Need a quote for a wall border

[dragons in the flower bed]

I'm one of those people that pushes furniture around constantly, and every once in a while I paint, too, to mix it up. I just finished getting all the green up on the walls in the parlor of my home. It will be, at least until I rearrange furniture again, a craft room. Once I add the tree trunks and put the furniture back, it will look like this:

 

 

See those spots across the top of the light green wall? Those are supposed to be words. I was going to put up a Chinese proverb, "Keep a green tree in your heart and a singing bird may appear." Now that seems kind of sad. Any suggestions? (We're not Christian, but I wouldn't mind a Bible verse if it's pretty and has non religious applications.)

[Lakeside]

This may be kind of long, but a friend has this on her blog and I've always thought it was nice.

 

I love you in the winter when the roots grow deep; Love you in the spring when the leaves turn green.

I love you in the summer when the trees grow tall; I love you in the fall of the year.

When the leaves turn brown, when they cover the ground; Down where the roots grow deep.

My love will keep.

 

From "My Love Will Keep" by Adrienne Young.

[milovany]

I actually like the quote you mentioned!

 

Some of my faves are:

 

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

 

Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.

 

Write your worries in the sand, carve your blessings in stone.

 

Give much. Gather often. Greet many.

 

How are you going to apply the lettering? Some people love stenciling, some like the vinyl applications, some freehand! I have a friend who has free-handed a bunch and it looks great. I do sell the vinyl type, if you're interested, let me know. All of the above are available or you can custom design anything you want.

 

I think your room looks gorgeous! How did you design what we're seeing -- is that a software program you have?? I bought a floorplan software program a couple of years ago, but you can't design rooms like what you have showing. I had to NOT install the floorplan software on my new laptop -- too addicting!!!!

[percytruffle]

What a fun room, Rose. How about this since you said a Bible verse is ok in the right context:

 

(Isaiah 55:12)

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

[percytruffle]

Here are some more to go with your bird/trees theme:

 

The bird of paradise alights only upon the hand that does not grasp.

- John Berry

 

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way

in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.

- Robert Lynd

 

 

 

A bird in the hand is a certainty, but a bird in the bush may sing.

- Bret Harte

 

There are two lasting bequests we can give our children:

one is roots. The other is wings.

- Hodding Carter, Jr.

 

 

 

Sweet bird! thy bow'r is ever green,

Thy sky is ever clear;

thou has't no sorrow in thy song,

No winter in thy year.

- John Logan

[percytruffle]

Found more good ones. Can you tell I'm having fun procrastinating!

 

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~Minnie Aumonier

 

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. ~Martin Luther

 

 

A seed hidden in the heart of an apple is an orchard invisible. ~Welsh Proverb

 

Alone with myself

The trees bend to caress me

The shade hugs my heart.

~Candy Polgar

 

Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk? ~Alice Walker, The Color Purple, 1982

 

He who plants a tree

Plants a hope.

~Lucy Larcom, "Plant a Tree"

 

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. ~Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

 

These quotes are making me very happy. I may have to paint one on a wall myself :D

[dragons in the flower bed]

This may be kind of long . . . From "My Love Will Keep" by Adrienne Young.

 

Aw, that's lovely! It is too long though. I don't think we'd be able to read it if I had to print it that small.

[Trivium Academy]

"Nourish a child daily with loving, right, and noble ideas... which may bear fruit in his life." Charlotte Mason

[dragons in the flower bed]

I actually like the quote you mentioned!

 

Yeah? Maybe it's not too sad. My two-year-old told me that a bird was going to live in the tree, so maybe just for him I'll paint a little bluebird and put that quote up.

 

How are you going to apply the lettering? Some people love stenciling, some like the vinyl applications, some freehand! I do sell the vinyl type, if you're interested, let me know.

 

Tempting, but I have always hand lettered my designs. I do smaller objects than walls, usually, but I've done borders before and it's not too hard to stay straight and uniform. Also, I kind of feel like if it's in my hand then it's in my voice. Silly, right?

 

How did you design what we're seeing -- is that a software program you have?? I bought a floorplan software program a couple of years ago, but you can't design rooms like what you have showing. I had to NOT install the floorplan software on my new laptop -- too addicting!!!!

 

I LOVE floorplan software and messed with an awful lot when I was a teenager. I understand how it can get addicting. But I actually did that with the paint program in AppleWorks that came free with the last iMac I had before my current one. (These days they make you pay for AppleWorks.)

[PrairieAir]

"I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree."

Okay, kidding. Though I do like that poem--even if everyone makes fun of it. I think your original thought is nice.

[dragons in the flower bed]

(Isaiah 55:12)

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

 

Very Narnian :)

[dragons in the flower bed]

"I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree."

Okay, kidding.

 

That is what the kids have been saying all day. They memorized it last year.

[dragons in the flower bed]

"Nourish a child daily with loving, right, and noble ideas... which may bear fruit in his life." Charlotte Mason

 

I don't know. My house and life in general is so kid-centric that I think I'd like the walls to balance that, not contribute to it. Thanks for chiming in, though.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Found more good ones. Can you tell I'm having fun procrastinating! <Snip of many great quotes>These quotes are making me very happy. I may have to paint one on a wall myself :D

 

I'm glad I inadvertently made you happy, Lisa!

