Making Pressed Flower Art and Crafts

Pressed Flowers in the News

2012-01-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

I am always searching for information about Pressed flower Art and pressing flowers in general. So I decided to share some things I have found in the News about Pressing and crafting with them .

A WWPFG member and dear friend of mine
Conrad Stoltz
hit the newspaper last year and I have it on my other blog
World Wide Flower Pressers and Artists blog

Here is another dear Canadian friend and PF artist Dorothy Wark (Dee as we call her ) click pic for larger view and story. You can read her interview and see her lovely works at my blog listed above too.

The simple botanical luminaries in Kelly Wilkinson’s new book, “Weekend Handmade,”
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2011/12/weekend-handmade-flower-luminarias-.html

this I knew but glad to see an article on it! Horticulture helps mentally challenged

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/12/16/Horticulture-helps-mentally-challenged/UPI-74081324017771/?spt=hs&or=hn

For the record gardening is good for your health too !

I am going to try to find more news later , if you find some please let me know?

Peace and Happy Pressing

Let's Press , a simple how to

2011-09-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

First we cut our flowers and in this case I gathered petals from a few sunflowers too. I like to re-use a take out plastic tray and a dishrag to gather my flowers for pressing .
1.This is handy to absorb any moisture from them stems and such. 2. If you can not press immediately You can add another rag or paper towel on top of the flowers and put try in your vegetable drawer of frig till you are ready to press. On extremely Hot days I believe it helps to do this with the flowers for an hour just to perk them up. But some flowers close quickly so it is a challenge . Best bet trial and error.
Best picking time, on average right after the dew is dry.

Okay let's press . I am using a press this time .

this press came with the hard board and a newsprint type paper , I add a half sheet of viva towel too

Place your flowers as you want them to look , it is best in general to lay them face down.

a tender smash can help make it stay

adding the paper on top

continue adding layers as before

Don't forget the stems of your flowers, if they are thick you may want to use a razor knife to slice in half.

Use leaves and foliage from plants too ,this is yarrow

try not to shift the other layers when add the next on top

look for tendrils they are pretty in pressed flower crafts

Sunflower petals and many flowers too thick are still great to press like zinnias and many others!

Okay I have my layers done and the press will go in a dry room for about 2 weeks . Or I can stick it in my back seat of a hot car and it will be ready in a few days !

Time lapsed ... lets see how it looks

okay see how the petals stuck a little to the paper ...well I cropped the picture too much for you to see but I have a very thin egg flipper / spatula that I use to help lift them from the paper .

sometimes just shaking it lightly or scratching the back of the paper will help loosen it too.The thinner the petal the more careful you must be.

I like to use the cheap paper plates to stack the flowers on and then I Re-use the thin store plastic bags from the vegetable section to put the plates in to seal

most flowers tend to change colors slightly yellows turn richer, hot pink my turn purple sometimes ?


fun trick if you look at a fresh flower with sunglasses on you see what the flower will probably look like after ! hmm . Now are you ready to try it? let me know how it turns out . Have fun with it . Peace and Happy Pressing !

6 Pretty Crafts from Handmade Paper

2011-07-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

6 Pretty Crafts from Handmade Paper

I love this slide show . I think with some of the other wonderful tips I have gotten I may be trying some of this soon.

Hydrangea Pressing Coming soon

2011-06-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone , I have some pretty Hydrangeas and I am getting ready to press them .

click this picture and to go to my other blog with more Hydrangea pictures

I decided I would post the before pictures now and then post pictures of the Pressing in the next blog....Hopefully this will make me take more pictures while doing it !!!
Peace and Happy Pressing

Save your cereal boxes I will show you a use for them !

Pressed Flower Art Society of Pakistan

2011-04-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

It takes a while for these to upload but It Is Worth it :>}

Hello everyone this is of the young students of the New PRESSED FLOWER ART COMPETITION Organized by
Pressed Flower Art Society of Pakistan
In collaboration with
Nature Club of Pakistan . Their President Muhammad Raza Khan is now an honored member of the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild .

How do you See a flower ?

2011-03-31T05:49:00.001-07:00

Nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small. We haven't time - and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time.
If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small like the flower is small. So I said to myself - I'll paint what I see - what the flower is to me but I'll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it - I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.

...Well, I made you take time to look at what I saw and when you took time to really notice my flower you hung all your own associations with flowers on my flower and you write about my flower as if I think and see what you think and see of the flower - and I don't.
- Georgia O'Keeffe

Here is one of Georgia's paintings , I saw this one and thought of a friend that does art work with Flowers and Bones .

Georgia O'Keefe, a photo by Martin Beek on Flickr.

Here is one of Georgia's paintings , I saw this one and thought of a friend that does art work with Flowers and Bones .
Laura has a wonderful eye for nature and she sees beauty beyond what most people imagine.
http://forestwalkart.blogspot.com/p/decorated-skulls.html

How to press flowers , what you need .

2011-02-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

Lately I am seeing a lot of people wanting the basics of " how to press ?"
The main thing you need is Flowers , scissors , something to press them in, weight and patience !
You do not have to buy anything!
Use what is available to you to get started .
Pressing flowers can be fun and therapeutic too!
basics for book pressing...
Find flat flowers to start with , pansy ,violas , leaves etc
Place flower between 2 sheets of acid free paper to protect the pages of the book. Leave at least 1/8" of pages between pressings, weigh the book down and wait a couple of weeks.
take out and check they should feel like thin paper when done.

this was my very first pressings in 2006 ! I used phone-books and lots of Up-cycled materials !

here's what I picked to press !

click the picture for a close up of my first pressings !

by 2008 I am using my car for a solar dehydrator , saving weeks of drying time! these is just a few of my presses!

All other things come as you get more detailed at it.
I have post on how to make presses of all sizes from mini to 12x12 . I have several post here tagged that can help , use the search box here to find these ! 'How to' , 'make presses' , glues and sealants , pressing , these posts can give you more details to use. Here is a link to start with ,it tells of several ways to press. how-to-press-flowers-different-ways Hope this helps ! If you have any questions?
Please ask and I will answer ASAP.
Peace and Happy Pressing

I Smashed my Plants , on purpose !

2011-02-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of Those days ? For me it comes often for no reason at all ? If it is not PMS it is Pre- menopause ! Isn't it fun being a female??
Anyway I was talking to some E-friends at WWPFG and we were talking about Smashing Flowers !
Yes smashing them with a Hammer , Not pressing !
I had ordered a book on this a couple of days ago planning to try it this Spring .
But after we got talking I just could not resist !
We had some nice weather here in NC today , near 60 by noon. The wind behaved most the way.
Please remember this was not planned out. I just decided to pound on something today and see what happened!
I had some watercolor paper to try this , found some hammers,

cutting sheet , a piece of cardboard and a strong table .
Oh and of course I had to take a quick trip to the garden.

I would prefer a big rubber mallet but did not have it!
I believe that and a little patience it could be fun.
Oh and it would probably be good to tape it down too!
mine shifted ... live and learn !
I took pictures as I went and made a slide-show.
Now I think I will wait for the book to try it again !

scanned final product

I plan to press flowers matching what was smashed , maybe adding them in the crossing opposite direction . Maybe some Sanwa on top ?....
Thanks for stopping by !
Let me know what You think of the results .
Peace and Happy pressing or smashing !

Every day is Earth Day ! Teach the kids to be "UP-cyclers "

2011-02-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

This is a Math ,Science, eco-friendly experiment. This can work in classrooms , after-school events , home school or just to spark the imagination.

Teach the kids to be "UP-cyclers " get each child bring in 1 magazine the family was going to throw away!

Save them in a pile till they all get theirs to you .
Then put them on a bathroom scale and weigh them.

The older they are the more you can do with this . Here is a few ideas .

