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Dried/Pressed Flowers
Diane Moore enchtdcircle@earthlink.net
One of my crafty buddies sent this to me - Seems a little late for this year but I'm going to tuck the idea away for next fall. Preserving Fall Leaves 1. Pick up leaves that have fallen, in orange, red, and other brilliant colors. They should still be soft, not brittle and brown. 2. Wipe them off with a damp sponge to remove dust, and dry them carefully. 3. Brush on acrylic gel medium (available in art supply stores) in light coats, first one side of the leaf, then the other. Allow to dry completely. You may want to brush on two coats to make sure you have coated the entire leaf. This should help preserve the beautiful colors of your fall leaves for many years, and keep them from transferring natural acids to papers and art materials in your collages.
One of my crafty buddies sent this to me - Seems a little late for this year but I'm going to tuck the idea away for next fall. Preserving Fall Leaves 1. Pick up leaves that have fallen, in orange, red, and other brilliant colors. They should still be soft, not brittle and brown. 2. Wipe them off with a damp sponge to remove dust, and dry them carefully. 3. Brush on acrylic gel medium (available in art supply stores) in light coats, first one side of the leaf, then the other. Allow to dry completely. You may want to brush on two coats to make sure you have coated the entire leaf. This should help preserve the beautiful colors of your fall leaves for many years, and keep them from transferring natural acids to papers and art materials in your collages.
kate katep@norfolk.infi.net
Subject: Rose Petals? How can I use them? I get silica drying crystals at a craft store then I bury the petals in it in a microwave safe container and put the whole mess in the microwave. I put a small glass of water in the microwave so that the silica crystals do not get too hot and blacken the petals. Then I bake for 3 minutes and ta da instant dried rose petals. Then I use a strainer and sift the petals out and put them in an air tight container. When I make paper I put some of the petals in the vat and let them absorb some water and get soft again and make paper with them. I have a nice garden and use many different kinds of petals and leaves all summer.
Subject: Rose Petals? How can I use them? I get silica drying crystals at a craft store then I bury the petals in it in a microwave safe container and put the whole mess in the microwave. I put a small glass of water in the microwave so that the silica crystals do not get too hot and blacken the petals. Then I bake for 3 minutes and ta da instant dried rose petals. Then I use a strainer and sift the petals out and put them in an air tight container. When I make paper I put some of the petals in the vat and let them absorb some water and get soft again and make paper with them. I have a nice garden and use many different kinds of petals and leaves all summer.
Sharon Sandahl jsandahl@hutchtel.net
I saw an idea for a tri-fold card somewhere and did it for one of my swaps. I wanted to use dried pressed flowers, but didn't have any (and it was a stamped card swap, so . . .) Decide where on the card you want your flowers to be-front, inside-left, or inside-right. Draw and oval or any shape you desire (I did an oval), and cut it out.Make sure before drawing that one of the folds of the card will be behind your hole. Cut a piece of tissue paper large enough to cover the hole you just cut, and glue it to the back of the card. Now glue the extra fold of cardstock to the fold that has the hole cut in it.Now the back of the tissue paper section is hidden. You begin with a tri-fold card, but it appears to be a piece folded in half when you are done (does this make sense?). My kids looked at these cards and tried to figure how I did it, so it is a neat way to make a card. Now to the pressed flowers . . . Glue flowers to the background of tissue paper. On my cards I used stamped flowers from a piece of cardstock (embossed, colored, glittered) and glued or attached with foam tape. You could stamp directly on the tissue, it gave a different effect than the other way, but pretty.
I saw an idea for a tri-fold card somewhere and did it for one of my swaps. I wanted to use dried pressed flowers, but didn't have any (and it was a stamped card swap, so . . .) Decide where on the card you want your flowers to be-front, inside-left, or inside-right. Draw and oval or any shape you desire (I did an oval), and cut it out.Make sure before drawing that one of the folds of the card will be behind your hole. Cut a piece of tissue paper large enough to cover the hole you just cut, and glue it to the back of the card. Now glue the extra fold of cardstock to the fold that has the hole cut in it.Now the back of the tissue paper section is hidden. You begin with a tri-fold card, but it appears to be a piece folded in half when you are done (does this make sense?). My kids looked at these cards and tried to figure how I did it, so it is a neat way to make a card. Now to the pressed flowers . . . Glue flowers to the background of tissue paper. On my cards I used stamped flowers from a piece of cardstock (embossed, colored, glittered) and glued or attached with foam tape. You could stamp directly on the tissue, it gave a different effect than the other way, but pretty.
