1. The Walking Fish by Rachelle Burk

read on Kindle

192 pgs.

2015
Middle Grades CRF/STEM
Finished 1/12/2025
Goodreads rating: 4.16
My rating: 5
Setting: Summer at the protagonist's cottage on Glacial Lake

My comments: Rachelle Burk is coming to my school at the end of the month, and I had never heard of her before.  This book was great!  It was very well written, had humor, and honestly portrays a middle schooler who's a good kid but twists things around a little to suit herself and is naturally curious.  It's a perfect STEM/STEAM read!

Goodreads synopsis:  A humorous, exciting tale of an ordinary girl who makes an extraordinary scientific discovery—a blind fish that walks

When seventh-grader Alexis catches an unusual fish that looks like a living fossil, she sets off a frenzied scientific hunt for more of its kind. Alexis and her friend Darshan join the hunt, snorkeling, sounding the depths of Glacial Lake, even observing from a helicopter and exploring a cave. All the while, they fight to keep the selfish Dr. Mertz from claiming the discovery all for himself. When Alexis follows one final hunch, she risks her life and almost loses her friend. Walking Fish is a scientific adventure that provides a perfect combination of literacy and science.

How Do You Fill Up a Junk Journal?

Or.....I've made my junk journal, now what do I do with it?

This is the question of the day.

There's not right, no wrong.

There's just what YOU/I want to do!

Easy Ways to Use, Love and Fill a (Junk) Journal by joie de fi is short (9:49) and useful.

2025 Reading Goals & Book Girls Challenge

I'm looking forward to reading more historical fiction this year, and I want to amass a list of books about books and bookshops and libraries and librarians, contemporary as well as historical.

Historical Fiction Read

     1.  

The Book Girls have a challenge this year that appears to be exactly what I might be looking for!  The booklist for the month of January, "Novels with Characters Connecting Through Books," is wonderful.  It can be found here.  I think I'll list the books and check to see if I've read any/many of them....

     (Reading Challenges shortcut is here.)

January - Novels with Characters Connecting Through Books

     I must read one I've never read before

Henn, Carsten: The Door-to-Door Bookshop, 2020 set in Germany

Hanff, Helene: 87, Charing Cross Road 1970 - read this when I first lived in Tucson

Miller, Kirsten:  Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, 2024, set in Georgia

Storey, Kate: The Memory Library, 2024, set in England and Australia

Butland, Stephanie: Found in a Bookshop, 2023, set in England

Hawkins, Karen: The Book Charmer, 2019 set in NC

Wood, Monica: How to Read a Book, 2024, set in Maine

Jaswal, Balli Kaur: Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, 2017, set in London

McKinlay, Jenn: Love at First Book, 2024, Martha's Vineyard & Ireland

Kamali, Marjan: The Stationery Shop, 2019, set in 1953 Tehran & contemporary CA

Williams, Beatriz; Lauren Willig & Karen White: The Author's Guide to Murder, 2024, set in the Scottish Highlands

Shaffer, Mary Ann & Annie Barrows: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, 2008, England

Lauren, Christina: Love and Other Words, 2018, set in SF & Healdsburg, CA

Zusak, Markus: The Book Thief, 2005, 1939-1954 Germany

Adams, Sara Nisha: The Reading List, 2021, set in a London suburb

Gilmore, Lucy:  The Library of Borrowed Hearts, set in the 1960s & present day WA

Brooks, Geraldine: People of the Book, 2008, spans decades & continents

Bradbury, Ray: Fahrenheit 451, 1953, set in future midwest

Halpern, Sue: Summer Hours at the Robbers Library, 2018, set in NH

Seierstad, Asne, The Bookseller of Kabul, 2002, set in 2000s Afghanistan

Bickers, Tessa: The Book Swap, 2024, set in England

Forest, Kristina: The Neighbor Favor, 2023, set in NYC

Colgan, Jenny: The Bookshop on the Corner,  2016, set in England & Scotland

Alexander, Poppy:  The Littlest Library, 2021, set in England

Sampson, Freya: The Last Chance Library, 2021, set in England

2025 Charitable Contributions

of Steven Ted Graves....24 years without him

1/1/25  

2025 Reading

Published in the Current Year - 2024

1. 

YA

1.

Middle Grade

1. The Walking Fish - Rachelle Burk (5)

Historical Fiction

1.  

Shorts

1.  

REAL Books

1.  

Series

1.  

4.5 or 5 Stars

1.  The Walking Fish - Rachelle Burk

DNF

1.  

Novels Read in 2025

January 

1.  The Walking Fish - Rachelle Burk, 2015 Kindle (5) 192 p. 1-12

Clusters are FUN and EASY!

