I have been a collage girl for a long time, but this week something new happened: I sat down to make a journal out of a book I created myself.
Snip and Story: Vintage Rose Garden is a cut and collage book. It has 35 full-page vintage botanical pictures, and the part I love most is hiding on the backs. Every picture page is backed by a 1905 letter, list, or note, so nothing gets wasted. When you cut out a picture, the letter on the back becomes collage material too.
Now I am starting a vintage garden journal with these pages, and I thought you might like to build along with me.
Watch the whole book first
Before I cut a single page, I filmed a flip-through of the entire book so you can see every picture and every letter:
Tell me in the comments which picture page catches your eye. I am building with the favorites first.
What you need
A journal or notebook you are not afraid to make messy. Mine is becoming my garden journal, where the roses get to live all year.
Your copy of Vintage Rose Garden, paperback or digital.
Scissors or a craft knife, and a glue stick or matte medium.
A few extras if you like them: lace, ribbon, pressed flowers, old seed packets, washi tape.
If you have the digital download, you can print a favorite page as many times as you like, which takes the fear out of cutting. If you have the paperback, remember there is no wrong page to start with. The letters on the backs mean every snip gives you two pieces to work with.
How I choose my pages
I spread the book open and let the garden tell me where to begin. The tea party page keeps calling my name, so that will be my first spread. The roses at the gate will be the welcome page inside the front cover. And I am saving at least one 1905 letter whole, because William's handwriting deserves a page of its own.
My simple rhythm for each spread:
Pick one picture page and read the letter on its back before you cut anything.
Cut the picture, and keep the trimmings. Borders and corners make beautiful layers.
Glue the picture down first, then tuck pieces of the letter around it like it grew there.
Add one small treasure: a ribbon, a stamp, a pressed leaf.
Write one honest line about your own garden, or your own day, right on the page.
Follow along
I will be filming this journal build as a series on my Darlyssa Designs YouTube channel, a few pages at a time, so you can work at your own pace alongside me. Whether your journal is about a real garden, a dream garden, or no garden at all, you are welcome at this table.
New here and wondering where to find me? I post art and junk journal videos on YouTube as Darlyssa Designs: https://www.youtube.com/@darlyssadesigns. Come say hello and subscribe if you would like to build along.
Get the book
Snip and Story: Vintage Rose Garden is available two ways:
Paperback, $19.99 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HNVSRZN2?tag=darlyssa05-20
Digital download, $9.99 in my shop, print pages at home as often as you like: https://www.darlyssadesigns.net/shop/p/snip-story-vintage-rose-garden-digital-download
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Now tell me: which page should I build with first, the tea party, the roses at the gate, or one of the 1905 letters?
With love from the art room,
Christine
