This PLAYshop was held in March 2025….keep an eye out for another next spring!
Come dream with us!!
Just before the pandemic in 2020, a few of us gathered after a long winter to “Dream the Garden” by creating garden samplers and reading poetry. This spring, you are invited to gather in the light-filled room at the Qu’Appelle Valley Centre for the Arts to “dream the garden” in a new way – by designing a seed packet or two.
WHAT WILL WE DO? Although the seed packet examples at the top of the page* were made with watercolour paints and pens, I hope to also create examples using collage and rubber stamps by the time we meet in March. Pencil crayon would be beautiful, too!
You may want to take your inspiration from a favourite veggie or flower or herb, from a vintage seed design, or from your own wild and wooly imagination. Seed packets can be all different sizes, they can have instructions or poetry or jokes on the back, they can be designed for a special occasion or friend. Deviation is always encouraged, so perhaps you would like your seed packet to contain seeds for “Uncontained Mirth”, “Unfettered Joy” or simply “Friendship Seeds ” or “Peace”!! We can sow seeds for many things!
AN EXAMPLE: I designed the poppy seed packet above as gifts for the wonderful cooks at a recent celebration of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The poppy is the national flower of Palestine. I incorporated some Arabic script, a fake bar code which is really the Palestinian flag, and a message. I learned that poppy seeds are so small they escape from the package, so have now made some wax paper envelopes to keep those restless seeds contained! Once the original design was made, I had it copied, cut each packet out, inserted the seeds and friends glued the sides together and sealed the envelopes. Voilà!
Seed Packets by Liz, Chantelle, Diane and Sue – Spring 2025
Seed Packets by Kim and Ava – Spring 2025
WHAT TO BRING: You are invited to bring your lunch, and your favourite art materials, as well as ideas for possible seed packets. I will provide coffee, tea, seeds to munch on, and a selection of art materials we can all share.
*This seed packet on the top right wasn’t made by me. However, the image is from my Saskatchewan Wildflower Poster and Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation made these up as giveaways with wildflower seeds in them.
