Nothing says “I care about you” more than a handmade card. Nothing says “I care about you- and the environment” more than a handmade, plantable card from Phresh Press.
At Phresh Press, all occasion cards are made using old newspaper and wildflower seeds, so that they can be planted instead of thrown away. Each card is hand pressed and painted for a unique design you can’t find in stores.
It all started in 2018 when Darian Graivshark moved to Baton Rouge and took a job working as a reporter for a local newspaper. She noticed the mass amounts of paper thrown away each week in the newsroom once they became outdated. After doing her own research, she found a way to repurpose old, forgotten newspapers into occasion cards that could be passed on to someone else.
“I felt so sad seeing all this paper being thrown out,” Graivshark said. “I got to thinking, what could I do with this paper to give it another purpose?”
Her cards became a beautiful way to give new life and meaning to something that’s been used or overlooked. One newspaper can make about six cards. Graivshark took her cards one step further by adding wildflower seeds into the paper-making process. This way her cards could be planted instead of ending up in the trash or a recycling bin. It is a card so resourceful it’ll make you wet your plants.
The process begins with tearing up and blending the old newspapers. Once it becomes a big ball of deconstructed paper, she pats it down to get that flat card shape. She lets it dry for three days, then cuts it into a square card shape. Then, using an incision knife, she cuts small pockets into the paper, adds the wildflower seeds, and reseals it will a little water.
Once the card is fully dried, she uses watercolors to write a clever pun or paint a picture on the cards. Some personal favorites are, “Welcome To The World Little Sprout” and “I’m Proud To Be Y’Orchid.”
“These cards are handmade, fresh [and] free of chemicals and bleach,” Graivshark said. “So you can know that you’re buying a legitimately recycled card.”
Phresh Press can make cards for any occasion. Birthdays, engagements, get well soon, graduations, Halloween, Christmas and even custom cards can be made to order.
Pre-designed cards with seeds are sold for $6. Custom cards and pet portraits are sold for $10 and coasters are only $5. Since each card is individually and carefully designed, a batch of about 20 cards can be made in five days.
Each order includes the envelope, seeds and planting instructions. You can also be on the lookout for Phresh Press monthly calendars as well as other upcoming projects.
Phresh Press cards can be found online at PhresPress.squarespace.com or at popup art shops in Baton Rouge. To see the full Phresh collection, visit @Phresh_Press on Instagram or Facebook. For more information on custom requests or pet portraits, message Graivshark on social media or by email.

Gallery • 3 Photos

@phresh_press via Instagram

phresh press