OREEKO

OREEKO (Organic, Green, Eco, Blog) is a trusted resource on the web for “reviews, how-to guides, current news & ideas on how to simplify green living”. We were listed amongst a group of hefty competitors (7 to be exact) as resource for Eco Wedding Invitations in their Green Wedding series.

“The invite allows you to establish a direct line of connection with all your guests. Use it to make a statement that can be both memorable, personal and green!”  We could not agree more!

Our excerpt from the post:

OREEKO

 

“OF THE EARTH

Soft colors and delicate nuances give these wedding invitations a very romantic and natural feel. They use Lotka paper made from the bark of the Daphne bush, a renewable resource from Nepal. All lotka envelopes and paper are 50% recycled and 100% tree free. The paper is also acid free and your purchase will benefit the economic enterprise of rural craftspeople in Nepal. The company also makes a cotton & abaca paper, created without chemical resources and with special attention to water conservation.”

Our only surprise was that our greenest product trait – that our papers generate oxygen when planted – was not mentioned in the flattering description of our goods.

You can read the entire post here and follow the OREEKO blog, which covers everything from weddings to style to food and health, here.  It is a favorite read in our world – many thanks to OREEKO for the nod!

 

NEW TO THE STORE

We now carry the ideal invitation kit for the handmade DIY enthusiast! Our plantable handmade seed paper invitation kit creates 25 panel style 5” x 7” invites.
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Each Invitation Kit contains:                                      – 25 5×7 inch cut edge panels of our handmade paper(containing flower seeds so they can be planted)                                       – 25 cut to size (4.75″ x 6.75″) printer safe lotka seed paper pieces
– 25 recycled paper machine made invitation envelopes
– 6 yards eco-twist ribbon
– Punching template

 

 

Designed for home printing on a laser or inkjet printer, these invites are then punched, and assembled by you. Templates and downloadable instructions can be found here.

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 All invitation components will break down naturally in soil, but only the invitation panel and overlay contain flower seeds.

Our unique North American Wildflower seed blend tolerates partial shade; needs 4 hours a day of direct sunlight and grows to about 3′. Seeds include these perennials and annuals: Spurred Snapdragon,Tussock Bellflower, Creeping Thyme, Lilac Godetia, Foxglove, Catchfly, Monkeyflower, English Daisy, Red Corn Poppy and Showy Evening Primrose. This blend is specifically designed for safe propagation in many growing zones.

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Germination may begin as soon as one week, or may take up to six weeks depending on your regional growing zone and planting depth. We recommend just 1/4″ soil coverage.

We are happy to swap paper and eco-twist colors. These DIY kits are available for $26.50 for a set of 25.

Do it yourself seed paper invitations for just $1.00!

DIY Kit closeup - Plantable paper
Aspen print at home seed paper invitation kit
Print at home invitation kit
Natural seed paper diy kit
DIY Kit
Natural 6×9 seed paper invitation kit

We just added new photos of our latest product to help in this economic recovery. Our seed paper DIY kits are prepared with a cut edge finish to save on the hand tearing labor common to our other invitation styles. We also have included felt finish recycled paper invitation envelopes in place of our more expensive seed paper envelopes. This swap has brought the cost of these invitations down do just $1.00 for a fully do it yourself print at home Eco-friendly marvel. The kits are sold in packs of 25 for $25 and can ship with first class mail to you for about $4. Each invitation is meant to be printed at home using an inkjet or laser machine one piece at a time through the envelope feed mechanism. The envelopes have a great raised texture and pair nicely with the handmade stock. There are five colors to pick from. The colored sheets are all dyed with earth friendly vegetable dyes and are ironically named after trees (as they are entirely tree free).

We make these kits in our Seattle paper studio and ship them worldwide, typically within 24 hours. The paper twine used to hold the pieces together can be swapped out for different colors to create more combinations than we show here: http://www.earthinvitations.com/

Our papers contain a blend of wildflower seeds which include varieties that grow in all the growing regions in the US.  Read more at www.flowerseedpaper.com

 

More Photos from the Seattle Wedding Show

seed paper invitation with eco-twist paper twine
Bifold invitation closeup
Seed paper natural petal paper invitation with larkspur flower
Larkspur stem wedding invitation on display at the Seattle Wedding Show
Natural, rustic seed paper wedding invitation display
Of The Earth at the Seattle Wedding Show

Just wanted to share with you photographs of our seed paper invitations display at the January Seattle Wedding Show.  Wallflower Photography came by our booth and wanted to snap a few photos of our display, we of course said yes!  They just sent these to us and we love them!

Please note how much better professional photographers can capture our handmade invitations – even without studio lighting.  If you look at our earlier post you can see a dramatic difference.  Think about that next time you are shopping online; how bad photos can really impact your impression of a product.

Thanks so much for sharing Wallflower Photography!  We love your work!

You can find the full set of photos from the Seattle Wedding Show on Wallflower Photography’s special wedding show photography webpage; the direct link to the 2013 SWS photo gallery is www.wallflowerphoto.com/weddingshows/galleries/SeattleWeddingShow2013.