For math calculate how many pounds of trash that would be in a year ? Research what you can re-use them for ? Do art , Or just make sure they get properly recycled instead of being in household trash!

This way they can see how much waste gets saved by re-purposing the magazines !

I was a custodian for over 10 years watching the waste . I did this with a week supply of newspapers normally thrown away at that 1 school.

The 4th grade class and I weighed it , calculated the weeks of school X the weight and came up with near a half ton!
I did this in April , it was my month to teach recycling ! Everyday should be Earth Day!
Here is some ideas or search for re-cycled magazine crafts

recycled-crafts-rolled-magazine-bowls

click pic to see more

this place has lots of ideas to do Up-cycling too
http://www.craftbits.com/recycled-crafts

make a handbag

http://pursepatterns.com/magazine_purse.html

How to Make a Recycled Magazine Flower - CraftStylish

Press Flowers in them ,just re-use computer paper to put the flowers or leave between and add weight !

Most of all Have fun , that will make them want to find more ways to UP-CYCLE .
Peace and Happy creating.

Making Papyrus paper from your Vegetables by Donita

2011-01-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Dear Friends as I promised here is the Interview and How to from Donita , enjoy .

THE INTERVIEW

Q. What is your Name and where are You from ?

A: Donita Jacobson Willeford I am from California but now live in Virginia.

Q: What medium or mediums do you work with most ?

A: Acrylic paint, pressed flowers, paraffin wax and beeswax.....and more wax. (:

Q: How long have you been an artist / crafter ? How did you get started?

A:When I was six years old my uncle taught me how to make "wood fiber" flowers. I spent every dime I got going to the "hobby store" and buying little sheets of the stuff. I was hooked. When I learned that I could make art there was no stopping me. I tried everything. I wasn't very good but I tried. Crocheting, knitting, weaving, hooking rugs, painting, making candles, dancing, music and I wasn't good at any of it.

I even bought fat from the local meat cutting plant so I could render my own tallow for making soap. That was fun. Then I switched to making olive oil soap and decorating it with pressed flowers. So I kept practicing and my mother was right...."practice makes perfect"......Finally I learned how to do a lot of things. I even taught a class in my high school art class on how to make a darling crepe paper Santa Claus. When I was sixteen I sold them for $5.00 and at that time it bought me a ski pass.

Eventually I learned how to make museum quality Victorian Lampshades. I opened a store in Sandpoint, Idaho. I wanted to make one like the original shade that was given to me as a gift. I had no idea how it was done.....so finally after years of practice.....I taught myself how to paint flowers on fabric in the Russian Zhostovo style. I bought many books and videos. I painted my first shade and coated the painted carnations with "sugar glass"......put it in my candle store in Charlottesville and it sold for $400 the first week. I painted several more shades and made candles.

I love to put pressed flowers on "hurricane" candles. I learned how to make birds using pressed flowers. Those are my favorites. I sold a lot of Roosters. It was wonderful to have a large studio at my house and go to "work" doing what I loved. I love gardening and had 3 1/2 acres so I had all of the flowers and leaves and vines I could use. Millions.....yes millions. Years ago I read a magazine article when I was living in Florida.

A woman by the name of Cellestine Hanemann wrote an article about how to make flower presses. I found it interesting so I saved the magazine. It wasn't until about 6 years later I got out that magazine and followed her instructions for making padded flower presses. How exciting that was. I had dozens of small presses and I was on my way to becoming a flower presser. I needed so many because people were buying my flower art candles that I figured out how to make large presses that would dry hundreds of flowers at a time and still have good air circulation. Cellestine gave me a wonderful compliment when she said she had never thought of drilling holes it the top and bottom wood pieces. She is the "Goddess" of pressed flowers. I made dozens of those presses.

Luckily I lived in a natural Dogwood grove and had all of the dogwood blossoms I could use and then some. Dogwoods are the state flower of Virginia where I now live. I joined a Yahoo Group, Pressed Flowers, then after a few years some of the members suggested that I join the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild. That was the best thing I did. The members are a group of very talented artists. Many are fine artists and travel around the world competing against other artists from many countries. I have learned over the years many techniques for pressing flowers....it isn't always easy.....all flowers are not alike. I even made a solar oven to use for speeding up the pressing process. I also found that pressing quickly keeps the colors true. Food dehydrators work well but I just wanted to do it without using electricity. You can put a press in a hot car and get the same results using solar power. My 10 year grandson made a solar oven for a school project this year. He has been doing flower art and candles with me since he was born. Now I think he likes girls better.

Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?

A: I took dancing classes, piano and violin lessons, art classes and then it was mostly experimenting. However, I did take a paper making class from a Master paper maker and artist, Julie Vhrr, in Coeur d'Alene Idaho. She had her art training at Berkeley. She taught me how to pound fibers and pull sheets of natural fibers. We became friends after that. I am pretty much self taught because I have the discipline to stick with a project until I figure it out.....and if I can't figure it out.....it isn't for me. (smile). I set up a studio in the basement of one of my candle stores and taught candle making classes.

My daughter did it with me and that was a good time in our lives. She is teaching me how to do wool felting now. When we lived in Idaho we bought raw wool and learned how to clean and card it. Then used drop spindles to spin the fibers. I used to bead over moth holes in wool sweaters.....now she is using the technique of felting to cover the holes and add designs to the garment. The best thing about art is that there are no rules and being subjective just about anything can be turned into art and it will be interesting to someone. My daughter is talking about starting a business teaching art to young children and pre teens. She has a friend who teaches one year olds. That sounds funny to me.....but babies need art too. If they put their talents together and rent studio space it could be a great business. We live in an area with hundreds of new houses and lots of stay at home mothers who would love to drop off their children for art classes. I could do special classes and teach flower pressing, making paper, candles to the older children and there is always dipping flowers and leaves into paint and making their own wrapping paper. That is for all ages....including me.

Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?

A:If you want to press flowers then by all means make Cellestine's presses. It makes it so easy to have good results right from the beginning. Her technique incorporates using quilt batting. That helps the flowers from being squashed as the padding gently forms around the shape of the flower. It also allows air circulation to flow around the flowers. Flowers are fragile and need acid free paper and glues to work with. I use Aleen's glues and botanical glue and recently learned about using egg white for flowers to help keep the colors true. I use Krylon UV Resist spray varnish over my candles and cards to help retard the natural fading that occurs when sunlight is present. Wall art is a different story. People seal them from air using vacuum techniques. Very thin papers are also used over flower art to help protect them too. I have made cards and bookmarks and dipped them into beeswax. That helps to preserve the flowers and adds an interesting look. Very quick way to seal flowers.

Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?

A: I am pretty much very simple in design....except when I decided that all roosters didn't have to be red. I made purple and pink ones and people loved them too. I sold as many as I could make. Who knew?

Q: Can you recommend any books, videos or other resources that will help new artists?

A: Of course Cellestine Hannaman's book "Glorious Pressed Flower Projects" It can probably be found on Amazon and is well worth buying it. There are many good books. Also one by Joanna Sheen "Microwaved Pressed Flowers"has been very helpful. Both of these women are members of The World Wide Pressed Flower Guild.

I started painting flowers very badly using Donna Dewberry's One-Stroke Painting. I even took pictures of the process so I could show people how someone with no talent for painting could actually learn how to paint. I almost gave up. Then I graduated and bought many other books on painting. One of my favorites is Zhostovo Florals by Priscilla Hauser.

Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece What inspires you?

A: I was born that way. (smile)

Q: Do you have a website you would like to share?

A: http://donitalouise.com/

However I don't make all of those candles anymore. I don't have time or space and am a caregiver for my husband so my projects have to be on a smaller scale.

