I often get asked what method I use to press and dry my flowers, so I thought it would be helpful to write up a tutorial and share a few little tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way.
I use a giant vintage dictionary I found while thrifting one day. It works great and I love the nostalgia of pretty old books, but you can also follow the steps below using a flower press.
One tip I learned is to make sure that you are either able to press your flowers very soon after picking or are prepared to put them in water to keep them from wilting. If they wilt, the petals wont press in a nice shape.
Once you have gathered the flowers you would like to press lay them out next to the book or flower press you plan to dry them in. I like to press my flowers between wax or parchment paper. This prevents the moisture that is released from the flowers as they dry from seeping into the book pages (or cardboard if using a press). This can be problematic when you go to retrieve your dried flowers because they can stick to the pages of the book and break apart when you go to remove them. The wax paper is not porous, so it prevents this from happening.
Be sure to place your flowers in the position you want it to be pressed. For example, if you want the face of the flower flat (a portrait angle) be sure to clip it off close to the head of the flower and lay it face down. Conversely, if you’d like more of a profile shape of the flower lay it on its side.
Once you arrange the flowers how you would like them to be when dried and pressed, carefully close the book. If your book isn’t particularly big or heavy you can stack a few other books or weighty objects on top of it. Be sure to leave your book in a flat position so the flowers don’t shift around.
This final step may be the hardest: wait! Depending on the season and temperature in your home you should wait a minimum of 10-14 days to let your flowers thoroughly dry out. After about 10 days you can check and see how your flowers look. They should retain their pressed shape and feel dry. The color will have most likely faded a bit but should still be vibrant.
Once your flowers are dry you can use them in so many fun crafts such as candle making, cell phone cover décor, resin jewelry, diy floating frame, etc.
Thanks so much for visiting, let me know if you have any other questions or tips and tricks of your own!
Happy Creating - Whitney