Cathy's Garden uses hot glue, small pieces of lace, flat-back and seed pearls, skinny ribbon bows, and safety pins to create the coolest vintage fancy-looking clusters!  A little over-the-top for me, but I think a few in my stash would look fabulous!  Video here.

The middle part of this video by Kelly from Root Pursuit are these square-on-square very flat clusters.  They make up fast, quick, easy....and there are numerous ideas you can use!  See the short video here.

Shanouki Art makes a SNIPPET STRIP that's like a long cluster that is glued to the far right of a page so that it hangs out the tiniest bit and adds lots of dimension and character to a book.  Watch the video.

What is a Junk Journal and How Do You Make One?

One of my favorite - and super easy - videos is Shanouki Art's tutorial on using a granola bar box as the cover and lots of leftover scrapbook paper as the guts. No nonsense!   It's only 10:22 long, easy to follow.....let's do it!

joie de fi (Manchester, UK) has a video where she discusses different kinds of journals - all the types that speak to me - including great food for thought.  She, herself, prefers single signature junk journals that have 12 - 13 sheets of paper.  See that video here.

She also has a video showing exactly how she chooses, then puts together the pages to make a double signature junk journal.  It's really interesting to see her collection of books and to hear her thinking about all aspects of the creation of the journal.  That video's here.

Margarete Miller makes a very cool (and easy) journal from a package of alphabetical 4 x 6 index card dividers.  She puts it together *with masking tape!), creates an easy cover, and then decorates her first two double-page spreads.  This could be made from any consistently sized heavy duty cardstock or even a lightweight cardboard.  Will definitely give this a try.  She's making hers for Christmas.   Video here.   She's one of my favorites ... fast forwards through lots so you don't have to keep going faster yourself.

This isn't exactly a "Junk" journal....all the pages are the same size and it's binding is glued together, not sewn. It's called "Christmas Hard Cover Journal."  The pages are 8.5 x 11 kraft paper folded in half with a piece of patterned paper dividing the pages into thirds.   It's glued heavily on top, covered with muslin, then covered with a paper binding.  LeNae shows every step and how easy it seems to be. Easy-to-follow instructions are found here.

Annette Green dyes her papers, cuts them all the same size or just a bit smaller (8.5 x 11 paper is just a tad smaller than her other pages), then uses a sheet from an Arteza CANVAS pad to make her soft cover.  Three signatures, with a good explanation of putting them together, and the 3-hole binding sewing technique.  Ultimately this is the junk journal I want to make first.......Watch the video.....

* * * * *

Pink Monarch Prints has a different and unique of putting five folders together (It's actually like a big pocket) that attach in a fold in the middle with a sort of tab..  I haven't explained this very well, but it's pretty darn cool.  She calls it "Easy and UNIQUE Tab Journal Base.  I'd like to try this for sure.  The video's here.                                                   * * * * *

The Paper Outpost uses 5 pieces of scrapbook paper that she doesn't like/isn't going to use for the cover, gluing them together.  She wraps elastic cording (could use anything, even ribbon) around and around the spine and then inserts cards (could be signatures) onto each.  I could see adapting this in a zillion ways.  Video here.

In this video Kathleen Mower shows how she covers a gutted book to prep for a 2-signature junk journal. (She's making a time capsule journal for her 65th year.)  I hope she goes on with another to show how she adds the signatures and perhaps made one that shows how she created the signatures.  I'd really like to make one of these.  In her description for this video she gives websites for other covers she's done.

Margarete Miller uses food boxes (crackers...) and even smaller boxes that perhaps playing cards come in as a cover, then attaches same-sized paper inside with a long reach stapler. (She makes a smaller one on this video to hold a collection of ATC cards and clusters that she's made.)  Just my style!  Check out the video here.

Meg Journals makes a beginner/very simple junk journal of 6 pages and a cardstock cover, where all the pages are more or less the same size as the cover.  This is perfect for my first junk-journal-from-scratch, and I'm going to make it right now!  Here's her tutorial.

Kayann Ausherman finds hard cover books (in her demo she uses two different kids' books, one a larger picture book, the other a Dr. Seuss-size) and removes all or most of the pages ... but she leaves a 3/4-inch to one-inch strip where she then goes back and puts in Franken-pieced pages that she's created. She glues them between two of the strips for good strength.  This is her base for junk journals, and it's terrific!  No nonsense, great description, MUST do!  Check out the video here.

82. The Waiting by Michael Connelly

Ballard & Bosch #6

listened on Audible (purchased)

407 pgs.

