How to Press Flowers volume 2
Hi Readers!
It’s definitely time for an update.
We are in early summer here in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and it is beautiful. My perennials and annuals are blooming, and the wildflower seeds I planted earlier along the cornfield are beginning to pop as well, so as you can imagine I’ve been very busy pressing. It has been a joy!
Here are some more pressed flower tips I want to share with you.
*I usually press the flowers I gather right away, but sometimes I let certain flowers sit on the counter for awhile, such as carpet cosmos, poppies, and even pansies. I gently flatten them out, and arrange the petals as needed, but then I let them sit for a few hours, and they kind of “draw in a bit.” This tends to concentrate the color of the flowers, and it adds a bit of interesting texture. Try it, and see what you think.
*A number of you have written in asking me what kind of glue I use on pressed flowers. To be honest, I’ve tried a number of botanical and expensive specialty glues, but I’ve always come back to plain old Elmer’s Glue. You know, the plain white glue we used in grade school as kids. Actually, I tend to use the small kid’s size bottle, which has a nice tip making it easy to direct the flow of the glue, and the small size fits easily in my hand.
*Pansies are a favorite for pressed flower artists, but they can be tricky to glue properly. Here’s how I glue them: First, place a small drop of glue in the center of the flower, and place a row of small dots of glue along the outer edge of the flower. Arrange the pansy where you want it and press down. Then take a tooth pick and gently run it under the overlapping petals of the pansy from the middle out. See how loose they are? Place a tiny drop of glue on the end of the toothpick, and gently slide it under the unsecured parts of the overlapping petals. Press down, and now you won’t have to worry about them curling up sometime later.
That’s all for now. Keep your questions coming, and I’ll address them as soon as I can. Keep pressing!
It’s definitely time for an update.
We are in early summer here in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and it is beautiful. My perennials and annuals are blooming, and the wildflower seeds I planted earlier along the cornfield are beginning to pop as well, so as you can imagine I’ve been very busy pressing. It has been a joy!
Here are some more pressed flower tips I want to share with you.
*I usually press the flowers I gather right away, but sometimes I let certain flowers sit on the counter for awhile, such as carpet cosmos, poppies, and even pansies. I gently flatten them out, and arrange the petals as needed, but then I let them sit for a few hours, and they kind of “draw in a bit.” This tends to concentrate the color of the flowers, and it adds a bit of interesting texture. Try it, and see what you think.
*A number of you have written in asking me what kind of glue I use on pressed flowers. To be honest, I’ve tried a number of botanical and expensive specialty glues, but I’ve always come back to plain old Elmer’s Glue. You know, the plain white glue we used in grade school as kids. Actually, I tend to use the small kid’s size bottle, which has a nice tip making it easy to direct the flow of the glue, and the small size fits easily in my hand.
*Pansies are a favorite for pressed flower artists, but they can be tricky to glue properly. Here’s how I glue them: First, place a small drop of glue in the center of the flower, and place a row of small dots of glue along the outer edge of the flower. Arrange the pansy where you want it and press down. Then take a tooth pick and gently run it under the overlapping petals of the pansy from the middle out. See how loose they are? Place a tiny drop of glue on the end of the toothpick, and gently slide it under the unsecured parts of the overlapping petals. Press down, and now you won’t have to worry about them curling up sometime later.
That’s all for now. Keep your questions coming, and I’ll address them as soon as I can. Keep pressing!
Labels: flower pressing
posted by Elizabeth at Thursday, June 16, 2005
