Flower pressing

[rubydust]

Has anyone tried pressing flowers from their gardens?

My mother used to grow lots of heather, for this specific purpose. She had several flower presses, and would create beautiful pictures from the pressed heather. When I was a child I would help by collecting moss from the woodland area, and this would also be used in the design. She set the heather on a velvet background, and then framed them. They sold very well at local craft shops and craft fairs.

 

[Rhondi]

I have pressed flowers before; roses are particularly lovely to me in a pressed form. I've never grown them specifically for the purpose of pressing but I like the idea. Using a velvet background probably really made her creations pop!. Do you press flowers?

 

[evelynmcgregor]

My mother used to press flowers all the time. Once they were dry she would cover them with some kind of film and put them in a scrapbook. My Dad was in the Air Force so we were lucky enough to visit a number of foreign countries. My Mom's scrapbook had flowers from all over the world. We would all sit together and remenice about the different countries the flowers were from. We all remembered different things about the different countries.

 

[Sunny]

Pressed flowers can also be part of a mixed media artwork such as a painting project. My sister-in-law made a painting series using dried flowers as her base motif. She asked her nieces and nephews to collect any type of small flowers which were pressed inside phone directories. The kids earned good money from those pressed flowers. These became part of her series which were shown in several exhibits and sold to art aficionados.
It's fascinating how nature inspires different types of people in different ways.

 

[Rosyrain]

I used to love pressing flowers when I was younger. I pressed mine in books and kept them for quite a while. I would usually keep the flowers from boys who used to give them to me and dry and press them. I have not thought about doing this in years.

 

[claudine]

I pressed and framed three poppy petals. My boyfriend gave me them on one of our first dates. It was so very romantic! We were drinking white wine near a moat. There were poppies growing everywhere and he picked a few of them for me.
It's a very sweet memory

 

[Pat]

I have pressed a petal or two just to keep them as a reminder of the occassion. I think pressing flowers is a good way to keep memories alive of special times. Flower pressing is a hobby I have not been able to get into.

 

[firelily99]

I haven't for several years but space is so limited for me right now that I just don't do it. Its great fun though and I have created a lot of things out of those dried and pressed flowers.

 

[rubydust]

@ Rhondi - Roses would be a beautiful flower to press. I haven't done it myself in many years, but it was a little flower press that I used to use as a child that set the whole idea off for my mum.

@ Evelyn - I love the scrapbook idea, that's a great way to store precious memories.

@ Sunny - I was in was creative and artistic like your sister in law. Sounds like a beautiful idea. I bet the kids enjoyed earning money too.

@ Rosyrain and Claudine - how sweet and romantic!

@ Patrick and Firelily - it's a great hobby, from what I remember as a child. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'd like to make some time to start pressing flowers again.

 

[gata montes]

Its not something that I've done recently but do remember doing it as a child - mainly because - as it was my grandmothers favorite pastime - she was always very keen to encourage me to do the same and as we were always thinking of and trying out new designs and layouts - we were forever collecting flowers and leaves from the garden to press - so that she always had a plentiful supply for all the greeting cards, book marks and pictures she used to make as gifts.

In fact now that you've mentioned it - its maybe something that I should be doing again - especially as I remember it being both very rewarding as well as very enjoyable

 

[rubydust]

@ Gata - Those sound like some lovely times you had with your grandmother. You must have some lovely memories associated with pressing flowers. I'm sure it would make a very relaxing and enjoyable hobby.