Pressed Flowers 101

 Welcome

Today’s adventure with the new Blogger 

apparently will be:

*Why can I NOT get the format to change over to center alignment

instead of

left alignment?

*Why can I NOT assign credits to imported photos?

Well the new adventure didn’t last long as I am ALREADY FRUSTRATED.

Back to blogging-

Let’s make some beautiful things while we enjoy the beginning (no matter how brief)

of Autumn.

All kaleidoscopes by inkspired and KaleidoCam app.

I have been pressing flowers from my garden

before the early snows kill them off.

I use a microwave method using

the Microfleur kit.

I just love it!

The Microfleur basic set

It consists of 2 plastic plates, 

2 clips to hold them together,

2 squares of thin cotton fabric

and 2 thick felt pads.

You lay out your flowers similar to above photo.

Make a ‘sandwich’ & pop into your microwave.

First burst: 10-20 seconds

Second burst: 10-20 seconds

A pressed flower design. Photo by Evelyn Ruhnke

I have never had to microwave longer than that.

Take your ‘sandwich’ apart carefully.

I then place the pressed flowers on paper towels 

until I am done with all I am pressing for the day.

🌸🌻🌺

Because you are pressing in such a short time,

the colors are so bright and pretty!

From a set of notecards by VT Pressed Flowers, Etsy

Pressed flower framed art is also unique and beautiful.

Another framed arrangement by Evelyn Ruhnke

Don’t want to get that fancy?

That’s okay!

You can place your flowers between 2 sheets of plastic.

Use the sturdy plastic from the front of toy boxes,

or even from clear sheet protectors.

VERY lightly dab tiny bits of glue on flowers 

and place on 1 piece of plastic with tweezers.

Tip:

It helps if you lay out your design

first, then glue.

🍂 🌾  🥀 🍃 🌼 🍁

Place 2nd piece of plastic on top. You can dab a couple of places on the top of the flowers,

then press 2nd sheet in place.

Finish with some pretty tape all around the edges to hold everything together.

Washi tape works, or ribbon that is 1” wide.

You will have to glue the ribbon folded over the edge equally to make it look nice.

So Super Awesome, Pinterest

Or

Cut your plastic into an oval, circle, etc.

Then use a sharp sewing needle 

with the stitch set on long

and sew all around the edge.

A zigzag stitch looks pretty also.

Add ribbon hanger and place in a window. 

Herbarium Boutique, Etsy 

I have also used copper tape

around the edges of a glass sandwich.

The glass was leftover from smaller frames 

where I did not want to use the glass.

(Notice the simple & clever stand below?)

Another example of flowers 

displayed between panes of glass:

ForgetMeNotNature, Etsy

Let’s not forget stationery!

Found on Pinterest, but no ID.

Possibly My Humble Jumble, Etsy

Making beautiful notecards is so easy with

pressed flowers and leaves

as God through Nature does all the work for you!

Simply take cardstock,

cut and folded to your desired size,

and lay your pressed items 

in a pleasing arrangement.

Dab on glue.

Add glitter glue, paper die cuts, lace,

bits of ribbon- 

anything that pleases you,

trying to stay with flatter objects.

Happy? Glue in place with dabs of glue.

My friend S.N. uses an old cd as her palette,

and squirts a little blob of glue on it.

Then taking a toothpick she picks up

dabs of glue and glues her items.

PatsysPressedFlowers, sold on Etsy.

A gorgeous one-of-a-kind card to send!

Card by Original Garden. She has an Etsy shop.

The last pressed flower/leaf craft

I would like to share with you are

BOOKMARKS!

My Booklandia, Pinterest 

Do you have some old, falling apart books 

stuck in a corner or box somewhere?

This is a lovely way to use a few pages 

from books headed to the recyclers..

Cut pages into bookmark shape.

Back with sturdy cardstock, but nothing too thick.

Glue to pre-cut page. 

Punch a hole at the top.

Lay out your pressed flower design;

sparingly glue in place.

Brush 2-3 light coats of Mod Podge over all.

Let dry 24 hours+ in between coats.

Thread ribbon/yarn tassel through punched hole at top.

Or

Cut clear contact paper into 2 bookmark shapes,

with one being slightly larger.

Peel off backing from the first one,

and place dried flowers on the sticky part.

Carefully place sticky side down of

second slightly larger piece, 

and smooth with a brayer,

rolling pin or smooth sided bottle.

I like to do this on a thinnish shop towel,

 to help protect the pressed flowers.

Trim excess contact paper.

Punch hole in top for tassel if desired.

Brit Morin, Pinterest 

Here are some more ideas to inspire you.