Mariann
When I do a card. I arrange my flowers and leave right side down on a peice of cold laminating sheet. Then when you are don with the artrangement you can just apply it to a peice of card stock. I really works nice for me. For book marks you can use that 2" wide clear packing tape. Just the right width.
When I do a card. I arrange my flowers and leave right side down on a peice of cold laminating sheet. Then when you are don with the artrangement you can just apply it to a peice of card stock. I really works nice for me. For book marks you can use that 2" wide clear packing tape. Just the right width.
mwalker mwalker@camalott.com
Here are my instructions on pressing flowers in the microwave. I've had so many questions and comments that I thought I would just put the instructions and wait for areas that you are interested in to make further editorials. 1. Choose the flowers that you desire. The best ones I found that press beautifully are pansies and petunias. Choose ones that are small and lie flat. I also love roses, so I cut them off at the base of the bloom and either pull each petal and press them individually or make a small cut in the base and press it flat in my book before starting. 2. Carefully put the blossoms in an old telephone book and put them in the refrigerator for about a day. Put a heavy bowl on top of the book to keep pressure on it. 3. After about 24 hours start the pressing process. You will need two plates with matching bottoms, paper towels, and your microwave. I found huge Corning Ware plates for the bottom plate as they have no ridges on the bottom, but I use my heavy stoneware plates for the top as they provide the necessary weight. 4. Lay the bottom plate upside down, with the bottom up, fold two paper towels to fit the plate, carefully lay the wilted flowers flat on the paper towel pad, fold two more paper towels and lay them on top of the flower petals, then put your heavy plate bottom down, face up, on top of the whole thing. 5. Put them in the microwave and zap them for 7 minutes on LOW/MEDIUM LOW heat. Let them sit for about a minute to give them time to cool. 6. Take the plates from the oven and let them cool for about 3 minutes after taking the top plate and paper towels off the blossoms. When they are fully cooled, put them in a book if you are not going to use them immediately and put weight on them so they won't curl, but they are ready to use. 7. I usually have about three sets going so I have a rotating cooling/cooking session, but then I'm not the most patient person around either. Some mentioned using other drying ingredients, but I found that cleaning my blossoms up was frustrating to me, so that is why I put them in the refrigerator to give them time to wilt without losing color. I also tried many glues, but found that Rubber Cement seems to work better for me to mount them on my cards. In case you haven't tried the magazine to glue on I want to share that with you. Someone on this list mentioned it and it was wonderful. Take an old magazine, open the cover and apply your glue on the entire surface of the item to be glued. All the petals, and apply it to the card. Then you fold the first magazine page in half lengthwise to cover the glue mess up and use the next page to glue on. I make sure I have gone through the magazine for the pictures I need out of them before I use it for gluing because I then toss the magazine and the mess in the trash when I've used all the pages. It surely saves my tabletop. Several asked me how I put them on my cards. I use my computer to put my sayings on the cards, then glue my blossom on the front first with the stem somewhere in the middle. I then put my stamped/magazine cut out to cover up the stem end. I usually use a piece of fun foam or mounting tape on the cut out to make it look 3-D and protect the stem as well as hiding it.
Here are my instructions on pressing flowers in the microwave. I've had so many questions and comments that I thought I would just put the instructions and wait for areas that you are interested in to make further editorials. 1. Choose the flowers that you desire. The best ones I found that press beautifully are pansies and petunias. Choose ones that are small and lie flat. I also love roses, so I cut them off at the base of the bloom and either pull each petal and press them individually or make a small cut in the base and press it flat in my book before starting. 2. Carefully put the blossoms in an old telephone book and put them in the refrigerator for about a day. Put a heavy bowl on top of the book to keep pressure on it. 3. After about 24 hours start the pressing process. You will need two plates with matching bottoms, paper towels, and your microwave. I found huge Corning Ware plates for the bottom plate as they have no ridges on the bottom, but I use my heavy stoneware plates for the top as they provide the necessary weight. 4. Lay the bottom plate upside down, with the bottom up, fold two paper towels to fit the plate, carefully lay the wilted flowers flat on the paper towel pad, fold two more paper towels and lay them on top of the flower petals, then put your heavy plate bottom down, face up, on top of the whole thing. 5. Put them in the microwave and zap them for 7 minutes on LOW/MEDIUM LOW heat. Let them sit for about a minute to give them time to cool. 6. Take the plates from the oven and let them cool for about 3 minutes after taking the top plate and paper towels off the blossoms. When they are fully cooled, put them in a book if you are not going to use them immediately and put weight on them so they won't curl, but they are ready to use. 7. I usually have about three sets going so I have a rotating cooling/cooking session, but then I'm not the most patient person around either. Some mentioned using other drying ingredients, but I found that cleaning my blossoms up was frustrating to me, so that is why I put them in the refrigerator to give them time to wilt without losing color. I also tried many glues, but found that Rubber Cement seems to work better for me to mount them on my cards. In case you haven't tried the magazine to glue on I want to share that with you. Someone on this list mentioned it and it was wonderful. Take an old magazine, open the cover and apply your glue on the entire surface of the item to be glued. All the petals, and apply it to the card. Then you fold the first magazine page in half lengthwise to cover the glue mess up and use the next page to glue on. I make sure I have gone through the magazine for the pictures I need out of them before I use it for gluing because I then toss the magazine and the mess in the trash when I've used all the pages. It surely saves my tabletop. Several asked me how I put them on my cards. I use my computer to put my sayings on the cards, then glue my blossom on the front first with the stem somewhere in the middle. I then put my stamped/magazine cut out to cover up the stem end. I usually use a piece of fun foam or mounting tape on the cut out to make it look 3-D and protect the stem as well as hiding it.