2024
Adult Mystery
Finished 12/8/2024
Goodreads rating: 4.47
My rating: 5
Setting: LA and vicinity, contemporary

My comments: The Cold Case Unit in LA, headed by Renee Ballard - Connelly spent the 6th in the series about this LA police detective working on three major cases.  They're all intricate and edge-of-your-seat fascinating.  Renee and Harry have become very close friends, having similar thoughts, feeling, and reactions to many things.  What was wonderfully great for me sas that Maddie Bosch is part of this book! (Why is her relationship with her father so strained? and almost secretive?)  This was a really good one!

Goodreads synopsis:  LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a terrifying serial rapist whose trail has gone cold, with the help of the newest volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Unit: Patrol Officer Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter.

Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The arrested man is only twenty-three, so the genetic link must be familial. It is his father who was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the city of angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun, and ID are stolen—a theft she can’t report without giving her enemies in the department the ammunition they need to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her solo mission leads her into greater danger than she anticipates. She has no choice but to go outside the department for help, and that leads her to the door of Harry Bosch.

Finally, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit. Bosch’s daughter Maddie wants to supplement her work as a patrol officer on the night beat by investigating cases with Ballard. But Renée soon learns that Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city’s library of lost souls.

Page Ideas: Snazzing Up/Decorating Pages and Pockets

Kathleen Mower shows how she collages on plain pockets and snazzes up tucks and makes flips for just that little extra (and simple) "oomph".  Video is here.

Amy Plans Things made a double door spread in a journal that's actually four of five pages and is just magnificent!  This is probably more for a journal than a junk journal, but could be adapted for any type of journal, I think.  Check it out here.

CARD HOLDER Junk Journals

 

Thrifty Day does a live tutorial every Tuesday, and there are lots of "hi's" to lots of people and sometimes she does go on and on.....BUT she's funny and always makes me happy, she's so upbeat.  You can also fast forward a bit.  This particular tutorial is about using a Christmas Golden book, two rings, and I think 8 pieces of double sided cardstock to create a Journal that'll hold an abundance of Christmas cards.  It's also a great way to hold birthday cards and other special greetings received from friends and family.  She's going to make a YouTube tutorial about it soon, which should be a lot shorter, but this works until that one comes out. Watch the live tutorial here.

Watch the 21-minute easy-to-follow video here.

The Paper Outpost also makes an easy holder for cards using stretchy cord wrapped on the spine.  Check the video out here.

Dangles for Your Junk Journal

Thrifty Day spends just ten minutes showing how to make a basic set of dangles that hang from a bookmark that you just insert anywhere in your journal!  It has four lengths of heavy string with beads and tiny knickknacks tied all the way down.  The knots in between can be as close or far as you want.  This particular video is for Christmas, but this can be done for any theme or time of year.  See it here.

Hectangnooga1 makes simple paper clip beads by wrapping construction paper around paper clips.  She uses dollar story glittery nail polish to finish them up!  That's them, above.  Find the tutorial (only 2:35 long!!!) here.

Crafted by Christy wraps paper around paper clips to make dangly beads.  She paints over them with a glossy finish and they look great!  Here's her video.

The Creative Cove hides a paper clip (with its end sticking out) with paper/cluster, then attaches a dangle to the protruding clip.  Clips onto the edge of any journal.  Video's here.

Tags, Tags, Tags... Bookmarks..... Tuck-Ins.....and Journaling Cards!

Fun, fun, fun, different (and yet still easy!) tags from book pages folded into quarters, then sewn (or not), painted a bit with spray oxides, gessoed, painted, and stencilled...final touch a stamp with a bit of thread bunched up beneath the stamp.   Love, love, love them!  Thanks, Shanouki Art!

                          *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Easy scrappy tags for your junk journals - these happen to be for Halloween, but can easily be done for anything!  Mass making ephemera, too!
Sweet Bee Designs Co   (2:20) shortie

She also makes journal cards from index cards and small strips of leftover paper....here. 

                               *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Tiny Tags are Like Junk Journal Candy!  The Paper Outpost, in her usual fun style, creates 3/4-inch by various length tags that are simple and fun and you can make a slew of them at a time!  Book pages, tiny toppers, stamps...you don't need much!  Here's the video.

                        *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Cindy Burkhalter makes folding bookmarks that have lots of journaling space ... easy!  Fold any piece of paper - book page, map, children's book page....into fourths.  Glue one section (the back) together for a little more strenght, thenglue down writing paper on the remaining flips.  A ribbon on top, she dangles some beads from the bottom (unnecessary) and voila!  The video's here.

                          *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Camelia Craft's Designs (she's such a riot with a British accent) makes a bookmark/journaling card with a vellum belly band.  She uses Christmas paper to make it into a Christmas card!  Love it. (Note: My vellum paper was really too dark, and the first one should have been a little thinner.  Learning more and more with every creation... Find that video here.

