Seed Paper Hearts – A Creative & Eco-Friendly Gift Idea

No recipe today! Instead, we’re sharing a beautiful and sustainable DIY project: seed paper hearts for Valentine’s Day. These charming hearts also make thoughtful gifts for other occasions—Mother’s Day, birthdays, or simply as a sweet handmade keepsake

Equipment

• Multi-chopper (e.g. Rommelsbacher MZ 500)
• Food dehydrator (e.g. Rommelsbacher DA 650)

Materials

• 1 egg carton in light grey and blue (or 2 cartons in any other color)
• Water
• 2 packets of flower seeds (e.g. a bee-friendly wildflower mix)
• Optional: food coloring to match the egg carton

Instructions

• Tear the egg cartons into small pieces, place them in a pot, and cover with water. Let them soak overnight.
• The next day, transfer the soaked cardboard to your multi-chopper, adding just enough water to nearly cover it. Blend into a thick pulp.
• Add food coloring if desired and blend again. Then gently stir in the flower seeds.
• Place the wet pulp in a fine mesh strainer and let it drain for about 30 minutes—or squeeze it gently to speed things up.
• Line your work surface with a thick towel, then a tea towel, and finally a sheet of paper towel or mesh cloth.
• Place a heart-shaped cookie cutter on top and fill it with some pulp. Spread the mixture evenly using a small spoon or your fingertips, pressing lightly. The thickness should be about 5 mm.
• Remove the mold and move on to the next heart. Once all hearts are shaped, place another absorbent cloth over them and press gently to remove excess water.
• Carefully lift the seed hearts from the surface (use a cake server or spatula if needed) and place them in a food dehydrator. If you used paper towel as a base, you can let it dry completely before peeling it off.
• The hearts should dry quickly to prevent premature germination. We recommend using the Rommelbacher DA 650 food dehydrator for best results.
• Set the temperature to around 40°C (not higher, to protect the seeds).
• Once fully dried, package the seed hearts beautifully and give them as gifts. Or punch a hole in them and use them as gift tags!