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Friday, January 7, 2011

First Herbal Ally Challenge: Decorating Your Journal Cover

Canson XL Mix Media Pad- 7x10 Inch (60 Sheets/Side Wire Bound)
Once you find a journal, if it's a plain one like the one above, take some time to personalize it. You may find some pictures of your herb online to print out and decoupage onto the cover, perhaps along with your plant's name or any inspirational words or thoughts. Take some time with it, flip through some old magazines and really make it feel like something special. You'll be writing down everything about your ally in this journal and this will be a journal you'll be referring back to in years to come so make it worth it! Put your intentions of learning into the journal as you decorate the cover. Surround yourself with thoughts and feelings towards this ally you're going to be learning all about.

Some ideas on decorating your cover:


If you haven't done so already, take a moment to write a post about what herb you've chosen for this journey and why. Then, leave a comment in the previous post and I'll add you to the blog roll. If you don't want to be added, that's fine too. You're welcome to follow along without posting anything.

Once you've completed your journal, if you'll be posting your journey on your blog, post a picture of your decorated cover to share and leave a comment on this post and I'll add it to the next post when I update with a picture of my decorated journal. Since we'll be starting this journey together, I'll be posting my journal on January 15 along with links to everyone's posts as well. At that time, I'll post the second challenge. 

In the meantime, if you do not have any dried plant material of the herb you are studying, go to your local herb store and pick up some. If you do not have a local store, you can find good quality herbs at Mountain Rose herbs. Get all forms of the herb available (aerial parts, flowers, roots, bark) in as whole of form as possible (cut and sifted instead of powdered as much as possible). Buy as much as you can afford up to a pound. You'll be using it all.

Also, don't forget to assemble your Herbal Ally Tools.

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8 comments:

  1. Ms. PiggyJanuary 8, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Count me in. I just ordered one of those type pads since I can't find anything around here that can take marker and watercolor. Hopefully this will do. I was just looking yesterday!

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2011 at 10:53 AM

    I can't make up my mind which herb to use. Nothing is really speaking to me.

    Are you doing nettles, Kristine?

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  3. tansyJanuary 8, 2011 at 10:57 AM

    yes, i'm doing nettles!

    any herb you noticed more than usual last year?

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  4. karismaJanuary 8, 2011 at 7:06 PM

    Hmmmm...I was tempted to choose Elder flower as I know it would be so interesting to study and I am already drawn to it for healing purposes BUT my yard seems to be over run with Tansy in all sizes at the moment. I have a huge bunch drying AND now here is the norty bit, for the past few years I have been using it for compost as I have not learned a thing about it except that it is a good deterrent for fleas and other bugs in the garden.

    Ok thats not entirely true I have done a lot of reading on and off but not really soaked it up if you know what I mean.

    What do you think?

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  5. tansyJanuary 8, 2011 at 7:10 PM

    i would say go with your instinct. if you are drawn to elder, you are going to be more interested in learning about her than if you're picking tansy just because he's running rampant in your yard.

    maybe next year something will click with you and why tansy's in your life and then you'll be more interested in learning more?

    i chose nettles because he popped up in my yard after years of trying to grow him on top of all my personal health needs and being a perfect fit with him...i would not have chosen him purely on the fact that he's in my face. i have burdock here who is in my face all the time but i'm not drawn to him right now...maybe next year! :)

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  6. karismaJanuary 8, 2011 at 7:52 PM

    Thanks lovely! I will ponder a little more while I gather my kit together. Hugs xoxox

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  7. laurelApril 7, 2012 at 11:17 AM

    Hello! I just stumbled upon this wonderful project-- the Herbal Ally Challenge! I absolutely LOVE the idea. I am wondering if in the time since this was first posted you've been able to put it in print form (like a zine or something) or might do so in the future. I love all of these ideas but am getting out of the blog & online world little by little and will be living outside all growing season and would love to have projects to take up my used to be technology space-- reading at night by candlelight and such and I am sure I could take the time to copy down some ideas/ make my own challenge. it just seems like you've put so much time & energy into your ideas... i would love to have them as a guide. Anyway it would make a great ZINE or booklet!!!
    if the fancy ever strikes you!

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  8. tansyApril 7, 2012 at 7:22 PM

    hi laurel,

    i do hope to finish it as a year's worth of challenges and then combine it into some sort of ezine but it will probably be awhile. i had it started and then my hard drive crashed and i lost everything i had compiled so i will have to start all over again. it's on my long list of writing projects!

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