A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Paper Bag Garden Journal

I used to work in a gift shop. My employer brought in an album made of several paper bags. It was her Mom's garden journal. It was put together with twine binding it together. Each page had really cute notes about her garden and it was filled with empty seed packages. She showed it to me, because I did a lot of crafts with seed packs in those days. Here are some directions to make an album.It could be changed to make more pages easily. I think this would be a cute project for grand kids to do.



I have some ideas for keeping a garden journal.
Here are my ideas with a little help from my friends.










Balisha's Garden Journal





DESCRIBE VISITS TO OTHER GARDENS- Friends gardens...garden walks...botanic gardens.


Record the date, garden's name or gardener's name-What flowers did you see?- Did you get ideas for your garden? Take pictures.






Garden GUEST BOOK


When friends and family visit your flower garden have them sign a visitor's guest page in your garden journal.-Record the date. Ask visitors to write comments about your garden! A friend of mine did this. She had friends names from years ago. This would be a good idea if you are young.


She also kept track of menus from dinners when her friends would visit. They signed the book after the meal. She could go way back and remember a good time with friends or family.




Reading RECORD


Keep a record of all the gardening books, magazines, gardening stories, and other reading material you have enjoyed reading to learn about gardening.-Note the name of the book and when you read it.-Keep track of ideas that you get from magazines. Cut out pictures and tape in the scrapbook.




PICTURES Take pictures of your garden at different times of the year; this is a great way to record how much your garden has grown, and to see how your garden looks from season to season.-Take a picture at the beginning, middle and end of each season. Than place them glue the pictures in order on journal pages to see how much your garden changes.-Take pictures of favorite flowers, insects, birds, wildlife, and anything else that catches your eye!We do so much of this in our blogs. We really have an online journal.




Garden Wish List..Keep a wish list page with lists of flowers to plant, or trade.This can be fun page about anything you dream for your garden! Then show the wish list to hubby and kids, so they have an easy time shopping for you. I guess one of my wishes would be a flower press.




COLLECT AND SAVE ITEMS FROM YOUR GARDEN Collect special items from your garden and keep in a storage area in your journal.-Flower petals; dry and save for crafts, or keep them in an envelope in your journal just because they are beautiful. Just make sure the petals or leaves are dried thoroughly first.-Save seeds from flowers to plant in your garden next spring.Place dried seed pods in envelopes and label with plant's name and date. Saving seeds is great way to be able to share with neighbors and friends who love to garden too! Keep flowers and herbs to press in a flower press.




These are all good ideas. I'm afraid that I haven't followed my own ideas. I have been doing pretty well with my garden blog and I do keep track of what I plant and ideas for the next year.
Balisha

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful idea for a garden journal -- from paper bags! An idea that was possibly born of necessity and/or frugality back then. :) Perfect for tucking seeds packs and notes into. Thanks for the directions.

Judy said...

I love the paper bag journal. Lots of good ideas here, too. I love that picture of your grandson and his friend below. It was 75 here yesterday and back to 40 this morning! That's Kentucky weather!

Balisha said...

Hi Nancy,
Isn't that the sweetest little book? I love old gardening things...books, garden tools, old fashioned plants. Guess I'm a sucker for old stuff...even people.

Lynn said...

Wouldn't that be great for kids too. I love it, I think I will make one for the next door neighbors grand daughter. She loves to garden with us...
Thanks!!!

Roses and Lilacs said...

What a cute little journal. I used to keep a written garden diary of sorts but have gone to journaling on the computer only. It's very easy to cut and paste photos and descriptions from online catalogs onto MS Word pages and add whatever you like in the way of notes.
Still, there is always something to be said for a book or scrapbook that you can hold and touch.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

I am going to make one of those bag journals for my daughter. She is going to have a garden this spring.
Thanks!

Balisha said...

Hi Ladies,
I just thought it was unique. It was probably thought of way back, when ladies didn't have different ways of keeping notes. My friend's Mom's book was full of her little drawings too.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

So many of the things you mention I have done in the past. Now everything is just simpler. 80 yesterday and now winter today.
You are amazing with all the entries and information in this blog.

garden girl said...

That is just the coolest Balisha! What a wonderful keepsake, and just as wonderful is how lovingly its been preserved.

I've never been good at keeping a garden journal. I even bought one of those expensive Lee Valley ten-year garden journals and have been sporadic with it at best. For me blogging seems to be the best way to keep a garden journal.

I'm a sucker for old people and old stuff too! This post reminded me of my grandparents, who used to write letters to us on those rough, unbleached paper towels that were used in public restrooms in the '60's! I still have most of those letters.

We can learn a lot from grandparents in these tough economic times. They don't call them the greatest generation for nothing! :)

Balisha said...

Hi Garden girl,
Aren't you lucky to have those notes from your grandparents. My Dad sent me letters when he was fighting during WW2. He was in Germany and I was 5. He used to send me illustrated letters.My Mom wasn't a saver and they are gone. I still remember them, however.He would draw little clotheslines on the envelope with clothes hanging.

Anonymous said...

What a creative idea. Can't wait to see yours when it's completed. Thanks for the instructions on how to put it together. ;)

Balisha said...

Hi Racquel...I hadn't thought of making one,,,,but maybe I will.