Flower pressing.....

....traditional flower pressing.....

Pressing flowers is a pastime that has been around for centuries.....

There is something very romantic and nostalgic in finding

a forgotten flower from a young lover hidden within the pages of an old bible,

or a four leaf clover pressed in an old diary or journal.....a reminder of a moment in time long since gone...

It is something I used to do with my mum when I was a little girl growing up in Norway....

.....So I decided to carry on this tradition and introduce Little Miss Moo to the art of flower pressing....

 ....Today I will be posting about traditional flower pressing...

.....the old fashioned way of pressing a freshly picked flower in between the pages of a heavy book still works a treat today....But you can also use a flower press, like the one in the picture above...

....they are really easy to make: just two bits of flat wood with holes drilled in each corner for

4 long bolts with wing-nuts for tightening.....In between the two bits of wood, layer squares of cardboard.....

....but if you don't want to make one yourself, they can be bought at places like hobbycraft....

....I was lucky enough to find one in a charity shop for £1....

The principle is the same, just make sure you layer your flowers in a fold of absorbent paper before pressing....

 The most importaint thing to remember when doing flowerpressing, is to use freshly picked flowers...

Prepare your flowers by trimming away any bulky or unnecessary  foliage...

...make sure your flowers are clean and dry....I suggest not to wash them under water, but use the cold setting on a hairdryer to blow away any dirt...

The process of flower pressing removes the moisture in your flowers, so you don't want to add to that...

....next you need to flatten your flowers as best you can....dissect your flowers, by cutting off the stems and leaves, then arrange it all on a bit of absorbent bit of paper before pressing...

Flat flowers, like Daisies, Pansies and Violas are easy to press, but if you want to press thicker flowers, like roses, the petals will need to be pressed individually, then put back together after...

Some flowers, like Hibiscus and Lilies must be pressed on their sides, but If you want your flower to face you, place your flower face down, so the petals wont crease when pressed...

When you have arranged your flowers in a fold of absorbent paper, layer within the cardboard of your flower press/ pages of your book.....

...now you want to apply some pressure...

If you are using a flower press, tighten the wing nuts as much as you can to compress the content within your two bits of wood....

If you are using a book, just add some more books or a heavy item on top....

 

 ....Now all you need is patience....

.....Small flowers take in excess of 2 weeks to fully dry and compress,

....Leaves normally take approx. 3 weeks and thin flowers take 4 weeks...

If you are pressing thicker flowers or waxy leafs expect to leave them in the press for 6 weeks or more.....

....if you are impatient like me, I will show you how to speed up the process using a microwave in my Saturday DIY tutorial....and I will also show you how I framed our pressed posy's....

Please pop by again soon....

xxx

June