First of all, there’s really no wrong answer to that question. Remember: it’s a JUNK journal. You can use all kinds of paper for junk journalling and you’ll be fine.
My preference is anything over a 20# paper. That’s the normal printer/copier paper that you’ll find online and in the big box stores. When it’s tea- or coffee-dyed, 20# paper works really well in junk journals. Wetting the paper and then either baking it or letting it air dry tends to give the paper more heft than it had beforehand.
On the other end of the spectrum, cardstock is a bit overkill for me. Using a few pieces throughout your journal’s signature(s) is fine. But I would not create a journal entirely of cardstock. It’s just too chunky in my opinion. Cardstock DOES make a great cover for journals. I’ve used 69# cardstock in many of my journals with great success.
I’ve also used 24# and 28# paper with great success. There’s not a lot of difference between 20 and 24, but I like it. And it takes coffee- and tea-dying very well. Using 28# paper makes a nice page weight and will help plump up your signature.
Scrapbook paper is another option. It’s a great choice — especially if the backside has another lightweight paper adhered to it.
So remember, choosing the best paper for junk journal pages is not rocket science. Using a variety of papers with different weights is the best way to go to give your journal a great personality.
Questions or comments? Please leave them below. I’d love to hear from you!
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