Crafty in the City: How to Repurpose Pre-loved Mickey Mouse Books Into Junk Journals

I have previously published a blog article on repurposing pre-loved Sesame Street books into junk journals.

This time, we're going to use Disney's Mickey Mouse books as the theme for junk journaling.

Why Repurpose Pre-loved Books Into Junk Journals?

Recycling, upcycling, repurposing, and refurbishing junk and pre-loved materials is a huge part of thrifting. Here are just a few reasons crafters should try junk journaling from repurposed pre-loved books:

Repurposing can be gentler on the environment.

Hardbound Mickey Mouse books, or any books for that matter, once read and enjoyed, can accumulate pretty quickly.

While swapping books with other parents or guardians can be more beneficial instead of buying new books, repurposing them into junk journals is a technique in crafting that can help send fewer and fewer items to a landfill over time.

Creativity can be greatly enhanced and imagination explored while repurposing.

You may not think much about filling up the pages of a blank junk journal, in which you can use notebooks that are ruled, unruled, or dotted, or even binders with loose sheets.

But repurposing pre-loved hardbound books, and those that contain colorful pages combined with text to boot, can be quite challenging and exciting.

You may have black-and-white photos or images clipped arranged on the pages to serve as a stark contrast to the colorful background.

You can stick wooden or foam letters, scribble text on an index card or notepaper, or use washi tapes or stickers as embellishments.

Adhering to a theme helps crafters be mindful of the theme's restrictions and work around those restrictions.

Junk journals are far from being a hodgepodge or mere dump of scraps, photos and images, paper ephemera, mementos, and other craft materials.

It's crucial to adhere to a theme. But instead of feeling constricted or confined by the limitations of the junk journal theme, crafters must find ways to work around those restrictions.

This can actually make the selection of materials easier.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse --
My Little First Look and Find
Activity Book from Amazon

To illustrate, crafters can follow Mickey Mouse's color template by gluing red or yellow pom pom ribbons on the book's spine.

Numerous hacks and techniques in crafting can be incorporated when repurposing.

You can use glue dots for 3D effects, add pockets by gluing junk mail envelopes, use an entire spread to create a collage, insert old music sheets, comic book pages, scrapbook paper, book pages that have turned brown over time, or put materials like buttons, lace, and ribbons.

Repurposing can help you bond with kids.

Crafting has been proven to bring numerous benefits to kids and adults alike.

If you're a parent, guardian, or teacher of children who's looking for opportunities to spend more time with kids and strengthen bonds with them, repurposing as a crafty activity can be engaging and entertaining, and fun and educational as well.

As a crafty activity, repurposing pre-loved books into junk journals is especially helpful if you want to wean children away from their mobile devices, albeit temporarily.

For more ways crafts can help reduce kids' screen time, read --

How to Help Your Kids Reduce Screen Time Through Crafts

Repurposing pre-loved books can be the focal point of an event.

Crafting is often seen as a solitary activity. However, creative activities can be integrated within a social setting, like parties or events, for guests to enjoy.

For instance, if you're planning a baby shower, why not try a Mickey Mouse theme and repurpose pre-loved books with your guests after serving food and refreshments?

You can also skip parlor games for your child's next birthday party and get them busy repurposing instead. Keeping little hands preoccupied can also help prevent them from binge-eating.

Repurposing can help crafters cut back on their budget.

If you're huge on thrifting as a way to keep within your budget for craft materials, or spend way below it, repurposing pre-loved Mickey Mouse books can be frugal.

(**DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. I'll collect a commission every time you click on those links and make a purchase.)

My First Halloween Bedtime
Storybook -- Picture book by
Disney books // booksale.ph

Mickey Mouse
pre-loved books
from y5hi9e1bu_

Suggestions for Mickey Mouse Junk Journals

Use a Mickey Mouse pre-loved book as a travel diary, and showcase an eclectic collection of proof of your travels -- admission to museums, theme parks, music festivals, bus tickets, postcards, art prints, etc.
DIY and glue different sizes of envelopes on the back of the covers, or on every few pages to create more space for storing bookmarks and paper mementos.

Mickey & Friends
Christmas Tattle Tales by
Trishyrie's Collection SHBS

Mickey Mouse books have stories for Halloween and Christmas, so why not work around a spooky or festive theme? Document or curate your kids' latest trick-or-treating experience, or put together photos taken while going caroling, singing with the school or church choir, or while receiving a present from Santa Claus at a department store.

EK Disney pad paper
12" x 12" from Amazon

These Halloween ribbons
from zerongfahionph.ph go
well with a spooky theme.

DIY boitique's paper pack
6" x 6" Halloween paper

You can use Mickey Mouse-themed craft products like scrapbook paper, washi tapes, and ribbons. Or, you can just utilize what you have, like black, red, white, and yellow cardstock and sheets of polka-dotted and red, plaid scrapbook paper.
Think about what you can do with Scrabble tiles and pieces of jigsaw puzzle, colorful cardboard from cereal boxes, used gift wrapper, and gift tags.
Shabby chic and whimsical themes can also go well with the "cutesy" Mickey Mouse illustrations. Get hold of strips of black or red lace, incorporate flower lace ribbons, fringes, or tassels, experiment with scrapbook paper with subtle floral prints, or even unlikely materials like floral wax paper.