Decorative Paper Flower Pot for Seed Packets

For this project we are going to take the classic folded paper cup and step it up just a bit by adding a seed packet from a store or seed library. Wouldn't this make a great gift for a friend or neighbor? You could make one for everyone on your street. Together you would all have one amazing garden!

It all starts by learning how to fold a paper cup. One piece of paper, a couple of well placed folds and voila! you're on your way!!

• Square piece of paper: white, tan or cut from a paper grocery bag. Letter sized paper is fine too. (We'll show you how to turn that rectangle into a square.)
• Pencil or something to draw a line with
• Scissors
• Tape (optional)
• Seed packet: store bought or one from a seed library

• Place a piece of paper in front of you.
• Take the tip of the bottom corner and bring it up and across to the opposite edge to make a triangle.
• Rub your finger across to crease and fold to get the triangle.
• Draw a line across the new edge.
• Unfold the paper. You'll see the square.
• Use your scissors to cut across the line.
• You now have 2 shapes: a square (4 equal sides) and a smaller rectangle (2 longer sides and 2 shorter sides). Save the smaller rectangle for later. It'll become the stem.

Follow along with the video here or go through the steps with photos and written instructions following this.

• With the square piece of paper in front of you, turn the paper so it looks more like a diamond with the pointy tips up and down.
• Take the bottom corner tip up to match the top paper tip.
• Crease to make the fold along the bottom edge.

• Place the middle of your seed packet in the middle of the paper triangle. The bottom edge of the seed packet should roughly line up on the bottom fold.
• Carefully take the bottom corner tip of the triangle over the seed packet and across so that the new fold begins where the bottom of the seed packet meets the bottom folded edge.
• Crease.
• Try to get the edge over the seed packet parallel with the bottom edge.

Repeat with the other side.

• Place the middle of your seed packet in the middle of the paper triangle.
• The bottom edge of the seed packet should roughly line up on the bottom fold.
• Carefully take the bottom corner tip of the triangle over the seed packet and across so that the new fold begins where the bottom of the seed packet meets the bottom folded edge.
• Try to get the edge over the seed packet parallel with the bottom edge.

Let's do some more folding so that this can have an inside to hold the seed packet. We'll need to fold down the top edges on both sides.

• Take the pointy tip of just the top paper and bring it down so that it's edge will be the top of parallel line edge.
• Fold
• Crease.
• Turn the paper over

To get a nice crease you can run your fingernail along the fold.

Now you'll repeat the same but on the other side:

• Take the pointy tip of just the top paper and bring it down so that it's edge will be the top of parallel line edge.
• Fold
• Crease

You'll notice that when folding paper into shapes that existing parts often become a guide to where your next fold is going to go.

Let's start to make this paper look less like a cup and more like a flower pot with a rim.

• Unfold the top triangle and press it flat up.
• Take the top tip of the triangular paper flap and bring that tip to the top of the edge.
• Crease in half.
• Take the next top edge and bring it down in half.
• Crease and fold.

You now have one top edge to your pot.

Let's give the other side a trimmed pot look too. Repeat the steps you just did on the other side.

• Unfold the top triangle and press it flat on the table.
• Take the top tip of the triangular paper flap and bring that tip to the top of the edge.
• Crease in half.
• Take the next top edge and bring it down in half.
• Crease and fold.

Your pot now has an edge going around both sides.

This is my favorite part... Have you peeked inside your pot yet?

• Gently pull the the sides of the rim apart to reveal the inside of your container.

Cool hun?!!

The first option (easiest way) is to add the seed packet to the inside of your pot.

Remember that extra rectangular piece of paper you had left over from cutting the square? We are going to use it now.

• Start at one corner.
• Roll it across into a straw like tube.
• Tape so it doesn't unravel.
• Tape your paper stem to the back of your seed packet.
• "Plant it" inside your pot.

Now that you've learned how to make one decorative flower pot. How about making more to share with others?

• You could split a seed packet with a friend and see who can grow the bigger pumpkin.
• Mix and match flower packets for a colorful neighborhood garden.
• Write a special note or special saying on the paper flower pot.

There are so many ways to decorate. How are you going to decorate yours?