Wednesday 12 September 2012

My Vintage Flower Press


When I was a little girl, my Grandmother used to take me out into the garden and pick tiny violas, pansies and ferns.
After picking them she would take me back inside to the big bookcase full of encyclopedias and we would press our flowers in between the pages. Each week I would beg her to show me our pressed flowers to see how they looked.  I'm sure she never expected me to keep asking and thought I would probably forget about it. But being the inquisitive child that I was, I just 'needed' to see and know what was going on ! lol
I remember occasionally she would let me take our little flowers out of the big books and make cards and other crafty things with them. Most of the time these little pressed blooms ended up being buried with big thick clumps of glue. I'm sure my Grandmother must have turned her head and rolled her eyes when she saw what I had done to them.....lol

I remember these times fondly and they bring me a smile.
Over the weekend I decided to press some flowers once again.
All of those years later I will now wait patiently to see my flowers pressed properly.  I hope to put a flower or 2 into my locket or maybe into my antique greeting card album.

The album pictured below is one of my most favourite things. It is Victorian in age and when I purchased it, it was full of pretty cards. As I turned each page I found this little pressed fern.  It has held it's pretty green colour and is in such good condition for it's age.
Who knows.....maybe the little flowers that I pressed over the weekend will have just as long a life as this little fern !
Pressing flowers is becoming a lost art.
You don't need a proper flower press, a big heavy book will work just as well.
Why don't you go out into your garden and find something pretty to press.......even a clover will do !

I chose whatever tiny flowers that I could find to press.
My flower press has clamps and heavy wooden panels to keep it all tight and firmly together.
It has been lovingly handmade and has a little transfer on the front of it.
I pressed my flowers in between brown paper, popped on the clamps and now patiently await the drying and pressing process.


See you all tomorrow for THURSDAY FLOWERS !
Thankyou for visiting

Melanie
x


5 comments:

  1. HI Melanie!
    How fun! I found a leaf in a book I opened at school yesterday and when I was moving books at home, I found a tulip!
    Your granny must have thought you were the most fascinating grandchild!

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    1. My friend isn't it funny the way that it works ! lol You read my story and then you find those pressed flowers ! I need pics please. Maybe you could have your class all pressing flowers and make something pretty with the flowers for Christmas. Maybe you could make tree decorations with them ? xo

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  2. Oh, thanks for this post! I think I am going to start pressing and framing my flowers. They would make great wall art. Muah!

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  3. Sonya that would be so lovely ! Pansies and violets are my fav things to press. They are small and delicate and stay in shape in the pressing process. Pics from you too please to show me what you have made xo

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  4. I just LOVE your flower press...I wish I had one like that! And I love pressed flowers too! :-) I used to press them when I was a child as well and it was so much fun...thank you for reminding of that! :-) xox

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