I do sell candle making tutorials for advanced candlemakers. People have asked me to write a book but I bought many many candle books and I always had questions. You can't ask a book. So I tell my customers that they can email me as much as they like and I will help them figure out how get the results they are looking for. I have met some great people from around the wold. One man even sent me a Greek Calendar with recipes and a CD of Greek music. I got some beautiful hand blown glass beads from Italy from a woman who has become a friend. Another woman from Australia sent me a CD of Celtic Designs. This has been a wonderful journey. I have been a member of a candle and soap forum board for several years.

Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?

A: If you think you would like to try something. Just do it and worry about perfecting it later if you so desire. Otherwise....try something else. Whatever stirs your soul. Art does come from the soul.

Will You share how You made Your Beautiful homemade papyrus paper ?

I make regular pulp paper but recently a friend from the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild, Rebekah, gave me a challenge. I took her up on it and did an experiment making a kind of papyrus paper. Instead of pounding the fibers, you press them together.

I don't know how I will use this application but the more I think about it my minds starts racing. Very exciting to me to try something I haven't done before. My first "paper" was made with one apple.

I used my mandolin slicer on the medium setting and then cooked them in the microwave for three minutes. That makes them soft and pliable.

Carefully blot them on towels. Then using my Cellestine press I put a piece of thin wood on the counter, a half inch stack of cut newspaper, a piece of acid free plain paper and placed the apple slices on overlapping each just a little over the other. Then covered with another piece of acid free paper and a stack of newspaper.

Put a thin board that has quilt batting glued on to it on top of the newspaper. Put a heavy weight made out of my clay tortilla/garlic roaster dish. I also put two more ceramic cups inside to add more weight. Bricks or a pizza stone would work well.

I microwaved the stack for 1 minute on 1/2 power. Let it cool for a minute then repeated. Next take out the stack and replace the acid free paper a newspaper that are now wet. Back into the microwave and repeat the process.

If it is summer you can put the stack in your car to act as solar oven or in a food dehydrator. I just turned on my oven to 200 and then turned it off. Put the stack of apple slices in the oven topped with the weight. A few hours later I turned on the oven an turned it off. Changed the wet papers again and put it back in the oven. Just before I went to bed I did the process again. In the morning the "paper" was almost dry. I turned on the oven again. And repeated the process one more time. A few hours later I peeled off a beautiful piece of "apple slice paper". It is translucent and flexible.

The whole process took about 30 hours. A food dehydrator would be faster but you have to be careful not to over dry or they would become crisp and you don't want that. I started a piece of Clementine paper yesterday and played with the slices coaxing them into interesting shapes.

I have a design in mind of doing a landscape all at one time and a "still life" using slices of fruit placed in and around a bowl made out of fruit or veggie slices. These could be framed and used as wall art. More simple small designs could be beautiful as the front of a greeting card or laminated and used for coasters to place mats. Lampshades come to mind also. A piece of fruit or veggie paper could be glued to card stock and used to make little gift boxes. The ideas are endless. It would look pretty as a cover for handmade photo albums.

Jump in and join in the fun!

Wasn't that a neat idea , Donita does some fabulous things ,hopefully she will be back to share more.

Please leave Messages and Questions here for Donita

and don't forget to click the How did you like it buttons too. It is nice to know someone has been by.

Peace

Recycle Your Vegetable Garden into Beautiful Papers

2011-01-05T08:16:00.000-08:00

Rebekah Smith recently posted an article she found about making paper from your vegetables and fruit .

How to Recycle Your Vegetable Garden into Beautiful Papers

Read more: How to Recycle Your Vegetable Garden into Beautiful Papers | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4414884_recycle-vegetable-garden-beautiful-papers.html#ixzz1AAxfuGFa

Making Paper from plants and vegetable waste is no new thing for our friend Donita J.Willeford. She comes up with new and exciting things all the time. She saw this idea and ran with it . I asked her if we could blog about her newest paper and she said 'Yes', laaaa !

I will be posting it ASAP so come back soon for

"Making Paper from your Vegetable Garden by

Donita Jacobson Willeford"

Till then check out these ideas too.

How to Make Paper With Seeds

make-paper-seeds.html

How to Make Paper Seed Ornaments

make-paper-seed-ornaments.html

If you have done this and would like to share a link please feel free. Peace and Happy Creating

Also check out the fabulous Interviews going on at

http://flowerpressersworldwide.blogspot.com/

I have been busy

2010-12-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

Hello All , sorry I haven't posted here lately , I have been working on a blog of interviews from Flower Pressers .

I just published the 3rd Heirloom interview.
I have a few more lined up too !!! Suzanne Faith is next !
If you have any trouble viewing it or leaving messages there Please let me know ?
Marie Ann shares Lots of tips there and really praised WWPFG in her interview as a true PR person would do!
I hope everyone enjoys it!
http://flowerpressersworldwide.blogspot.com/2010/12/marie-ann-robinson-wwpfg-heirloom.html

Wishing You all a Happy and Peace filled New Year!

What is the color of peace ?

2010-11-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

I have never gotten too old for crayons . They have always been an easy way to entertain a child. The child in me still stops when they put up a new Crayola display at the store.
I came from the generation that dreamed of their first 64 pack with the built in sharpener.
There are so many colors now of crayons to choose from .
I read that there has been more than 400 colors created at crayola at you can find out the 120 core colors here.
http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/history/chronology.cfm
So why is it that the red is always the first to go. I was thrilled when they started selling 8-packs of just Red ! One of my favorite packs to find was the Multicultural (Skin Tone) Crayons .

now I want the Tub of Pencils

I like looking for coloring pages and sometimes stained glass patterns to inspire me .
I found a nice page to try to color or maybe use for a pattern to do a pressed flower picture. It is of a Dove with ribbons and crayons. You just have to see it . Color of Peace

here's another with the peace dove and the globe .
/coloring/christmas/pages/peace-dove.htm
here's some more
Coloring/WorldPeaceDay

Oshibana "pressed flowers" videos

2010-11-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

First let me say I found these on Youtube . They are in different languages and I am sorry the translator will not work on these. But Flowers are as Universal as Smiles!

I am so excited our guild has a chance to have this lady teach at our 2011 WWPFG Conference . This video shows How to vacuum seal your picture .

This video shows how to put an arrangement on a picture together .

This one shows an interesting way to put a rose together.

These were very helpful to me , I hope You enjoyed them too.

How to create a Pressed Flower picture

2010-10-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well I officially did some Art in my "Studio" Monday , I can stop calling it a Shed ! Laa

I worked for a week moving and sorting mixed stored things 4 years of 4 moves since 2006. I have too much junk with sentimental value. Just to get enough room to get started. It is no where near being finished .

But Monday morning I woke determined to get the pictures ready I had promised to send to the Nature Club of Pakistan, soon to have the first Pressed flower Club in Pakistan !

I hope they are okay, it has been so long since I tried cutting mat-board .

So I was almost frustrated by the time I actually got started on them.

Then I redesigned them a dozen times too.

So once I got the design I wanted, I decided I would take pictures along the way to hopefully help others try it too.

So here is the project.

things needed for this project .

1.decide on the flowers You will want to use. I like to prearrange mine on an extra piece of paper the same as i am using as background.

2. paper for background (NON acid)

3 (NON acid) glue ,botanical glue is great but for this You could use school glue ,tacky glue , PPA or what ever You have on hand . ( I do have a blog here on glues and sealers too if you need help deciding on what to use?try the search button for that)

4 . toothpick or tiny brush for applying glue.

5. Maybe a rock ...

Select paper

add glue very light , small dots ,the least the better

Place the glued flower onto paper,

hold down firmly for a moment to let glue take hold. Sometimes I lay a book on it while preparing the next flower.

continue gluing each piece and repeat till done.

I love using a little rock to put my glue on ,it keeps it close and handy for me!

Here it is finished for framing .