[dragons in the flower bed]

Thank you for all of the ideas, gals! I have my personal favs, but I'm going to try e-mail a list of these to my dearheart and see what he thinks.

[percytruffle]

Let us know how it turns out and by all means, take pics!

[PrairieAir]

This page has a few good tree quotes, though some are a bit long. There are some funny ones, too, and it's worth reading just for those.

 

I particularly like:

And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything. ~William Shakespeare

 

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,

We fell them down and turn them into paper,

That we may record our emptiness.

~Kahlil Gibran

 

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit. ~Nelson Henderson

 

Why are there trees I never walk under

But large and melodious thoughts descend upon me?

~Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, 1892

 

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. ~Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

 

We can learn a lot from trees: they're always grounded but never stop reaching heavenward. ~Everett Mámor

 

Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world. ~John Muir

[PrairieAir]

Found more good ones. Can you tell I'm having fun procrastinating!

 

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~Minnie Aumonier

 

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. ~Martin Luther

 

 

A seed hidden in the heart of an apple is an orchard invisible. ~Welsh Proverb

 

Alone with myself

The trees bend to caress me

The shade hugs my heart.

~Candy Polgar

 

Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk? ~Alice Walker, The Color Purple, 1982

 

He who plants a tree

Plants a hope.

~Lucy Larcom, "Plant a Tree"

 

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. ~Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

 

These quotes are making me very happy. I may have to paint one on a wall myself :D

 

LOL! I think we found the same quote page and I see we share a favorite from it. Reading those quotes really made me happy, too:001_smile: I am such a tree person:001_smile: I love the idea you have for your room, too Dragons. Can I call you Dragons? That doesn't seem right!

----

Ah, I see now! It's Rose. Siggies don't show up when you're typing a reply.

[percytruffle]

LOL! I think we found the same quote page and I see we share a favorite from it. Reading those quotes really made me happy, too:001_smile: I am such a tree person:001_smile: .

 

 

I am a tree person too. And a rock person. And a shell person. Nature makes me happy.

[Cathy in IL]

I love your room. My plain old walls are so boring. In my old condo I had fun rooms - one painted like a castle, handprints in the hallway, a collage of fun in the nursery. I haven't come up with anything for this house yet, but your room is an inspiration. I'll have to dream as I look at my blank walls tonight.

[newbie]

This page has a few good tree quotes, though some are a bit long. There are some funny ones, too, and it's worth reading just for those.

 

I particularly like:

And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything. ~William Shakespeare

 

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,

We fell them down and turn them into paper,

That we may record our emptiness.

~Kahlil Gibran

 

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit. ~Nelson Henderson

 

Why are there trees I never walk under

But large and melodious thoughts descend upon me?

~Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, 1892

 

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. ~Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

 

We can learn a lot from trees: they're always grounded but never stop reaching heavenward. ~Everett Mámor

 

Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world. ~John Muir

 

I like the Shakespeare one, that reminds of my property up in Mt. Shasta has one single beautiful tree that looks out over the valley. I call it my tree and protector of the land. Guardian of the earth.

 

Sorry to say, I have no sayings. But I love all the ideas.

 

JEt

[milovany]

I don't find it sad at all (your quote). It was more inspirational than sad, IMHO. In fact, I think I'll write it down b/c UL has several word-less designs of a bird on a branch that I was going to order (the one I think I'll get is an 18" circle shaped design; kind of artsy looking) and I could put that by it on my wall! I think those would go together well. I think it's great that you can hand letter!! My friend's house, where she hand-lettered all around, is really *her* KWIM?

[abbeyej]

What about "To everything there is a season..." from Ecclesiastes? It goes with the trees, to me there's a a certain tongue-in-cheek nod to the child-centeredness of the house (this too will pass, lol), and while it's an Old Testament reference, it's one that's been adopted and used in secular culture as well.

[kalanamak]

I "Keep a green tree in your heart and a singing bird may appear." Now that seems kind of sad. Any suggestions? (We're not Christian, but I wouldn't mind a Bible verse if it's pretty and has non religious applications.)

 

Does not seem sad to me. There is the line from A Perfect Day for Bananafish;

 

I suspect people of plotting to make me happy

 

but I like yours better.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Let us know how it turns out and by all means, take pics!

 

It came out lovely! Better than I expected. I ended up using the quote I started out not liking about keeping a green tree in your heart.

 

My camera charger cord has gone AWOL, but I will try to bug or beg a photo from someone. My dearheart said it was the best room I've done yet.

[Mamagistra]

I can't wait to see pictures. :001_smile:

 

ETA: I used to do a mural or two, but I don't have proper walls here (yet) to indulge my own imagination. ;)

[dragons in the flower bed]

I can't wait to see pictures. :001_smile:

 

ETA: I used to do a mural or two, but I don't have proper walls here (yet) to indulge my own imagination. ;)

 

I got them up, and posted the link in this new thread.