A byproduct of the main Junk Notebook project
Junk Notebook Exchange Project
"One people junk,
is another people treasure"
is another people treasure"
What is it?
This is a by-product of the main project.
I loved the idea to create a "Saluti dall'Italia" (Greetings from Italy) notebooks out of original and authentic Italian scraps and send them around the world to people interested in sending their scraps back to me.
I do believe that lot of stuff that is taken for granted to me may be a treasure for other people. Moreover it is a way to know more and in deep about other countries and culture.
I loved the idea to create a "Saluti dall'Italia" (Greetings from Italy) notebooks out of original and authentic Italian scraps and send them around the world to people interested in sending their scraps back to me.
I do believe that lot of stuff that is taken for granted to me may be a treasure for other people. Moreover it is a way to know more and in deep about other countries and culture.
How it works
The 3 steps
Step 1: Collect
Gather the scraps to make a Junk Notebook.
It is a full time job. At first you'll see yourself struggling to find the cutest, nicest and coolest scraps: this is not the real goal!
You can of course include expensive or shiny stuff in your notebook but the idea is to gather your everyday scraps, what land on your desk or the pieces of paper you take for granted and do not consider anymore even if they cross your life on a daily basis.
Here some examples:
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Junk commercial mail
- Postcards
- Tickets of any kind
- Packaging paper
- Collection icon by priyanka from the Noun Project
It is a full time job. At first you'll see yourself struggling to find the cutest, nicest and coolest scraps: this is not the real goal!
You can of course include expensive or shiny stuff in your notebook but the idea is to gather your everyday scraps, what land on your desk or the pieces of paper you take for granted and do not consider anymore even if they cross your life on a daily basis.
Here some examples:
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Junk commercial mail
- Postcards
- Tickets of any kind
- Packaging paper
- Collection icon by priyanka from the Noun Project
Step 2: Make
Select the best scraps and make the Notebook.
To me, this is the best part: making the Junk Notebook, the real object. I'm pretty sure that, once done, you'll be tempted to keep it for yourself because all those junks just became "a thing", a good and nice thing.
You need to carefully select your scraps to create an "armonic" notebook.
Then, binding a book is not that hard and you'll find plenty of tutorials on Youtube.
Here my favorites:
Coptic Stitch
Japanese 4 holes
Saddle Stitch
Perfect Binding
I made a tutorial too: "poor man bookbinding"
- Bind Together icon by Olena Panasovska from the Noun Project
To me, this is the best part: making the Junk Notebook, the real object. I'm pretty sure that, once done, you'll be tempted to keep it for yourself because all those junks just became "a thing", a good and nice thing.
You need to carefully select your scraps to create an "armonic" notebook.
Then, binding a book is not that hard and you'll find plenty of tutorials on Youtube.
Here my favorites:
Coptic Stitch
Japanese 4 holes
Saddle Stitch
Perfect Binding
I made a tutorial too: "poor man bookbinding"
- Bind Together icon by Olena Panasovska from the Noun Project
Step 3: Let it Go
Send the Notebook to your project-partner.
If you already have a project-partner, send it.
If not, this is a great occasion to engage on your social media channels to find someone willing to share this experience with you. I suggest to first read the "Privacy and Security" section below.
Anyway, pack it carefully and it is always a good idea to add a note and a little "extra":
I usually add an envelope with small stuff like stickers, wine or beer labels, cards, tickets, small maps and small things like tags or aged prints made by myself.
- Mail Gift icon by Atif Arshad from the Noun Project
If you already have a project-partner, send it.
If not, this is a great occasion to engage on your social media channels to find someone willing to share this experience with you. I suggest to first read the "Privacy and Security" section below.
Anyway, pack it carefully and it is always a good idea to add a note and a little "extra":
I usually add an envelope with small stuff like stickers, wine or beer labels, cards, tickets, small maps and small things like tags or aged prints made by myself.
- Mail Gift icon by Atif Arshad from the Noun Project
Photo by Nynne Schrøder on Unsplash
The 3 Core Values
Authenticity
I believe in authenticity. Everything you put in your junk notebook has to be gathered with love and attention by yourself. Your notebook has to scream "you", has to reflect your character and soul.
Verified icon by Zach Bogart from the Noun Project
Verified icon by Zach Bogart from the Noun Project
Respect
Your junk notebook will go to other people. Be respectful and carefully curate what you put in your notebook. This is a "family friendly" project and pages or scraps about nudity, violence, blasphemy, aggressive, dangerous, degrading or unrespectful language must not be tolerated.
Respect enviroment icon by corpus delicti from the Noun Project
Respect enviroment icon by corpus delicti from the Noun Project
Thankfulness
Making a junk notebook is a labor of love. If you send a junk notebook to someone you pay for the delivery, if you receive a junk notebook someone has paid for the delivery.
There is an effort behind every single junk notebook and this effort must be celebrated.
Share the process, share the unboxing, praise the sender and show her/his work with joy.
Make sure everyone can enjoy this human connection.
Pray icon by AliWijaya from the Noun Project
There is an effort behind every single junk notebook and this effort must be celebrated.
Share the process, share the unboxing, praise the sender and show her/his work with joy.
Make sure everyone can enjoy this human connection.
Pray icon by AliWijaya from the Noun Project
Privacy and Security
Being "friends" on the social networks is just one click, in real life it's another story.
1
Don't take candies from strangers
We are a community, we share to love for art, we are open and friendly: this is a gift and a curse.
Jokes apart, we are all somehow informed and aware of the risks of being available online yet we need to be careful. If you don't know the guy who you are going to exchange addresses it is a good measure to make some researches.
Jokes apart, we are all somehow informed and aware of the risks of being available online yet we need to be careful. If you don't know the guy who you are going to exchange addresses it is a good measure to make some researches.
2
The most important rule
You do not disclose yours or others personal information, such as addresses, in the pictures or contents you share.
3
Ask for permission to share
They say "it's better to ask forgiveness than permission", this is crap for arrogants and rude people and does not apply when it comes to real persons.
We all want to publicly share our joy and our works and if you are going to exchange the book and post pictures and/or contents and talk about her/him, it's a good idea to ask the permission in advance and before posting anything.
We all want to publicly share our joy and our works and if you are going to exchange the book and post pictures and/or contents and talk about her/him, it's a good idea to ask the permission in advance and before posting anything.
