Why We’re All Just a Little Obsessed with Pretty Paper (and how to build a journal that feels like YOU!)

Why We’re All Just a Little Obsessed with Pretty Paper (and how to build a journal that feels like YOU!)

There’s something about pretty paper.


Notebooks you don’t write in because they’re too perfect.

Scraps you save because the pattern is just too good.

That one shade of soft lavender grid paper that makes your heart flutter like a schoolgirl in a stationery aisle.


Let’s be honest — we’re all just a little bit obsessed.

And maybe… that’s a beautiful thing.



It’s Not Just Paper. It’s Personality.



From tea-stained ledger pages to rainbow watercolor swatches, paper has evolved from a blank slate into a full-blown aesthetic playground.


You’ve probably:


  • Hoarded vintage receipts because “they’re just so cool”
  • Torn the edge of a magazine page juuuuust right for a journal collage
  • Felt oddly euphoric after organizing your washi tape by color
  • Bought a printable kit, printed it, and then reprinted it because you just couldn’t stop layering



We’re not “just journaling” anymore — we’re curating our inner world on paper.



Why We Crave Texture, Color & Chaos (in the Best Way)



It turns out, the joy of paper is more than surface-level.


🌟 Textures ground us. A crinkled edge, a soft torn corner — these things give us a sense of time and touch in a world that’s increasingly screen-based.


🎨 Colors lift us. Whether you’re all about muted neutrals or highlighter neon, your color choices say you’re here. You feel. You notice.


🔁 Patterns soothe us. Stripes, florals, grids, stars — our brains love repetition with variation. They anchor us in a gentle rhythm.


And let’s not forget the quiet thrill of layering them all together.

It’s not chaos.

It’s alchemy.





Your Journal = Your Rules



There is no right way to journal.


Want to paste paper scraps and write sideways? Perfect.

Feel like creating a mood board with torn napkins and film labels? Yes.

Only want to fill in one page a week? That counts.


What matters is how it feels.


So here’s permission — official and eternal — to:


  • Write ugly
  • Paste randomly
  • Skip pages
  • Use glitter and botanical stamps in the same spread



This is your space. Let it breathe like you do.


Tips for Building Your Paper Aesthetic



Whether you’re a soft pastel dreamer or a moody vintage maximalist, here are a few fun ways to build a journal that feels like you:



1. 

Start with Texture



Pick 3 kinds of paper that feel different — smooth, rough, and crinkly. It makes your journal tactile and layered.



2. 

Create a Pattern Palette



Choose 2–3 pattern themes (e.g. florals, checks, typewriter text) and repeat them like a secret signature.



3. 

Layer with Purpose (or Don’t)



Use ripped edges, washi frames, fold-out flaps, and tip-ins.

Or keep it clean and geometric. There’s beauty in both.



4. 

Use Printables to Spark a Mood



You can create a moodboard-style journal page with just a handful of:


  • Printable tags
  • Vintage receipts
  • Tea-stained background pages
  • Quotes from old letters



🛍 You’ll find plenty of those at The Paper Tray — ready to print, cut, and fall in love with.



Build Your Paper Toolkit



Ready to start collecting your favorites?


Here’s a basic Paper Aesthetic Starter Kit:


  • 5 printable background pages
  • 3 types of washi
  • A small vintage envelope
  • Patterned scraps (dots, florals, and one “wild card” piece)
  • 1 quote that gives you chills
  • A handwritten note (from you, to you)



This kit isn’t about perfection.

It’s about creating a safe, beautiful mess that reflects the way you see the world.





And Remember… This Is About More Than Journaling



It’s about self-expression.

It’s about slowing down.

It’s about finding magic in the mundane.


Every torn paper edge is a rebellion against perfection.

Every handwritten word is a whisper to your future self.

Every beautiful little scrap you save is a piece of your story.


And that, my friend, is why we’re all just a little obsessed with pretty paper.





✂️ Wanna Start Your Journal Journey?



✨ Subscribe to our Monthly Mystery Junk Journaling Boxes, and build-your-own journaling aesthetics at The Paper Tray - each month is something new. You won’t be disappointed.


Let’s make something beautiful, together.

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