 

If you want a sample invitation to hold in your hand so you can see the difference between your screen and the real thing, just visit our sample request page so you can get yours for free!  Be sure to tear off a bit and plant it to watch what grows.  Our unique blend of seeds that are embedded in our papers is listed below.

Our North American wildflower seed blend paper contains all of the following wildflower seeds:

Perennial
English Daisy

Perennial
Tussock Bellflower

Annual
Lilac Godetia

Annual
Monkeyflower

Biennial/Perennial
Foxglove

Annual
Dwarf Spurred Snapdragon

Perennial
Showy Evening Primrose

Annual
Red Corn Poppy

Biennial/Annual
Catchfly

Perennial
Creeping Thyme

This blend is specifically designed to be mailed and planted in all growing regions of North America. With the proper care some of these flowers will thrive from New Mexico to New Brunswick.

 

 

The Seattle Wedding show is this weekend and Of The Earth has lots of great invitation ideas to share

Of The Earth is at the Seattle Wedding Show this weekend and tomorrow is the last day of the show.  We have filled the booth with lots of invitation ideas, ribbon and of course, handmade paper.  There are also some great DIY invitation options to help trim your costs but still receive a beautiful unique product.  If you miss us at the show, we have a showroom in our Georgetown studio so feel free to stop by Monday-Friday between 8:00am and 5:00pm.  The wedding show is from 10:30am-5:00pm on Sunday and is located at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle.

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Of The Earth has been in business for 17 years and is owned and operated by Kevin and Lori Graham.  We offer an array of handmade flower petal papers, many plantable, as well as all of the invitation components needed to create the perfect invitation.  We also offer guest books, favor boxes and bags and an array of ribbons in various widths and fabrics.  We have created a line of hand dyed bias cut silk ribbons which look lovely on invitations, favors, floral arrangements and bridesmaid dresses.  We are constantly creating new color blends so there are always new ribbons and color combinations just waiting to be seen.  Photos of all of our products can be found on our website, www.custompaper.com, and we are always happy to send out samples.

For more info about the Seattle Wedding Show go to www.weddingshow.com

 

Elegant, speedy, affordable and earth friendly wedding invitation options by Of The Earth

Christmas is just a week away and when the festivities and visits
with family are over, the realization hits you.  It’s January and that
spring wedding you had so much time to plan for is fast approaching!

Before the panic sets in check out invitation DIY kits by Of The Earth.  Both of our DIY kit collections contain seeded paper which, when planted, will sprout a bouquet of wildflowers.

Of The Earth DIY invitation kits come in many different sizes and paper styles.  All of
the paper is handmade, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.  Choose
from handmade papers produced in Nepal to papers made by local artisans in our Seattle, Washington studio, made the same way as when we started 17 years ago!

The Nepalese paper, we call Lotka paper, is made from the bark of the Daphne bush.  Harvesting the bark does not kill the plant, it 6-7 years the still living root ball generates another harvestable crop naturally making this a great renewable material.  The Lotka DIY kits come in five different colors and 8 different sizes ranging in price from $57.40 to $88.25 for 25 torn edge invitations and handmade envelopes.

Lotka invitation kits contain 25 seed paper cards, cut edge overlays,
online instructions, templates for punching and folding (if needed) and enough Eco-twist to assemble the entire order.  All of the components are biodegradable and the seeded paper will bloom when planted.  These invitations range in price from $2.30 -$3.53 each set.

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The cotton DIY kits are made from paper produced in our Seattle studio.
Each sheet is individually made then the invitations are hand torn in our studio.  The
Cotton DIY kits come in 5 different seeded flower paper options and 8
different sizes.

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The cotton kits contain 25 seeded hand torn cards, cut vellum overlays,
online assembly instructions, templates for punching and folding (if needed), envelopes  and enough Eco-twist to assemble the entire order. All of the components are
biodegradable and the seeded paper will bloom when planted.  These kits also
contain enough supplies to make 25 invitations, ranging in price from $47.29-$112.46.

Both the vellum and seeded overlays can be printed on your home computer.
By doing the printing and assembly at home you are saving significantly over the printed and assembled invitation costs.  The kits containing gate-folds and bi-folds come with a folding template.  All of the printing and assembly work is done at home.

The staff at Of The Earth is available Monday-Friday form 8:00am-5:00pm Pacific time to answer any questions or assist you with assembly concerns.  We can also be reached from our customer service page on www.custompaper.com.

Our invitation kits typically ship on the same day you order or within 24 hours.  If you would like to order custom printed or assembled works we are happy to help you with our speedy one week production time.

 

Custom blended colors in our hand dyed silk ribbons create some of our most unexpected treasures..

Real Card Company sent us 4 different color swatches and asked if we could make a ribbon blending all of the colors together.  Our colorist did a great job matching the swatches and the results turned out beautifully.  We love these type of projects as it’s always fun to see how the new blends are going to turn out.

