Wednesday, June 4, 2014

DIY Plant Markers



The end of the school year has rolled around….again….and very quickly. It's caught me a little off guard this time, even though I was "sooooooo ahead of the game this time". That's the snarky little voice in my head that makes me think I'm actually organized. It lies! It lies!
Note to self: don't listen to snarky (lying) voice in head. If it says that you've "got this", you don't. You're really behind. End note.

The staff at the special needs school that MM attends are all such wonderful people. They do so much on a daily basis, and deal with so much, that I find it absolutely incredible. There's an urge in me to do something nice for them on every holiday and at the end of the school year. And again at the end of the summer school session. They deserve so much more than what I have to offer, but it is just a small token of my appreciation.

 As much as I love gardening, cute plant markers were inevitable in my yard. It took a while, but at the end of the winter I stumbled across a tutorial on making plant markers. Where you ask? On Pinterest, of course. After making some for my herbs and seeing how cute they were. I decided to make a set for the teacher, parapros, and bus driver. These people spend a lot of time with MM and take care of her on a regular basis.

These plant markers are made from polymer clay that's baked to cure. A really fun project. Follow this link for the tutorial on how to make these over at Wit and Whistle with Amanda.





Each person will get a set of four markers. The markers are stamped with the words: flourish, grow, cultivate, and blossom.




Since I don't know if the recipients grow anything specific, or at all, the markers are made to go with any plant.




They are packaged nicely, again, I love paying attention to the little details of gifts. On the left, they are wrapped in tissue paper, with some of the matching ribbon from the DIY Bags, and tied with bakers twine. On the right, the tied markers have been slipped into adorable little envelopes that I found at the craft store. And adorned with a sticker.




This is the same ribbon that I used for the Shower Favor/Teacher Appreciation Shower Gel bags, and you will see this ribbon again soon. I'm really trying to use items that I have on hand.




With the markers being hand made, none of them are "perfect", and yes, it did bother me for quite a while, but got over it when I decided to make the stickers, stating that they are "perfectly imperfect".




So far this project has turned out better than expected. It's a cute and useful gift, especially if you like gardening at all.




Amazingly, the plant markers packaged pretty well. I had no clue how to put them in a cute wrapping for a few days.




They are very creamy looking.  They remind of a vanilla taffy that was sold when I was younger. No, I won't try to eat these. Not candy.



My markers have the names of the plants that are in the pot. Here is my lavender plant.




Rosemary smells so good in the summer heat. I love touching the rosemary plant and then smelling my hand. It is so fragrant.




One of the pots of assorted herbs that I grow every year.  This year with cute plant markers. There's thyme, oregano, chives, and parsley. Great for cooking.




Something new this year is a pot of bunching onions. We'll see how this turns out.




And last, but not least, my smallest basil pot. The other two pots are much bigger. I know what each plant is by sight, but they are "dressed up" with the markers.




I hope the staff enjoy their markers. It was a fun project to make. Unfortunately, I want to make more, and don't know who to make them for. Any idea? What do you think. Leave a comment and let me know.

Thanks for the visit. It's warm and sunny outside. Think I'll go play in the dirt.

2 comments:

  1. Giving an identity to a plant or tree is a glorious thing. Your markers really look very nice and sweet. I like your markers very much. I have a big garden so using small markers sometimes make difficulty to find plant that's why I prefer to use big plant garden markers. I usually bought these markers from IdealGardenMarkers.

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    1. Katherine! Thank you! You are so correct. Larger markers in a big garden is much easier on the eyes, not to mention the back. I love putting markers in the potted herbs, it gives the pots a nice touch. I mark the perennials in the spring, but only to keep my husband from trampling them while they emerge. The plant markers that you left a link for would be great in my vegetable garden. Please visit again soon.

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