I never understood people’s obsession with sun-stressed hoyas. I’ve always thought that they looked sickly. But I’m kinda loving my Hoya Erythrina rn.

I don’t have any record of this one on my blog but it’s the orchid that’s survived my neglect the best.

I think it might be a Brassia but I’m not sure, will have to hope for rebloom.

I’ve started doing 10 minute soaks weekly in MSU plant fertilizer water. Though maybe they need twice a week, the leaf wrinkles are from under watering

After my first attempt, I wanted to create a more thin sheet of paper.

I created my own mould & decker with two A4 frames:

• Took our glass and backing

• Frame 1 - put foam along indent of frame and covered it all with waterproof tape

• Frame 2 - cut an insect repellent mesh to size, and secured it on to the frame with a staple gun. I then covered the entire frame with waterproof tape.

I prepared the pulp as I did the first time, and put it all into a plastic tub. Using frame 1 on top of frame 2, I lowered it into the pulp, took it out and shook it.

Once satisfied, I flipped it on to a sheet of felt. I sprinkled seeds on top, covered with a sheet of kitchen roll, and put another sheet of felt on top. I then placed a few books on top to flatten while it dried. I was much more pleased with the outcome of this method, compared to the first.

I was extremely keen to try DIY paper as I am continually accumulating mountains of scrap paper.

I cute the paper down to small pieces, with some cardboard thrown in, putting it all into a blender with a bit of lukewarm water.

Once blended to a pulp, I poured it into a bowl, and topped with seeds. As a keen gardener, I wanted to be able to plant the paper afterward (Incase it didn’t work out!).

I then tried to sieve out the water, and placed the pulp onto a water absorbent pad, flattening with a rolling pin.