 Find healthy flowers and collect them after the dew has dried.
Flowers which are open and dry will press the best.
Try to find flowers of the same size and thickness so they'll press & dry evenly.
Thicker flowers will have to
be sliced apart in order to press correctly (roses, daffodils, azaleas, etc). Thinner
flowers can be pressed &
and dried as they are.
Supplies
Flower Press, Scissors, Newsprint,
Paper Clips, Tweezers, Xacto Knife, White Glue, Clear Contact Paper.
How to PressWorking with Flower Presses
You can buy great flower presses at craft stores which are available in different sizes.
Place your press on a smooth, flat surface. Disassemble the press and begin to place your
flowers. Arrange your flowers or leaves about 1/4 in. apart on a piece of tissue paper,
then cover with a layer of newspaper, then cover with the piece of cardboard.
Continue this process ending with a piece of cardboard. Then reassemble your press,
tightening the screws as far as possible. Every week check the press & see if you can tighten the screws.
Note: If a press is not available, you can press your flowers using the tissue paper & newpaper
placed between pages of a heavy book or telephone book. Just be sure to weigh it down.
Your flowers should be ready to remove after about 21 days.
Storing Your Flowers
Place flowers between the pages of large, heavy books.
Place in transparent envelopes.
I keep my flowers in a box, between pages of newsprint.
I also throw in packets of silica gel to keep
moisture away from the flowers.
Be sure and keep good air circulation to prevent mildew,
and keep them out of direct sunlight.
Crafts & Ideas:
Notecards
I used cardstock for the cards, and impatiens, clover, ferns,
azaleas, and amaryllis from my garden for these. Attached them with white
glue and covered with clear
contact paper.
Bookmarks
Gift Tags
Enhancing your FlowersSome people like the look of the
faded, pressed flower. If not, here's some tips to keep colors, or even to
change the color of your
flowers:
Artist Pastels: Scrape the color from the pastel with
an emery board or fine sandpaper and use a paintbrush to color the flowers after pressing.
Transparent Oil Paints: Use the transparent type of oil paint, and apply with a
paintbrush. Some flowers
refuse to absorb these paints, so you'll have to experiment.
Watercolors: Paint before or after pressing.
Chalk: Use the same way as
the pastels.
Tempera Paints: It's best to apply this type of coloring to the flower before pressing.
Notes
Use acid-free paper whenever possible.
Use regular white glue, not school glue, which has a tendency to become brittle over time.
Always keep your pressed flowers out of direct sunlight to reduce fading.
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