![How to Press Flowers (3 Ways to Use a Pressed Flower) Learn how to press flowers with a simple wooden flower press from Ditsy Flowers. Plus three fun tutorials on what to do with the finished pressed flowers and making them into flower art! Pressing flowers is a great way to preserve a dainty and fragile part of nature and make it last forever...or very nearly.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kbcMUomvAECLH8ukgXMG491p746r32C_fVac7Apobxr1OK4hFSowWFMe-XXb6tMNs6Lk-Bzv4xAmrgD3Oajlk9Y50GcXqf2_j3NqPBdyBwMbaJYJMe2ZzofgagM7YmyDp_HbPaEN2QX-oF6BQ0_2hx0B6hmChrOCRRhBq-KglCt0CRvtJ6YaFxWIPXTd/s16000-rw/HOW%20TO%20PRESS%20FLOWERS%20WITH%20DITSY%20FLOWERS%20(1)-min.jpg)
How to Press Flowers (20 Ways to Use a Pressed Flower)
Learn how to press flowers with a simple wooden flower press from Ditsy Flowers.
Plus three fun tutorials on what to do with the finished pressed flowers and making them into flower art!
Pressing flowers is a great way to preserve a dainty and fragile part of nature and make it last forever...or very nearly.
![How to Press Flowers (3 Ways to Use a Pressed Flower) Learn how to press flowers with a simple wooden flower press from Ditsy Flowers. Plus three fun tutorials on what to do with the finished pressed flowers and making them into flower art! Pressing flowers is a great way to preserve a dainty and fragile part of nature and make it last forever...or very nearly.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pADfJ3TfRNLeb5JVLDRTPEgUrk1RQWN86haCZLyaijemQMwHiR1biHs2mNLIScOF2tQET7mzrwFROFdV8ojDo_Uh7CBFpNvUBn85OeoPBSLsyKaWtG8elWDZXFFxdhWfGcAWqRS_pcVmxcy9LODgJj1gYxVz4UNMocPFxmGig8YDU15z23y61-W_9p5e/s16000-rw/HOW%20TO%20PRESS%20FLOWERS%20WITH%20DITSY%20FLOWERS%20(3)-min.jpg)
This brilliant flower press from Ditsy Flowers is easy to use and doesn't require rubber bands or wing nuts.
This press can handle large fresh flowers and a variety of thickness of the flowers.
Floral preservation has never been easier! I really love the design and easy of the straps on this press, rather than the screwing of wingnuts and clamps.
![This brilliant flower press from Ditsy Flowers is easy to use and doesn't require rubber bands or wing nuts. This press can handle large fresh flowers and a variety of thickness of the flowers. Floral preservation has never been easier! I really love the design and easy of the straps on this press, rather than the screwing of wingnuts and clamps.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tZuGjpv5J9EPZkiI6HXFQLROHKoRImA3ys83yfxdud953_5Tj7VHS-eR9iQIGunCVzxW-dO4xAXxG05Ai8hYGShQYZmoYzHVuf8s0RUyKm35Vm3oxF1mcqaHwhh7wFE0GwVVjSpzEVkpaWIJLESKgFI2fixVa8zSQhY3BxGosl6gfCFJ4GKXkmsSrpTy/s16000-rw/how%20to%20press%20flowers%20ditsy%20flower-min.jpg)
I remember pressing flowers when I was a kid, using old phone books to press the flowers between the pages of the book...I would go downstairs to my dad's library office and find the biggest book possible. He had some big, boring math manuals and large books in the mix and they were great for crafts.
Then my mom gave me a wood press with layers of paper towels, wax paper and sheets of paper that is compressed with wing nuts.
Ditsy Flowers press is not a microwave flower press, but has a quick drying process that does not take a long time. Say goodbye to using thick books!
Supplies Needed for Pressing Flowers:
- Ditsy Flowers Press Kit (has everything you need for perfectly pressed flowers)
- Includes Wood Boards, belt system, blotting paper, lining paper and sponge layers
- Wild Flowers, wild plants, flower petals, or fresh flowers
If you prefer to make your own flower press, get 2 wooden boards and drill holes in each of the corners.
Thread a big screw in each corner that can be tightened with a wing nut.
Layer sheets of absorbent paper, piece of cardboard sheets, and blotter paper cut slightly smaller than the pieces of wood.
The thicker flowers can be layered in between the layers and the press tightened gradually over a few days time.
Step 1: Layering Fresh Flowers
Let's start by layering the flower pressing sandwich with the bottom board and a thick absorbent piece of blotting paper.
The Ditsy Flowers press has the perfect guide for pressing flowers--they also have refills for all the different pieces.
The second layer is the lining paper, it is thin and wispy and just sits right on top of the blotter paper.
