One way to liven up handmade items is to use pressed flowers or leaves. They bring spring into your home and your wardrobe and add color and vitality, not to mention romance. The best part is that they're a quick fix and if you want to be creative literally within minutes, all you need is to know how to press flowers quickly.
Many a child has gone through a period of pressing every interesting-looking piece of plant material between the pages of a heavy dictionary of the family bible. It's a cheap and easy method of preserving flora. Another traditional method is to use a flower press, which is made up of two wooden blocks screwed together with the flower sandwiched in between.
While using books to create the pressure you need is very effective, the plant sap can damage and stain the pages. Another drawback to both the book and the flower-press method is that it takes a couple of weeks before the plant materials you're pressing are ready. They can also become discolored and look dead.
Fortunately there are ways of pressing plant matter by using modern technology. For instance, take a tile and place a piece of cardboard and a sheet of blotting paper on top. Place your flower in the position you want it and then cover it with another layer of paper and cardboard before placing another tile on top. Fasten the two tiles together with rubber bands and pop the whole thing in the microwave. Microwave it only for about ten seconds. Then check your flower and repeat the process until the flower is stiff and dry.
Another method involves the use of a clothes iron. Place your flower in between two sheets of paper and weigh it down with a heavy book to flatten it. Then set your iron to a low heat and keep it on the dry setting so that it won't steam. Remove the book and gently press down the warm iron onto the area where the flower is. Don't rub it and only keep the iron there for a few seconds at a time. Repeat until the flower is dry and stiff.
Applying heat has the advantage that it's quick. You'll have pressed plant materials ready for use within minutes. In addition, they will have retained their colors and vibrancy so that they look as if they're fresh from the garden.
Be careful about the types of flower you decide to give the pressing treatment. Rounded and cup shapes don't translate well into flat shapes, so roses and tulips are not a good choice. It's better to use booms that have a naturally flat shape. Pansies are an excellent choice, as are daisies. Single petals and leaves are great to use as well.
Once you have your pressed plant materials, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to ways of using them. Aside from the more traditional options of greeting cards or bookmarks, you can use them for lampshades made of paper. Paste them onto flat plastic surfaces like old bangles or the cover for your iPhone to give these items a new look. Turn a wooden box into a stunning, colorful jewelry box fir for a princess. Even Easter eggs can benefit from the floral treatment.
Many a child has gone through a period of pressing every interesting-looking piece of plant material between the pages of a heavy dictionary of the family bible. It's a cheap and easy method of preserving flora. Another traditional method is to use a flower press, which is made up of two wooden blocks screwed together with the flower sandwiched in between.
While using books to create the pressure you need is very effective, the plant sap can damage and stain the pages. Another drawback to both the book and the flower-press method is that it takes a couple of weeks before the plant materials you're pressing are ready. They can also become discolored and look dead.
Fortunately there are ways of pressing plant matter by using modern technology. For instance, take a tile and place a piece of cardboard and a sheet of blotting paper on top. Place your flower in the position you want it and then cover it with another layer of paper and cardboard before placing another tile on top. Fasten the two tiles together with rubber bands and pop the whole thing in the microwave. Microwave it only for about ten seconds. Then check your flower and repeat the process until the flower is stiff and dry.
Another method involves the use of a clothes iron. Place your flower in between two sheets of paper and weigh it down with a heavy book to flatten it. Then set your iron to a low heat and keep it on the dry setting so that it won't steam. Remove the book and gently press down the warm iron onto the area where the flower is. Don't rub it and only keep the iron there for a few seconds at a time. Repeat until the flower is dry and stiff.
Applying heat has the advantage that it's quick. You'll have pressed plant materials ready for use within minutes. In addition, they will have retained their colors and vibrancy so that they look as if they're fresh from the garden.
Be careful about the types of flower you decide to give the pressing treatment. Rounded and cup shapes don't translate well into flat shapes, so roses and tulips are not a good choice. It's better to use booms that have a naturally flat shape. Pansies are an excellent choice, as are daisies. Single petals and leaves are great to use as well.
Once you have your pressed plant materials, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to ways of using them. Aside from the more traditional options of greeting cards or bookmarks, you can use them for lampshades made of paper. Paste them onto flat plastic surfaces like old bangles or the cover for your iPhone to give these items a new look. Turn a wooden box into a stunning, colorful jewelry box fir for a princess. Even Easter eggs can benefit from the floral treatment.
About the Author:
Card makers and artists can easily learn how to press flowers quickly with the help of our user manuals. For FAQs, simply visit the related homepage at http://www.microfleur.com.
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