Roses are red, violets are blue. I got flowers, now what do I do? Whether you received flowers from your partner or gal friends this Valentine’s Day season, don’t you wish there was a way to keep those beautiful flowers as a keepsake and memory? Look no further; I will tell you a quick and easy way to make them last forever. I have used two techniques to press flowers in the past: book pressing and microwave pressing. Both have resulted in wonderful art pieces, and I have used some of the flowers I pressed myself to create bookmarks and even frame them. You can do either of these two methods.
Method#1: bOOK Pressing
Do you have a big old textbook lying around that you finished using from a class you had ages ago? If you plan on pressing flowers, you can put it to good use. Book flower pressing is one of the oldest techniques practiced since the 16th century, originally dating back to Japan. The best part is that it’s affordable, and you can do it yourself from home.
For this technique, all you need are:
- Heavy textbooks
- Parchment paper
Here are the steps:
1. You want to go to the middle of the book of your choice and lay your parchment paper on top of the book.
2. You will then put your flowers on the parchment paper and space them out (make sure they’re even, or else flowers will dry unevenly); from there, you will use another sheet of parchment paper to cover them.
3. Then, you will close the book and add more heavy books or anything heavy enough to ensure that all the moisture leaves the flowers you are trying to press to dry them successfully.
4. You then leave the flowers in the book for about one month to dry successfully, and they should be ready.
Some pros of this method include your flowers remaining vibrant in color and this whole setup being affordable. However, one thing to keep in mind is that small flowers press better using the book method than bulky flowers such as roses. When I first pressed flowers using a book, I pressed rose petals and baby’s breath, and they dried and flattened out nicely. However, it didn’t work out when I tried to press a whole rose (while each flower may have its technique for opening it up to flatten correctly, it is more complicated). But remember, you do not want to put a big bulky flower in the middle of your book as it can lead to the flower drying unevenly, damage the book you are using, and even make it moldy if not done correctly. If you use this method, do it with small flowers and foliage.
Method#2: Microwave Flower PRESSING
Does waiting one month to see your pressed flower results sound like a long time? If you are impatient like me, this technique is definitely for you. I was able to press some flowers in one day, and it took me about 10 minutes to do it (depending on how many flowers you plan to press, it could take longer, but it is doable). If you don’t mind using your microwave to heat some flowers, here is how to start:
All you need for this method is a:
- Microwave
- Paper plate
- Paper Towel
- Heavy bowl/ plate
Here are the steps:
1. Once you have decided what flower you want to press, you should place it on a paper towel and then another paper towel over it.
2. Then, place that paper towel with your flower on a paper plate.
3. Place a heavy bowl on top of the paper plate and begin microwaving your flower for 1 minute.
4. After that, check on your flower. If it still has moisture, pat it down gently using a paper towel and microwave it again in 30-second intervals to dry it out properly.
5. The flower should be dry and crisp.
When I used this method, there were mainly pros, as the flowers were pressed at a faster rate compared to waiting a whole month. My only con was that it would discolor the flower a bit, and if you are not careful and leave it in the microwave for too long, it will shrivel and turn into goop. So you definitely want to keep an eye on it and be careful when checking its progress (it’s hot so remember safety first).
I hope this gives you an idea of providing the flowers you received on Valentine’s Day a new life; whether you are into journaling, want a cute keepsake, or use them as a unique decoration for future card making, the possibilities are endless, and I wish you luck on your creative journey.