Spring Plant Markers

 Spring has sprung in Melbourne. 

I took some time yesterday to give my garden some love, pulling out the dead and sad plants and revitilizing the soil for those that hung on through the winter.

I ordered some seeds that arrived Friday and ended up planting more than I thought I would. I am shocking at remembering what I planted, where and so this time I have done two things to counteract my terrible seed planting memory.

1. I started a garden journal

2. I made some plant markers

The journal was something I had previously started as a way to draw all the plants I grew and write notes on them. However, it was too much effort to keep up so this time it's looser with just general notes and sketches.

The plant markers were made with some sculpey I had in my craft cupboard and some paint.

For the plant markers you will need:

Sculpey

Exacto knife

Ruler

Cutting board

Rolling pin (I used a jar)

Jewellery or other things to create imprints on your markers

Paints

Modge Podge

 Various paint brushes

Roll out your scupley so it is approximately 3mm thick.

Using your ruler, measure out strips that are 1cm wide. Cut the strip to the length that you want your plant marker to be, mine were about 14cm each although I also did a few that were shorter.

Square off one end and taper the other into a long point. You could also shape the square end to whatever you want, I just liked the ease of a straight end.

Gently push your jewellery into the blunt end of the marker being careful to not push too hard and cut through your marker.

I preferred the look of things that had lots of fine detail like the chain between the stars and the ridges from the starfish. You can always reshape ones that you're not happy with.

Cure them according to the instructions on the sculpey packet.

If desired, paint your plant markers however you wish. I used model paints because I have different washes that I knew would pick up on the details of the imprints. I also know that I love the colour palette that we have in our model paints, especially the metallics.

However, acryllic paints are recommended for sculpey so use what you prefer/have.

When you are happy with your paint job, seal the marker with modge podge one side at a time.

When dry place in your garden and never forget what you planted there again!