How to Make Seed Paper

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How to Make Seed Paper

Handmade paper that will grow! Use as gift tags, notes, an embellishment on a handmade card, or a gift in a pretty silk bag.

Chelsea Lyon 🍡

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Step 1 of 15

Gather supplies 👇

Step 2 of 15

Tear paper into ~1 inch pieces.

Step 3 of 15

Pour warm water until it covers the paper. Let it soak for a couple hours.

Step 4 of 15

Blend until it looks like oatmeal.

Step 5 of 15

I portioned about half the blended paper/water mixture for the blue package of forget-me-nots. NOTE: Stir in the seeds after using the blender; don't blend them up!

Step 6 of 15

Add in dried petals if you like, then stir in evenly.

Step 7 of 15

Plop into strainer to get some of the initial water out, but leave it with some moisture to mold it into shape.

Step 8 of 15

Spread out as evenly and thinly inside the cookie cutter over parchment paper. The thicker it comes out, the longer it takes to dry.

Step 9 of 15

Press down with a paper towel to squeeze out ANY more water. This also flattens the paper evenly.

Step 10 of 15

Gently peel away from the mold. If it's too dry and cracking apart, just pinch some wet mixture left in the blender and use it like glue. If you mess up, you can always start over!

Step 11 of 15

Tried to grab cinnamon, but when I took this picture I realized it was pumpkin pie spice... It's like Christmas in June! Adding a pinch will add a nice aroma and color. Also try dried rosemary.

Step 12 of 15

Finished, waiting to dry. Some made with blue forget-me-nots, others with pink.

Step 13 of 15

I set mine outside for the whole day. I'm so excited to have a patio in my new pad!

Step 14 of 15

Handmade seed paper, shaped into hearts, sprinkled with small flower seeds and dried petals. Made these for a care package for my best friend.

Step 15 of 15

💗🌸💙 When you're ready to plant, crumble into soil and watch as your flowers appear!

You're Done

Check out other guides by this author!

Chelsea Lyon 🍡

Santa Barbara, California

sweetanythings.wordpress.com

Kittehs, noms, design, learning, and lady independence. Instagram: chershi // Tumblr: chelsealyon // Pinterest: calyon

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21 Comments

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1 Sheet of art paper, like watercolor

Warm water

Small flower seeds like forget-me-nots

Dried flower petals

Cookie cutter

Mixing bowl

Blender

Mesh strainer

Parchment paper

Paper towels

Thank you! ✌@valerie @annie @claire. Has anyone tried it yet? I'd love to hear how it turned out!

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 8 months ago

Omg... Too cute. What a great way to recycle paper

Valerie Brown 8 months ago

Yay @sophie, that sounds awesome!

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 9 months ago

Just finished making these and they look fab! I did them with chilli flakes and cumin seeds!

Sophie Burleigh 9 months ago

What a terrific idea! Thanks

Annie O 10 months ago

cool!!! you can plant it and write on it!!!

ƈƖάɪℛℰ 💕 10 months ago

Thank you :)

Deanna Light 10 months ago

@Deanne: Also, now thinking about it, watercolor paper is a meant to keep from disintegrating in water, so I wouldn't go out of my way to buy specifically watercolor paper. It's just what I had lying around. You can use any paper—even newspaper!

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 10 months ago

@Deanna: it was 11x17" but you can use four sheets of letter size paper I would say. @Siobhan: yes! 🌷@Jeff: that makes me so happy to hear! My friend who's a preschool teacher said she likes to make the paper, water it and put it in plastic bag, and tape it to the window and the kids watch them start to grow.

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 10 months ago

I like this. A project for me and my grandchildren the next time I'm babysitting. A gift for their mum.

Jeff Hurst 10 months ago

Can you water it once it's done

Siobhan Rice 10 months ago

Another question :) what size watercolor paper did you use?

Deanna Light 11 months ago

Of course! And the paper really only needs to spread thick enough to just fit the shape of the cookie cutter. The thinner, the better. Plus it saves on the amount of paper you use. Good luck! I'm interested to know how it goes!

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 11 months ago

Thank you so much :)

Deanna Light 11 months ago

Hi Deanna! What a sweet friend you are. Let's see, I used 2 packages of forget-me-not seeds for about 12 heart-shaped papers, but of I were doing 150, I wouldn't use two whole packets for every 12 because there's PLENTY of seeds in each package. Just make more paper mush for each package of seeds, so each paper cutout will have only a few seeds, which is fine! A package cost me about $2, and I believe food coloring is fine!

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 11 months ago

How much do you think this would cost to do on a large scale. Say 150? My friend wants me to make them as her wedding favors. Is for small amount of food dye safe to add to it?

Deanna Light 11 months ago

You made the unthinkable litterly.

Cesar Qintana 11 months ago

yeah chershi, if uu put the paper in a ziploc bag with a little bit of moisture, it becomes a cool growing experiment for kids! we hang ours on the window at the preschool! the kids love that!

Jessica Self 11 months ago

@Joanne Hooray! That makes me so happy to hear! Please let me know how it goes for you. @Deirdre I believe so, as long as they're tiny or flat seeds. I looked at other flower seeds and realized they would be too bulky to fit into flat paper, but theoretically I figure any plant should grow... even fruits and vegetables! Sweet little summer gifts. The paper will just decompose in the soil. The seeds will even start to sprout from the paper itself if you keep it wet.

Chelsea Lyon 🍡 (author) 11 months ago