I think every thrifty home/home with kids should have a flower press.
It brings so much pleasure over so many years and is one of those items that can last endlessly.
When I was a child we used a very old heavy battered book to press our flowers. It was past being read but was big and solid enough to press our flowers ready for crafting. My daughter has a very simple thing cardboard paper with a little velcro. I am sure these would be very simple to construct yourself.
They are fairly cheap though. This Flower Press is wooden and has secure clamps and only costs around £10 from Amazon. Gorgeous.
Flower pressing as a hobby and an art form has been around for ever and is as much fun for adults as for children.
A friend of mines mother makes lovely flower pressed cards she sells in boutique stores, my 6 year old makes cards for poorly uncles and a very sweet and simple bookmark for Great Grandma.
The love of flower pressing spans ages, generations.
A few flower pressing tips
- Arrange your flowers and leaves on the bottom part of the press.
- Lay them as flat as possible on the sheet of pressing paper. If they overlap that’s fine but they will be stuck like that when dry
- Don’t pick wild flowers use fallen ones.
- Use flowers and leaves that aren’t wet.
- Use flowers that are at the height of their blooms the colours will fade
- Flowers with flat faces, like daisies, make good candidates for pressing.
- If you want to press a flower with a rounder shape, such as a rose or tulip,you need to gently break it apart and press one half of the flower flat.
- Leave your press in a dry press and check after a few weeks.
(tips gleaned from WikiHow)
If you are an adult or older child wanting to craft with pressed flowers there are some good tips over at The New Artist’s Corner
If nature crating is something you are interested in I have an inspiring pinterest board I would love you to follow
Follow Becky Goddard-Hill’s board Nature Craft and Play on Pinterest.
Some great tips there–whenever I’ve pressed roses I’ve tried to flatten the whole thing. Never looks great, I must say. And once I found it mouldy, ugh.
What a perfect time of year to be thinking of flower pressing with all the daisies out everywhere! xox
This is perfectly timed Becky! I was just talking to Kitty about flower pressing at the weekend and how we should try it!
So simple yet so brilliant. I used to press flowers by putting them under the carpet just inside my bedroom door. So everytime you stepped in my room you squished it just a little bit more
Great tips. I think flower pressing is great for keeping the memory of special flowers bought.
This brought back memories, I used to have a flower press as a child, and I used to love pressing them. You end up with some thing so pretty. Great tips on how to use one properly too! :o)
Wow it looks great! thank you for reminding me to do this with my girls!
My grandfather had the most amazing garden and I loved pressing petals in books and making things with them. I have never tried this with my daughter, I will have to give it a try as it is a really lovely thing to do
Ooh Becky, what a useful post. I’m embarrassed that I hadn’t thought about doing this with T, because he loves flowers and is constantly picking them for people. We could definitely make them a bit longer lasting with a flower press. x
Gorgeous pastime and one I did many a time as a child, you’ve prompted me to start with the girls, they will adore this craft