Wedding Reception

DIY Plantable Paper "place cards/favors"

I am making plantable paper for the place settings for the potluck buffet… These “Menu Cards” will double as favors for my guests… That way each family will have something that is a living growing reminder of our special day. Just plant the “menu card”, water and you will get wildflowers. Wildflowers {hummingbird mix} are special to my husband to be and I and hummingbirds are a symbol of our love {amazing and delicate}.

My family has always viewed me as the wild earth child with bare feet and a need to be close to animals and nature. So it will be a reminder of me and what they have always viewed me as. {not to mention that it is made from recycled paper and that is right up my alley}.

So, this is how you do it…
I took a board {recycled}, used a drill to punch a hole and then a jig saw to cut a square out of the middle leaving the outer edge intact. I then stapled screen {recycled from a window that needed replaced} tightly around it. If you are not handy with tools, I have included a link to a video that shows another way to make the screen.

Then, you shred scrap paper, press it down in a blender, pour warm water over it… cover and blend. I did several batches and put them in a small bucket. I then added coloring that I wanted. I then put the screen in the tub {screen side down to create a trough} and put the plug in. It worked best when I put a small amount of HOT water {just enough ot make the screen wet}. I then slowly poured the paper pulp into the screen and patted it slowly into even thickness all across the screen {it should be pretty thick because it WILL dry thinner}.

While it is still soaking in the water I evenly spread wildflower seeds then re-patted it into place so that it was completely even and smooth. I pulled the plug from the drain and then raised the screen out of the water. I set it up so that air flowed above and below to let most of the water drain out of it. To get a smooth surface I laid it on a hard surface after it had stopped dripping and then laid wax paper over it and rolled it with a rolling pin being careful not to disturb the even thickness.

I tried several ways to press it and dry it including flipping it out when wet, drying on low in the oven etc but the best way I found was to just let it dry on the screen and then it peals right out. However, I do think that using a smooth flat cutting board or something similar would work for pressing it smooth. I then set it up in a warm place with plenty of air flow above and below and let it dry at its own rate {I got my BEST results this way}. My paper is tinted purple to match my wedding but I do suppose that it would lend itself well to many different color schemes.

I intend on using a Martha Stewart Butterfly Edge Punch on it and will let you all know how that turns out with this paper! I am also hoping that I can run it through my printer but figure that if I can not that I can glue another shade of purple paper as the “menu card”… I suppose that if one was energetic they could use handwritten calligraphy on each one but I would rather save time and get a more uniform LOOK to my “menu cards”. However, if I was using them as place cards with people’s names I think that I would take the extra time and effort just for the welcoming effect. Blessings on your union, Z.