet gives you one, with a strip left over for tags.
- Fold and nest them. Fold each sheet in half and tuck them inside each other, then slide the whole stack into the folded cover.
- Poke three holes along the fold: one in the middle and one about 2 cm from each end. Poke from the inside out, through the pages and the cover together.
- Stitch it. Go in through the middle hole from the outside, out through the top hole, back in through the bottom hole and out through the middle again. Tie the two ends in a bow over the long stitch.
- Finish it. Trim the twine, write a name on the label and add a note on the back.
No needle? Simply tie a ribbon or a hair elastic round the spine to hold the pages in. For a longer book, my guide to turning a printable kit into a junk journal shows the five-hole stitch too.
5 Ways to Fill and Give It
- A gift journal. Write a Christmas message on the candle page and give it as it is, or tuck it in with a bigger present.
- A stocking stuffer. Add a pencil and a few stickers and it’s a little gift for a child, a friend or a teacher.
- An advent of notes. Write one small note or memory on each page and give it on the 1st of December to read through the month.
- A Christmas memories book. Keep your own and fill it with ticket stubs, cracker jokes, the best card you were sent and a line about each day.
- A New Year gratitude mini. Give it on Boxing Day with one prompt on the first page: three good things from this year.
Want prompts for the pages? My Christmas journal prompts and these Christmas junk journal spreads will give you plenty of ideas.
The Full Mini Christmas Gift Journals Set
The full Mini Christmas Gift Journals set arrives on Tuesday 10 November: 36 printable 4×6 pages with 6 covers, decorated pages, neutral papers, pockets, tags and a how-to-bind page, so you can make several little journals to give.
Grab the free printable above and you’ll hear about it in my newsletter the week it’s ready.
And if you love having fresh papers to play with all year, have a look at the Artsydee Creation Club. It’s my printables membership, and new junk journal kits and printable papers land there every month, ready to print and use.
You can also browse everything in my Payhip shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the printable really free?
Yes. Pop your email in the box at the top of the post and the PDF comes straight to your inbox. You can also download it right away from the thank-you message.
What size is the mini journal?
4 x 6 inches closed (about 10 x 15 cm), when page 1 is printed at 100% on A4.
Can I print it on US Letter paper?
Yes. Choose “Fit to page” and the mini comes out a little smaller than 4×6. Cut your inside pages to match the cover.
What paper should I use?
White card, 160 to 220 gsm, for the cover, so it stands up and folds crisply. Plain printer paper or kraft paper is perfect inside.
How many pages can I put inside?
Three or four folded sheets give you 12 to 16 pages and still close flat. Six is about the most a three-hole stitch holds comfortably.
Can I sell the mini journals I make?
For personal use. Want to sell the journals you make? That’s included with the Creative Vault licence. Please don’t share or sell the printable file itself.
Final Thoughts
A mini journal is one of those makes that looks far more special than the twenty minutes it takes. Print one, fold it, and you’ll probably end up making a little stack to give.
I’d love to see who you make one for. Save more ideas from my Pinterest boards, or subscribe to my YouTube channel for more cosy makes.
Happy making!
Dee x
You Might Also Like
- Christmas Junk Journal Spreads + Free Printable Starter Pages
- DIY Advent Calendar: 7 Handmade Ideas, Junk Journal Style
- Christmas Journal Prompts (Free Printable)
- Free Vintage Christmas Ephemera
- DIY Junk Journal: A Beginner’s Guide
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