How To Create Your Own Pressed Flower Art

By Arline Bradley


They say that flowers are, in reality, only gladdened leaves. Well, whatever they may be, one can not repudiate to the fact that this is the part of the plant that people and even animals are most attracted to. Flowers are plants way of ensuring the existence of their species through pollination.

They are also quite beneficial to people. Bouquets top the list for fail safe gift ideas. They are even present in foods. Some floral varieties are found to have medicinal properties. They are also decorative, and you can make pressed flower art with them.

This kind of art allows one to make lots of things using preserved blooms. These flowers are then used in all sorts of creative projects such as lamp shades, cards, framed decors, and the like. You can use all of these for that romantic touch inside your home, or sell your products to augment the family income.

There are three varied ways to press flowers. You can do it the traditional way using a book. You can use a flower press. Or, you can even use the microwave if you can not wait for weeks for it to dry.

Whatever method you are planning to choose, you have to have the flower first. Flat ones such as forget me not are easier to press due to their shape, as slightly round ones like chrysanthemums are much harder to work upon. But, round or flat, you are at the liberty to choose the variety you like to use in your art. Just make sure that it is totally dry before working on it.

For the classic take on floral pressing, you will need a big and heavy book. You can use thick volumes of an encyclopedia for this. Near the back, rim a page with any paper. Place the floret on top, in a face down stance. Cover it with another sheet of paper then close the book down and press.

You can also use a flower press. You can make one by obtaining two equal pieces of flat wood bound together by screws on four corners. Unscrew to pry them apart. On top of one side of the wood, place a piece of cardboard that has been cut to fit. Place the flower on the cardboard and top it with another fitted cardboard piece. Place the other piece of wood at the topmost and screw the pieces together again.

If you need to rush a project and you simply can not wait for weeks for the blossom to dry naturally, you can make use of a microwave oven and some ceramic tiles. Simply sandwich in all of these in the following order. Upside down tile first, then cardboard, flower, card board again, then ceramic tile right side up. Secure them together with rubber bands before putting it in the microwave.

Once you already have your dried florets, you can use them in framed pictures. All you need is get a piece of paper, arrange your dried flowers and some leaves, them frame. You can use these to adorn your room or give them away as gifts.




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