I am a huge fan of unique ideas.  I mean, who isn’t.  When the uniqueness trends into eco-friendliness though, you’ve got an exceptional idea.

I stumbled across a company called Botanical Paperworks when I was looking for my son’s baptism invitations.  It is a Canadian based company that sells paper that blooms into flowers.

Botanical Paperworks has cards ranging from wedding invitations, birth announcements and thank you cards at $2.50-$5.50 a piece.  Depending on your price point, that may be pricey or reasonable. However, they also sell favors at $1-$2 a piece, which can be the perfect thank you gift for your guests. The cards come with plantable paper embedded with wildflower seeds. When you plant the paper in a pot of soil, the seeds grow into colorful wildflowers including bird’s eye, poppy, snap dragon, black eyed susan and more. (Some holiday cards are embedded with white spruce seeds.)  The paper is made from 100% post consumer waste collected from eco-minded schools and businesses in the company founder’s home town in Canada.

In addition to favors and cards, they have some great gifts too.  I especially love the Yummy Card set.  The card set grows six different herbs when the card is planted. Each card contains a recipe for a tasty dish using the corresponding fresh herb. Card set includes: Basil (pesto), Parsley (tabouleh), Chive (chive mashed potatoes), Dill (dilled salmon), Sage (sage and lemon cookies) and Mint (minted green tea). It’s a, well, yummy gift!  They have other gifts like plantable journals and calendars. Definitely a must see!

I ultimately went with a plantable favor for my event. (A little blooming momento of my son’s baptism!) The Holy Communition or Baptism favors have a plantable paper, on a card, in the shape of a cross. Yet they also have graduation favors with plantable paper in the shape of a graduation cap, birthday favors with paper in the shape of a cupcake, Bar Mitzvah favors with a plantable star, and baby shower favors with a plantable teddy bear, bib, onesie, heart or butterfly.  You can customize the message and choose the ink and paper color.  Paper colors include pink, white, blue, yellow and green, and ink colors range from green and brown to blue and red.  (Please note there is a minimum order of 25 for the favors.)

You can place an order on the Botanical Paperworks website.  (They are super easy to work with and you can review a proof before your order is finalized).  Or you can check out Creative Papers at 17 Lakeview Avenue, Natick MA.  The number is 781-239-9943 or send an email to creative.papers@verizon.net.

So excited to see the reaction of my guests when they see these favors, and it is nice to know that these favors will add a little a little more color to this Earth.