Thursday, May 23, 2013

Garden Journal...........

.........I thought of something that some of you might be interested in seeing. I am still feeling pretty lousy (shingles), and this post will take less time for me to get ready than others do. It contains a good bit of reading which is already written and on pictures. Are you a gardener? Do you keep a garden journal? I have several and just love having them and enjoy the process, too.


 
This is my latest one which is done in scrapbook style, in a dark green, loose-leaf binder. Before I show you some of the pages I would like for you to read a short article I wrote a couple of years ago for my rose society's newsletter. I really hope you can see the words easily. I have a large screen monitor and can read it without trouble.
 

 
 
 

 
After reading this again, I can see a few places where some editing would improve it but, there is no way to edit words on a picture.
 

 
Verdure means: green, growing things. I glued (rubber cement) a sheet of decorative paper over the binder front. Then printed out these words, cut them in the shape of the green label and glued it to the front of my binder.
 

 
This is the first page. More decorative paper glued to a page of cardstock. Most all the pages in this journal is cardstock with whatever I chose to glue on it. I punched the three holes after front and back were finished. The white square is also cardstock that I printed the words on and then glued to the "frame" which was already on the paper. You notice that I cut out around some of the flowers and leaves and slipped the square underneath.
 

 
I had saved many gardening themed calendars over the years and boy, did they come in handy for this project! I also made use of my sticker collection, tags saved from plants, little tags I made, like this one sticking out of the pocket made from a little seed package.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Notice the quote written around the bird picture. The quote just above, "as is the gardener, such is the garden" is a similar thought to one in my journal article - you will probably journal in the same manner as you garden.
 

 
The wildflower didn't make it!


 
The picture above is a card and you will see that I attached a little loop of ribbon with a staple.


 
This is what you see when you lift the front of the card.
 
 
 
Depicting one of my favorite experiences in the garden.
 

 
This is a page-size envelope with the back side up.  I just punched the three holes and put it in the binder. Of course I couldn't waste all that white space so glued a picture of one of the desired plants from the list. I never did get this plant. The envelope is handy to insert loose notes, seed packs, plant tags or whatever.
 

 
Something else I made use of a lot is lined note pad pages. You might recognize the little wheelbarrow tag from Michael's $1 bins. Oh, yeah, they are now $1.50. I have Tons of this kind of thing and it pays to gather up as many possible supplies as you can before you start to do this type of journaling.
 

 
This page has a little bit of rubber stamping on it - the birdcage and bird eggs at the top and the green dragonfly, just above.
 




 
Well, this is more than enough to give you the idea of the way I like to journal. I have gotten bogged down and haven't been journaling lately but, maybe doing this will inspire me to get back to it! I would love to hear that you have been inspired to start journaling! Let me know.
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Linking to Common Ground Be Inspired
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Linking to Sunny Simple Life - From the Farm
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Linking to Mockingbird Hill Cottage - A Favorite Thing
 
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I was getting so much spam in my comments that I changed the settings. I hope you can still make it work. It really means a lot to bloggers to hear from their readers!!  I can now review all comments before publishing. The spam was from people who were leaving stupid remarks which wouldn't apply to this blog, and would then direct us to their blogs, several of which had porn names.




 

17 comments:

  1. Simply amazing! And, I love that it's all in your own handwriting.

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    1. Thank you, Lily. I think handwriting is becoming almost a thing of the past and don't like that fact. I treasure any contact with you - one of my very first blog friends.

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  2. These are so lovely! It reminds me of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. Thanks for sharing. I came over from From the Farm blog hop.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Angi, and for your nice comment. I have the book you mentioned and am very blessed to know that my journal post would remind you of it! I will try to find you at the Farm Hop.

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  3. This is a wonderful idea. You have created it so beautifully. As a fellow gardener it is something I know you will treasure.

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    1. Thank you Elaine, for visiting and for making the link-up possible. I am sorry about my thumbnail not showing up. I have visited your blog many times and have loved getting acquainted with your chickens!

      Betty

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  4. Hello, Betty

    I've not kept a garden journal, but I can see that it must be quite a joy to go back through the growing season and see the progress. You've created yours in such an attractive way and I like the fact that it is handwritten.

    -Karen

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  5. I adore your garden journal. So very charming and how fun it will be to look back upon down the road.

    Happy Memorial Day!

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  6. So very lovely. It speaks to my gardening heart. I am so sorry you have shingles. I had them in Nov,. They are very painful and it took a long time for me to feel well again.I pray that you are well soon.
    Smiles, Dottie

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  7. This is beautiful! Hope you are getting better soon. Have anice weekend. Regula

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  8. I am sorry about the shingles! :(

    Your journal is exquisite....just so very lovely altogether! :)

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  9. An exceptionally nice journal! I am your newest follower.

    Big Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  10. Wow, that's simply lovely! I've never journaled this way, but I think it's just enchanting. :)

    Thank you for linking up to
    From the Farm Blog Hop! We hope to see you again next week!

    ~Kristi@Let This Mind Be in You

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  11. Thank you for sharing your garden journal. I really enjoyed seeing it.

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  12. This a really pretty and so creative! I am now following your blog from MHC :-)

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  13. What a great idea! Such a treasure, & beautifully done!

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  14. I hope you are feeling better! You did a great job on the journal.

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Thank you for visiting ~ I love to get your feedback.