This picture has pink dogwood with dogwood leaves ,white fringe tree bloom and lavender

Or you can add Sanwa paper on top as i will this one because it is being sent without a frame. here's a link so you can check out this type of paper.

PaperArts.com/

Or you can use the clear plastic lamination as a sealer too

Oops Don't forget to sign it!

Here's another I made too . I signed mine near the stems of the flowers. this has Buddleja also called butterfly bush and Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)

I will cut the Sanwa paper a little larger than the actual picture . Then spray the picture with an all-purpose (NON acid) adhesive glue not too thick but evenly then a tiny bit on the sanwa too. I do the spraying in a box , outside if possible.
Then carefully spread the sanwa over the picture. I press it down everywhere being especially sure the edges are down. Using a plastic bag on your hand will keep the glue off You. Sorry I have no pictures of this part

Now for the finished products !!

Sanwa is actually thinner than a dryer sheet after the dryer ! after gluing on it almost disappears !


click to enlarge , you can hardly see the sanwa on there it is so thin.

I hope You like them , I do .
If you have Any questions feel free to leave a message and I will try to answer ASAP.
Peace and Happy pressing and creating

The First Garden by Stevie Wonder

2010-10-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

This album never got famous but it has always been one of my favorites of all
Stevie Wonder has done. I hope you enjoy it too. i wish I could get this to play as my theme song here.
The First Garden is the name of this.

We finally found the birdhouses I made and decorated years ago.

Hopefully the bluebirds will like this one.

This is one of 3 pansy beds we have , before and after me clipping !I could not decide on big or little pansies this year so I got both!there is a Penny lane mix, tiny flowers.Then Delta pure colors formula mix ,both are supposed to be good for making it through spring! So I should 100's of blooms if I am lucky!

one container full and ready to put in the vegetable bin till time to press. Now for the next 2 rounds.

The gargoyle holds my container for me so the ants don't get the flowers inside ! It fits perfect between his horns. These pics were taken a week ago and it is time to pick again! Laa

I was given a "One Lovely Blog Award"

2010-10-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

There's an 'Blog AWARD' going around...

I was so tickled when I had a very good Boney-fied E-friend Laura sent an email to me and said she had mentioned my blog on her blog.

Alright so in order to accept my award one must:

1. Give credit to the person who bestowed it and post the link to their blog.

2. Pass the award on to 10 new blogs you have discovered.
Update on Oct 22
this is not a rule , If you pass it on to 1 it will still do what it was meant for HAVING FUN passing it on!

3. Contact the recipients and let them know.

4.Click on the picture at the top and save, show off where ever you want!

Thank you Laura for bestowing this honor upon me. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!

forestwalkart.blogspot.com check out her link and see why I call her Boney-fied !?

I had a hard time trying to only pick 10 , Thinking about making a list made me think how all of these people have become apart of my life . I have learned ,laughed and cried with them. I have had the chance to read about their lives and children . I am proud to be called a Blogger.

I really follow a lot of folks and love them all for 1 reason or another.

I have been graced to be the first reader of many growing blogs

like Laura's that has grew into a masterpiece of nature and beautiful unique art .

Another dear E-friend got her blog into a book !!

her book link Out of the Miry Clay By Annie Stevens

So I have decided to pick 10 now and then hopefully start a new chain like this later.

10 Blogs that I wish to provide this Blog award to are :

Please consider following them too. It is nice to be wanted!

1.The Graphics Fairy gives away wonder pics to use for your art ! She is also a wonderful sketch artist.

2.The Casual Gardener This lady knows her Gardening and Greening Tips .

3.Social Sanford where I get my local updates .They are on the ball. Better than the local paper for getting events going on!

4.Gardening to Distraction This is another great blogger of her everyday excitement in the garden.

great pictures of the critters that come around her garden too.

5.My Floral World She does lovely ,inspiring works of Pressed Flower Art.

6. ANTIQUE FAMILY PHOTOS This is a great Pressed Flower Jewelry Artist and has this fabulous blog of antique and vintage pictures .

7. Flowerox This is the sweet lady that got me hooked in Pressed Flower Art. And my best friend.

8. Hearts a Burstin This young lady is a true Mixed Media Artist and she's just getting started. .She does wonderful Pressed Flower Art among other great creations.

9. Marie Ann's Gardens and Pressed Flower Art Another Great Pressed Flower artist ,this is another close E-friend I have . She is a great support and strength for me .

10. Mod Podge Rocks this lady knows here Mod Podge and shares great ideas for all kinds of crafts.

I tried to give you a variety

Well you have the list , go make a pot of coffee or tea. Then go visit this wonderful places and say hello for me :>}.

As always wishing You Peace and a Happy Fall.

I found some Cool Books

2010-09-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

I decided to look for The Gardener's Bed-Book on Ebay , after reading about another Gardener liking it so much she found a copy for a friend.

Just started this one but can see I really like it.
1. The Gardener's Bed-Book by Richardson Wright
Publisher's Note First published in 1929, The Gardener’s Bed-Book is a much beloved gardening classic by the renowned editor of House & Garden magazine in the 1920s and ’30s. Each of its 365 perfectly sized little essays is meant to be read in bed at night after a long day’s work, either real or imagined, in the garden. A charming and mischievously funny companion to curl up with, Wright ranges comfortably—and lyrically—from giving gardening advice to meditating on such topics as antique collecting and travel, great literature and architecture. He is an addictive delight, as memorable describing the challenges of growing plume poppies as he is the simple pleasure of hanging up the dish towel once the housework is done. Written in language that is as timeless as it is seductive, The Gardener’s Bed-Book will appeal to gardening experts and armchair enthusiasts alike.

2. The Afterlife of Flowers by Janie Feldman Gross (1999).
This has PF scanned and blown up on a full page to get extreme details of the flower. I have thought of sooo many ideas after reading this book. I could not put it down after flipping through .This was a great find ! Great to share with children too. big pics, little reading.
here's her website
http://www.janiegross.com/things.html

Here's a scan I did of dogwoods awhile back . click the link under it and it will take you to more. After this book I know I will be playing with this more !

From Dogwood scan pictures and other scans

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. Peace and Happy Reading

Part 2 Pressing Moon Flower vine and Queen of the Night

2010-09-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

I want to say Thanks to everyone for coming by and commenting ,
Laura, You are right, She is a very full flower . It took about 8 12 x12 layers to get it all pressed about 1 and 1/2 hours of processing.
Then the de-pressing later. Maybe by Christmas I will get the flower back together,lol.
I wanted You to see all the steps so I made a picture movie . I hope You enjoy it.
I blogged about this flower last year on my other blog and showed how I tried pressing 3 then.Move your mouse over the space and it will give you the link
http://flowersbyterica.blogspot.com/2009/09/pressed-queen-of-night-flowers.html
I tried it a little different this time and decided to do a movie of it this time.

Here's some cool info on the Queen , I found from Wikipedia
Selenicereus grandiflorus is a cactus species originating
from the Antilles, Mexico and Central America.
The species is commonly referred to as Nightblooming Cereus, Queen of the Night (though these two terms are also used for other species),
Large-flowered Cactus, Sweet-Scented Cactus or Vanilla Cactus.
(my favorite) Also in Japanese : Gekka Bijin (Beautiful woman under the moon)
The true species is extremely rare in cultivation.
Most of the plants under this name belong to other species or hybrids.
   Grandiflorus (Lat.) = large flowered. When Carl von Linné descripted this cacti in 1753 it was the largest flowered species of cacti known.
An easily cultivated, fast growing plant. Needs a compost containing plenty
of humus and sufficient moisture in summer.
Should not be kept under 5°C (41°F) in winter. Perform best if grown in full sun.
Extra light in the early spring will stimulate budding.
Flowers in late spring or early summer, only blooms one night a year or several years and withers within hours.
   Check out this cool video I found on the cycle of the flower.
The Queen's Bloom Cycle
Here is a spot to find more information like below
http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profiles/cereus.htm
Additional Comments: The Death Valley Shoshone called this plant 'pain in the heart',
and used it to treat angina-like pains.
Several groups of Native Americans use the stem to treat diabetes.
The Neapolitan homeopath Rubini used Cereus as a specific in heart disease.
Caution: In large doses Cereus produces gastric irritation, slight delirium,
hallucinations and general mental confusion.

