The Gift that keeps on Growing!
Flowers and paper have been brought together by us in a number of ways, putting that flowerhead in a book and leaving it there over time to preserve the memory was a good method for holding on to that time in our lives!
The feeling of writing a letter on homemade paper is taking you back to an ancient time of correspondence with a feather and an ink jar, the effort of the paper being made through ancient techniques is a precious gift. Hand-made paper took technique and time and was created by a person who put their energy into creating something beautiful.
Putting seeds of flowers and vegetables in paper as a gift, which can be used beforehand as paper, and then planted afterwards is a doubly precious gift that will bring the receiver even more joy in the long run.
This technique was used to make all kinds of paper stationery that has been decorated with traditional South African themes and some with quirky, clever quotes with adorable pictures to match. There are gift tags, bookmarks, greeting cards, notebooks ,A4 papers and birthday cards. All these different items have seeds embedded in the paper, so the person who receives it need only get a tray with drainage holes, fill it with seed starter soil, then lay the paper down and cover it with a layer of soil. Moisten it and be sure to keep it wet after the seeds have sprouted, then let it grow the first pair of true leaves before transplanting to a bigger container or flower bed.
If you feel the gift is all about the use of the paper and then the growing after, it might be a good idea to make the gift all about providing the person with the necessary tools to sow their seeds and include soil or a growing medium to extend your gift!
With each handmade notebook, as above, there are 4 seed-embedded perforated pages that can be torn off and planted. The book also contains 20 x 100% recycled paper sheets for your personal notes that you do not want to plant. The notebooks are blank inside which is handy to put your thoughts down on paper or keep track of events in your social life without being connected to a phone and to feel paper between our fingers, makes it somewhat more personal - a wonderful gift for any occasion!
There are also a range of greeting cards, which come with a lovely coloured envelope, as well as Gift Tags, see above, which adds that little bit more to a gift than the eye can see - it makes the gift more lasting and more dimensional. I don’t have to say much about the Birthday Cards, as its like receiving two gifts in one! Below are just a few of the Greeting Cards on offer, but there are much more to choose from. And adding a personal touch, on the packaging of each card, are details of the person who made it by hand - their picture with their name...I am sure they are proud of their handy work!
The bookmarks, below, can encourage your friends to read those books they've put off for a while, or better yet, gift it with a book that you know they'll enjoy reading!
All the Growing Paper items come in a choice of vegetables or flowers and on the back of each product is a guide on how to sow the paper (seeds), so that the receiver knows exactly what to do. The selection ranges from beautiful African themes to lovely patterns and flowers, so there's literally something for every occassion.
As we start winding down to the end of the year and entering the gifting season with various celebrations on the way, why not add that something special to your gifts - your friends, and nature, will thank you for the Gift that keeps on Growing!!!
About the Author
Adele Siemssen is the Seeds for Africa Operations supervisor. Adele is a qualified horticulturist with 30 years of hands on experience and loves pets and assisting customers to make their garden dreams come true!
