Fun Thing To Do: Make Pressed Flowers

When I'm out walking the dogs this weekend, I'll be on the lookout for the last few remaining flowers of summer.

I'll mostly be looking for tiny wildflowers in the neighborhood parks, fields, and even along the Natchez Trace.

(Pictures of the finished product coming soon...)

How To Press Flowers

Here's a list of the many different ways that you can press flowers.

Now, here's how I press flowers:

• If I'm feeling very patient, I default to the old phonebook method. You know, stick a ton of individual flowers between random pages in the phone book. Then, flip through the book several days later trying to find all of the flowers that you put in there. The problem is... this method takes so darned long (2-3 weeks for best results). And by the time I remember that I stuck flowers in the phonebook, I've lost all of my creative energy for whatever it was that seemed like a fun thing to do with pressed flowers at the time.

• When I'm in a big hurry, I use a "modified" wooden flower press to create pressed flowers. The official wooden flower presses that you buy in stores consist of perfectly-sized boards and perfectly-sized straps which result in perfectly-pressed flowers. But I just use whatever old wood scraps we happen to have out in the garage, and I'm satisfied with any slight imperfections that might result.

  For example, if I'm using two small pieces of plywood, I typically bind them together using cable ties (they make 'em fairly long these days). But with larger pieces of wood, I use bungie cords instead. Sometimes, I'll just put something heavy -- like this old bucket of "Whoop Ass" (an orange Home Depot bucket... half-filled with cement... Jim made it... as a joke for the softball team... long story) -- on top of the wood.

  It usually takes 4-5 days to press flowers between two pieces of wood. Oh yeah, always put the flowers on some paper towels or other absorbent paper first.
  

TIP: Always make sure your flowers are completely dry before you press them. And, to accomodate thicker flowers that have raised centers, add fiberfill padding between boards.

I didn't even know there was such thing as a microwave flower press... Microwave presses give you immediate gratification -- pressed flowers in a matter of seconds! I may have to check those out for next time.

Here's how to press flowers in the microwave yourself.

Which reminds me, I wrote about how you can get FREE trees & plants before -- you just pay the small shipping fee. That's always been a popular article, and people have said they've had a good experience with the company.

Check it out... FREE flowers & trees!