Even deeper http://www.desert-alchemy.com/txt/ie/quni.html
Thanks again for coming by .
I hope I made learning a little fun. Peace
Any Questions?

Pressing moon flower vine and queen of the night

2010-08-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

Queen of the night.Day Shot

Queen of the night at 10 pm


Queen of the night cut and ready to press

this is the moon flower vine flower it only blooms after sun down and all though the night.

Next is how to press these and how they turned out .
come back soon for the pressing results ! Peace

Pressed flowers Images found on Photobucket

2010-08-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

i hope you enjoyed looking and got some fresh ideas. Keep on pressing ! peace

How to press flowers different ways

2010-08-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

Selecting Flowers
Choose fresh flowers that have been well hydrated, but whose petals and leaves are dry to the touch. Remove any pollen. Flatter flowers press better so, if the flower has a large, thick center, gently remove petals and press those, with the intention of reassembling the petals later. The goal is to press and dry the flower quickly in order to retain the best color. Flowers are completely dry when they are firm and no longer cold to the touch.
Ways to Press
Book: Place flat-petal type flowers between two paper towels (VIVA, has no print or texture) and carefully place in the middle of a hard-cover book. Stack additional books on top as needed to press firmly. Note: This can slightly discolor or warp book pages.
Waiting Time: Takes several weeks to a month depending on thickness and moisture of flower and humidity.

Iron: Place flowers between two layers of waxed paper and iron with medium temperature iron. (Protect iron and ironing board by using flat rags under and on top of the waxed paper.) This also works well with leaves.
Waiting Time: Immediate results but may be less permanent, due to the possibility of residue build-up over time.

Flower Press: There are different types of presses, but basically, the flowers are placed between two layers of an absorbent surface (such as firm cotton batting) which are compressed between two wooden boards. Screws are used to tighten for steady pressure or bands of some sort that hold securely.
Waiting Time: Takes several weeks to a month.

Mircrowave: Place flowers between layers of paper towels. Place a heavy glass casserole dish on top to weigh it down. It may take some experimenting to get the microwave timing right, but start at just a minute or two at first, depending on the size and moisture of the flower and keep adding time as needed.
Waiting Time: Takes 3-10 minutes
Microfleur: This is a convenient Microwave Flower Press that uses two 5" square (or the large size, 9" square) pieces of heavy-duty plastic with an inner sandwich of felt pads and cotton sheets. By inserting the flowers and tightening the straps, the flowers are secure. Simply microwave according to the package instructions.
Waiting Time: Takes 3-10 minutes

pansy , viola and verbena are easy pressing , just remember have fun .

My Book of Flowers by Princess Grace of Monaco

2010-08-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

I decided to recommend a book that is very precious to me . Sadly I realized it is still packed away ,waiting for our rebuilding to get done.
Anyway I decided to see what they had online about the book. there was a lot so I picked a few.

Princess Grace was the author of "My Book of Flowers," published in 1980. The book is a comprehensive work about the flowers and plants of Monaco, floral history and legends, and the princess's own enthusiasm for pressed flowers. Princess Grace initiated the Garden Club of Monaco and was a respected authority on plants and flowers.

This review is from: My Book of Flowers (Hardcover)

Her Serene Highness, Princess Grace of Monaco, is recognized as an international judge of flowers. Having initiated the Garden Club of Monaco over ten years ago, Princess Grace also conducted classes in floral arrangement. Her knowledge and skill in this area soon evolved into an interest in pressed flower arrangements.In this book, richly illustrated with artwork and lavish color photography, Princess Grace now shares her knowledge and sense of floral asthetics with beauty lovers everywhere. She discloses the secrets of flower pressing, discussing both materials needed and her own simple techniques for achieving some unique and enduring arrangements. Princess Grace suggests the place of flowers in art, literature, poetry, mythology, ballet, and opera, offering many practical uses for flowers and herbs, as beauty aids, home remedies, culinary treats, sachets, potpourris, and perfumes.
The result is a book that captures a sense of the timelessness of flowers - a book to enchant the eye and ravish the spirit. From Monaco's multihued roses to the delicate edelweiss growing on the crags of the nearby Alps, Princess Graces has looked into the very heart of these flowers, where she found in the intricate loveliness of nature a symbol of creation and the beauty of life.

Find the book , you will not be disappointed .

Now for a tip from Princess Grace that I have tried and feel works well.
I used egg whites to glue and seal this picture and almost a year later it looks as nice as the day I made it!
I simply saved my egg shells from breakfast in a plastic container in the frig... then used a small paint brush to apply the whites. after air drying , I placed a piece of glass with light weight on it over night to finish drying and keep from it wrinkling.
It was put in a cheap frame ,no other sealing tricks and placed in an indirect-light area for observation. I am pleased to say it worked well. Thanks Princess Grace !

Last but definitely not least a tribute to Grace with flowers
blog about Grace Kelly and flowers /a must see
Happy Pressing

Teaching Pressed Flower art at Chatham Marketplace

2010-07-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Rebekah and I had a great day teaching Pressed Flower art for all ages at Chatham Marketplace today.
It was free to the public and free style class. Add the wonderful minds and creativity of around 20 + kids plus Moms and G-moms . I am smiling and wore out!
Rebekah Smith is the President of WWPFG.org and Author of Flowerox.com
I posted some pictures from my cell .Please go by and leave comments there. I am hoping the kids will too! peace.
just click here to see more pics.
pressed flower class

this is a cool site / has a lot of good tips

2010-07-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

http://blueheronweavery.com/index.html

Making Natural Dyes From Plants
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes1.html
this is a good place to find out about Making Natural Dyes From Plants
here is a very informative site for learning plant uses for dyes and other uses
http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/apr102007/916.pdf

Rocking with my Flowers & Mod Podge / Paperweights and pocket-rocks

2010-07-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

From My mixed media art and other crafts

Thanks so much for coming by to visit . Please share this with people who work with kids, garden groups etc, this is a great project for all ages .

Pressed Flower Rock Paperweight
Here is what got me Obsessed with Pressed Flowers and now I have been doing art with them for over 4 years . Flower - rocks !

Here is what you will You need to get started :

Pick large rocks for paperweight or small for pocket-rocks , (worry stone) with a smooth surface
"Mod Podge" Outdoor would be best but most would work for inside use.
Pressed Flowers and Leaves , the flatter the better.
Foam Brush or paint brush ( wrap with plastic or cling wrap to keep wet between coatings ) Or clean between
Wax Paper and newspaper or scrap cardboard
Spray on Sealer , Elmer's has a good one , Krylon makes a good one too.

Instructions:

Press flowers using any method of your choice . Wash rock thoroughly and dry well . Sun and air drying is a good idea.
Now to start . Cover the area you are working ,this can get messy.
1 .Coat rock with a layer of decoupage.
2. Arrange flowers and leaves on a flat surface of the rock.
3 . Coat over flowers with Mod Podge . Let dry.
4. Give entire rock 2 or 3 more coats, drying (at the least to the touch) between coats.
5. Spray with sealer on one side ,let dry flip and spray other side.
6. Let dry for 24 to 48 hours before handling much.
7. Enjoy and Make more to share.
Other tips ...You can also add a Name , date with a paint marker or permanent marker before the 1st coat. Or a paper quote,glitter ... anything you like, before you add the 2nd coat.

