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The Card Shop: Notes to Grow On

casasugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:00:23 -0700

When sending a hand-written note, it always pays to have cute stationery. But, what about multipurpose stationery? Why just send a card, when you can send a small packet of seeds along with it? The Lizard Press Notes to Grow On Set ($25 for 7) features beautiful green illustrations of seven different herbs reproduced from Albert Schramm’s Der Bilderschmuck der Frühdrucke (Germany 1450-1500AD), and adhered to the back of each is a small packet of coordinating seeds. Handsome brick-red type reads the name of the herb, and script indicates the most common uses for each herb. It's a small but heartfelt token to send to your green thumb friends, but who needs presents anyway? Also, check out this plantable card set.

Etsy Find: Plantable Card Set

casasugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:00:28 -0700

Perhaps taking a note from the Blooming Wrapping Paper I wrote about, the Recycled Ideas Plantable Card Set ($10) is a set of pastel cards embedded with seeds that you can plant to grow your choice of flowers. The cards themselves are simple and blank, so you can personalize them with your own message, and of course, they come with germination instructions. Since they're handmade, they have the wonderful irregularities and texture that only handmade paper has. In the spirit of Good to Grow month, I say you send one off to a friend, and plant one yourself, and you'll soon both be growing your own hollyhocks, snapdragons, or marigolds. Take that, Hallmark!

How-To: Planting Seeds

casasugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:00:58 -0700

Just like you've got to learn your ABC's before you write a bestseller, or even a discount bin title, you must learn the basics of planting seeds before you attempt to grow a full-fledged vegetable garden. So, to commence Good to Grow month, I'm going to start you off with the foundations of seed growth. Then, you'll be armed and ready to grow your very own hanging Solanum lycopersicums, and perhaps some Cucurbita pepos and Abelmoschus esculentus. So, for your first kindergarten (which, coincidentally means literally "children's garden") lesson in planting seeds, and to see a jazzy video,