Patent ID: 8528734

Claim:
A method for making a novelty mailing item comprising the steps of: providing a produce having a tip end, a substantially hollow interior, a stem end, and a stem; removing the stem from the produce, allowing access the hollow interior by an opening in the stem end; drying the stem; soaking the produce in an aqueous solution of cut flower preservative; draining the cut flower preservative solution from the produce; removing natural materials from the hollow interior; disposing through the tip end, and into the interior, a label attachment line, the label attachment line thereby having an end exterior to the produce and an end interior to the produce; providing an anchor on the interior end of the label attachment line; securing the anchor at the tip end within the hollow interior of the produce; lightly wetting the interior of the produce; substantially filling the interior of the produce with dry plaster of Paris powder, whereby a portion of the dry plaster of Paris powder is wetted by contact with the wetted produce interior; allowing partially to harden that portion of the dry plaster of Paris wetted by contact with the wetted produce interior; removing from the interior all unhardened plaster of Paris powder to leave an unfilled portion of the produce interior; allowing to dry and substantially completely harden the plaster of Paris remaining within the produce interior; at least partially filling, with a second wet plaster of Paris mix, the unfilled portion of the produce interior; and coating the produce with a layer of epoxy.