My Humble Jumble, Etsy & Pinterest

Notice the stitched border:

Craft, DIY Decor, Gift, Sew and Party with Tip Junkie, Pinterest 

rose.gold.silver, Etsy and Pinterest

I hope you are able to try out the

Microfleur flower press.

(No paid endorsements, I just really like it!)

If not, get out that old telephone book

and start pressing!

‘Til next time,

inkspired

My Humble Jumble

Boredom Busters, Part III

Welcome!

All kaleidoscopes by inkspired and KaleidoCam 

‘The cure for boredom

is curiosity.

There is no cure 

for curiosity.’

- Ellen Parr

We are now under severe restrictions 

on our ability to go where we want,

do what we want, see who we want.

Many people have already been under ‘house restrictions’ 

for a week or more.

Patience can get frazzled.

Artist Sandra Boynton

Tempers may be elevated.

Minion humor

And then there are the kids!

They are stressed out too!

I hope you will come away from today’s blog

with a few ideas to relax everyone,

use that creative side of the brain,

and just have some good ‘ol fun!

Let’s start out today with a couple more

Painting Projects:

Painted Swirly Flowers

From an article in Make and Take

You will need:

Some kind of palette-
 plastic lid, watercolor tray, plastic plate

Paintbrush

Paper 
Acrylic paints, various colors

Suggested- 

drop cloths, paint ‘smock’ or old shirt

From Make and Takes, 2016 article

How to:

Pour a few colors of paint onto your palette.

Take a paintbrush and dip into one color.

Without rinsing, dip into a second complimentary 

paint color. 

Do not blend!

Make a large circle ‘swirl’ on your paper,
 Making it into a swirl shoe.
Reload your brush with paint.

Make another next to it.

If you would like your flowers to have 
slightly different ‘tones’, try another swirl 
without reloading your brush with fresh paint.

Swirl in a third  circle.

(Refer to photos)

Made-by-mejulie-ryder.blogspot.ru


Using a largish brush, or a sponge cut into a thin leaf shape
Load with 2 or 3 colors of green paint.
Using a swiping motion add in some leaves.
(Refer to photo)

Load your brush with the flower colors (2)
and use a short quick ‘swipe’ to make flower buds.
Take a small paint brush and load 
with a light color value of your flower colors. 
Add in a bit of detail/highlights.

Here is a finished example,
with some slightly different ‘tweaks’.

Copyright Julie Ryder

Almost done!
Using a small paintbrush 
dab black or very dark flower color 
to center of each flower.
Using the end of your paintbrush
dip into white or yellow and make 3 dots
in the very center of your flower.

Here is another example to inspire you!

Sorry, the credit for this was in Russian!

For young artists,

have them dip a finger into a thin layer of paint. 

Then press their finger around the colored swirl.

Voila!

You now have a bouquet of flowers with leaves!

As you can see, your flowers can be very simple

or look more elegant

Depending on what you ‘add’.

Oh do send me photos of your results!

Next painting project:

DOTS!

ChristysCornerStudio.com

Dots are simple and any age can make one.
The more skilled the artist,
the more complex designs you can use.

Let’s start with a simple project:

YouandKids

You will need:

Paper - plain, watercolor or mixed media
Colored markers, any size, any brand
Post-It Notes

Pick out a simple shape - 
look at preschool age coloring books 
for some shape ideas.
To start, make your shape solid with no inner cut out areas.

Using your Post-It notes, cut the shape out.
You can patchwork the notes together so you have a large enough area for your shape.
Be sure to have as much of the ‘sticky’ area 
on your pattern shape as possible.

Smooth your shape onto your paper.
The sticky areas should hold it in place.

Now take the main color marker and start randomly making dots on your paper. Concentrate more dots around your shape, with fewer dots out to the edges.

Posted on Pinterest by Srirup 

Take a complimentary colored marker and make more dots.
When you are pleased with the color balance,
and the edges of your shape are mostly covered
you are done!
Carefully peel up your sticky note shape.
😁

The above photo shows using paint with pencil erasers.
This works really well!
You can also use Q-tips (cotton swabs),
pen caps, dowels - just look around for round shapes!

I think using acrylic paints is much easier than dotting with watercolors, but experiment with what will work best for you, and/or the ages of the kids creating also.

Here’s another design variation,
same technique:

Posted on Pinterest by Rachel Hinderliter

Starting to have some dotty fun?
Try using acrylic paint dots on rocks!

 For sale on Etsy

Try some dots on thick card stock and make bookmarks!

ShopWorldLove


I hope you try some Dot Art,
and really have fun with it.

That’s it for today’s Boredom Busters.
‘Til next time,
inkspired

Truth, usually experienced before 10am or coffee-
Nothing is kept in the plate cupboard
except plates.
Not coffee, silverware, napkins or mugs
can be found in the plate cupboard.
Just. Plates.