Make Eid cards that you can plant!

All you do is blend up some paper and water. Then you add your -- or more appropriately your recipient's-- favorite flower seeds. Let the mush dry then mold into the shape of a flower. Paste onto a greeting card. Gift and repeat.

Now, I wouldn't do this myself -- I like the idea of a flower, or tree -- but you could make the plantable “mush” into a masjid (mosque), a crescent, or whatever shape you feel represents your celebration. But I'm not so sure you'll get little mosques popping out of your garden” or cheese for that matter.

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To truly enjoy this card to its fullest potential please throw it out in the back yard or into your planters.

Here's the walk-through of the steps and ingredients needed to make a Blooming Greeting Card.

First, you need to make the paper.

Use paper you have around your house.  This is a great way to recycle old scraps.  Tear them up into small pieces and place in a blender.  Add enough water in the blender so the paper is covered and blend.

When your paper is nice and evenly blended, you can add your seeds.  Unplug your blender and use a wooden spoon to gently stir the seeds into the paper mush. Do not blend the seeds!

Now it is ready to be shaped.  Place a colander in the sink and pour the paper mush into it. If you have large holes in your colander place a towel in it to catch the pulp, but not the water.

Place a towel on the counter and if you have a piece of felt, place the felt on top of the towel.  Then gently pour your seeds and paper pulp on the felt and spread evenly out.

Take another towel and press it down on the paper pulp to help dry the excess water.  You can now blow dry the paper or let it sit out overnight to dry.

When your paper is dry, cut it out into a flower shape. Make a simple card with cardstock and glue the flower to your card.  Feel free to get creative here and draw, stamp, or cut out a stem.  If you don't like flowers, make a cute butterfly or tree.  The options are endless and no matter what shape you choose”“it will be a hit with the recipient of the card.

Also, as you will see from the instructions, you may choose to blend some colours to change the hue of the paper you are using. I found that I could throw in a small bit scrap paper that is a colour I would normally never use for a flower and the dominant colour will dye the other paper the same colour. A lot of red or orange will overpower the little bit of beige paper you throw in. Or you could create interesting effects if say you include some solid black with lots of light yellow paper. Hey, you could make a monarch butterfly!

Finally, be wary of using bleached “bright white” paper and similarly treated paper. Some of the chemicals in the paper may (although not tested) affect the growth of your precious flowers. I would also skip the button in the center and maybe use a small piece of orange peel to scent to your greeting gift.

On the back, and in small script as if from a publishing company, include the following message or something along the lines of: “I hope you enjoyed this card and that you cherish it forever. To truly enjoy this card to its fullest potential please throw it out in the back yard or into your planters. Add water and watch it bloom into a beautiful bed of petunias.”

Of course you would replace petunias with whatever flower you had chosen to include into the recipe.

Enjoy and have a blessed Ramadan and a joyful, floral Eid!

This article first appeared at GreenKufi.ca. Instructions are edited from makeandtakes.com. For last year's feature on how to wrap Eid gifts in recycled and reusable materials, visit our archives at www.muslimlink.ca.