PAPER-CUT SEED PACKETS

Beautifully presented, these colourful packets make a special gift. You can also create greetings cards or gift tags featuring the recipient’s favourite flower.

YOU WILL NEED

Plain, coloured heavyweight paper Pencil and ruler Scalpel and scissors Cutting mat Glue Double-sided tape Self-adhesive gems or split pins Tracing or parchment paper 1 Cut a rectangle of paper that, when folded in half, is 1cm larger all round than the required finished size. 2 Fold the rectangle in half with the fold at the bottom, then fold under 1cm on both sides and 2cm at the top. This will give you an idea of the finished size to plan the position of your design. 3 Using a pencil, draw an appropriate flower on the packet front. You can print out simple silhouettes to help you with this. 4 Open out the paper and carefully cut out the required areas using a scalpel and cutting mat*. Cut away the pencil marks, as they could be tricky to rub out later. 5 Once the design is cut out, glue smaller panels of coloured paper over the back of the design. Choose one colour for the flowers and another for the stem, ensuring they contrast with the packet. 6 Cut a square of paper the same colour as the packet and stick in place to hide the back of the floral design. 7 Refold the paper and stick the sides together with double-sided tape, leaving the top edge open. Fold over the top edge to the back to make a flap and add a self-adhesive gem or use a split pin to close. 8 For a lining, make a second pouch from tracing or parchment paper, insert into the packet, then add seeds before giving.

If shapes and details are too fiddly to cut out, paint these onto the front afterwards