Wonder Wednesday 63: Spread Seed Cheer!
Happy Wonder Wednesday 63! This time of year we seem to have lots of scrap paper, so why not up-cycle it into seed balls?
I’ve been having a blast making these with my young students, and am looking forward to making them with the older ones soon. There are so many possibilities for variations too, that I haven’t even gotten into yet!
Plus, these seed balls are so much less messy than the ones you make with clay that you could do them at a table event or festival too!
Wonder Wednesday 63: Spread Seed Cheer!
Materials
Paper-
- When gathering your paper, tissue papers and non coated papers work best as far as holiday wrapping scraps go and natural decomposition – but you can even use regular shredded paper or newspaper if you short on scraps and for making these seed balls any time of year!
- Paper should be shredded for easiest results
Water
Blender or food processor
Seeds – flower or veggie, smaller lighter weight seeds work best
Drying rack of some sort – cookie cooling rack, screen rack, etc.
Optional:
- watercolor powder or ink, turmeric, or beet powder to add color
- muffin tins or cookie cutters to shape your seed balls a bit more fancy
Preparation
Soak your shredded paper in warm water for about 30 minutes to loosen the fibers of the paper
Procedure
Once the shredded paper is soaked, add 1/2 cup of water, blend it to a pulp in a powerful blender (like the vitamix) or a food processor. If you only have a regular blender, blend your paper in small batches. Add more water if needed to blend easily.
Strain the bulk of the drippy water from your pulp, and place the paper pulp into a bowl.
If you are adding any optional or extra color using natural powders or watercolors, do it at this stage while the pulp is still a little watery.
Squeeze out any excess water from the pulp.
Add the seeds and knead them into the pulp. If you are doing this with a group, give each person a clump of pulp and some seeds and let them mix their own.
Shape the seedy pulp into ball shapes.
If you are using muffing tins to get a uniform look or cookie cutters to get fun shapes, press the seedy pulp into these forms.
Set your seed balls, or seed shapes, onto a drying rack to dry.
Once your seed balls are dry, spread the seed cheer and throw them in the yard, plant them in the garden, chuck them into a vacant lot, save them for spring to spread around the garden, give them as solstice gifts, or package them up and sell them as a fundraiser!
What seeds and shapes will you use to make these up-cycled seed balls?
Share in the comments below!
Share pics of your projects on Instagram #wingswormsandwonder!
Seeds to Sprout:
