Double Layer Earth Cakes: Treats for Guests and Gardens

Earth Cake by rlcCelebrate Earth Day with a mini, double layer garden cake! Whether you call them Earth Cakes or Garden Cakes, these are perfect party favors for your Earth Day celebration. Make them ahead of time for guests to take home or provide an area where everyone can make their own. Bonus…the kids will love making, and planting, these cakes!

Supplies:

  • Bucket for mixing up soil
  • Flat working surface
  • Cardboard discs, plastic lids, or other recyclable/reusable “cake plate”
  • Can that is slightly smaller in diameter than your “cake plate”
  • Wax paper Potting soil/garden dirt
  • Water
  • Flower seeds
  • Small flowers or leaves (optional)

Directions:

In your bucket combine potting soil, water, and garden dirt if needed. You want the mixture to be “packable” and able to keep its shape.

Place some wax paper on your work surface.

Pack a small ball of your soil mixture. Place it on your wax paper and gently press into a flat disc or “cake layer.”  Use your can as a cookie cutter to create uniform layers. Make two per cake.

Sprinkle a small amount of flower seeds over each layer. Gently pat the seeds into the cake. (I used a wildflower seed mixture for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds). Let your cake layers dry for a few minutes.

While waiting for your cake layers to dry, prepare your cake plate by arranging a layer of leaves, flower petals, or other “doily.”

By now your cake layers should be dry enough to handle without breaking. Gently peal them off the wax paper and position them on your cake plate seed side up.

Decorate the top of your cake with a small sprig of flowers or a few small leaves.

To Plant:

Lay each layer in a pot or in the garden and cover with a small amount of soil. Refer to the direction on your seed packet for planting depth and watering instructions.

(Alternatively, the cake layers can be crumbled into your garden)

What are you crafting for Earth Day? Leave a comment and let us know!

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What is Creativity?

What is creativity? Is it something only few are blessed with or does it reside in each of us? Is it separate from logic or does it marry logical thought? There was a time when men would sit for hours discussing topics just like this. Now we have the Internet…and everyone is invited!

My personal opinion is that the creative essence resides in each of us albeit some posses a more shy spirit than others. Like any wallflower, this essence just needs a little encouragement to flourish. Once she finds her voice, however, she provides healthy support to logic by encouraging new thoughts. In addition, she makes us feel good!

Did you know that immersing yourself in creative projects can improve your health?

  • Time engaged in a creative project is time away from your usual “mental stress loop” (we all know what that is!) interrupting that “fight or flight” response and reducing our blood pressure and nasty stress hormones.
  • The joy you feel while creating something releases endorphins that make you feel better emotionally and actually improve your heath physically. In fact, when you are truly immersed in your craft you may find yourself “in the zone,” which is akin to a “runner’s high.”
  • In addition, exercising your creative mind actually creates new pathways in your mind, which can improve problem solving ability—think of it as new roads to where you want to travel.

Let’s celebrate and share this wondrous creative essence! Here at Museiddity those who already commune with the Creative can share what they love and find new avenues of expression. Those who feel the creative call, but don’t know where to start, can gain exposure to different projects and viewpoints.

Some of our upcoming events are:

Metal sculpture artist and author Destiny Allison shares about her experience embracing her creativity.

Author Linda Neas encourages that we are all creative.

Jewelry artist and writer Michelle Mach offers her thoughts on creativity.

YA author Sally Dubats and travel writer and radio hostess, Barbara Conelli will also be joining us!

We’ll take a look at up-cycling, it’s the “in” form of reusing, and have a primer on flower arranging. Oh…and you can come along with me as I reorganize my creative space.

I hope you will join us! Please sign up on our mailing list so you don’t miss out on the fun.

Like any community it is the people who make it rich. Please let me know if there are topics you would like to see featured or if you feel you have something to share. Thank you…and welcome to Museiddity!