sustainability

This year I’m excited to be using the journal I designed for recording and planning my own tiny balcony garden, so I thought I’d review how well it works and share my thinking for further product development. I had a display copy sitting around so I thought I might as well put it to use. They’re almost all sold out ( one left in the shop, along with a couple of the plastic-free kits) and I’ve had great feed-back so far. Time to see if there’s room for improvement before I order another small batch! Sit tight for a glimpse of my actual gardening attempts for this year too, for a space approximately 2x3m.

Pocket garden journal with a vintage feel — My little journal, I’m so proud of the design!

I find the format very handy, it would slip nicely in a small bag if you have an allotment or need to carry it if you have a large gardening space, for example. I don’t have to carry mine far though, and I enjoy it sitting pretty on my desk.

Very tentative plans on the ‘sowing’ timeline!

I’m happy that a lot of the pages are versatile and adaptable to your own way of gardening. This timeline could be a blooming timetable, sowing schedule, or ‘to do’ list for example. The paper is smooth and thick, and I was able to erase my graphite notes when I changed my mind after trying to crowd too much in to April!

I would love to make a hardback book with replaceable pages, perhaps a clip-in folder style so you could use it year after year, but it wasn’t financially viable and also this version is more portable. If you only have a small space, as lots of Urban Gardeners do, this smaller style fits better. A small collection will still be slimline and showcase your efforts over the years.

A quick flip-through of the journal

I’ll put photos in when things start growing, but it’ll make a cute little photo album. There’s a rough seasonal progression to the images and colours from front to back, Spring to Winter, which I’m very happy I went with.

My ambitious plans for fruit and veg (a lot of which I have already) for this year

This page above I particularly love, and realise it would be handy to include more of, for example for a planting schedule for each season. At the moment this single copy is very handy.

If anyone has any suggestions for version two, I’d love to hear them, whether you have a copy or just have an idea. I would love suggestions on products to add to my plastic-free gardening range as well, as gardening is such a big passion of mine and I love it when people buy these as gifts for other gardeners. I’m hoping I’m bringing a bit more fun and satisfaction to any garden-lovers. I’m happy I’m managing to keep it locally printed, sustainable and lovingly designed and packaged too.

This journal started as a way for me to still live out my gardening passion, one story up and in the middle of a city. I hope I can encourage people others to keep at it and make the most of any space they’ve got even if it’s just a windowsill.

Here are a couple of snap shots of my balcony right now, with most things still dormant but a few signs of Spring.

I can’t wait for it all to wake up, and I hope to share my gardening (and illustration progress with you later in the season!

Laura

I’ve always been committed to running my business and making art in the most ‘eco-friendly’ way possible (read more here). ‘Eco-friendly’ is a bit of a blanket term, but I think it’s important for all makers to take in to consideration, no matter what your budget-limitations or what products you make. It’s a tough and on-going challenge, but I beleive even small improvements to processes or materials will help.

One of the recent changes I’ve made is to my paper choice for my prints.

First I tried switching over to recycled, uncoated paper. Still on my beautiful ‘photolitho’ printer the prints were subpar, muted and undefined. Such a disappointment! I had desperately wanted this to be the solution, but I am also committed to producing reproductions that do the originals justice. Another aspect of sustainability that I value is ‘quality’. Better to buy one beautiful, archival print and have it hang for decades, rather than chucking it in the bin after a month. At least in my book.

Look at how vibrant the left-hand prints are, on my usual paper! I wouldn’t have been happy selling the prints on the recycled paper, seen on the right. It might have worked for a different style of illustration, or something where a warm muted look was required, but certainly not for these.

After that disappointment I spent ages trying to research quality paper for prints that have at least a nod to decent environmental standards. Let me tell you, that’s very difficult.

At last I settled on Hahnemuhle fine art paper. I was a bit reckless and didn’t even try a sample, just went straight out and bought a whole pack (hello €€€). I’m so glad I did!

The results are gorgeous, vibrant and of decent giclee quality with a watercolour paper texture.

Zebra illustration print by illustratorlaura

Meerkat illustration fine art print

Hahnemuhle were one of the few companies that I came across that have a fairly transparent breakdown of their efforts to be ‘eco-friendly’. You can read more here.

// SALE! //

To mark my success with another step in my ongoing ‘sustainability’ journey I’m running a sale on all prints in my Etsy shop! All prints will have 20% off (discount already applied) running today till 3rd December, yay! I’m making way for all prints going forward to be on the Hahnemuhle paper. My existing prints in the sale are also vibrant and on beautiful heavyweight paper, don’t worry!

I’ve also added my Christmas section goodies into the sale, as I’d like them to find new homes so I can make some more :*

Laura Carter Illustration

Fine eco illustration goods

Review of my Garden Journal for a Tiny Balcony Garden

Eco paper + Print Sale!