Never pressed flowers, what do you do with them?

18 years ago

Hi,

I have never pressed flowers but the other day just for the heck of it I put a few blossoms under some heavy books and wow...in just a week, they were flat and dry and still had some color. I would like to preserve what was in the garden this year, so I can look at it in the winter. I wanted to make something useful with them, maybe decoupage them, but what can you make with them besides bookmarks that I am not sure I will use?

Adam

Featured Answer

Josh

18 years ago

Adam, I think most of us frame arrangements...the easiest to use I've found is an Acrylic Box Frame. It's easily changeable and will hang on wall or stand on my miles of bookshelves...and comes in variety of sizes (4x6" to 18x24"). Sometimes I just frame three perfect fern fronds or Autumn leaves. Sometimes I make a "bouquet" using flowers and bits of ivy, etc. It's fun to change often. There are all sorts of traditional frames too of course...I just like the simplicity and modern look of the acrylic box.

Decoupage is easy using Acrylic Matte Medium as both glue and protective finish. I've done wooden trays, wooden boxes and an antique wooden cannister set. Not really washable but can be cleaned with damp cloth. Or you could do wooden plaques for wallhanging.

Placing flowers and/or foliage between two pieces of clear vinyl adhesive shelfcovering is fun for placemats. I once covered a bathroom window with red Japanese Maple leaves using Elmers Glue. Magical with sun shining thru. Or you could use a variety of different leaves or flowers. Easily removed with wet sponge when you tire of it. Most of my projects are short-term 'cause I love to play...plus I love to try new arrangements.

Notecards are popular but like bookmarkers you just need a few usually. I often add dried flowers to pages of my garden journal..enjoy looking back through it.

Hope others will chime in. I myself need some new inspiration...josh

Here is a link that might be useful: Acrylic Box Frames

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Comments (15)

AdamM321
Original Author
18 years ago
Ohhh...lots of good ideas. I especially like the one about adding them to your garden journal pages!!

Wow, Josh, you are very creative and the bathroom window idea was inspriational! I would have liked to have seen that one. Thanks for all those ideas. If I come up with any new ones I will be sure to share. Thank you for the link too.
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txwoman
18 years ago
I press Texas wildflowers mostly. I use them in framed arrangements and notecards. But I also have done pieces to preserve flowers from special occasions for family and friends, like weddings. Professional framers don't like to work with the pieces I create, because they are so fragile. I usually have to sign a form saying I realize that the framers may accidentally break some of the flowers. I usually frame my own because of that.
AdamM321
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi txwoman..

Saving flowers from special occasions is a nice idea too. I guess we haven't had many of those lately so I haven't thought of it. So you learned to frame to do it, that is a good skill to have developed. Thanks for that idea!

:-)
pressed4time
18 years ago
In addition to the suggestions posted, pressed flowers can also be applied to candles, ceramic tiles, glass ornaments, laminated to make magnets, decorate lampshades, scrapbooks, photo albums, and photo mats.

This is my first time posting to the Garden Web. I love this topic!
AdamM321
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi..

Welcome to Garden Web pressed4time! I also love this subject and every year hope I can be more involved in doing something with the flowers in the yard, but haven't got there yet.

Do you have any photos of some of your projects? Would love to see them.

Thanks for the ideas!
adam
pressed4time
18 years ago
I have some of my work in Yahoo album. Can I post links here?
Lynn
pressed4time
18 years ago
Here is an album of some of my work.

Here is a link that might be useful: various pressed flower items
AdamM321
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Pressed4time..

:-) Really nice projects! I love the photos. The pewter frames were they?....were so cute with the dried flowers in them..lol. Thanks for sharing those with us.

:-)
adam
Luvherbz
18 years ago
Wow...pressed4time... outstanding job... you ARE serious about your flower pressing indeed..... Lovely!

I enjoy growing lots and lots of flowers of course but my passion is growing herbs... I have also pressed these and have used them in card making, decoupaged on frames, and also made some for Christmas ornaments (decoupaged on) with matte finish modge podge... sorry I don't have any examples to show but I love this craft....Try pressing some herbs.... you'll be surprised.....

Luvherbz
pressed4time
18 years ago
Luvherbz,
Yes, many herbs press well! I especially like lavender and thyme. I do not grow many herbs. Which ones do you like for pressing?
sweetpea06
18 years ago
Once I used a variety of colorful pressed fall leaves to create a turkey for a Thanksgiving decoration! It got a lot of comments. :o)
AdamM321
Original Author
18 years ago
Sweetpea, that sounds like a very creative use. Pressed leaves are great too. You don't have a photo do you?

:-)
adam
busylizzy
18 years ago
Pressed4time, Nice work! I wish now I had kept a photo log of all the pressings I have done over the years. I have only kept the blue ribbons for fair/event entries.
Adam, one of my favorite pressed flower makings were when all my friends and family got married, I would ask for flowers from the centerpiece and cake if they used flowers.
Press them and made a framed item such as pressed4time showed for lasting bouquet for the bride and groom.
Another fun year I pressed queen annes lace, put glitter on them and placed on a blue background looking like snowflakes for a Christmas card. I have never decoupaged, but I have used pressed and the same dried flower on top to make a 3 dimensional framed piece using convex glass.
Bookmarks and cards out the whazzo. Put flowers or leaves on candles.Fall leaves look great glowing.
Buy the way, flowers from cherry trees press excellent and keep the pretty pink color.
mikelsa
18 years ago
Hi there! This is the very first time in more than 5 years that I contact or start up again with Garden Web. I missed everyone so much. I was in an abusive marriage and first joined as it was stress relieving. I had to go into hiding with my kids, but have now remarried to such a wonderful man. So I'm glad to say...I'm Back! Now, for my question. I used to press flowers as a kid and did real good. The problem is that I don't do it very well anymore. My flowers are always brown. What am I doing wrong?