Year-round Flowers to Enjoy

Well, my flowers are dry, and so I took them out of the book.  They didn't all turn out like I had hoped, but quite a few of them look very nice.  Unfortunately, the whole crinum lily I tried didn't work at all.  I think it would have been better if I had taken it apart and just used the petals.

Here is what I ended up with:

When I was in high school, a lady that I went to church with taught me how to make designs with pressed flowers.  I also found a lady at the Kanapaha Botanical Garden Show one year that makes beautiful designs, like landscapes and faces using only pressed flowers and leaves.  

This is what I do:

You will need paper, glue, scissors or a paper cutter, and clear contact paper.  You can use the Contact brand if you have some, but I prefer another product.

 My mom used to have the best contact paper for this, and I used it all.  I hadn't seen any more for years.  I looked online, in stores--nothing.  But, my husband suggested Central Florida Office Supply, and there it was.  This is better than the Contact brand for a few reasons.  First, it is completely clear.  Second, it is cheaper.  I was able to buy it by the sheet, so  I only paid for as much as I needed.

In case you are not in Gainesville, I took a picture of the logo on the contact paper so that you could find a supplier in your area.

I used white cardstock for this project, because it is inexpensive.  However, it is nice to have a pretty background for your design.  You can use chalks to color your paper.  I chose to use watercolor pencils.

I shaded a background with the pencils,

and then went over it with water to blend the pencil marks.

After the paper dried, I used my paper cutter to cut a rectangle out of the painted area of my paper.

Now, it is time to arrange the flowers.  These are individual petals and leaves arranged together to make a picture.  You do not have to, but it makes it easier if you use a dab of glue to attach each piece to the paper.  I used cheap "school glue."

Cut your contact paper to size.

Peel off the backing and attach it to the paper background.  It helps to start in the middle, or at one end and smooth it down as you go.

I had trouble getting my contact paper to be just the right size, so after I stuck it down, I had to go back and trim the edges.  This is okay.  Nothing has to be perfect.

 I designed this to be a bookmark, so I used a hole-punch in the middle of the top section.

I cut a piece of ribbon (6-8 inches) to thread through the hole.  Double the ribbon and pass the "loop" end through the hole.  Thread the two ends through the loop and pull the two ends tight.  

Here you are!  You could add this to a card, or make it a card by putting a personal message on the back.

The second thing you could do is make a picture, using the flowers and leaves as objects.  The picture I got at the garden show has hot air balloons.

To start, make your background as before, but bigger.

Cut it to the size you want,

and arrange your flowers.

The brown-eyed susan reminded me of a sun, and leaves make great trees.  I made the butterfly out of five flower petals.  

Glue the pieces down, cut your contact paper to size, lay it over your design, and trim the edges.

This is something that you could do with kids, too.  Go out, identify flowers, pick them, and dry them, and then the kids can have a great time coloring backgrounds and arranging scenes with the flowers.  You can do the contact paper part for them, and they can give them to grandparents!

Leave a comment if you try my ideas, or better yet, email me a picture!  I love feedback:)