How You Can Make and Use Pressed Flowers!

Pressed flowers are popular still today. I think they can be used quite successfully in a number of ways. Not only flowers, but different types of grasses etc., too. Generally, all kinds of flowers and grasses can be pressed, one way or another.

I would say however, that when you go looking for flowers to press, always choose the best specimens that you can find at the time. It stands to reason that if the flowers are not at their freshest, you are not going to get a very good result after pressing. If the flowers are already knocked about, this process will not revive them.

So, once you have the best of what you were looking for, preferably on a clear day, not a wet one, cut away any thicker parts of your flowers so that it will press flat.

Even as a child I can remember scouring fields in Warwickshire for flowers and taking them home, to press later between the pages of a very thick and old book. In fact, even to this day, I still sometimes come across very old pressed flowers that have kept remarkably well.

This method of pressing must date back hundreds of years. When I cleared out my house I came across a book my mother had pressed when she was a child. The thicker the book you use for this, the better. The very old, thick type, of leather bound family bibles are often used.

In the main I would suggest that you choose books which have absorbent pages. Books with shiny glossy pages are not to be recommended. Whatever you do, make sure that your flowers are clean and it is very important that they are dry, with any surplus bits removed.

Place them carefully in a thick book. You will then need to add weight on top of this. In the past I have used books with heavy full bottles on top, or anything that will press weight on to the book.

Now you need to leave them and forget about them for a while. Probably for around six weeks. This is the original method. Years ago these flowers used to be put into drawing books, named and dated.

Now however, in craft shops, and often gift shops, you can buy flower presses, whereby your flowers are wedged between sheets of paper with a piece of wood either end of this. What actually happens, is that you tighten four screws each end to work the press. You still insert papers in between.

However, pressed flowers can be used for many items, such as paper weights, tags for gifts, bookmarks and candles, just to name several. To make cards though, you would need some paper adhesive, a smallish brush which is soft, tweezers, some pressed flowers and also leaves would be good in this instance and some paper for your card.

Firstly, if you have chosen what you want for your card, just ascertain that your items will fit well into your card. You could apply some lace to your card as a background, or even a piece of different coloured card to your paper, as a base on your folded card.

Then use your tweezers carefully to pick up your flower or leaf, stem etc. and put adhesive on the back and place them carefully into position and press gently down. When you have completed this, it would be a very good idea to put something heavy on top. I use a heavy iron, but thick books will do.

You can obtain a matt adhesive for paper, which you could later apply lightly with a brush over your flowers. Note, you will only need a thin layer. Leave it to dry.

If you enjoyed this article then you can find a lot more at the authors website. Anna Meenaghan is an artist that uses a great many subjects to bring her art to life. Ranging from realism all the way to art posters. Why not visit her online, interactive art community?

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