Pressed flowers can be incredibly beautiful. When done well, they appear as a frozen moment in time, like a hyper-realistic artist portrayal of nature’s exquisite majesty. They can also be a meaningful keepsake, a tangible memory that immediately transports us back to a moment in time that we would like to be able to revisit.
Pressing flowers in San Francisco, CA can be a great way to keep track of a garden’s progress through time. Pressed flowers can also be a wonderful addition to a scrapbook, or a personal touch to a handmade card.
Another great thing about this form of art is that it’s quite affordable and not very difficult to master. All you need are flowers (of course) and a few tools, most of which you probably already have lying around the house.
Preserving flowers
Basically, the process for preserving flowers in San Francisco, CA involves cutting the flowers to the appropriate length, flattening them, drying them out and then pressing them. You will only need a few tools to do this in a way that looks beautiful and will last for years.
The tools you will need are scissors, a flower press (usually available for around $20 online), paper, paper towels, a microwave, a heavy book, a Ziploc bag and possibly a utility knife. Here are the steps:
- Cut the stems: Make sure they’re short enough to fit in your press.
- Dissect the flowers: Before pressing, you will need to decide if your flowers need to be dissected first. If they have more than one row of petals, you may need to remove the stamen and pistils and cut it in half.
- Press: Place the flowers on a clean sheet of paper in the desired design, making sure they are not touching each other. Place them in a flower press until dry, about three to five days depending on humidity levels outside.
- Microwave: At this point, you can now use a microwave to preserve flowers for pressing. To do this, place flowers between two paper towels and place them in the microwave. Top them with a heavy microwavable container and cook on medium for 35 seconds, then flip the flowers over and do it one more time. You may need to flip one more time and microwave for an additional 20 seconds after this.
- Set in paper: Finally, set the flowers between two sheets of paper and place a heavy book on top of them to completely dry them out. This will probably take about an hour. When they’re ready, place them in a Ziploc bag or any other kind of airtight plastic bag and store away from direct sunlight to avoid fading or deteriorating.
Flowers make a great gift and can instantly brighten anyone’s day. Pressing flowers is a great way to keep a smile coming back for years to come. For the best selection of fresh cut flowers to choose from, or for more tips on pressing flowers in San Francisco, CA, visit The Delicate Daisy – House of Flowers today.