Today I’m sharing my flower press DIY. There’s a fun hashtag on IG right now called the #botanicalseries hosted by @adiandbert and @missaimeefleur, which inspired me to dig around in the storage room to find the flower press I made last year.
Imagine my surprise when I saw these two sprigs of Queen Anne’s Lace! I’d forgotten I’d even pressed them. Love!
To make the collage, I layered several pieces of my own handmade paper and placed the flowers on top.
kk_TouchaHaze
Last summer … peonies … sigh …
At first I wasn’t going to include the following photo because I didn’t like my hands … but I think I need to celebrate them and be thankful for all they allow me to do …
Drill a hole in each corner of the wood. Do this for both pieces and make sure they line up with each other so you can put the bolts through. I would suggest drilling the holes closer to the edges than I did – mine are in a bit too far and this limits the area available for pressing.
Sand the edges of the wood to smooth, then brush lightly with paint. The next step is to cover the outside with decorative paper (I used scrapbook paper).
Brush the top of the board with glue and lay the paper on top.
When the glue is dry, sand the edges of the paper to distress:
When ready, place your chosen flowers between two white sheets of paper, then between the heaviest thin hard cardboard you can find. Here I’ve used the protective cardboard that’s included with photos (from Costco). Use as many layers as will fit between the boards (that will depend on the length of the bolts you use).
For each hole you’ll need one wing nut, one bolt, and two washers.
In the diptych below, the top image is the front of the press, and the bottom image is the bottom of the press:
If you have any questions, just ask in the comments and I’ll help you out! The is more about making the press, than the actual pressing of flowers. For further inspiration check out my Flower Pressing Pinterest Board.
What you need:
- 2 boards of the same size (they don’t have to be square)
- sandpaper
- paint
- decorative paper
- glue
- 4 wing nuts, 4 bolts, and 8 washers
- white paper
- hard, thin cardboard
- flowers
How to:
- sand edges of wood
- lightly paint edges of the two boards and let dry
- drill a hole in the corner of each piece of wood (make sure the holes line up between the two pieces of wood)
- glue decorated paper to the outer side of the wood
- when dry, sand edges of paper to distress
This is really pretty Barb
Love the photo of your gorgeous paper and the Queen Anne’s Lace ! Thank you for the instructions for building the flower press too….!
you’re so clever.
I’ve had pressing flowers on my to-do list for some time. Thank you for the how-to so I can get started.
I made one of these a few years ago, Barb, and then just kind of put it away. You have inspired me to get it back out again.
I put mine between 2 pieces of waxed paper (instead of white). For some reason, it seem to preserve more of the color.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.
Oh Barb…..I think I may just have all the necessary equipment to make a flower press and I’m going to do it! This looks like tons of fun!
One question: Can you press just about ANY flower?
BTW, I saw your new Pinterest Board on this subject…..going to check it out!
pressed flowers always seem very special to me for some reason. Maybe because of the time and patience someone took to do the work and give us the preserved flower. This project looks easy enough so I may need to make one. Right now I’m using a full ream of paper sitting on flowers. I love the idea of decorating the outside of the wood. Thanks so much for sharing Barb!!
Going to have to pin this one for safe keeping. Great idea for holding on to some lovely blossoms for when the winter winds blow.
What a delightful and useful post Barb…….I’ve been using heavy books for far too long, it’s time I had the real thing (may pass this on to Brian….. ;-) ) I find blotting paper or kitchen towel (paper) works well as it absorbs any moisture in the flowers.
That Queen Anne’s lace!- beautiful photo!!! Thanks for the directions and inspiration- I’d love to try it again sometime!
Any chance you can give us step-by-step directions on the paper making??? I’m definitely going to make your flower press but I’d also love to make your paper. Thanks.
Yes, I will do that Jo … it’s kind of like baking cookies :)
Thank you so much Barb for sharing this tutorial with us… your flower press is so lovely… I’m not sure I would be able to make such a beautiful one… I’ve an old one but very small and usually I stack a couple of heavy books on the flower wrapped in 2 layers of tissues.
Your picture is simply gorgeous and I love your handmade paper… remember seeing them piled in a previous post… how I would love to be able to make my own paper! you’re so clever at everything you try!
Thank you so much Barb for sharing with us this tutorial… I don’t think I would be able to make such a lovely flower press as the one you made… maybe I’ll ask my brother… each time I need to dry a flower or 2, I just wrap the flower between 2 layers of tissue and stack a couple of heavy books on the top of it!
Your picture is simply gorgeous and I love your handmade paper… remember seeing a pile of them in a previous post… how I would love to make my own paper! and besides, your paper is so beautiful in pictures, I love its texture, color, all the possibilities it offers…
You’re so clever and creative, Barb at everything you try… your hands are magical…
Beautiful. Your paper is gorgeous. I few years ago I made handmade papers from natural materials that I collected from Nature. Fun but lots of work just collecting materials. Now I have to go see if I can find my press somewhere and press some flowers.
Thanks for the detailed instructions .. . I will never find mine . .. house/garage/shed too full!!! My Mom used to do this . . .. and the flowers are wonderful keepsakes . .
Celebrate your hands . .. they are incredibly gifted and talented.
OMG!!!! Queen Ann’s Lace dried and on that paper!!!! I have a phone book full of flowers in the closet and some papers I made but all are colored. But right now I’m going to go plant the Queen Ann’s Lace seeds that are still sitting on the countertop. I understand the hand thing, I’ve left mine out too often.
Your work inspires me to run around the yard and collect all of my precious blooms…the few that there are right now. LOL.
I wish we had Queen’s Anne Lace here, but I have yet to see any of it around. It’s also a exceptionally dry spring, so it’s not encouraging anything to flourish.
And that’s the most gorgeous flower press I have ever seen, I’m in love.
Jen
Love ❤️ your flower press?
Thanks for sharing another great idea.
Ann ?❤️