Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Easy Press for Dried Plants and Flowers

My friend and mentor Annie Nashold taught me to make these easy flower presses when I volunteered with her as a children’s educator at Duke Gardens.  They are super simple and cheap and can be used again and again.  Any type of flower or plant, as long as it’s relatively flat, can be pressed and dried.   The petals of large flowers like zinnias can be removed and dried separately and then be used to create other shapes and designs.

All you need is cardboard, paper and rubber bands, it’s that simple.  And a good sharp cutter and straight edge are helpful too.  Lay your cardboard flat on a surface you can cut against, I use my sewing mat.  It’s easier if you cut the rectangles the same size as a half sheet of copy paper, so 4.25 x 5.5 inches.  You can make a press using two pieces of cardboard and two pieces of white paper, or 3 pieces of cardboard and 4 pieces of white paper will give you two layers for drying.  The goal is to have a sandwich of cardboard and paper, with the flowers and plants as the filling.

dried plants

A piece of cardboard is the bottom layer with one half-sheet of white paper on top, (copy paper is fine, or heavier if you are feeling fancy). Lay out the plants in a single layer.  Top with another half-sheet of paper and a layer of cardboard.  If you are doing a double-decker, put another half sheet of white paper, more flowers, more paper and a final piece of cardboard.

Use 2-3 rubber bands to hold the layers in place.  Then the kids can add their names and draw or decorate on the outside of the press.  Stack the presses on a shelf for a couple of weeks to dry. If you like you can add something heavy to the top, but it isn’t necessary.

When the press is opened, the flowers will be flat and dried and can then be used to make other crafts and designs.  The kids at Spanish for Fun made cards for mothers day by pasting the dried flowers to card stock and covering with a decoupage sort of clear glue.  Clear laminate or contact paper can also be used to seal the dried objects into bookmarks or other items.

The cardboard press can be used again and again, just put fresh paper inside if it gets stained over time.  I’ve also seen old telephone books, or other heavy books used for pressing flowers.

I found these white boards at The Scrap Exchange in Durham.  They were a steal at 25 cents each.  If you are anywhere near Durham it’s worth the trip. The place is a treasure trove of recycled objects of all kinds and great for craft supplies.  These “slates” are ideal for clipboards with an alligator clip to hold the paper in place and to have a flat surface for outdoor activities like making leaf rubbings or doing scavenger hunts.  And because the non-whiteboard side is some kind of particle board, they make excellent flower presses for me as they are slightly absorbent and a bit heavy when all in a tall pile.

Try pressing plants and flowers the next time you are looking for an activity.  You can also use it as a teaching opportunity to talk about the parts of plants, the parts of flowers and more.



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