How to Press Flowers in Books
Let's learn how to press flowers in a book. This is a simple and free way to preserve your favorite blooms and leaves from your own property or a nature walk!
Equipment
- 3-4 big heavy books.
- Scissors
- Parchment paper.
- Optional: paper and pencil
Ingredients
- Flowers and/or leaves
Instructions
- Cut two (2) pieces of parchment paper to size. They should be big enough to hold the flower and/or leaf on without any of it touching the pages.
- Optional: note the page you are putting your flower in on a piece of paper. Place this piece of paper in the front of the book. This comes in handy when you have multiple flowers throughout the book!
- Place one (1) piece of parchment paper down on the page. Position your flower on top how you would like. Make sure the petals and/or leaves are smooth and flat.
- Place the other piece of parchment paper on top of the flower and close the book.
- Put your book that has your flower in it in a stack of 3-4 books. Wait 3-4 weeks before removing your flower!
Notes
- If your flowers and/or leaves are wet, gently pat them dry with a kitchen towel before starting this project.
- Writing down the pages you use on a scrap piece of paper and placing it in the front of the book is so helpful when you go to get them in 3-4 weeks!
- Write down the date you plan to take your flowers out of the books in your planner or set a reminder on your phone so you don't forget about them!
- If you are worried about protecting the pages of your book, cut your parchment paper the size of the whole page if not a little larger. It's okay if the parchment paper sticks out of the pages a bit so long as no part of your flowers and/or leaves hang out with it as they need that weight!
- If you don't want to risk a book in your collection of favorites, go to the thrift shop and buy a book you don't care about so that if any moisture does get on the pages you won't be upset! That's now your designated flower pressing book!
- For added preservation, you can gently coat your flowers and/or leaves in a layer of clear glue. Use a paintbrush and a light hand so you don't damage your blooms!