Libby in Stone Montana
Put them between 2 sheets of self (cold) laminating plastic and then trims around them. Says this looks almost like stained glass and really protects them.
Put them between 2 sheets of self (cold) laminating plastic and then trims around them. Says this looks almost like stained glass and really protects them.
Susan Rieke
I cut a piece of tissue paper the size of the card and lays it on top of the flower side before placing it in the envelope.
I cut a piece of tissue paper the size of the card and lays it on top of the flower side before placing it in the envelope.
Jonni
cover the whole composition with several layers of white Elmer's glue, which dries clear. (Allow to dry thoroughly between coats. She has also experimented using shrink wrap.
cover the whole composition with several layers of white Elmer's glue, which dries clear. (Allow to dry thoroughly between coats. She has also experimented using shrink wrap.
Madene
If you use enough rubber cement to cover the thin pressed flowers and allows it to dry totally the flowers are sealed enough to keep them from being damaged in mailing.
If you use enough rubber cement to cover the thin pressed flowers and allows it to dry totally the flowers are sealed enough to keep them from being damaged in mailing.
Stampcrazy
Place a layer of thin bubble wrap over the top of the card to keep her creation from being ruined in the mail. She also puts "hand cancel" on the envelope and stands and watches the postal clerk hand cancel it. I often put no protection at all and leave it up to the recepient to remove and handle it carefully. Sometimes I take extremely sheer Japanese white paper or lace pape rand Rollataq the paper and layer over the card. Another technique is to create a window card and layer clear acetate over the window from the back side. Cards with 3 or more foldswork well also because the pressed arrangement can be inside the card not vulnerable to handling problems. A "sandwich" made of vellum or other transluscent material can be glued along the spine or along the back edge to cover the front and back of the card (glue at the fold.) Modge Podge can be used to embed the flowers/leaves and seal them in similarly to decapouge.
Place a layer of thin bubble wrap over the top of the card to keep her creation from being ruined in the mail. She also puts "hand cancel" on the envelope and stands and watches the postal clerk hand cancel it. I often put no protection at all and leave it up to the recepient to remove and handle it carefully. Sometimes I take extremely sheer Japanese white paper or lace pape rand Rollataq the paper and layer over the card. Another technique is to create a window card and layer clear acetate over the window from the back side. Cards with 3 or more foldswork well also because the pressed arrangement can be inside the card not vulnerable to handling problems. A "sandwich" made of vellum or other transluscent material can be glued along the spine or along the back edge to cover the front and back of the card (glue at the fold.) Modge Podge can be used to embed the flowers/leaves and seal them in similarly to decapouge.
