Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Template Tuesday

Today's template, begins to explore different paper deliverables for seeding Detroit. There are two main paper objects that were produced today. The first being the 'Trading Card' and the second the 'Seed Bundle.' Each method practices making paper from recycled magazines and wildflower seeds. The goal of each paper product is to plant the paper to promote the urban prairie. Let's start!


#1. Begin by tearing the recycled paper into small pieces and let it soak in water.


#2. Blend (using an old blender) the soaked paper. Add extra water to the shredded paper as needed to help the mixture blend.



#3. Use an old screen material and frame to scoop the paper slush out of the water.



#4. Place the drained paper mixture onto wax paper.



#5. Add the wildflower seeds.



#6. Add other flowers, petals, etc.



#7. Let the paper dry on the wax paper. Use the microwave to speed drying process. Peel the paper off when dry.





#8. Cut the sheet into 3" x 3" squares, place the Seed Detroit sticker on the back, and start spreading the Seed Cards. Trade the cards with others to get a variety of flowers.

3" x 3" Seed Trading Card



#9. Try making these seed bundles using the same method above. Instead of making sheets, scoop the paper mixture into your hand and make a 'snowball' out of the paper mixture. Continue to pack the mixture in your hands until a ball is formed. Add seeds, flower petals, etc. to the seed bundles. Wrap thread or other fiber around the bundles to add color and strength. Trade the seed bundles with others to get a variety of flowers.

2" Seed Bundles



Sunday, August 16, 2009

Flower Talk Mondays

Today's flower is the Purple Coneflower (#1), also known as Echinacea purpurea. It is a hearty, drought tolerant perennial (lives for more than 2 years) that’s native to the Midwest. The genus name Echinacea, is from the Greek echino meaning hedgehog, an allusion to the flower’s coned center. The flower’s rough scattered leaves climb the stem to unveil soft lavender and purple petals that encircle a red-orange coned center. The Purple Coneflower prefers full sun to partial shade, blooms from June-October and grows to be 2-3 feet tall. The flower’s soil condition is dry and reseeds easily, making it a great candidate for the urban prairie of Detroit. Bees, butterflies and skippers are attracted to this colorful native wildflower. The urban prairie becomes a great teaching tool to learn about nature’s ecosystems, what our relationship to the earth is, and how we can model communities after nature. So with this I ask, can the urban prairie teach us how to design human communities that support nature’s inherent ability to sustain life?
Monday Schedule

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Brush Park Updates



The urban prairie is growing in Brush Park. These pictures were taken yesterday, Wednesday August 12th. Go take a look this weekend!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

New Format!!

Starting Monday, August 17th there will be a new format to watch for. The subject matter for each day will go as follows:

Mondays: Flower Talk
Every Monday will be dedicated to a wildflower native to the Detroit area. Get to know all the great plant species and how we can incorporate them into our urban landscape.

Tuesdays: Templates
Every Tuesday a new free template will be posted and available for download. Help spread the urban prairie by getting involved with these do-it yourself projects.

Wednesdays: Group of the Week
Interested in what groups are focused on the environment in metro Detroit? Every Wednesday we will share a group who is making great strides in caring for our earth.

Thursday: Areas in Need
We will share an area in need of wildflowers every Thursday. This could be a vacant lot to an abandoned school. Thursday's are dedicated to where the community needs help and how we can reach out through sharing their story.

Friday: Shop Local
Interested in shopping local? Well, Friday is your day!! We will showcase local greenhouses, nurseries and garden centers. We will also focus on local produce and whole foods.

Do you have ideas for any of these catagories? Would you like to write for one of the topics?
Contact seeddetroit@gmail.com or post in comment section below

400 STICKERS

We have 400 SEED DETROIT stickers available for people to tag the city....

Where should the stickers be distributed?

Where do you..
shop ?
spend time ?
hang out ?
work ?

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Where does Detroit need wildflowers the most?

Where should we focus on spreading wildflower seeds next?

Is there a particular vacant lot in need of some colorful wildflowers? Could wildflowers help connect a particular space? Could wildflowers help educate about the environment? Could a garden of wildflowers help cut down on crime in an area?

Share your ideas...tag locations that could benefit from the beauty of the urban prairie.

We'll plan on seeding that location next!

Print the stickers..
Tag the City..
Spread the Seeds..
Help Detroit Grow..

Printing Your Own Seed Detroit Stickers

Now you can tag areas in Detroit with the Seed Detroit sticker by printing them at home.

Sticker Information:
Size: 2.5" Circle
Labels per sheet: 12
Same size as: Avery® 5294™
Intended use: General
Margins: Top 0.579", Bottom 0.579", Left 0.343", Right 0.343"

Instructions:
Download
the Seed Detroit template by clicking on the link below:
http://www.box.net/shared/i3uqvm3z09
Click the Download button below the template
Select Save
Once the download is complete select Open
Print
the file using the the Avery 5294 sticker template sheets (or similar vendor template) Tag the city...

For more information or questions please contact seeddetroit@gmail.com

SHOP:
Avery 5294 sticker template sheets are available here:
http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Products/Labels/Addressing-Labels/High-Visibility-Labels_05294.htm?N=0&Ns=&refchannel=c042fd03ab30a110VgnVCM1000002118140aRCRD

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Spreading the word...

Would you print your own SEED DETROIT stickers if the artwork and templates were available online for free?


(Please post in the comments section below.)

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Distributing the Seeds in Brush Park

to all those who helped kick off the distribution of the Wild Flower Seeds throughout Brush Park today...






















Have You Seeded Detroit?

Photo documentation will follow the containers throughout the city by tracking the numbers on the containers....help us watch the urban prairie grow by logging your number below.




































INSTRUCTIONS:
Help us track the containers by posting the following information in the COMMENTS section of this posting.

Container Number:
Location of Seeding: (Cross Streets)
Name (optional):

(Copy & Paste this in the comments section and fill in info accordingly...thanks!)

4 Steps to Seeding Detroit


19 SQ FT