Straightforward strategies to press flowers in 3 methods

As you perceive, I’m an infinite fan of Australian collage artist/craft/artist extraordinaire, Beci Orpin (whose interview you probably can study proper right here)! She’s launched but another e-book (she’s so prolific!) and this time it’s about points to do and make with gives from the surface. It’s often known as Sunshine Areas and it’s undoubtedly one in order so as to add to your craft library. It has numerous fundamentals for the beginning outdoors lover, paying homage to a info to indoor crops, a info to pure dyeing, and completely different pleasing duties. For the time being, she’s sharing her tutorial on learn the way to make pressed flowers with three completely completely different methods. 

I’m so excited to share this tutorial on learn the way to press flowers with Beci Orpin, one of many essential inspiring creatives I do know. She’s an artist and illustrator who makes unbelievable crafts, and I actually really feel lucky to get to share a couple of of her expertise with you. Take it away, Beci!

Press Flowers with Beci

I am an avid collector of many points, nonetheless outdated books are one in all my favourites – I not usually stroll out of an op retailer with out one. Quirky typesetting and old-school printing aside, one in every of many points I like about second-hand books is the opportunity of discovering a little bit of shock inside them. I’ve found many treasures tucked inside these yellowing, musty pages, along with some flattened Easter-egg wrappers from the Nineteen Forties, a birthday discover from an aunt to a favourite niece and, higher of all, a variety of books containing some beautiful pressed flowers.

As soon as I used to be a child I used to press flowers with my grandma, and I be mindful certainly not having ample endurance to attend the weeks and weeks sooner than the flowers have been totally dried and pressed. Thankfully for me, whereas I was researching this endeavor, I discovered that there are a selection of methods of pressing flowers, a couple of of which allow you to cheat, so that you just don’t must attend endlessly and ever sooner than they’re ready. That is good news for me, as I nonetheless have as loads endurance as a five-year-old.

It could be simple to want to put your flowers in a vase. Subsequent issue you perceive, your consuming room desk is roofed with leaves. These pressed flowers are a great way to guard the great thing about your flowers, with out a multitude. Daisies, orchids, zinnias, lilies, violas, violets..any flower will do.

YOU WILL NEED:

• flowers/foliage: ones with flat petals are best (see a listing proper right here. I like pansies, geraniums, flowering weeds – one thing pretty and dainty
• e-book/iron/microwave: what you make the most of will rely on which approach you choose.
• paper or a card: attempt blotting paper, espresso filter paper, sheets of absorbent paper,  printer paper, a variety of layers of tissue paper

NOTES:

1. Flowers must ideally be freshly picked, to cease browning.
2. Don’t resolve your flowers too early throughout the morning, as they will nonetheless have dew on them. The extra moisture from the dew might set off them to go moldy all through the pressing course of.
3. Flowers must have merely bloomed or be about to bloom. In the event that they’re too mature, they will lose their petals.
4. If the flowers have obvious stamens, take away them sooner than pressing.

Methodology 1: Pressing in a e-book

(That’s the finest nonetheless slowest approach; I found it produced the perfect outcomes.)

Open up your e-book and place a sheet of paper on one aspect of the e-book. Liquid from the flowers can leach into the encircling pages, so use an outdated e-book or a variety of sheets of paper to cease this. TIP: Don’t use a phone e-book, as a result of the paper is just too flimsy.

Put together your flowers on the piece of paper, guaranteeing the flowers aren’t overlapping (besides you want them to). Cowl with one different piece of paper (or fold the first piece of paper in half) and shut the e-book.

Weight down the e-book by inserting some heavy books or bricks on excessive of it.

Change the papers after 1 week, then depart for only a few additional weeks until the flowers are totally dry. Attempt to resist the temptation to look at them (besides altering the paper), as this might disturb the flowers.

Methodology 2: Ironing

Flatten the flowers between gadgets of paper in a e-book, following steps 1–3 (left). Go away the flowers to dry for nonetheless prolonged you probably can deal with (I prefer to suggest on the very least 1 day). Empty any water out of the iron (you don’t want any steam), and set the heat to the underside setting.

Take away the flowers from the e-book, leaving them sandwiched between the two gadgets of paper, and press them with the iron for 10–15 seconds. You don’t wish to maneuver the iron spherical, merely press it on the paper.

Methodology 3: Microwave

Put together the flowers throughout the e-book between two gadgets of paper, following steps 1–2 (left). Make it potential to your e-book has no metallic throughout the spine or type sooner than putting it throughout the microwave. Place throughout the microwave and zap for 30 seconds. Take the e-book out and let it cool by opening the pages to let the steam out (don’t open the pages which have the flowers enclosed). TIP: Have a couple of books on the go instantly, so that you probably can have one heating throughout the microwave whereas the other one is cooling down.

As quickly because the e-book is cool, zap it throughout the microwave as soon as extra. Repeat until the flowers are practically dry (you possibly can wish to do this about 4 or 5 cases: smaller flowers will dry out sooner), taking care you don’t overcook them, as a result of the flowers will flip brown.

What To Do With Pressed Flowers

Finding out to press flowers is simply the beginning! Whenever you’ve pressed your flowers there are so many good crafts you’ll be able to do with them.

Together with pressed flowers to a handmade card or invitation gives a whimsical contact. Chances are you’ll as effectively place pressed flowers between two sheets of glass after which physique them for garden-inspired wall decoration, as pictured proper right here.

This stunning pressed flower tray made by Jessica Pezalla of Bramble Workshop is an stunning and nice endeavor to make the color out of your yard ultimate.

And don’t overlook about pressing flowers when subsequent Easter comes spherical! Then that you must use our tutorial for dried flowers on Easter eggs. The possibilities are limitless.

One different floral endeavor I like is that this DIY flower pounding on materials. It makes such beautiful design and one of the simplest ways the flowers swap their shade is nice.

Within the occasion you employ this tutorial to press flowers, I’d prefer to see what you make! Share with us with the hashtag #LarsFlowerMonth.

You should purchase Sunshine Areas proper right here 

Protect learning! See additional of our e-book recommendations proper right here.

Photos by Chris Middleton  |  E guide by Beci Orpin