storrj@juno.com
Take your leaves, flowers, whatever and cut the stem part off as close as needed to get them to flatten as much as possible. Then open your book toward the back and lay several pieces down evenly spaced out and usually upside down. Most flowers and leaves tend more to curl as you close the book if they are face up. Make sure the petals/leaflets are smoothed out and look natural. Then carefully close the book and move about 30 pages or so and do another page, spacing them differently than the previous so that when the book closes the bulk is distributed. Keep going until you "fill" the book. Use fewer flowers and leave more blank pages between thicker material. If you use several books (I have about a dozen going all the time) stack them with the spines on alternating sides. When done, put under weight. I have bought stepping "stones" (flat concrete) that are just larger than the telephone books so the weight is distributed evenly and firmly. Store in a warm place (in the South, a garage is perfect) and do not open the books for about a week. Then you can go through and discard the less than perfect ones and again press the ones you keep. It doesn't matter, but this time I put them in old unabridged dictionaries between sheets of plain white paper to keep them nice and flat until I use them. They should press a total of 3 weeks before layering them on a card or doing whatever you do with them. Juicy plants don't press well (such as begonias). Reds sometime turn brown with age, although usually a lovely antique brown. Some yellows get very light. The queen of flowers for pressing is the pansy. The colors remain true and they last as long as any other. The small violas, or johnny-jump-ups, are a good size for cards. However, try whatever tickles your fancy. I tried some crabapple this past month and they are beautiful- even the delicate pistils and stamens stayed intact.
Take your leaves, flowers, whatever and cut the stem part off as close as needed to get them to flatten as much as possible. Then open your book toward the back and lay several pieces down evenly spaced out and usually upside down. Most flowers and leaves tend more to curl as you close the book if they are face up. Make sure the petals/leaflets are smoothed out and look natural. Then carefully close the book and move about 30 pages or so and do another page, spacing them differently than the previous so that when the book closes the bulk is distributed. Keep going until you "fill" the book. Use fewer flowers and leave more blank pages between thicker material. If you use several books (I have about a dozen going all the time) stack them with the spines on alternating sides. When done, put under weight. I have bought stepping "stones" (flat concrete) that are just larger than the telephone books so the weight is distributed evenly and firmly. Store in a warm place (in the South, a garage is perfect) and do not open the books for about a week. Then you can go through and discard the less than perfect ones and again press the ones you keep. It doesn't matter, but this time I put them in old unabridged dictionaries between sheets of plain white paper to keep them nice and flat until I use them. They should press a total of 3 weeks before layering them on a card or doing whatever you do with them. Juicy plants don't press well (such as begonias). Reds sometime turn brown with age, although usually a lovely antique brown. Some yellows get very light. The queen of flowers for pressing is the pansy. The colors remain true and they last as long as any other. The small violas, or johnny-jump-ups, are a good size for cards. However, try whatever tickles your fancy. I tried some crabapple this past month and they are beautiful- even the delicate pistils and stamens stayed intact.
Mariann scpstamp@erols.com
I just wanted to share something with you. I bought a bunch of flowers to press today. Verbina, Mountain Pinks, and Forget me Nots. I brought them home and striped them down to greens. I got a little anxious to see how they would turn out. So I took some out of the big heavy book I was pressing them in and I put them between a couple of peices of News Paper cut the size of my Microwave. I turned the Microwave on for 1 min. and 30 sec. And they are dry and they still have the color.
I just wanted to share something with you. I bought a bunch of flowers to press today. Verbina, Mountain Pinks, and Forget me Nots. I brought them home and striped them down to greens. I got a little anxious to see how they would turn out. So I took some out of the big heavy book I was pressing them in and I put them between a couple of peices of News Paper cut the size of my Microwave. I turned the Microwave on for 1 min. and 30 sec. And they are dry and they still have the color.
Glenda redhead@tcac.com
I, too, find that I have to grow and press my own. There are flowers stuck in every book in this house. My husband got tired of it and bought me a professional press. It has this kind of a "crank" thing right in the middle of it. I love it. Penny Black's books-the very best one I have is called PB's The Book of Cards and Collages, Simon & Schuster, ISBN0671866362, 17.00, A Passion for Flowers, Simon & Schuster, ISBN0671751069, 30.00, Pressed Flowers, A Complete Guide to Pressing, Drying, and Arranging, S&S ISBN0671660713, 22.00. The 30.00 book is just a luxury, try to get the other two. You will not regret it. I have never seen such beautiful things in all my life.
I, too, find that I have to grow and press my own. There are flowers stuck in every book in this house. My husband got tired of it and bought me a professional press. It has this kind of a "crank" thing right in the middle of it. I love it. Penny Black's books-the very best one I have is called PB's The Book of Cards and Collages, Simon & Schuster, ISBN0671866362, 17.00, A Passion for Flowers, Simon & Schuster, ISBN0671751069, 30.00, Pressed Flowers, A Complete Guide to Pressing, Drying, and Arranging, S&S ISBN0671660713, 22.00. The 30.00 book is just a luxury, try to get the other two. You will not regret it. I have never seen such beautiful things in all my life.
For information on related topics see:
Tips & Techniques: Microfluer
Tips & Techniques: Microfluer