Zentangle Junk Journal Tag with a Flower
This post is from my mom, Kathy Courville of Casablanca Cargo. It’s part of her Upcycled Tag Journal series.
Kathy here, and welcome to another installment of Create a Tag Every Tuesday! If you’re just joining, this is a 16-week journey where I share creative tag-making tutorials to help you personalize your tall tag journal.
Today, I’m tackling the second prompt from the list: use a flower as the focal point. Plus, I’m experimenting with something new—Zentangle-inspired designs! Let’s see how that turned out, shall we?
If you’re curious about the video version of this post, check it out below for more tag-making inspiration:
Video Tutorial
What Is “Create a Tag Every Tuesday”?
The idea is simple: every Tuesday, I create a new tag for my handmade tall tag journal (and you can join in too!). Each week has a prompt designed to spark your creativity. From magazine clippings to favorite quotes, these tags are perfect for adding personality to your junk journal projects.
This week’s task is all about flowers—one of the most versatile and eye-catching design elements! You can make your tags bold and bright or keep it soft and minimal. The choice is yours.
Preparing to Make the Tag
For this project, I used my tag journal, which I made specifically for this series. The tag journal itself was crafted using leftover paper scraps from making traveler’s notebook covers (you might see glimpses of those journals on my desk).
If you’d like to learn more about creative ways to craft tags or upcycle materials, take a look at this Upcycled Tag Journal Challenge with Casablanca Cargo.
Before starting, here’s a quick overview of the supplies I gathered:
- A chisel-tip Sharpie (for bold lines)
- Paper tag base (any size works, but I prefer tall tags for more room to play)
- Scrapbook paper featuring floral designs
- Optional: Zentangle examples for inspiration
Got your supplies ready? Let’s dive into the creative process.
Working on the Floral Focal Point
First, I decided that my flower wouldn’t just come from a cutout or sticker. Instead, I sketched the flower directly onto the tag base! Flowers are such forgiving shapes—no need to stress over perfection.
Grab any type of pen, and let your imagination bloom. If drawing isn’t your thing, feel free to use floral ephemera, stamps, or fabric appliqués. Check this guide on How to Make a Junk Journal from a Composition Notebook for more tips to personalize your designs.
To make the flower stand out, I played with Zentangle-inspired linework.
Zentangle is a meditative drawing style made up of structured patterns, and while I don’t claim to be an expert, it’s a calming way to add depth to your creation.
I divided the sections of my petals and filled them with repetitive ovals and strokes. If you’re new to this, just have fun with it—there’s no wrong way to experiment!
Adding a Personal Touch
Once the flower design was complete, I used scrapbook papers from my traveler’s notebook leftovers to bring some texture to the background.
These scraps were also used to create the journal housing all my tags. Repurposing materials not only saves money but also gives every element a cohesive, lived-in look.
If you’re committed to reducing waste and maximizing your craft stash, you’ll love other upcycling tips like creating tea bag ephemera (learn more here).
Zentangle Fun: Success or Experiment?
As a first-timer experimenting with Zentangle on camera, I wasn’t sure if I was getting it “right.” But you know what? Creativity rarely fits into perfect boxes. The process itself was enjoyable, and that’s what matters most.
The bold lines of my Sharpie added a visual punch, making the flower the undeniable star of the tag. If you’re unsure about Zentangle techniques, don’t be afraid to watch a few tutorials, but feel free to interpret patterns your own way.
Remember: there’s joy in the journey of making art.
Wrapping It All Up
Here’s the beauty of this project—you don’t need fancy supplies or perfectionism to create something uniquely you. With just paper scraps, markers, and a flower theme, this tag came to life!
If you want to follow along, the Create a Tag Every Tuesday series spans 16 weeks with diverse prompts to explore. Make sure to share your creations on Instagram by tagging me @casablancacargo—I’d love to see what you come up with!
Thanks for joining me, and happy journaling!