If you like this project Please let me know and if you'd like to know about a certain flower or project just ask?
If you try it let me know too.

to learn more about Mod Podge go to ModPodgeRocks on Facebook

Peace

Making Pressed Flower Coasters

2010-07-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

makingfriends.com/gifts/
Hello everyone I just found this cute idea and decided I'd pass it on here .
let me know if You try it ,I hope to try it myself soon!

Gluing & Sealing Your Pressed Flowers

2010-05-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

How to glue flowers and leaves to your project.
This is just some of the information I have learned through the years of trial and error .
If you have any questions Please leave a comment and i will be glad to answer.

For more pics click here Dogwood scan pictures and other scans

There are many NEW acid free glues on the market (thanks to the scrapbookers and Pressed Flower Artist ) that will work well.

Thinner glue is needed for delicate flowers and slightly thicker glue is required for the fat buttons , heavier stems and leaves.

Use some slightly diluted glue when gluing flowers and leaves to paper.

Use a toothpick to put a dot of glue on the paper or on the back of the flower ; position the flower and press down. you can add glue to each of the petals but not always necessary .

Here's some of the more popular glues of Pressers . I will have some links below.
BTW , Egg whites were 1 of the original glues for Pressed Flower Art!
Princess Grace / Grace Kelly used it in her art! I have tried it and it worked well.

1. Botanical Glue is really great it is Ph neutral. Great for sensitive petals like Hydrangea .It glues and seals.

2. School glue can work on most projects . use lightly.

3. Mod Podge Matte Finish would also work but you have to test the flower sensitively

to water first. It it really cheap You can use it for gluing and sealing .

I love it but some flowers don't?:o(

I have sealed Large pictures with it and made many cards.

The key is to test the flower!!

4. Perfect Paper Adhesive for glue & sealing the flowers . It's an acid free transparent adhesive and sealer with a UV inhibitor. Using the matt formula, you can't see it on the flowers, the gloss will give a shiny finish.

5. Use an acid   free glue stick or      glue pen to apply a tiny amount of glue to the  paper, then place the  ferns,      foliage and flowers the glued paper. a lot of the glitter glues are acid free. fun for small projects . 

6.Aleen's Tacky glue, sometimes needs thinning . Works great and fairly priced. Fast gluing too, big bonus . Also dries clear !!

7. GLUE SPRAYS

For many years I have used 3M spray glue, and always on the sturdier surface.

If possible, always go outside to use it, and if you are doing a lot of it,

 I would suggest wearing a mask.

Sealing Pressed Flowers
Krylon makes an anti-UV clear acrylic sealer in a spray can .
It should also be available at stores that sell spray paint.

 Laminate also called clear self-adhesive contact paper protects your flowers

from getting damaged. I like the hot and cold . The hot tends to seal tighter

 and you can get it really thick .

It is a little costly. The contact paper can be found everywhere and took

any where!

It matters on the size of the project and flower , time and thickness .

Laminate is a little glossy but it seals well. It is my favorite for cards ,

ATC's ,bookmarks andsmall paper projects.

Okay now to try it out ! 

To do a card or picture ... 

 Step 1 . Select your blooms and greenery

Its a good idea to  arrange your flowers                               and greens on paper before you glue.  Be gentle though as some                               flowers or leaves can be brittle. 

2nd step is to take a pair                               of tweezers and pick up a leaf that you  want for the background.  

Using a toothpick dipped in white                           glue apply a small amount to the back of the  leaf.  Continue this process until you have                           placed all the leaves you want onto your card or picture .                              

3rd . glue on all the major focal flowers.  Glued                           the same way as the greenery. Once this is  done, add all of the                           accent flowers. 

4. Now that your pressed flower  arrangement is completed                           you can write you quotes, poetry etc under the  flowers, or you                           just leave blank for a simple but beautiful  look.

5. Now to protect  your cards , cover them                           with clear self-adhesive contact paper. 

Press  contact paper down                           firmly to make sure it sticks to the flower and paper .

Later I hope to show how to use other things as seals like the wonderful sanwa paper.  

(See links below for adhesives)

Most can be found fairly easy at your craft store ,Walmart ,Target etc

some harder to find are listed below with links.

Botanical Glue . You can find it here

http://europeanpapers.com try the search ,type in Botanical Glue. a little pricey but goes a long way.

Mod Podge can be found at most craft stores and also here http://www.plaidonline.com/

Perfect Paper Adhesive ,can be found at Michaels

or here . Tell her I sent you ! :o)

http://www.elizabeths-flowers.com/perfect-paper-adhesive.htm

Okay I hope this helps someone it has been good for me just as a refresher.

Please feel free to leave comments on your experiences too.

Peace and Happy Pressing!

My "Shout Out " of WWPFG Members Part #1

2010-05-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have wanted for a long time to do a "Shout Out" for members of our wonderful bouquet of people in our guild. When Annamaria told me this story I had to ask to share it! This is what the guild is about
learning and sharing the skill of Pressing flowers and Plant life ,then doing art and crafts with them.
If you would like for me to post a blog on You , just let me know. Thanks for dropping by and Please leave comments.
here is some of her Art...

Annamaria O'Brien is a good friend I have never met , but she has grown very dear to my heart. She is our 1st Irish member and I have loved seeing the things she has created. Now for the story!

The Story is from Annamaria O'Brien of Ardee Co.Louth ,Ireland .

This is how my workshop in the local school was born: :)

"It all happened on a sunny Tuesday morning, when the Principal of the school asked my DH how I am, and what am I doing these days? So Paul told her about me pressing flowers and making all sorts of crafts with it. My hubby told me, that I should have seen her eyes lit up; so she asked him would I be interested in a little demonstration. Sure I was, actually I was planing to ask her about this workshop myself.....so you can see how great minds think alike....hehehehe :)).

Anyway I went in the next day and we pinpointed down the day and time and I went home happy and buzzing and full with ideas. Home I put together a wee kit, that I wanted to bring in the school, I also left a little list with things that I will need on the day. I sat down with a cup of tea and a sheet of paper and a pen planing my first day:

1. go out gather material for pressing

2. make presses and press the gathered material

3. answer the questions

The next day my hubby dropped me off in the school, arriving in the class (5th class 10-12 years old girls all curious to their last cell in their bodies).
After introductions we all went out to gather flowers and foliage for our presses. You should have seen 30 little bees with pony tails running around, asking questions, picking flowers, leaves, scraping moss off the walls. I watched them as a mother hen watches her chicks, they were all mine for the day, and seeing them having so much fun just made my day.

In the classroom we built up our presses from books, newspapers, kitchen towel and scrap PC paper. I was guiding them step by step how to press the flowers, how to lay them down on the scrap paper, and they were listening and all following all my instructions, even the teacher joined in making her own press filled with flowers and leaves. I was bombed with questions, I did not mind one bit, happily answered all.
It was a happy, joyful day and we all agreed to meet up again in a fortnight to make some cards and bookmarks.

So I was back again loaded with ribbons, hole punches, zigzag scissors, glue and glitter. When we opened the presses you could hear nothing in the classroom , but Oohs and Ahhs and Uuhs! Then we all made cards and bookmarks and the girls were all brilliant. They all promised me that during their summer vacation they all will make presses home and press some flowers and foliage for autumn and winter workshop, which I am looking for to.

My hubby teaches in the same school recorder and the feedback was great from the parents, they were all impressed with the kids cards, and you should have heard them when they looked at the finished product, they just could not believe they did it. On our next workshop I will tempt to teach them how to xstitch, and then combine the xstitch with pressed flowers on the cards.....maybe, I'll see. :))

So this is my story in a nut-shell....."
"Wherever you go, whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you..."
All the best,
Annamaria O'Brien

Jake Differ My Garden Earth Day

2010-04-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

How to make a Book Press

2010-03-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

You can use something as simple as a phone book to press thin materials fairly well . But if you really want to Save some mementos by pressing plant leaves and petals try my press below. The fun begins with collecting in the yard or anywhere you can!
Show kids how to preserve their finds by drying them in a press.
i have made and used lots of presses and some are posted here.
I made a few presses from thin wood, newsprint, VIVA towels and cardboard, but you can also use a dictionary or phone book.
The pressed materials can be used to create sweet note-cards, bookmarks ,etc
Rubber bands keep the pressure on, and layers of paper soak up moisture from petals and leaves.

