The Flower Pressing Promenade- By Brook

Around this time of year I get antsy. I get the crafters itch.I don’t know if it’s something in the crisp air that tells the story that fall is upon us, if it’s the chill in the morning that makes me want to bundle up in the house and work on something crafty, or if it’s just me wanting to take a break and get some alone time after the hectic crazy summer. Whatever it is, it’s here.



I decided to share with you how I begin to settle my creative craving, by inviting you to join me on The Flower Pressing Promenade; an event that takes place in my life pretty much every year when the last of the summer flowers have bloomed and the preparation for the frosty months begin.

Since I’m a busy bee, I find time to do my pressing promenade in the evening after work or on Saturday and Sunday mornings around 9am. I love these times of the day because these walks can be very therapeutic especially after a long day or work week.

Materials:
Bag to hold your flowers
Scissors to cut flowers or you can use your hands
Wax paper
Big, heavy book
 
If you have flowers in your own yard or garden, start here.  If you get bored or don’t find a lot of a selection, it’s time to extend your stroll around your neighborhood. Roam around, take in the scenery of beautiful colors, take deep breaths of the evening or morning air, and look for the flowers that are most appealing to you. 

When picking a flower, you have to think of how it will press. I look for flowers that are thinner and don’t have a really thick stigma (which is the center part of the flower. Don’t worry…I didn’t know what it was called either. Thank you, Wikipedia). When flowers tend to have a thicker stigma, they don’t press as well. It also takes them longer to dry out. I usually cut it from about a ¼ of an inch down on the stem. After that, I apologize to the flower and thank Mother Earth for letting me take it. You don’t have to do this but, for some silly reason, it makes me feel better when I do.

Once you have collected as many flowers as you desire, you can head back to the house. Again, remember to take your time. Enjoy the scenery, smells and sounds of nature. Clear your head of all negativity and appreciate the little things in life that make life worthwhile like- flowers!  Breathe in, breathe out. Maybe hum a little tune that you love. Force a couple smiles along the way. When you make it back to the house, you will immediately illuminate.

Back at your house; take out your big, heavy, thick book, some wax paper and your newly plucked flowers.  Place your new flower treasures out so you can see them. If the flowers are damp, leave them on  newspaper or a paper towel until they are dry. If not, begin right away. Open your book a few pages in and place a piece of wax paper down on one page. Arrange the flowers so there is about a half inch of space between them. Place wax paper over them and turn 15-20 pages. Repeat the same steps until all of your flowers are used. The wax paper is used so that you do not stain the pages in your book from flower residue.

Close your book. Now, you can place your book on your book shelf and stack a ton of other books on top of it or you can place it between your mattress and your box spring. Whichever you think will do a better job of pressing the heck out of these flowers, do it. I keep them pressed for at least a week. You will be able to tell when your flowers are ready. Check them periodically. They will have no moisture left and will be super thin and dry. It’s important to make sure they are fully dried out to avoid them turning moldy on your craft project. That’s the last thing you want to give green and black nasty flower to someone you care about.

Now that your flowers are pressed, you are ready to start working on pressed flowers crafts like; book marks, framed flower poems, and personalized cards. I hope you enjoy your own Pressing Flower Promenade and don’t forget to tell me all about it! Peaceful strolling! We will see you next time for the first pressed flower crafts- Bookmarks! :)