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| Plant A Card |
| Whip up something special for Christmas that can be planted in your garden after the festive season is over |
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Make a Christmas card with a difference; one that you can plant after the festive season using recycled milk cartons.
1
Clean the used milk cartons in cold water. Cut into 2cm wide strips. You will need one carton per card.
2
In order to loosen and peel off the laminated polyethylene layer from the cartons, dissolve some washing powder in hot water in a bucket. Soak the carton strips in this for around two days. Rinse thoroughly, then peel off the layers and soak again in hot water overnight.
3
Tear the strips into smaller pieces and place a handful into a blender. Mix for about one minute to produce a pulp liquid. Pour the pulp into a sieve. If there are still some solid pieces left, increase the mixer time.
4
Separate the pulp into two batches. In a blender, add strips of green tissue paper to one batch of pulp. Use half a sheet of tissue paper per cup of pulp. You will find this process easier if you soak the tissue paper in water for a few minutes beforehand. Set aside. You may have to add some water to help with the blending. Use the same technique to whip up some red pulp and set aside.
5
Fill the rectangular container to about 2/3 full with cold water. Use a chopping board covered with a piece of cotton. Add some red pulp to the water (one part pulp to every 20 parts water) and then the plant seeds, stirring with your fingers.
6
Hold the paper-making frames firmly and sink into the water at an angle. The pulp can sink to the bottom of the container so remember to stir it up now and again. Rock the frames back and forth so that the pulp is collected evenly. Repeat a few times until the thickness gets to about 5mm. Then let the water drain off and take off the top frame.
7
Gently turn the mesh over so that the pulp lays on the cotton placed over the board. Take the mesh off and sandwich the pulp between another layer of cotton on the top.
8
Place a towel over the top layer of cotton and press another board over the towel to squeeze the water out. Set your red, damp card aside.
9
For the decoration, repeat steps five to eight using green pulp without seeds. This time, when it comes to scooping up the pulp, place the cookie cutter onto the mesh screen instead of using the top frame. Then when you lift the frame out of the water, remove the green pulp outside of the cookie cutter.
10
Take the top layer of cotton off the red card and turn the mesh over so that your green tree is positioned on the card. Remove the mesh frame and place the cotton back on top of the now decorated card. Repeat step 8 to squeeze out the moisture.
Leave the card to dry and flatten it further between a pile of books. Because the cartons are biodegradable, the cards can be planted and watered, so that the Christmas spirit can flow on long after the season has finished.
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Materials
Milk cartons (approximately one litre carton per card)
Washing powder
Towel
Scissors
Sieve
Sheets of cotton
Large rectangular container (to fit frame)
Bucket (for soaking pulp)
Kitchen blender
Wooden boards (Two, larger than A3)
Paper making frame/deckle (pre-made A5-sized frame)
Red and green tissue paper
Packets of fine plant seeds (one per card)
Star and tree cookie cutters
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Cost
A5 paper making frame $22.95
Plant seeds $ 1.50
Christmas cookie cutters $ 3.30
Coloured tissue paper $ 0.40
Total: $27.75
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More Info
Christmas cookie cutters are available through Donaldson Enterprises.
For your nearest suppliers:
Ph: (07) 3849 7322 Fax: (07) 3849 7334
Also in stores selling kitchen equipment and utensils.
This idea is courtesy of Planet Ark.
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Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
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