All of our silk ribbon is dyed in our Seattle studio.  Earth Silk ribbon comes in five different widths and two different finishes.  Our 100% silk which has a matte finish and our 100% silk satin which has a satiny light catching side.  Our ribbon is all bias cut and is available by the spool as well as in cut lengths (depending on the collection).  Of The Earth has created an extensive collection of colors with over 150 to pick from.

Real Card Company is an invitation company based in Seattle, WA.  You can find them at www.realcardcompany.com.

Hand Dyed Silk and Seed Paper Invitations – A marriage of the things we love

Recycled lotka seed paper paper invitation with blend #014 Silk ribbon
We are excited about our latest marriage of silk and paper.  These invitations are so easy to make!  We have always loved the silk bows that we assemble our invitations with but when faced with 250 invitations to make (and 250 silk bows to tie) it can be overwhelming if you are doing it at home.  This style of invitation pairs our hand dyed silk and hand made papers in a way that can easily be done at home to save money for more important things (like cake).  Just a small photo mounting square on the back side hides the seam.  This invitation uses just one yard of silk.  There are currently 144 colors both solids and blends that you can pick from in our Earth Silk line.  You can order the printed invitation below for just $2.17 each and then add the silk ribbon shown for $0.76 to attach at home.  If the deckled edge look is not for you, you can order the printed invitation on our lotka seed paper for just $1.32 each if you order it with cut edges.  Call us today if you want to know more. 1.888.294.1526.

Recycled lotka seed paper paper invitation with blend #014 Silk ribbon
Recycled lotka seed paper paper invitation with blend #014 Silk ribbon
Recycled paper invitation with blend #056 Silk ribbon
Recycled paper invitation with blend #056 Silk ribbon

 
Recycled paper invitation with blend #056 Silk ribbon
Recycled paper invitation with blend #056 Silk ribbonRecycled lotka seed paper paper invitation with blend #014 Silk ribbon

Summer Wedding Invitations

These invitations just went out the door today.  They were so pretty I had to capture them before they left.  Thank you spring sunshine for helping to make our silk ribbon shine.  This invitation is made with our 7x10 golden garden wrap, 5x7 seed paper panel and Charm silk ribbon.  Can you believe this customer spent less than $270 on her order?  She did, for 55 handmade custom printed seed paper invitations. 

golden garden lotka paper with seeded insert and hand dyed silk ribbon
Seed paper wedding invitation – 7×10 wrap with 5×7 panel

Seed Paper

Earth Day is April 22. Planning a successful eco‐event just got easier.

Seed paper cards spread good will and generate interest.

On Earth Day 2012 more than 1 billion people worldwide will take action to protect our planet and make a difference in their neighborhood. Earthday.org asks the question “What can you do for Earth Day?” and a small Seattle company has the answer. Earth Day is a global event where everyone can get involved to improve the world we all share. Of The Earth aims to help individuals and businesses create a buzz that drives people to participate with their seed papers. Seed paper is unique paper that is formed by hand with live plant seeds embedded within the sheets. These print safe papers then carry messages of ecoresponsibility which encourage the holder to dig a hole and complete the lifecycle of the message with their own hands. These messages have a greater impact by directly engaging the individual with a task that results in a bouquet of flowers, herbsor even trees. Businesses like ABC, WalMart and Time, Inc. have used Of The Earth papers to promote their events. Earth Day is the right time to spread the seeds and promote neighborhood cleaning events, recycling workshops and tree planting parties. Connecting with people on Facebook or Twitter is a cost effective and earth friendly approach but does not have the same impact as putting seed paper in people’s hands. Seed paper has a remarkable hook that grabs attention as people are less likely to throw away something living. With seed paper invitations people are inspired to participate. The target audience will be able to close the circle of life on environmentally responsible paper use and start a new circle with the plants that will bloom and clean the air as they filter carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Planting the paper starts the cycle. For seventeen years a small company in Seattle has been focused on doing their part to positively impact the world choosing ethics over profits and putting their treefree seed paper invitations in the hands of their customer’s friends and families worldwide. Coowner Lori Graham said “I had to mail almost 100 invitations for my wedding and just couldn’t bear the idea that the paper was going to waste”. Using this motivation she and her husband created an invitation and (two months after their wedding) business where the hundreds of pieces that each customer mailed spread the message of making responsible choices that touched every generation of their families. Since that humble start; Lori and her husband/business partner Kevin estimate that millions of people have received their message of responsible stewardship. Since 1995 their handmade paper company Of The Earth has been a leader in innovation with an earth focused product line. You can find their seed papers at www.custompaper.com. People have more choices than ever today with invitations that are not only cost effective (especially important in this economy) by being do it yourself, but also close the circle with seed paper cards that sprout when planted. Of The Earth offers handmade seed paper invitations that you can print at home for less than $2 each. See the many invitation kit choices here.  Earth Day 2012 is the right opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Paul Mitchell , Yahoo and The Home Depot by using seed paper to spread the message of growth and change in a sustainable way.