One Person's “Junk” is Another Person's Journal: Hosting the Chicago Junk Journal Club!
Grab your coffee or drink of choice, crack open a fresh notebook, and let’s turn blank pages into a journal spread! Papel Arcano recently hosted the Chicago Junk Journal Club for an afternoon of journaling, community, and support for local artists. Recap the day with us!
By: Debra Skinner
A Stationery Phenomenon: Founding the Chicago Junk Journal Club
When local art teacher and independent artist Rebeka (@BeksRoses on Instagram) created the Chicago Junk Journal Club on Instagram in April 2025, she hoped to build a cozy community of journalers who could occasionally meet for coffee and journaling events. She never expected it to grow to nearly 700 followers on Instagram in a few short weeks, let alone start hosting events for 30+ paper-lovers within less than a month! Through a cozy narrative focusing on connection and creation, Rebeka has tapped into a growing trend among creatives: a craving for inclusive spaces and groups where people can interact on their own terms, whether it’s chatting on a Discord server or attending in-person meet-ups.
A Magical Meet-Up at Papel Arcano
Leave it to journalers and planner-people to embody the saying, “If you’re not early, you’re late!” While the Chicago Junk Journal Club meet-up was officially scheduled to start at noon on Saturday, May 31st at Papel Arcano, nearly half the club had already arrived by 11:45am. Jack, the owner of Papel Arcano, rearranged the entire store to accommodate nearly 40 club members and staff nestled among shelves of stationery, stickers, and notebooks. With half a dozen tables, everyone settled in for an afternoon of journaling, crafting, and most importantly, yapping!
Chicago Junk Journal Club members journaling at Papel Arcano.
Even before Papel Arcano’s grand opening in November 2024, Jack had always envisioned the stationery store as a modern third space—somewhere for lovers of stationery and paper to gather, make friends, and create. Founding Papel Arcano was about creating a space where people can explore their creativity, discover unique art from independent artists, and find joy in the little things, like the perfect notebook or a smooth, beautifully designed pen. The store’s values have always included community, inclusivity, and craftsmanship, so hosting journaling meet-ups or groups like the Chicago Junk Journal Club is always a full-circle moment for Jack. And, from the reception to the event, the members of the Chicago Junk Journal Club felt the same!
“The moment I walked into Papel Arcano, I felt surrounded by warmth and creativity. The Chicago Junk Journal Club had such a great time making art and connecting with one another–it truly felt like a meaningful step forward for our little community.”
- Rebeka, founder of the Chicago Junk Journal Club
Rebeka holding the spread she worked on at Papel Arcano.
Supporting independent artists was another core piece of Jack’s vision for Papel Arcano, so they were delighted to also host a pop-up of Rebeka’s artwork! Her stand included sticker sheets and sticker packs, magnets, mystery packs, holographic stickers, and more. Rebeka’s artwork is full of nature motifs, junk journaling ephemera, and quippy sayings (we weren’t born to pay bills and die either!) that are perfect for journaling. We had to pick up the Chicago Junk Journal sticker sheet to journal about the afternoon, which featured both iconic Chicago imagery and junk journal references (psst… if you couldn’t attend the meet-up, you can also order directly from Rebeka’s website). Papel Arcano also hosted a mini pop-up of Arissa’s craftsperiment artwork, showcasing her beautiful and handmade journal and bag charms that were so popular they nearly sold out!
Rebeka's (BeksRosesArt) pop-up display with adorable stickers, sticker packs, and magnets!
Club members shopping at Rebeka's pop-up and a mini pop-up of Craftsperiment's charms.
The Chicago Junk Journal Club sticker sheet and other stickers we picked up from Rebeka's pop-up!
One of the gorgeous journal charms from Craftsperiment's mini pop-up.
Papel Arcano is also lucky enough to be located in Elmhurst’s York Plaza, so club members also snagged delicious coffee from nearby BrewPoint Coffee, refreshing boba and milk tea from Boba Heaven, and foodie favorites from Hunan Palace and Pho Lime. Members of the Chicago Junk Journal Club spent the Saturday afternoon sharing journaling spreads and supplies, fostering their community, and junk journaling while sipping and snacking—a perfect afternoon, in our opinion!
“I’m so pleased that not only are analog crafting and memory-keeping thriving, but also that Papel Arcano can be an inclusive space where people can find joy pursuing these hobbies. Especially as digital records prove increasingly ephemeral and subject to change or erasure, memory-keeping and physical documentation are not just acts of self-care—they’re acts of resistance. Papel Arcano will always be a space where community, inclusivity, and craftsmanship are celebrated.”
- Jack Saucedo, owner of Papel Arcano
Club members displaying the journal spreads they worked on during the meet-up!
Join us at the next Papel Arcano Journaling Meet-Up on July 19th, 2025. Keep an eye on our website and Instagram for details on RSVPs and future events! Hope to see you there!
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About Debra Skinner
Debra has been a stationery lover for 10+ years and a lifelong writer of articles, blogs, speeches, and more. As a native Illinoisian and a member of the Chicago Stationery Club, she is an ardent believer in the importance of third spaces and enjoys visiting stationery stores all over the world. On her most recent stationery voyage, she fell in love with Papírna Stationery and Papír Plojhar in Prague, Czech Republic and Bomo Art in Budapest, Hungary. Debra works in data analytics and journals in her free time, accompanied by her beloved boxer Korra.