Will work for flowers...

'Tis but a little faded flower,
But oh, how fondly dear!
'Twill bring me back one golden hour,
Through many a weary year.
~Howarth

If you wish to see any of the photos in more detail, click on them to enlarge.

Back on the power tools this week. Working so I can have more flowers! FINALLY I made that flower press I've been thinking about for some time. For more years than I can count, I've pressed flowers and leaves. After distressing, inking, and embellishing, my newest creation is ready for business! I cut out quite a few, including a "travel size" (this one happens to be 12" x 12") to accompany me on future away trips. I often collect flowers and clippings from our travels and incorporate them into photo layouts as little souvenirs from our time away. My children have teased me on more than one occasion after viewing photos of a recent adventure about taking more pictures of flowers and nature than of people. Sometimes, I'm guilty as accused. To apply firm pressure I mounted four glass knobs to the press.

Below are some flowers I've pressed in the past. Many of these are years old. Some, even over a decade! As long as they are stored out of the sun, they will retain their color and last a long, long time.

I have a stash of old postcards that I've attached dried flowers to and cut into the shape of a hang tag. I use a variety of methods to attach them. Diamond glaze by Judi-Kins is one of my favorites. The tag above was dipped into beeswax...the flowers hold up well. You can totally immerse the flowers or press them in while the wax is still hot.

On a 12" x 12" sheet of acid free paper I let my imagination go one day and created this page. The cheesecloth and flowers were all secured by pouring a layer of the thick embossing powder and then melting it with a heat gun. In some areas I reapplied the powder several times to build some dimension to those areas.

A close up of the same page...

Our family spends a lot of time up in the mountains of Western North Carolina. For those who are familiar with this part of the world, you know that the area is filled with rhododendron. One fall I noticed all the beautiful patina on the rhododendron leaves that had fallen to the ground. So I gathered a bunch of them and pressed them. I wasn't sure if they would work as the leaves are very waxy. Much to my delight, they pressed beautifully! Below are a couple of pictures to show how versatile and fun they are to incorporate into some pieces of art.

This was a piece of 81/2" x 11" paper where I applied a bunch of the alcohol inks made by Ranger. I actually stitched the rhododendron leaf to the page and rubber stamped on it as well.

This is a photo of the backside of a card I made for a special friend I've known for decades! Yes, I'm that old!!!

Below are two more pics of pressed flowers that were incorporated into the same "collage" card.

One year, my creative sister, "wrote my name" using little violas and framed it in an old victorian frame. It was darling. The possibilities of incorporating pressed flowers are endless! I would love to see how others have used dried/pressed flowers.

Wishing you all a day filled with contentment..

xo

Sue