Pressed flowers preserve a moment in time. They evoke a remembrance of a special bouquet from a loved one that caught your eye in spring. They seem to keep summer alive almost forever.
Unlike a
bouquet of dried flowers, pressed flowers are perfect for framing, placing
inside a locket, or using as adornments for note cards, bookmarks, lampshades, wall hanging, table mat, etc. Here's how to make your
own pressed flowers.
A shape is constructed
by recalling his specific observations. This activity stimulates creative
expression & imagination and also helps in learning of botanical aspect of
leaves & petals.
Different figurines of
flora & fauna could be iterated & scaled down using the pressed flowers
& leaves, against a recalled observation, which not only grooms the
imaginative & ideative skillset, but also helps with a deeper understanding
of botanical aspects sans any embodiments to the raw structure of leaves &
petals.
SELECTION
If you
plan to create framed pressed-flower art,
collect blooms and foliage at various stages of development to give your design
a natural look. The better the quality of the blooms at picking time, the
better they will look when dried and pressed.
For best
results and the most vibrant colours, condition your blooms first.
CONDITIONING
Plunge
the stems into water immediately after cutting, then hold the stems underwater
in a sink and recut the stems at an angle to allow the greatest water
absorption. Place them in a clean vase filled with water and floral food.
PRESSED FLOWER TECHNIQUE: BOOKS
The
easiest method of flower pressing requires no special equipment other than
absorbent paper and a heavy book or a pile of books. Pigments in the petals,
stems, and leaves may stain the paper, so if the book is valuable, protect the
pages with a layer of newspaper on each side of the plants being pressed.
Let the
flowers dry for a week before checking on them. Allow two to three weeks for
complete drying.
PRESSED FLOWER TECHNIQUE: IRON
Like the
other method, this one begins with pressing the flowers between two pieces of
absorbent paper.
Heat an
iron to a low setting. Empty any water from the iron and do not add water. You
do not want to add moisture with steam.
Prepare
the flower for pressing by placing it between two sheets of absorbent paper.
Flatten the flower with a heavy book first, and then press the warm iron on top
of the upper sheet of paper for 10 to 15 seconds. You don't need to make a
gliding motion as if ironing. Wait for the paper to cool for another 10 to 15
seconds, and then repeat. Check occasionally by very carefully lifting the
paper to see if the flower is stiff and dry.