Crafting a Flower Press: do-it-yourself Instructions for Green Thumbs
In the heart of a flourishing garden lies a hidden treasure - pressed flowers. These delicate blooms, carefully arranged and preserved between layers of absorbent paper, offer a captivating glimpse into the garden's vibrant life. Glen, an experienced gardener with over 15 years of hands-on experience, shares his passion for pressed flowers and the art of preserving them.
The process begins with the right selection of flowers. Those with naturally flat faces, such as pansies, violas, cosmos, queen anne's lace, single-petal roses, poppies, and marigolds, are ideal for pressing. To prepare the flowers, they should be cut at the peak of their bloom, snipped cleanly with sharp scissors, and arranged between layers of absorbent paper without overlap.
The layers themselves are structured with a bottom cardboard layer, a blotting paper layer, the arranged flowers, another blotting paper layer, and a final cardboard layer. If pressing multiple flowers at once, layers are repeated for each stack, always finishing with a cardboard layer on top. To maintain best results, absorbent papers are changed every week, and only flowers free of moisture are used.
Constructing a DIY flower press is a project that Glen enjoys. The most efficient design involves using sturdy materials like wood, cardboard, and paper to create a flat, even surface that effectively dries and preserves plants. Pine or plywood are suitable choices for the wood pieces of a flower press, which are usually around 12×9 inches in size.
To apply pressure, the layered stack is placed inside the flower press, and bolts and wing nuts are used to tighten them firmly but evenly. The press is then placed in a warm, dry spot to dry for around four weeks, with a midway check and tightening of bolts if necessary.
Once dried, pressed flowers can be transformed into a variety of creative and decorative crafts. They can be used for decoupage, art, bookmarks, and even transforming everyday items into unique art pieces. Some inspiring ideas include pressed flower candles, pressed flower night lights, pressed flower suncatchers, and pressed flower vases.
Pressed flower candles are created by brushing melted wax over the flowers to seal them in place, resulting in delicate, floral-adorned candles perfect for special occasions. For a warm, botanical-inspired glow, pressed flower night lights can be made by arranging pressed flowers on clear plastic sheets sealed with Mod Podge, optionally adding gold leaf for a vintage effect.
Pressed flower suncatchers can be made using sticky sheets and cut-out shapes from thin card. Arrange pressed flowers on the sticky surface to create colorful suncatchers that beautifully catch sunlight when hung near windows. Pressed flower vases can be decorated by adhering pressed flowers onto their surface, capturing the essence of summer and adding a natural artistic touch to home decor.
Beyond these specific projects, pressed flowers can also be used in handmade cards, framed art, bookmarks, phone cases, and resin jewelry, amplifying their delicate beauty in unique and personal ways. These crafts range from beginner-friendly to more advanced and bring a natural, elegant charm to home decoration and gift-making.
In addition to his flower pressing tutorials, Glen also creates helpful content for his blog, including posts about garden fungicides, candy cane peppers, and watermelon harvesting. His passion for gardening and creativity shines through in every project he undertakes, offering inspiration for gardeners and crafters alike.
The process of creating pressed flowers includes selecting flowers with flat faces suitable for pressing, such as pansies, cosmos, or single-petal roses, then cutting them at their prime, arranging them without overlap between layers of absorbent paper, and securing them in a DIY flower press made from sturdy materials like wood, cardboard, and paper.
Once dried, these preserved blooms can be transformed into a variety of crafts, such as pressed flower candles, night lights, suncatchers, and vases, bringing a natural, elegant charm to home decor and gift-making.
