Pressing flowers with a book?
Question:Hi i want to press my flowers (carnations) with a big book, any tips ? I heard something about wax paper but i dont have any x]
Answers:
You can use tissues or sheets of tissue paper, as well.
There are two ways of doing it, either inside the pages of the book, or between two heavy books. Either way, put tissue down under the flower, and above the flower as well. Don't try to do a group of flowers together, as they get all tangled, and it will look better if you do them separately.
It's important that you lay the flower down carefully, because once it gets shaped, you cannot go back and shape it again. I suggest bending the stem right where it meets the blossom so that the blossom can lie pretty much flat.
Simply lay down a layer of tissue, then your carefully shaped flower, then another layer of tissue. It doesn't matter if you do it inside a book, or between two books, but you need to stack other books or a heavy weight over the top so that flower actually gets pressed. The amount of time it takes for it to press varies by flower, and they aren't usually considered pressed until a lot of the moisture has dissipated from the flower. I would leave them in your makeshift press for at least a month before checking on them. Take a look at the end of a month, and if it isn't pressed really well, don't pick it up, just put the weight back on top. You will know when it is properly pressed because it will hold it's shape, and you will be able to handle it without ruining the shape.
Good luck.
I just use computer paper. It works well.
I do not have a flower presser, so I just use heavy books, as well.
I'm not very fond of wax paper because due to it's very namesake, the moisture isn't able to escape as well as doing it the old fashioned way. Yep, can't beat a dependable book type press with some sheets of plain old paper. ^_^ g'luck!
1. Put flower in book.
2. Close book.
3. Sit on book for 1 week.
The paper on either side of the flower should be acid free..like you have a stack handy, right? No, I don' thave herbarium paper handy either. So use a paper that isn't slick. Use a couple of sheets, then newspaper. Then corragated cardboard....that allows the air passage and moisture escapes from the paper. Then pile your book on top. Better would be to make a frame out of lath, 2 of them and put them on either side of the newspaper/cardboard and then use straps to tighten it down. Have the paper exposed completely speeds the drying. The big books will work though.
There's even a special glue if you want to mount the pressed flower onto paper afterward. Most of us make do with Elmer's.
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