Pressed Flowers
(This is only a sample. The handbook will contain graphics etc.)
God has created so many beautiful things for us to enjoy. Truly He has surrounded us with beauty. It has long been a favorite activity of many people to preserve that rich beauty in a lasting form by pressing flowers. Learning to press flowers is so easy! And it is useful too! Once they are pressed, they can be used to make sweet gifts for family and friends.
Flower pressing allows us to capture a little bit of the beauty that God provides out-of-doors, and bring it indoors to treasure throughout the year.
What You Will Need
1. Basket — A basket or similar container can be used to gather your flowers. Pick only the freshest flowers for drying.
2. Flower Identification Book — This will be used to identify flowers with which you might not be familiar.
3. Scissors — Scissors are used to trim the flowers before drying them, and also to cut the blotting paper as needed.
4. Flower Press — This will be used to press flowers.
5. Toothpicks — Use toothpicks to place small drops of glue on the flowers when glueing them in place.
6. Large Tweezers — Tweezers are used to pick up your flowers and place them on the paper.
7. Material for Your Projects — After your flowers are dried, you will want to use them for projects such as pictures, bookmarks, picture frames, stationery, or greeting cards. Materials might include paper, glue, ribbon, calligraphy pens, picture frames, etc. A good project book is always helpful to gain more ideas.
Helpful Information
If dried petals or leaves fall off while you are handling them, do not worry! They can be glued back in place when you are making your project.
Things to Learn
1. Demonstrate how to use a flower press properly. Flower presses are available in craft supply stores. However, home-made presses work well also.
2. Collect and dry six different flowers. Give the name of each of the flowers.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
3. Make three small projects such as bookmarks or stationary using your dried flowers. List the projects that you made.
(1)
(2)
(3)
4. Name five flowers mentioned in the Bible. Also, give the Bible reference for each.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Building and Using a Flower Press
A flower press can be made from two flat, rectangular pieces, usually of wood. Plywood works well, and is both easy to obtain and use. The length of each side usually varies from 6 inches to 12 inches. The wooden frames need to have matching holes drilled in each corner for clamping screws.
Carriage bolts,¼ inch in size, make excellent clamping screws. Use a ¼ inch wing nut for each bolt so that no tools will be required to operate the press. A wing nut is a nut with "ears" on it that allow a person to tighten it by hand. The screws should be long enough to pass through both wooden frames, attach to the wing nuts, and leave room for several layers of blotter paper and flowers. A minimum length should be 3 inches. (Tip: Larger diameter screws and wing nuts, such as 5/16 inch, will make it easier for little fingers to tighten the press.) For the internal layers of the press, cut at least six pieces of cardboard the size of the press. Cut off the corners of the cardboard so they will not interfere with the screws when placed on the press. Also, cut as many sheets of blotter paper as you will need to press your flowers. Blotter paper is a porous paper which will soak up moisture. Paper towels, construction paper or specially purchased blotter paper will all work fine. Cut the corners off of the blotter paper also.
Make the following layers — cardboard, blotter paper, flowers, blotter paper, and cardboard. Continue in this fashion until the press is full. Set the wooden cover on the press and tighten the wing nuts. Be sure to tighten evenly. Leave the flowers in the press in a warm, dry place for three to four weeks. You will need to tighten the wings nuts on the press once each week. It is always better to leave the flowers in the press for a longer time than to take them out too soon.
More Helpful Information
Once your flowers are dried, and you are ready to store them for future use, make sure they are not stored in direct sunlight. The sun may fade the beautiful colors.
When dried, your flowers will become slightly darker than they were when you picked them. For example, pinks might become rose or burgundy.
Date Completed
