Good Morning and welcome, I am so very happy that you are here!
Today we are taking a little gander through the garden where we are going to be picking, and pressing some pansies.
The key to vibrant pressed flowers and leaves is picking them at their peak, pressing them and then using them for a variety of decorative and craft projects.
Let your imagination and creativty be your guide.
Gardening, Growing and Loving Nature
Gardening, growing, and loving on nature is one of my joys, hobbies and my small business too.
I have been growing flowers since I was 12.
There is always a mix of feelings when flower growing season is over.
However through this pressing flowers post, I will share some tried and true tips on how to make flowers from the garden last long after the growing season is over.
Pressed flowers are wonderful to use to embellish stationary, and cards.
Pressed flowers can also be arranged on paper for a lovely wall decoration or sandwich them between glass panes to make coasters for a botanical spin.
PLANT PRESSES
During my research I discovered that there are quite a few selections of plant presses available, including portable, which are marvelous for hikers, to larger varieties that are designed for professional use.
For home-style crafting purposes a book or two will work just fine.
As a flower lover I just have to share with you this glorious, colorful and noteworthy book that will ignite any sleeping passion that you may have for flowers.
I was gifted this book by our daughter Tessa for Mother's Day and it is a must have.
Here is an excerpt from Amy Merrick author of On Flowers. "If I would have written the book several years ago, I’m sure it would have been a more straightforward flower book based on the seasons. That was the original concept when I started talking to Artisan four years ago. But in the intervening years, I started to travel and experience flowers from all these different angles, as a florist, as a flower farmer, as a gardener, in the country and the city, from the US to Japan to England. I really wanted the book to celebrate all the different ways to love and live with flowers, not only how to put them in a vase."
COMPLETE TUTORIAL ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE JEMMA OLSON
There was a question asked on what type of flowers work best for pressing.
Flat or fine blossoms and leaves seem to work the best.
BEST TYPE OF FLOWERS OF TO USE FOR PRESSING
Pansies, violas, verbena, Queen Anne's lace, many ferns and herbs.
Pressed botanical's will fade over time, so naturally blooms with vibrant and intense dispositions will sustain their color over time.
MATERIALS
- Flower and leaf specimens
- Scissors
- Book
- Cardstock
- Blank cards
- Glue (iCraft Ultra Bond Adhesive) Dries Clear, Permanent & Acid-Free
- Wax paper
Directions
Gather clean specimens that are free of blemishes and spots.
Collect flowers on sunny days when they are not wet from rain or dew.
Never gather species that are protected or endangered; if in doubt, check local regulations.
Snip stems close to the base, or leave flowers on stems.
Place flowers between wax paper.
Close book and weight down with other books and leave undisturbed for a week or two.
Check after one week.
Open the book slowly, and you'll find papery pressed flowers.
Thank you for joining me today, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to press flowers and leaves for gift giving, home décor and custom greeting cards.
Jemma
What a great idea to press the flowers, Jemma. The orange pansies really spoke to me. What a lovely color orange is. And it's so creative to make them into cards. Pansies are such a cheerful flower, and they really remind me of Springtime.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have many good June days ahead, Jemma.
~Sheri
Beautiful, Jemma! Thanks for these tips you gave us here today.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
I love this. I just need to get some pretty flowers! Pinned :)
ReplyDeleteOh Jemma, I haven't used my flower press in so long! I think once I get a few blooms, I just might have to. This is all so pretty!
ReplyDeleteHello there dear Jemma!
ReplyDeleteI just saw a wonderful episode of Escape to the Château for the first time. I was amazed at the British couple who bought a château in France and what they have done with it. The woman, a very artistic person, pressed flowers from her garden and then applied them to the walls of one of the 47 rooms. This room is enchanting to begin with, being round since it's one of the turrets. She adhered her pressed stems and flowers in such a gorgeous way and now that room is alive with a garden sense. I think I will try my hand at this for a small wall hanging!
How pretty. Pressed flowers are so lovely. So many wonderful projects we can do with them. Love the colorful pansies. xo
ReplyDeleteGreat tips and a really cute project. Love all the colors of the flowers you chose. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kris
So creative and pretty dear Jemma. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDelete