The Pacific Northwest is known across the nation for its beautiful greenery and wildlife, and the wildflowers are no exception. As Spring is upon us, blue skies are peering through the clouds, the temperatures are rising, and the flowers are blooming. Flower pressing has become a growing hobby among many Pacific Northwesterners partly because even with strict social distancing guidelines, a walk through a park or along a trail allowed for many people to take a breath of fresh air and enjoy the seclusion we were, and are, still faced with.
Related: Camano Island Wildlife
Flower pressing is a great way to preserve your favorite colors of Spring, create artwork, or start a floral collection of your own among many other possibilities. When it comes to flower pressing there are dozens of different techniques that you can use, from quick and simple, to elaborate and extravagant, you can easily start small and work your way to a more “professional” and experienced pressing technique.
Materials Needed
- Freshly cut flowers
- Two sheets of paper (printer paper, cardstock, etc.)
- A book to display and hold your pressed flowers
- Something heavy to use as weights
- Optional: Paper tape, decorative papers, pens, stickers, etc.
As mentioned, there are multiple different ways that you can press flowers, however by following the below steps, you can practice your technique, and then alter or tweak and expand your methods as you learn until you find a method that works the best for you.
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Steps to Press Flowers
- Step One: Find a flower to press (smaller flowers are easier, so start small!) and cut the stem at an angle
- Step Two: Carefully lay the flower on a piece of paper, you can secure the flower in place with a small piece of paper tape if you’d like.
- Step Three: Move the piece of paper to the middle section of a book and then place the second piece of paper carefully on the top of the flower and slowly close the book so that the two papers are on each side of the flower and the flower/paper sandwich is pressed within the middle section of the book
- Step Four: Once the book is closed, place weights on top of the book to help press the flower down, the more evenly the weight is disbursed the better
- Step Five: Carefully open and change the old paper for new paper ever 3-4 days, this helps continue to pull moisture from the flower, and eliminates the risk of mold
- Step Six: After three weeks your flower(s) should be dry! Once flowers are fully dry, they are paper thin and VERY fragile, so moving the flower to the area you wish to display your creation should be done with care so that you don’t damage the flower during transport.
Camano Island is full of beautiful hikes, trails, beaches, and wildlife. Make sure you have the needed supplies ready at home, and then enjoy a stroll to find a few flowers and try your hand at flower pressing!
If you’re currently searching for a new home, are ready to sell your home and are in need of a qualified seller’s agent, or if you have any questions regarding Camano Island Real Estate, please feel free to contact our office and we would be more than happy to assist you.