Pressing flowers and leaves is a great craft idea for any
gardener, or anyone really. If you grow your own plants to press or take walks
in the woods to collect samples, these delicate and beautiful specimens can be
preserved and turned into art objects.
Why Press Leaves and Flowers?
Pressing leaves, flowers, and entire plants is a time-tested
craft and art form. People have done this for centuries or longer to preserve
specimens for study or medicine, to give as gifts, and to use in craft
projects.
Most people today who partake in flower and foliage pressing
do so for projects simply to preserve the beauty of spring, summer, and fall.
During a long winter, these pretty pressed plants bring a little sunshine into
your home.
How to Press Plants
Pressing plants is as easy as it sounds. You don’t even need
a fancy flower press. Although if you plan to do a lot of pressing, you may
want one. They are useful tools but not necessary for the process.
First, choose the plants, leaves, or flowers to press. You
can use literally anything, but some flowers work better than others. Yellow
and orange blooms will hold their color the best, while blues, pinks, and
purples tend to fade. Red flowers turn brownish.
Smaller, less dense flowers are easiest to press. Think daisies,
clematis,
lobelia,
pansies,
feverfew,
and Queen
Anne’s lace.
To press bigger flowers, like roses
or peonies,
remove some of the petals so you can flatten the bloom but maintain its overall
appearance in two dimensions. Also, try pressing buds and all kinds of leaves.
Pick specimens that are fresh but not wet with dew or rain.
If you are not using a flower press, you need a big book and
some weights. Place the plants between sheets of newspaper, which will help
absorb moisture. Insert this between the sheets of a large book and, if
necessary, add weighted objects on top of the book.
Using Pressed Plants
After about ten days to two weeks, you will have pretty
pressed plants that are dry and fully preserved. They are delicate, so handle
carefully, but otherwise you can use them in any kind of craft project. Ideas
include:
- Arranging behind glass in a frame for a display
- Decorate a picture frame
- Set in wax when making candles
- Laminate to create bookmarks
With epoxy, you can use pressed flowers on just about any
surface for a lasting craft
or art project as well.
Pressing flowers and leaves is a great craft idea for any
gardener, or anyone really. If you grow your own plants to press or take walks
in the woods to collect samples, these delicate and beautiful specimens can be
preserved and turned into art objects.
Why Press Leaves and Flowers?
Pressing leaves, flowers, and entire plants is a time-tested
craft and art form. People have done this for centuries or longer to preserve
specimens for study or medicine, to give as gifts, and to use in craft
projects.
Most people today who partake in flower and foliage pressing
do so for projects simply to preserve the beauty of spring, summer, and fall.
During a long winter, these pretty pressed plants bring a little sunshine into
your home.
How to Press Plants
Pressing plants is as easy as it sounds. You don’t even need
a fancy flower press. Although if you plan to do a lot of pressing, you may
want one. They are useful tools but not necessary for the process.
First, choose the plants, leaves, or flowers to press. You
can use literally anything, but some flowers work better than others. Yellow
and orange blooms will hold their color the best, while blues, pinks, and
purples tend to fade. Red flowers turn brownish.
Smaller, less dense flowers are easiest to press. Think daisies,
clematis,
lobelia,
pansies,
feverfew,
and Queen
Anne’s lace.
To press bigger flowers, like roses
or peonies,
remove some of the petals so you can flatten the bloom but maintain its overall
appearance in two dimensions. Also, try pressing buds and all kinds of leaves.
Pick specimens that are fresh but not wet with dew or rain.
If you are not using a flower press, you need a big book and
some weights. Place the plants between sheets of newspaper, which will help
absorb moisture. Insert this between the sheets of a large book and, if
necessary, add weighted objects on top of the book.
Using Pressed Plants
After about ten days to two weeks, you will have pretty
pressed plants that are dry and fully preserved. They are delicate, so handle
carefully, but otherwise you can use them in any kind of craft project. Ideas
include:
- Arranging behind glass in a frame for a display
- Decorate a picture frame
- Set in wax when making candles
- Laminate to create bookmarks
With epoxy, you can use pressed flowers on just about any
surface for a lasting craft
or art project as well.