How to press roses in a book
Here will be mentioned 3 methods of pressing dried flowers, and how to make a simple embossed plate. Embossing and DIY are both very enjoyable activities, and they often leave you with beautiful memories in the future.
Several precautions for embossing
– The flowers you pick need to be as fresh as possible, choose those that are still in buds or have just bloomed;
– Pick flowers, grasses and ferns in the morning, they need to be dry, not dewy.
– If you can’t press the flowers right away, place them in a ziplock bag and store them in the refrigerator.
– Remove the lower leaves, cut diagonally and place the flowers in a clean vase out of direct sunlight.
Which flowers are best for making dried flowers?
– Delicate, small flowers and those with a flatter shape are best. The most popular ones are cosmos and sweet peas.
-Avoid flowers with complex petals and thick stems. Roses, peonies, and daffodils are best avoided, as are white flowers, as they can turn brown easily.
– If you do want to press a rose or a more complex flower, cut through the middle with scissors or a knife.
How to emboss flowers
Here are three common methods of embossing.
Find a thick book to suppress
Pressing the flowers into a heavy book is the simplest and most common method we use every day. It is best to choose a book that is not important to you because the pages may get damp.
We also recommend using “blotting paper” to absorb moisture. (If you don’t have blotting paper, you can use regular facial tissue or untextured coffee filters.)
1) Place the flowers flat between smooth blotting papers. Arrange it however you feel comfortable, leaving a little space between the flowers.
2) If you have an embossing board, you can write the date on it. If you don’t have a pressing board, use a heavy book or brick to hold the flowers down.
3) Leave undisturbed in a warm, dry place for at least four weeks (possibly less) until both paper and flowers are completely dry.
4) Check the flowers once a week and replace the blotting paper until the paper and flowers are dry.
5) Use tweezers to gently move the delicate dried flowers from the paper to the card, and carefully paste them with a little diluted white glue, especially the stronger parts (stems, leaves, buds).
6) You may want to spray the finished flower arrangement with a clear acrylic spray or, if you are placing the flowers on a box, use a clear varnish.
Press with iron
If you want to press your flowers faster, try using an iron. As mentioned above, place your flowers between the pages and heat the iron on low. (Make sure there is no water in the iron.) Then press the iron against the sheet above for 10 seconds, don’t move the iron back and forth, just press down. Check the flowers and repeat if not dry.
Press with embossed board
If you find that you really enjoy embossing, make your own embossing board! Using two wooden boards, drill holes in each corner, place the flowers and absorbent paper between the boards, and place a bolt Slide up each corner to assemble the embossed board. Fasten the two boards together using wing nuts with washers. Replace the absorbent paper every four days or so (this helps prevent browning) and the flowers need to be pressed for at least four weeks. Once you learn how to press flowers, you can also create floral arrangements for your own greeting cards, framed art, or invitations. Imagine opening a card and finding a beautiful real flower inside. Please see instructions below.
How to make embossed panels
You can make an embossed board out of bits and pieces found around the house!
1) Start by cutting out two boards with the ends the same size. We chose the size of 20cm*30cm as a good portable size.
2) Use a pen to carefully mark 4 points in the corners where you will drill the screw holes to clamp the press together. (Drill the first set of holes, then place the second board under the one with the holes to make sure they fit perfectly).
3) Use leftover paint from around the house to paint the boards.
4) Find some attractive floral patterns and cut them out very carefully. Gift wrap, magazines or wallpaper are also good sources of potentially pretty cutouts.
5) Once you have cut out the patterns, glue them to the end panels using PVA glue.
6) After it dries, apply several coats of varnish to the stuck paper cutouts, leaving necessary time to dry between coats. I usually use 3-5 coats of varnish to give the cutout a shiny look.
7) Then turn your attention to the embossed board. Cut out two layers of thick cardboard and two pieces of old wallpaper, measure where the screws will go and carefully cut out the holes.
8) Assembly time. After the board is dry, place a piece on the bottom with the varnish design facing out and place the screws in the four corners. Next add a layer of cardboard, then wallpaper, then cardboard, and finally the board on top and screw these things together.
9) You can use long screws, because sometimes you can cut a few more pieces of cardboard and press a few more pieces at once.
Save leaves
Leaves from flowering plants or trees can also be preserved! A technique called “glycerolization” makes the leaves and stems soft and elastic, which takes about 2 to 6 days. Here’s how.
1) Mix together one part glycerin and two parts warm water. Stir evenly and pour into a container until the liquid reaches a thickness of about 10cm. Glass containers are best.
2) Completely submerge the leaves in the mixture to “glycerolize” them. They should be placed in a single layer and weighted to keep them under the liquid. After the leaves become soft and elastic, about 2 to 6 days, they should be taken out, drained, and wiped clean with a soft cloth.
3) If you wish, you can glycerolize the entire branch and add it to your flower arrangement. Choose leaves that are about 50cm long and split the stem end of the wood. Remove the lowest leaves. Place that stem end of the branch into the glycerin/water container. As the branches absorb the mixture, add the reserved mixture of one part glycerin and four parts water to the originally marked level.
4) As the glycerol is absorbed, the color of the leaves will gradually change. Most branches take one to three weeks to glycerolize.
Pressing flowers is lovely for all times of life, from weddings to walks, and is also great to do with kids, teaching them the names of leaves while letting them get some fresh air and walks!
Original article author：Fragrant Road Full，If reprinted, please indicate the source.：https://www.theroadfull.com/article/3064.html
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