For our latest author interview, we're absolutely thrilled to welcome Martina Calvi into our creative conversation. The talented junk journaler and author behind A Year of Journaling has captured hearts with her beautifully imperfect approach to memory-keeping, turning everyday ephemera into treasured keepsakes. Just as her journal spreads transform the mundane into something beautiful, her thoughtful responses to our 12 questions reveal an artist who finds poetry in life's smallest, most precious details.
How would you describe your creative process in five words?
Intuitive, nostalgic, quiet, imperfect.
Which book have you returned to the most over the years?
Rookie Yearbook — it shaped me as a teenager and continues to shape me now.
Are there particular writers, artists, or creative voices that inspire your mixed-media and journaling practice?
Sofia Coppola, Elizabeth Gilbert, Joan Didion, Greta Gerwig, Nathalie Léte, Wes Anderson, Lana Del Rey, Tavi Gevinson- I’m drawn to anyone who is romantic about little details, ephemera, nostalgia and weaving dream worlds.
For someone completely new to junk journaling, what’s the easiest way to start?
Start with what you have! Look for scraps from your daily life that might be hiding in a memory box or the bottom of your handbag — photos, receipts, tickets, letters. It’s less about perfection than it is about enjoying the process of collecting memories and creating again.
You’ve shared over 52 journaling prompts in your new book. How did you decide which ones made the cut?
I only selected the prompts that I used for my actual journal over the course of a year. If a prompt lit me up and got me excited to create something, I knew it could do the same for the reader.
Was there a moment during the writing process when you realized this book was becoming something more than you first imagined?
Definitely. On its surface, A Year of Journaling is a book of journaling prompts. But journals are, inherently, incredibly intimate. So the book quickly evolved into a very real, visual record of a year in my life. It’s become much more personal than I expected.
If your typewriter could talk, what would it say about your book?
The number 1 rule of junk journaling is that there are no rules.
What’s the most beautiful thing junk journaling has taught you about life or perspective?
What I’ve learned from junk journaling, and what is the overall message of the book, is that there is beauty in the mundane and imperfect. By collecting scraps from your life to journal with, you start to see beauty in these tiny moments, no matter how ordinary. Most of the magic that comes from creating and experimenting on paper doesn’t come from having a perfect outcome.
What’s a book you’ve read recently that you’d love to turn into a junk journal spread?
The Summer I Turned Pretty — the books are rich with romantic, tiny moments that would be beautiful to document. I imagine Belly would definitely have her own journal spread inspired by Cousins Beach, the peach stand, Christmas and sunkissed memories.
What’s your most treasured piece of stationery or crafting supply in your collection — and do you actually use it or just admire it?
My vintage blue typewriter — I bought it from an elderly gentleman on Facebook Marketplace who kindly gave me a tutorial and a printout named ‘Typewriter 101’. His passion for preserving a dying technology and passing on his knowledge makes me treasure my typewriter even more — and yes, I do use it!
One of your prompts invites people to “celebrate their favorite snacks.” If we peeked at your journal, which snack would definitely make an appearance?
Pepe Saya Buttery Salted Caramels — they are decadent salty buttery chocolates handmade in Australia, which come individually wrapped in papers printed with an iconic, smiling cat. You will find plenty of those smiling cats throughout the book/my journal pages.
How do you hope readers will feel after a year of following your prompts?
I hope they feel excited and confident to keep creating, just for themselves.
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