I bet that you are enjoying the luster of beautiful summer blooms, me too.  I made these simple flower presses last winter and they have come in handy.  I just threw some lovely blue Borage blooms in my press last week and they pressed beautifully.  This project is a snap to assemble and easy to tote around on your garden walks.  Its worth planting some “fun and new to you seeds” just to see how the flowers will press!

Supplies:

1. two pieces of wood in similar size, sturdy enough to not bend
2. Japanese rice drawing paper or acid free/dye free paper to press the flowers against
3. measuring stick and pencil
4. paper cutter
5. pieces of cardboard, large enough to cut to the wood size
6. scissors or box cutter
7. one yard belting or ticking tape to wrap around the flower press
8. fray check or glue to keep the ends from unraveling
9. two D rings to keep the belting tape taut around the flower press
10. sewing thread or heavy duty staples to fix the D rings in place

Paper Assembly:

1. Start by gathering your supplies together.  All project measurements will be based off of your wood size.  Think of what you are interested in pressing and then make sure your dimensions will be big enough.  I plan to press small flowers and leaves so two pieces of 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ wood works for me.
2. With paper cutter, cut out forty sheets of rice paper or acid free/dye free paper. This amount assumes that you will create ten “sections” between the two pieces of wood.  Each section will have four sheets of paper to press and absorb plant moisture.
3. Now, with the same dimensions cut out 11 pieces of cardboard.  Each “section” will have cardboard on the top and bottom of four paper sheets.
4. To assemble the flower press I’m simply going to run through each sequence from bottom to top.  Mark them off as you assemble. Ready?

1. one wood,
2. one cardboard, four papers,
3. one cardboard, four papers,
4. one cardboard, four papers,
5. one cardboard, four papers,
6. one cardboard, four papers,
7. one cardboard, four papers,
8. one cardboard, four papers,
9. one cardboard, four papers,
10. one cardboard, four papers,
11. one cardboard, four papers,
12. one cardboard, one wood

Final Assembly:

1. Take belting tape and stretch around the assembled flower press.  Tape should wrap around the flower press one and a half times. Now cut the tape to specifications.
2. Remember the 80′s?  Well we are going to cinch up the flower press just like we cinched our jeans.  Take one end of your belting tape and loop it through the two D rings.  Fold it back from the end by one inch.  Sew down the end or staple it. (I prefer the sewing but do what’s easiest for you).  Cover it in fray check or glue and let dry.
3. Now for the final assembly, wrap the tape around the wood, cardboard and paper assembly.  Loop the “loose end” of the tape through the “ring end” of the tape. Fold the “loose end” over the first ring and under the second ring.  Pull the tape taut and voila!
4. You can cover the wood in decorative fabric or wood burnish it with your name or decoration.  I think that would look really good except I don’t have a burnisher.
5. Collect and create some fun things from your summer’s pressed flowers.  The season will live on!

In Simple Creativity~ Sam