Materials

2 panels of craft plywood (available at craft stores; I used 1/4- by 12- by 12-inch sheets) You may want to down size, a good size is 1/4- by 6- by 12-inch sheets
Corrugated cardboard
Several large sheets of newsprint or any acid free paper available
Scissors or craft knife

quilting padding cut same size for thinker materials (optional)
4 thick rubber bands or 2 adjusted belts or 2 velcro straps
cotton material or Untextured paper towels

Instructions
1.Using one of the wood panels as a template, cut 4 pieces of cardboard and 8 pieces of newsprint to the same size.

2.Stack the cardboard and newsprint pieces, starting from the bottom and alternating 1 piece of cardboard with 1 Viva, 2 pieces of newsprint, another Viva ,cardboard ,repeat till done. Place the wood panels at the top and bottom of the stack.

3.To create the binding, cut 2 strips of duct tape or contact paper to the same length as the press. Place the first strip along the left side of the stack, half on the cover and half on the spine. Turn over the stack and repeat with the other strip of tape. Pull the bottom piece of cardboard out of the press and discard it (this leaves space for the plant materials; the remaining layers are loosely bound so they can be replaced as needed).

4.To use the press, arrange flowers and leaves -- thin ones work best -- try not to over lap .
between the layers of newsprint, with only one layer of plant material between each section of cardboard. That is 1 piece of cardboard with 1 Viva, 1 piece of newsprint , Flowers or plants ,
1 piece of newsprint ,another Viva ,cardboard ,repeat till done.

5. put in a dry area for about a day or 2 then check the viva if it feels moist at all, replace with dry.
wait about 2 weeks and they should be ready.
hint to spend this up .Try putting the press in your parked car in spring and summer. It is like a giant dehydrator! some are done in 2 to 3 days!
I have also put the press in my oven with the light Only on over night air dry in day then back at night ! it will dry pansies and thin things in 3 days.

Slide the rubber bands into place (or the belts )and let the press sit in dry area for 2 weeks. If you need them quicker .put in your car in sun for a few days and check! they will probably be ready !
I hope these instructions are helpful to you and would love to hear if you try it!

If this sounds too hard Please look for my other presses here .Just look in the labels on left for the word " presses"

Peace and Happy Pressing!
Any questions ,leave a comment and i will be glad to try to help more!

Emily Dickinson the poet was a Presser too

2010-03-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

check this out here is her book.
Emily Dickinson's book

Things I 've learned about sealing Pressed Flower Art

2010-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

Things I have learned about sealing and how to use cheaper products sealing and creating art

First prepare the pressed flower picture with mat and glass for the frame. Layer the glass, the mat, and then the pressed flower picture. Tack a small amount of silica gel or other desiccant behind the picture. An oxygen absorber is advised at this point as well if available.

Position your foam core, desiccant board or whatever you're using as backing over the glass and matted picture.

Apply a light coating of spray adhesive on the backing and attach a sheet of Drafting Mylar to the back... (it's a heavy white material that's sold in Drafting supply stores, much thicker than the silvery Mylar that's used for bags and balloons but these can be used too on small cheaper projects.)
You can use aluminum foil instead of the Mylar but you have to be very careful to avoid any tears or holes.etc

I have tried the white bags from potato chip bags too !

Use aluminum tape to attach the prepared pressed flower picture to the glass, taking care so that the tape on the glass will be hidden by the frame. This gives you an airtight seal to protect your pressed flowers. (You can get aluminum tape at a building supply store in the heating department, it's used to seal duct work.)

Place the sealed pressed flower picture in the frame and cover the back with Kraft paper to give it a finished look. Try a heavy brown Kraft type paper at Lowe's Building supply ... it's less expensive than regular Kraft paper and it's heavier. I have seen people use wallpaper too.

Now How about ... vacuum sealing... I am still trying to learn this will let you know when I know.... here's a link to the only spot i have found that tells a little but I can't afford the kit? have to make my own??

Making a Book Thong

2010-01-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

Book thongs are bookmarks that look like jewelry.
They normally have a very thin part that goes inside the book (that is how it got the "thong" name)
They are beaded or You add some sort of embellishment on the ends. This gives them some weight as well as beauty.
Making the book thong:
Cut a piece of cord that will be long enough to fit inside the book and still have ends that are long enough to bead. Any kind of material can be used for the cord (such as crochet yarns, ribbon, leather,old thin chains etc ). it should be sturdy but thin. Add beads or charms to both ends.
Make it pretty. Make it masculine your choice.

Here is my very first try . I will use a stronger cord in the future . I think it is still cute . Easy too.
I used a little pink tab , a silver flowery charm. then added a laminated flower on the end.
I think I am going to make some more soon . maybe find some leather and put a fall leaf on 1 end and something manly on the other end! ???
Let me know if you try this ?

From Craft works

Free Stationary

2010-01-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd help those of you that like Pretty stationary ! I am in the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild and we have a few styles of free download-able stationary . Beautifully trimmed in pressed flowers.
Go by and check it out .
http://wwpfg.org/store/stationery/index.htm

Also we have a couple of free download-able classes on how to make Pictures with Pressed flowers !

So go by and check out their store!

Peace and Happy Creating!

to Swap-bot folks, Catching up...

2010-01-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

Hi all , I just recently entered a Swap-bot swap to get new people to follow my blog . I forgot I had 2 posted on there ? ugh
Then I get a message saying the comment section did not work on here? :-(
I think I got it fixed.
If you are from swap-bot Please leave a comment With Your swapbot name and Don' t forget to follow me.
i am having a hard time figuring out some of my partners by their blog tag.
Thanks for stopping by .Peace and Happy Swapping!.

handmade & homebaked: handmade holiday: DIY snowglobes

2009-12-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

handmade & homebaked: handmade holiday: DIY snowglobes

This is a cool project !

Easy Plant Presses Part 3 ( My very First Press)

2009-10-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

This was the first day,early Spring 2006, I would press by myself. Rebekah Smith from www.flowerox.com , My best friend had shown me at her house how she pressed her flowers !

I picked the prettiest from my garden!

I love gardening and thought that was enough. I have a great camera and had just gotten a computer to do research and record my pictures of nature.
I started pressing flowers saying it was just a hobby. Something I could add to my garden picture album !
So I was not going to invest in it much!
I have been a recycle person for a lifetime.

I believe in the the 4 R's. Reduce, Reuse ,Recycle and Re-think .
Re- think means re think a Use for something!
My first Goal towards presses were , Reuse.
So I went to the Recycling Center and got several phone books! Saved cardboard, Cereal Boxes ,newspapers , magazines, junk mail and fliers.
Those worked for leaves and less fragile flowers.
Here's the layers for my first presses ! Lol they worked!
1)One piece of Heavy cardboard cut the size of cereal boxes broke down and turned inside out .
2)Had some quilting pad in my sewing scraps ,cut it the size of boxes. (you could use scraps of thick material too) it is for padding.
3) Viva towels (my first investment!!) They are the best for pressing. No inks,pattern or texture to transfer to petals. (you can use Thin scrap cotton cloth material for this too)it draws moisture .
4)Used old computer paper or Junk mail with clean side toward flowers .
5)Layer of flowers
6)Computer paper
7)Viva or non textured towel , cotton fabric
8) Quilt pad
9)Cereal box doubled (I turn mine inside out) then repeat 2 through 9 till you get it about a foot deep or so . On last layer use 2nd piece of heavy cardboard on top.
I wrapped all of this with 2 old belts and placed it in the car for 3 days . After that I let them sit for about a week. you can also use weights on them too as in this picture .

