I am now a member of the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild. A wonderful place to learn about Pressed Flower Art:
I had been making pressed flower cards for a couple of years off and on. I love making them because each one is unique and is handmade and is not mass produced.
I am now addicted to making Pressed Flower Treasures/Keepsakes and have evolved to include bookmarks, fridge magnets, key rings, minature framed art, framed wall/desk art, wedding keepsakes, jewelry, arrival notices and funeral tributes.
I also make Heirloom Rose Bead Jewelry.
I will continue to upload more images so please check back regulary to see what I can create for that special someone or that special occassion in your life.
To view the wide range of products I have available please go to:
http://camelotherbalenterprises.com.au
I have also come across and now use a company that can take my ‘Original works of Art’ and turn them into High Quality Prints (cards, wall art, calenders etc.) at a lower price. They can be found here:
http://camelotscribe.redbubble.com/
First Attempts.
My very first attempts were cute and childlike.
However, as the old saying goes ‘practice makes perfect’, I am now getting to a stage in what I call ‘my art’ that looks very nice and even (dare I say it) professional.
More images to follow soon.
How to make Pressed Flower Cards/Art.
To begin making pressed flower greeting cards of your own you need some basic supplies:
Flower Presses:
Flower presses can be bought from shops, homemade. an outdated telephone directory (yellow or white pages) and/or the new Microfluer (a microwave flower press available from Beeline products).
For fast results the microfluer is excellent. With the Microfluer you clamp the flowers together between square cotton fabric and moisture absorbing pads (like a combination of felt and foam).
This is then placed in the microfluer and microwaved in short bursts until dry. The timing depends on your microwave wattage and the flowers being pressed. Microfluer provide instructions.
If you are patient enough, the telephone book way is very good too.
Purchased flower presses from craft shops, toy stores, etc. are also very good.
It all depends on how long you want to wait and how much you want to spend.
I use all methods described above.
Flowers:
Flowers for pressing should be picked when all the morning dew has gone. The flowers and foliage should not be wet.
Blotting/Tissue paper.
Tissue’s, blotting paper and apparently computer paper are all the different kinds of papers you can use to sandwhich the flowers for pressing.
Cards or cardstock.
Available from most craft stores, paper craft/stamping shops.
Craft glue/sealers.
I use modge podge alot, it is very good because it is not only a glue but it also seals the pressed flowers – protecting their colour and beauty.
As a glue alone I use many that are available is most craft stores.
Whichever glue you decide to use you only use a tiny amount on a toothpick to stick the flowers to the card.
Apparently you can leave the card unprotected however, I would not put so much time into making something beautiful and then leave it unprotected.
As a final finish I cover the card with a clear adhesive seal. I bought this at Stampers Den and found it easier to work with than normal book contact purchased through supermarkets.
This can be tricky to work with as you have to adhere the seal to the card/picture and smooth out airbubbles at the same time.
I find it difficult to remove all airbubbles, often the flowers are the tiniest bit thicker than the paper, however, because the flowers are already previously sealed (usually twice – modpodge and crystal clear varnish spray) I do not panic about a few airbubbles.
Optional extras:
For extra protection I also spray my finished card/pressed flowers with Crystal Clear varnish. I like the finished effect.
I spray this on the flowers after I have sealed them with Modge Podge and before I apply the clear adhesive seal (allowing drying time between applications).
I hoped you enjoyed reading and learning about pressed flower cards/Art.
©T.Seed 2007
Tips and Advice.
Since writing my first post on Pressed Flower Greeting Cards I have made some new discoveries and applied them to my cards.
I now use Iron on Vinyl to cover my cards and some bookmarks. This has proven to be a much better way for me, providing a smoother, clearer finish to my cards and bookmarks.
Prior to this I spray the pressed flowers with a matt spray varnish. I have found I prefer this to the previously mentioned varnish, which I think is glossy. I will still use the gloss one when and if the situation calls for it.
Latest News:
I have been recently ‘tested’ in my ability to produce quite a few products for a stall my friend and I shared at the Balingup Medieval Carnival. I must have worked about 16 hours a day for 3 weeks straight.
Although I sold very little, there was abit of interest with people taking my business card and we had an invite to become part of a new ‘market’ opening up in Mandurah, wanting quality produce.
To provide many choices and price values I made bookmarks, minature framed pictures and framed wall art and pressed flower jewelry. I also made Heirloom Rose Bead Jewelry.
To view a wide range of products I can create for that special someone in your life visit my website at:
http://camelotherbalenterprises.com.au
I also found a company which produce high quality ‘prints’ of my Original Pressed Flower Art/Cards.
I ordered quite a few of these to take along with me to the carnival so I could sell ‘Pressed Flower Card Prints’ at a lower price.
These High Quality Pressed Flower Card prints can be purchased through contacting me or going to:
http://camelotscribe.redbubble.com/
©T.Seed 2009
