A New Journal Tutorial

One thing always leads to another. I've said that many times. 

Here's another.

Each day when I go out to garden, I hook up to a fanny pack with my iphone, glasses, seed packets and other necessaries. I take before and after pictures because when I get to where I'm going, I like to look back and see where I came from. Which is exactly why I take work-in-progress shots of my paintings. 

Another reason I take pictures is just to remember where, when and what I planted. I lay the seed packet down, whip out my phone and take a shot.

In my younger days, I would not need to do this for recollection.

The very first day I took my camera out, I couldn't help but think about a garden journal. Each day I took photos thinking someday I'll get around to that.

Then

While editing my Blog Book I realized how many altered books I made during my first 6 months of blogging. 

I also remembered what fun it was and how much I enjoyed it. 

That's It!

I'll make a new garden journal with an old book. 

Yesterday when it dawned on me during one of my many breaks, that in addition to photos, I could add "notes" on my iphone about what I did for the day, I really began to get excited about a new journal.

I could feel in my bones that it was going to happen and that I was going to be so prepared with these photos and notes.

 I came inside and began to look through my stack of books and chose one even though I wasn't that happy with it.

After prepping the first three pages with a little paint, I thought to myself, "this is not fun".

Actually, I knew I would never carry through with enough passion to keep going.

I wanted to do something quicker.

Sleek.

Minimal.

No paint.

Little preparation.

The perfect size.

Open flat and fold back on itself.

Good paper.

This led me to think I needed to jump in my car and run to Waco and buy a dreaded blank with virgin white pages spiral bound journal. 

I slept on it. 

At 3:30 this AM, I couldn't stay in bed any longer because while I was sleeping, the inspiration angels (or maybe I heard Norah'S whisper) came to me and said, "you didn't look at the stack of old desk calendars that you have saved for altering (when you retire)."

They were in one of those

"stacks of stuff that become a part of a room because they have been stacked in that one spot for so long" 

I chose my 2010 Georgia O'Keeffe Engagement Calendar saved from that dang-desk-in-town.

How perfect!

 I flipped through and saw that in the front there were month pages and in the back there were notes ~ expenses pages with the months on them.

I wanted to rearrange the pages to group all pages with February together, all March pages together, etc.

I pried the coil open and removed all the pages.

Then, I arranged the month pages and notes pages with each month.

I'm not interested in the days or year text on each page.

I just want to take advantage of the Month text.

 I left the International Holidays pages in the back.

Who knows, I might need that information.

  I replaced the arranged pages back on the coil.

 Note that the last two pages added to the coil are the front cover and then the back cover.

Before closing the coil, check to see if the pages are all arranged the way you want them and right side up.

 Also note that the coil should close inside the back cover.

Gently start pinching the coil back together.

 When your done it should look like this inside the back cover.

 And like this inside the front cover.

 Now for my first page!

Since I took Vinca pictures in February, I could start there.

Instead of painting over the unwanted text, I used a fine grit piece of sand paper and lightly sanded the unwanted text.

I printed my photos on plain paper with my Laser Jet printer. They turned out just perfect. I didn't want the bulk of anything heavier. Before leaving the computer with the photo, I used a white fine point Sharpie poster paint pen and dated each photo.

 Here is a TIP.

On the above photo, I thought the date might conflict with my layout. 

So, I used a brush damp with rubbing alcohol and removed the white date.

And here is my finished first page. 

That is all I can write for February 2013 because all I did was go out and take a photo. 

But next year in February 2014, I can start my journal entry right under this entry. And in February 2015, there may still be room in the February section to continue journaling. 

You get the picture?

It is really cool to see each year together because you can compare what you did at the same time or if maybe you did nothing. I like the bloom documentation.

I'm really excited about this new journal.

But now it is time for me to go out and do a little gardening so I can come back in and journal about it. 

♥

PS  my first time to use Washi tape.

I like.

Do you?