Step 2: Adding Flowers to the Press
Now lay down your own flowers on the lining paper.
The flowers should be fresh, not dry flowers or they will just get crushed.
Place a single layer of petals, flowers or leaves on the liner paper.
Arrange the flowers the way you want them to be pressed...manipulate the petals, open up the top of the flowers and place them down on the paper.
Lay them on their sides. However you arrange the flowers on the board is how they will be pressed.
Then set the sponge sheet right over the top of the flowers.
Then repeat the stack as many times as you have supplies for.
- Place the blotting paper
- Then the lining paper
- Then the fresh flowers
- Finally the sponge
Step 3: Buckle it Up
After the flowers are arranged in the proper sandwich formation, use the straps and buckles to tighten the top board to the bottom board.
It's surprising how much you can cinch the pieces down just with the straps.
Step 4: Bag and Store
Place the whole press in the zipper bag and set it aside for 3 days or so, there's not really a right time, I typically fill it and forget it until I am ready to use pressed flowers for a project...then I use them and fill with more flowers to press.
That's all it takes is 3 days for the perfect dried and pressed flowers, great if you are making pressed flowers for wax seals as the finishing touch to wedding envelopes!
No need for heavy books, wooden press method, direct sunlight or microwave presses...this buckle press is a good choice.
For the best results it's a good idea to tighten the straps gradually if you have really thick flowers...giving them time to compress over a few days.
I love this press much more than the book method--and then stumbling across a book in the future that has random Summer blooms in it!
However there are lots of different methods for flower pressing and the results are stunning flowers that can be used in different ways for flower crafts!
Step 5: Flower Reveal!
After 3 days your gorgeous flowers, leaves and greenery are ready to reveal...I was surprised at how much of their color and vividness the greenery and florals kept.
Simply undo the buckles and remove the layers one by one, being careful, as the flowers tend to stick to different layers.
Use tweezers to remove them from the press and save in a container for future flower crafts.
The vibrant colors are still vibrant!
Of course I take great pride in these 4-leaf clovers I found in the yard for this press project!
That's it!
Pressing flowers is an easy way to preserve the best flowers and use them for an art form like handmade cards, bookmarks, wax seals, a special event and other fun crafts.
I love being able to press the first of the blooms of the season and treasure them always.
After I clipped these clovers and crocus flowers, it completely snowed--so glad I have this springtime collection of pressed flowers to enjoy!
I was super glad I had saved a few of them in a beautiful way!
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What to do with Pressed Flowers after Pressing?
There are a lot of fun things to do with pressed flowers after pressing them.
Here's 20 fun ideas of things to do with Pressed Flowers:
- Preserve in a Frame
- Laminated on paper
- Painted on Finger Nails
- Mod Podge to a Flower Pot
- Decorate a Pillar Candle
- Make Bookmarks
- Mod Podge to Rocks
- Inlay in Clay or Ceramic
- Set Flowers in Resin
- Use with Wax Seals
- Mod Podge to Hard Cooked Eggs
- Mod Podge to small Glass Jars for Tealights
- Add to a Cake
- Use with a gel plate or monoprint
- Glue on Handmade Cards
- Put on a Pendant
- Resin to a Coaster (or this one)
- Glue to the inside of a clear Phone Case
- Mod Podge to Wood Slices
- Turn into Flower Art
How to Make Pressed Flower Laminated Bookmarks DIY
Preserve gorgeous pressed flowers in lamination for the perfect and easy bookmark!
These flowers and four leaf clovers were found in my yard and perfect for an epic book place holder.
Just a few supplies needed to make all the flower art bookmarks!
How to Make Wax Seals with Pressed Flowers DIY!
Transform a boring envelope into a message adorned for a king by adding a wax seal with pressed flowers.
Wax seals are elegant and so much fun to use...melting the wax, pressing the stamp...it's incredibly cool.
Add a pressed flower or four leaf clover from your yard for even more snail-mail-letter specialness!
How to Preserve Pressed Flowers in Clear UV Resin
Learn how to preserve delicate pressed flowers and clovers in clear UV resin.
UV resin is easy to work with an instantly dried, so it makes starting and finishing a project much more doable.
Cast some fun resin pieces filled with gorgeous preserved flower art!
Pressed Flower Paperweights
Resin coasters are a great way to preserve flowers and perfect for bright colors without the allergies!
Place on a stack of papers to keep them organized or add a magnet and stick them on the fridge.
4 Leaf Clover in Resin
Have you ever found a real four leaf clover?
We have them all over our backyard!
This cute clover was found in the grass in our backyard.
It was in a patch of 3 leaf clovers, so it really was lucky to find it!
Preserve a four leaf clover in a wooden coaster with glossy resin for a long lasting reminder of your good fortune!
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