Journal Junkie ~ Nature Journal

I recently mentioned our Queen Anne's Lace Jelly, and thought I'd share my Nature Journal.  

A Cow?

Meet another journal I have - the dream journal.  I warned you all.  I'm definitely a journal junkie.  It's not the most written in either.  Most of the time I can't remember the dream very long after waking up.  It's looking rather boring too,  don't ya' think?  I really do need to make a cover for it. 

I woke up the other day, from another odd dream.  I must be delirious, so I checked my forehead for any signs of a fever.

Nope.  No fever. 

Hubby was still home and getting for work.

"Uh, I just had a dream we got a cow," I said clearing my parched throat and dealing with congestion.

So....that dream went right into the journal before I forgot.  It was so strange too.  A farmer nearby had a cow, but wasn't taking care of it, according to one of my daughter's.

"Mom!  We have to do something!  she screamed at me.  "He can't be feeding it!  Have you heard it moo lately?  she screamed in panic, and worried about the care of it.

Yep.  That's the kind of dream it was.  So, in my dream, we go talk to the farmer, and find out he doesn't want the cow.   So we take it.  

And then I woke up.  

I know, Earth shattering news, right?  Not the most intersting blog post yet.

The dreaded cough has set in now.  I wonder what the next dream will be about. 
 

From the Handiwork Journal . . .

Front cover (sorry for the tablecloth behind it, it is too much of a busy background to really see the journal cover)

 Back Cover

Remember these fun watercolor journal pages?  From way back in July of 2012?  

...I decoupaged recycled cardboard, using magazine pictures, and made a front and back cover.  I punched holes and tied on aqua organza ribbon.  I just need to fill in the pages.

...knitted a few more dishcloths.

...remember this project?  It is my second knitted shawl.  I can't even remember when I started it.  It's finally done, but I am disappointed in the size.  In the book, the shawl goes way past her waist line, and well over her shoulders.  She must have been pretty petite, because the fringe on this barely goes to my waist line.  This pattern is cleary not for 6 foot amazon women.  Needless to say, it went to one of the girls.  I love this style too (sighing sadly). 

Another Journal for the Journal Junkie - My Natural Dye Swatch Book

Summer here is very busy with gardening, stocking up, repairing, building, etc. I have little time to work on the "little" things.

I finally dug out my swatch book, and put a cover to it.  I could have decoupaged it, painted it, and so many other ways. However, I simply used a piece of stationary and printed it from the computer.

Here is a peek inside my journal/book.  I simply bought tab dividers with color tabs already adhered.  I don't have all the colors, but it's pretty easy to use with the ones do have.  I can also add more by using cardstock and adding a tab.

For yarns, I simply adhere a piece of the dyed yarn to the page, and write what mordant I used, the material I used, the date and then a year later I update if the color held.

For example, I dyed a 100% cotton doily that I crocheted, using red onion skins a year ago.  It has since faded from not using a mordant.  I did not have a yarn swatch, so I printed photos of the before and after, wrote down information, and punched the page with a 3-hole punch.  I added it to the journal for reference.

On my recent hikes around our 6 acres, and into and along the woods, I discovered rosehips.  I decided to pick them and use them as a dye to dye wool yarn. 

I see it's too late this season to dye my yarn with goldenrod.  Time got away from me this season.

Today the chimney sweep comes.  Finally.  

I've got another busy day today, despite how I am feeling.  I woke with both eyes burning and itching and watering.  Fall allergies are here with a bang.  I hope to get a small break in the day, after laundry gets put on the line, kitchen swept and mopped, canning completed, and so forth.