Creating the Found and Flowered newspaper starts with scattered notes and ends with a beautifully printed publication traveling all the way from Glasgow, Scotland. Here’s a glimpse into the process that turns ideas and inspiration into each new edition.
Gathering Inspiration from my Junk Journal
It starts with a loooot of notes - notes in my phone, sticky notes on my wall, and ideas jotted across multiple notebooks. I’m constantly collecting creative bits and pieces, wondering how I can weave them into a paper activity format.
I also have what I call my “Inspiration Journal” - an upcycled floral book that I’ve turned into a junk journal full of papers and ephemera that are the most special - the pieces that you don’t want to use and just want to save forever. Most of us are probably sticker book kids who saved the stickers and never used them, so I think you know what I mean when I say that.
Sketching the Framework
Once my notes start to feel like a cohesive idea, I make a sketch in my journal that’s like a wireframe. This rough outline shows me how to use the space with the ideas. I also go big—literally—by sketching a life-size version of the newspaper on scrap packing paper. Seeing it to scale helps me work out how the fronts and backs of pages will flow and how big things will be in real life, off the screen.
Bringing Ideas to Life
As I’m sketching, I start imagining how the edition will look visually - a color palette and layout start to form. This is where I dive into the image brainstorm. I use vintage public domain illustrations and blend and collage them with my own photos, layout design, and artwork. I also scan in dried flowers or special pieces of ephemera from my collection to use in the design. I love playing with all the images, changing colors, combining different elements, and creating collages that bring each page to life and become part of the activity of the newspaper.
Filling in the Details
As I add images to the digital document, I start mapping out text placement. I don’t get too detailed - I like letting the document stay a bit messy so I can see where the ideas take me. Once the first draft feels too chaotic on screen, I print it out. It’s always longer than it should be, so this initial round of edits usually involves taking a lot out and then the core ideas become clear.
Perfecting the Pages
After editing on paper, I return to the computer, tinkering with text and design, refining images, and fine-tuning layouts. I go back and forth between text and visuals, polishing each piece. Once I’m happy with the second draft, I print it out again for another round of edits. By now, the design is almost there.
Sending it Off
Finally, I prep the digital document to send to the printer — across the ocean to Scotland! Newspaper Club prints on paper that is “either 100% recycled or sourced from sustainably grown forests. Our digital press uses solvent-free toner manufactured with certified green energy, and our printing plant is powered in part by solar panels.”
It’s both nerve-wracking and absolutely thrilling to open the delivery. And even more thrilling when I cut out the first piece! Every edition is a work of love and an exercise in joy and optimism with layers of inspiration woven into each page.
I’m so glad to be able to share this project with the flower, paper, journal-loving creative community! If you have any questions or want to know more about a specific step, let me know in the comments below! I love sharing the story of how it all comes together.
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