There's nothing like pressed leaves or flowers to add that special touch to handmade items. They bring a sense of romance to whatever it is you're making, whether it's a greeting card or decoupage. If you want to get your creative juices flowing in no time at all, learn how to press flowers quickly and you're halfway there.
Many a child has gone through a period of pressing every interesting-looking piece of plant material between the pages of a heavy dictionary of the family bible. It's a cheap and easy method of preserving flora. Another traditional method is to use a flower press, which is made up of two wooden blocks screwed together with the flower sandwiched in between.
While using books to create the pressure you need is very effective, the plant sap can damage and stain the pages. Another drawback to both the book and the flower-press method is that it takes a couple of weeks before the plant materials you're pressing are ready. They can also become discolored and look dead.
The addition of heat is a way to have your plants pressed and ready for use much more quickly. For example, place some cardboard and blotting paper on top of a tile. Lay the flower on top of this, add some more paper and cardboard and cover it with another tile. Press the top tile down and use rubber bands to fasten it the bottom tile. Microwave this assembly for ten seconds or so. Check the flower and repeat the process for as many times as are necessary.
Alternatively, place your flower on a sheet of paper and cover it with another sheet. Place something heavy on top to flatten it the way you want it. Remove the heavy object. Then set a clothes iron to the cool and dry setting and gently press it onto the paper for a few seconds. Check the flower and repeat the process until your flower feels stiff and dry.
Applying heat has the advantage that it's quick. You'll have pressed plant materials ready for use within minutes. In addition, they will have retained their colors and vibrancy so that they look as if they're fresh from the garden.
Some types of flower work better for pressing than others. The best ones to use are those with a flat face, such as pansies or daisies. Leaves work wonderfully too. More rounded blooms such as roses and marigolds are very difficult to flatten and you'd be better off using the petals separately. The same goes for cup-shaped blooms such as tulips or daffodils.
Once you have your pressed plant materials, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to ways of using them. Aside from the more traditional options of greeting cards or bookmarks, you can use them for lampshades made of paper. Paste them onto flat plastic surfaces like old bangles or the cover for your iPhone to give these items a new look. Turn a wooden box into a stunning, colorful jewelry box fir for a princess. Even Easter eggs can benefit from the floral treatment.
Many a child has gone through a period of pressing every interesting-looking piece of plant material between the pages of a heavy dictionary of the family bible. It's a cheap and easy method of preserving flora. Another traditional method is to use a flower press, which is made up of two wooden blocks screwed together with the flower sandwiched in between.
While using books to create the pressure you need is very effective, the plant sap can damage and stain the pages. Another drawback to both the book and the flower-press method is that it takes a couple of weeks before the plant materials you're pressing are ready. They can also become discolored and look dead.
The addition of heat is a way to have your plants pressed and ready for use much more quickly. For example, place some cardboard and blotting paper on top of a tile. Lay the flower on top of this, add some more paper and cardboard and cover it with another tile. Press the top tile down and use rubber bands to fasten it the bottom tile. Microwave this assembly for ten seconds or so. Check the flower and repeat the process for as many times as are necessary.
Alternatively, place your flower on a sheet of paper and cover it with another sheet. Place something heavy on top to flatten it the way you want it. Remove the heavy object. Then set a clothes iron to the cool and dry setting and gently press it onto the paper for a few seconds. Check the flower and repeat the process until your flower feels stiff and dry.
Applying heat has the advantage that it's quick. You'll have pressed plant materials ready for use within minutes. In addition, they will have retained their colors and vibrancy so that they look as if they're fresh from the garden.
Some types of flower work better for pressing than others. The best ones to use are those with a flat face, such as pansies or daisies. Leaves work wonderfully too. More rounded blooms such as roses and marigolds are very difficult to flatten and you'd be better off using the petals separately. The same goes for cup-shaped blooms such as tulips or daffodils.
Once you have your pressed plant materials, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to ways of using them. Aside from the more traditional options of greeting cards or bookmarks, you can use them for lampshades made of paper. Paste them onto flat plastic surfaces like old bangles or the cover for your iPhone to give these items a new look. Turn a wooden box into a stunning, colorful jewelry box fir for a princess. Even Easter eggs can benefit from the floral treatment.
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