                          *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Cathy's Garden uses a double-side sheet (a rectangle a bit smaller than 12 x 12) to make a three-fold tuck-in with three pockets.  Cool!  Find it here.

                            *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Pink Monarch Prints makes ticket strips by sewing (without thread) every few centimeters on a strip of paper, then stamping and adding simple (small) embellishments.  Must try these!

                       * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Brenda Clark aka The Simple Crafter uses the middle part of a corragated box as the background for a tag....a really different look with a bit of substance.  Check it out here.

                       * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Kathleen Mower takes a long piece of one-sided paper and turns it into a folding envelope-type things that is a great large journaling space with  a beautiful embellishment.  Perfect for lots of journaling, and really easy to make....just folds and a little distressing.  Check it out here.

                        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

I've got to make these three Christmas tags by Root Pursuit.  Trees, square on square cluster, and hanging ornaments, quick and easy and very eye-catching. Video is not long.

                        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Cindy Burkhalter made REALLY quick "file folders" to journal inside by quickly embellishing the outside and adding a punched-out tab.  See "Easy File Folders for Journaling here.

                        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cathy's Garden makes a folded heart journaling card that's easy and cute to use as a tuck in for a pocket.  There are other things on this video (including a bag/pocket that would be great for a gift), this one's about in the middle.  I wanna make a few to have on hand.  The video's here.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kathleen Mower creates a matchbook journaling card that is large - it covers the entire page and gives lots of clever journaling space.  Check it out here.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Pink Monarch Prints show how to make three different "interactive" tags.....tags with just a little extra.  See the video.

Used Postage Stamps as Ephemera in Junk Journals

 Nina Ribena uses different methods to use and show off used postage stamps on ephemera.  Here's the video.  I particuarly like the way she's made a "masterboard" using same-sized stamps!

Recrafted by Carol has some really fun ideas to use when you have bunches of postage stamps, particularly if you have a lot of the same color.  This I must do!  (She glues them over hanging clothing labels!)

No-Sew Junk Journals

This is cool - megjournals uses the front and back cover of a decent-shape old book and "patchworks" the pages inside using leftover papers. It's an accordian-style book.  I like it!  Watch her YouTube here.

LeNae Creates makes a journal using all sorts of leftover 6 x 6 paper (and other sized, too).  She scores each paper/page at 1/2 inch, then glues this gusset to the next piece, making sure this gusset/bound edge is even.  At the end, she glues a piece of paper around this to make a decent binding.  She adds all the usual pockets/tuck spaces and creates a pretty cool junk journal!  This is a must try!  Check it out here.

Liz the Paper Project uses four leftover/unused greeting card envelopes to make a flip book/accordian-style junk journal.  The first half of the video is her showing the finished product, but the second half shows how to put it together.  YouTube video is here.

I'm not exactly sure this is the section where I should put this snazzy Christmas altered book by Treasure Books, but it is indeed sewless.  The pages are folded, hole-punched and blanket-stitched, glued, and embelished....a time consuming process but easy and GORGEOUS.  Could draw this out for awhile, adding to it whenever you feel it.  Instructions are here.

Mass Making Ephemera for your Junk Journal

Black Swan Journals uses food packaging (with both white and kraft-colored) backing to make tags, belly bands, etc. to have them ready to go into any journal she may be working on.

See the YouTube video here.

Brenda Clark aka The Happy Crafter takes 10 playing cards at a time and gets them ready for more embellishments.  She uses torn paper, tissue paper, washi tape, and oxide paints.  See the YouTube video here.

Shanouki Art made these tags six at a time!  Fun, fun, fun, different (and yet still easy!) tags from book pages folded into quarters, then sewn (or not), painted a bit with spray oxides, gessoed, painted, and stencilled...final touch a stamp with a bit of thread bunched up beneath the stamp.   Love, love, love them!  Thanks, Shanouki Art!

Tiny Tags are Like Junk Journal Candy!  The Paper Outpost, in her usual fun style, creates 3/4-inch by various length tags that are simple and fun and you can make a slew of them at a time!  Book pages, tiny toppers, stamps...you don't need much!  Here's the video.

How to Mass Make Journal Tags in Minutes - No Measuring!  Etcetorize paints one side and covers the other to quickly make a whole bunch of tags to have ready for further embellishment!  Here's the video.

I really love mass-making a bunch of clusters.  One of the first projects I tackled!  In her recent Christmas video, Lillian Guerrero makes quickie, ripped scrap paper clusters of three and then shows further embellishing depending on the theme.  Having a pile of these ready sure comes in handy!  See the video here.