Now for the finished product

If you click on the picture it will give a close up.

I still use this method when my other presses are full . more for less tender things but it is still one of my favorites for big stuff.

Easy Plant Presses , Part 2 Recyled wood Press

2009-10-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

this is a copy of the How to... on my flickr pic site .

Let's Make a Home - Made Press
pic 1

there are 4 things to find to make your press !
1.You will need an NON ACID all purpose spray GLUE .
(elmer's makes a good one)
2. stiff thin wood ( I'm using wall paneling)
3. quilt batting med thickness is good , nice to have a couple extra thick though for those fat flowers (like roses )
4 . very thin material . like Fusible Interfacing
I asked for the cheapest they had at Joanne' fabric store.
Basically a sheer breathable material to place your
flowers and plants on .
One more thing you will need is a non windy clear area to work outside!
pic2
QUILT BATTING ...
12 pieces
I cut all my pieces 12'x12'
i used 2 thicknesses , for different padding thickness of the plants and flowers
100% polyester lite loft batting
100% polyester extra thick
any size will work. use scrap pieces if you have it!

pic3

13 pieces . 1 for the TOP.
I used scraps of old wall paneling taken out of a house.
When I make more I will drill about 6 holes in each for venting.
These I did not , Still work great.!!
cut 12' x 12' squares . washed BOTH SIDES well .
USE THE SHINY SIDE TO GLUE TO. Leave smoothest side to the good.

pic 4
okay now , with all the pieces cut out and ready. We begin.
I spread out the paneling on the table as you see in Pic 3.
Spray glue on thick and even, about 4 at a time. Then press batting on lightly and smooth even. move away from spraying to dry .
Continue till finished with adding batting to wood.

pic 5
this is how sheer the Fusible Interfacing looks that I used.
any sheer material would probably work just make sure it has no pattern or texture!

pic6
Spray the batting with glue lightly and spread sheer material on top. Make sure it is even.
move it to sunny area to dry. Continue 1 at a time with each one till finished. Let dry well before putting the press pieces together.

pic 7
I made 13 that day so I got creative spreading them out in the sun.

the bushes work real well holding my press pieces to dry!

pic 8
After drying for a few hours in the sun or in the house over night.
you have a Fabulous press for all your pressing .

I use weight on them or my favorite is 2 old belts for straps!

LET ME KNOW IF YOU MAKE A SET!

ENJOY PRESSING !!!

Easy Plant Presses Part 1

2009-10-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of people asking how to make presses lately and I realize not everyone has a skill saw to cut boards to make the one like I show on my Flickr site.

So I am going to try to show some Easy methods that I have learned through the last few years and hope it helps many to learn to enjoy pressing as I do.
Above are just a few of many recycled presses I have made. I use the heat of the car as a dehydrator and also the light in my oven. Just don't turn on the heat!:-(

I have shown on a previous post in Aug "how to make Mini presses ."
You can double the size and use them for vacations , hikes. Or as most of us Addicted Pressers , we have several in our cars too!

card with poem I wrote..

2009-09-20T18:29:00.001-07:00

card with poem I wrote..
Originally uploaded by tkluxton2006

Hi all hoping to try to start uploading more stuff ,come back and see!

making mini presses for parties

2009-08-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have loved gardening all my life. I have learned pressing flowers to make cards,bookmarks, place markers for parties, and much more. You can make mini presses using
4- 3inch square cardboard pieces
6-3inch pieces of computer paper
2 rubber bands.
stack cardboard ,2 paper,repeat ,wrap with rubber band !
You can decorate them easy by cutting lamination to fit the top and bottom piece .Add a flower and/or name to each to personalize them.
then you can let everyone go to the garden and find their favorite flower to add to the presses. Vegetable blooms work well too!
Please remind them that they will need to put this press under a heavy book and wait a week for their treasure!
This is just the funniest way I know to share your garden with memories that keep coming.
If you make paper you can also make seed paper cards for your guest to bring home and plant. this is a fun project too.
hope this inspires someone to preserve their blooms. here is my picture site where you can see more things to do. I actually paint with petals!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tericakay/sets/72157604720230662/
It has pictures and details on how to make a big press too.
thanks for letting me share , Terica

How Terica Did It - How to Dry Flowers | eHow.com

2009-07-24T06:45:00.001-07:00

How terica Did It - How to Dry Flowers | eHow.com

Shared via AddThis

A note to all True Artist

2009-07-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

I found this and thought it would be good to pass on!

the following is an excerpt from:

Your Art is Important

(by Keith Bond, for FineArtViews - http://www.fineartv iews.com)

All Art is Important

Art has the ability to touch people in very personal and unique ways. What touches me may differ from what touches you. Every sincere work of art will touch others deeply (it won't touch everyone, but it will touch someone). It penetrates their souls. It enriches their lives.

To be important, art need not shout to the world. It needs only be a sincere statement from the artist. There will be those who recognize that statement and are moved by it. Yes, all art has a place. All statements have value. All sincere art is important.

All Honest Artists are Important

I use the term "honest" to differentiate from those who are not true to their artistic voice. An honest artist creates from within. This artist has little concern for creating for the market, but rather must satisfy that need to express. If an artist is genuinely true to these inner voices, the work will be sincere and important. This makes the artist important.

Be an Important Artist

Be true to your inner voice. Create sincere art that only you can create. As a unique individual with a unique voice, you are important. No other artist can say what you have to say in the way you can say it. You are original. Keep your art true to yourself and it will be original. If you do, your work will resonate with those who love your work. You will be important to them. By enriching their lives, you are contributing to a greater society, to a greater world. This makes you important to the world. You are an important artist creating important art. Don't give that up for anything, even for the accolades of the critics.

Let there be Peace !

2009-07-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

Let there be Peace !
I made this last year but thought it was worth sharing !

The Pride's Sunset

2009-06-01T04:50:00.000-07:00

This is a picture I created last May 08 ,taking a class through WWPFG online! Eugenia Ivanova in Russia taught the class. She is a great teacher plus a fabulous Artist. here is her web site if you'd like to see more of her work.
http://foto.mail.ru/mail/sesame69/oshibana

The class was called Flamingo's Sunset ,but I am not much for flamingos , and had always wanted to do a Lion picture . I'm a Leo!!
So i did mine with lions . A family of lions are called a Pride , that's where the name came from. It is truly the picture I am most Proud of!
Funny I thought, I'd remember what each leaf and petal I used to do this. It took such hard work for me. I quit on it 3 times that month ! LOL I was so angry at myself for even taking the class. Then it came together . I was one happy flower-child!
Okay here's what I do remember . I called for fall leaves I did not have. so I used rose petals for the sunset, winter and spring dogwood leaves for the sky and some of the bottom. some wild weed that turned black when pressed and a full other dark weeds for the trees and plants.
I also used 2 pieces of dark purple colius leaves , for the land in between , and Banana Peels for the lions!! I learned so much in that class , It was a great experience !

My recycled shelf and Pressed Sage

2009-05-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Hi all this is a Shelf , I recycled from an old falling down house. It was almost black from grime. But I cleaned it up and used Liquid Laminate to put Pressed Red Pineapple Sage blooms on it .
I did this almost a year ago. The flower did not fade at all that I can see , the leaf did but that is expected unless you dye them.
let me know what you think about it!

Tribute to All Moms

2009-05-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

My Tribute to My Mom and All the other Mothers of the world !
May you have Peace and Happiness the whole year through!
This was done Last Year but I haven't done anything lately!
Click on picture for more details!