Gifts for a Teacher

We have two gorgeous teachers leaving school forever this year, and I wanted to give them something heartfelt and thoughtful as a parting gift.  I also totally forgot that the end of term is tomorrow, so screw buying something, and forget cut flowers (there are gonna be enough bundles of those brash bad boys about), this is last minute, GORGEOUSNESS made from weeds and trash.

I can't take all the credit for this idea, with the feedback from the insta-questions that kicked this whole thing off, there were heaps of people that shared ideas for getting creative with wrapping.  There was also a reminder that sellotape goes in to your single-use, plastic count (I know, another thing to worry about), but, with the excellent suggestion of taking it old-school and just using string.  My Grandma still sends me parcels like this, but she is from the Pre-tapeolithic era, so it's not surprising.

There were also some chaps that explained how a potted plant is WAY better than a cut flower, as it takes a whole bunch of resources to grow, cut and ship them.  Yes, yes, this is wrist slittingly depressing, but don't panic, I present you with a beautiful alternative...

... ta daaaa!  I know right?!

These are made with road-side 'weeds', a couple of fern leaves from the scrubland by my house (don't worry, this is an area regularly mown by the Council, so all of it gets chopped down and carted off every few months any away), the three sweetpeas I managed to grow this year, a couple of strands of jasmine & budlea, and my absolute favourite idea: grasses.  Not many, just a few, long, fluffy, frilly stems, but for me they make it seasonal and magical.

Wrapping is courtesy of the Sunday papers, and as a treat (and genuine sacrifice) I have used the puzzle pages.  I know, I'm SO generous.  (We do bloody love the puzzle pages, they stay on the kitchen table for the week, so everyone can dip in and out of them at breakfast.)

So here's a little guide to making a bunch of flowers that will stand out with their simplicity and seasonal beauty, and a little wrapping idea that is 100% good for the environment AND makes my heart incredibly happy to look at.

Flower Bunches Recipe
Newspaper
String
Scissors
Flowers, grasses, leaves

Step 1: Use your big leaves at the back for structure

Step 2: Pile everything else on - I tend to go tall first, fluffy next, big bits in the middle, then pretty little bits at the front.

Step 3: Find a pretty bit of the newspaper, and cut out a square shape.  Fold in half to make a triangle.

Step 4: Wrap around the bottom of your bunch and tie with string to secure.

Wrapping Recipe

Newspaper

Scissors

String

A few leafy scraps

Step 1:  Cut quite a long length of string, go around the top of the parcel, cross over at the back, and tie on the top.

Step 2: Artfully place a few botanical bits on the front, and secure in places with the string.

Step 3:  Step back and look at just how gorgeous you make make soemthing with some newspaper and weeds.