Saturday 3 July 2010

Garden Journal

I am enjoying a brilliant Journal Workshop online with Carol in New Zealand, whose Blog can be found here. Carol has encouraged us from the start to leave threads hanging, and stitch using free machine stitching and black thread! This I find very difficult - not that I am a tidy person naturally, heaven forbid! I am making this Garden Journal as a raffle prize, so there is my dilemma! I need to use matching threads, as I don't know who or what the person will be like, who will ultimately own it (well that's my excuse anyway!). So .......

Here are the three signatures with pages inside - showing various lacy (ragged) edges. All the signatures are watercolour paper painted using teabags......


Here is the front of the first signature (introducing the viewer to the Journal) ...

lots of empty pages to be written on - notes to be made .........


Front page of the second signature .......


turned, to reveal a pocket (for seeds or dried flowers?) ........

more empty pages, decorated with laces, etc. .....


a reminder to make a daisy chain .........

and chase butterflies ........ it says 'chase butterflies' on the reverse of this decorated insert.


Another pocket for pressed flowers? .......


and finally the back page of the third signature.
I will probably embellish one or two of the pages, once I know how to stitch the pages together, and have made the front and back covers and embellished those inside and out. As it is a gift for a stranger, I don't want to go 'over the top'!
I have a smaller one ready to embellish FOR ME! This one I will use black thread on cream lace etc. and try harder to go 'scruffy and ragged'!

16 comments:

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

Val your book is gorgeous! I'm sure the recipient will absolutely love it and enjoy it! I am enjoying Carole's course too and hope to post my efforts soon ... maybe Monday
Carolyn

Unknown said...

I have just signed up for the course - hence my visit - so glad I have found you - your book is utterly gorgeous and I wish I could win it in a raffle!

Suztats said...

I have seen quite a few journal-making posts lately. Your journal is beautiful, with a variety of pockets, which I like. I'm sure anyone would be chuffed to win it!

Bunty said...

Your book will be a lovely raffle prize - I wouldn't be able to part with mine! Lovely pages Val.

Barbara

Heather said...

Your journal is gorgeous Val and I envy the lucky recipient. I couldn't bear to part with it. That workshop/course sounds fantastic.

Julie said...

Your book is absolutely gorgeous Val! I haven't got round to stitching in mine yet but I hope I make half as good a job of it as you have. Beautiful and it will be a joy to own.

Doreen G said...

Beautiful Val and I am sure the person who will eventually own it will think so as well.

dot said...

Exqusite Val!

~*~Patty S said...

Your journal is so lovely in every detail Val! Flowers are a favorite theme of mine and your words running along the bottom are perfect ... the touches of lace and colors ... ooo I adore it all.
That is going to be one lucky raffle winner, that's for sure.
Fun being in Carole's great class with you!
oxo

Ati said...

Val it looks lovely ! The new owner will be thrilled:) I special like the idea to fold the page and made a kind of envelope from it.
May I use it one day??

margaret said...

Val, your journal is so elegant, love the colours and details you've used. I actually sat down and did some work on mine today, finally!! Mx

Heloise said...

Your journal is looking lovely and how very generous of you to make it as a prize for others to enjoy.
i am really enjoying the course. Lucky you to live in north Devon.

sharon young said...

It's beautiful, Val, I love all the pockets, the person who wins this will be really lucky.

BadPenny said...

This is lovely Val & what a great idea to offer it as a prize - lucky winner !

I'm naturally scruffy & ragged so my challenge would be to produce something with neat perfect cut lines !

Duendes said...

Hi Val was beautiful his newspaper
very creative.hugs

Shabby Cottage Studio said...

Hi Val...thanks for stopping by my blgo and your kind words. Your garden journal is so lovely, I think my favorite was the envelope you made a pocket out of for seeds, that was very cool. Your colors are so soft and "sprintime garden-y"! Whoever wins this beauty will have an absolute keepsake!
My signatures are almost done and then I get to have fun with the covers. :-)
hugs
Gail