March’s collaborative project between myself and Kristin at Space Paste Press was a lighthearted, fun assignment. Time was an issue due to some traveling between the two of us but that only meant a shorter execution period.

The theme: Stuff in a Box (or enclosure)

Basically, any sort of book project we had in mind was fair game, so long as it ended up in a box or container. Immediately, my mind went to kits. I have a great interest in kits: a box or container that contains everything you need at a moment’s notice…depending on the kit’s
intent. My ideas for what could go in the kit reached all over the place. Adventure, wilderness, or ultimate MacGyver guide were just a few of the things that came to mind. I didn’t pursue these because the time limit wouldn’t allow for some of my more elaborate
kit ideas, however I finally had an “Ah ha!” moment as I stared up into my window.

Not too long ago, I purchased (another) bonsai starter tree. I haven’t failed in the past because of mistreatment, but I took some badly timed extended trips and had a really long house renovation that turned me into a bad bonsai parent. Determined to succeed, I decided
to make a small bonsai kit that allowed me to tap back into the basics of bonsai care and maybe even pick up a few new tips along the way. I will reemphasize the fact that our timeline was MUCH shorter than our usual month, so given more time, the informative part of the kit would have been more extensive.
The result: a small quick starter kit.

There are some things lacking, like the pot, enough dirt to fill the pot, and the tree itself. But what WAS included, was some fertilizer needed for feeding the bonsai, a sample of the type of dirt to use, along with a sample of screening and wire for potting and a few decorative rocks for the top of the soil.

Here is the link to Space Paste Press March project.

Links to past Spring Leaf Press collaborative projects:
January
February