How to Make Pressed-Flower Bookmarks
Pressing flowers is an age-old technique of preserving the beauty of flowers fresh from your garden or capturing the sentimental value of flowers from a funeral, wedding or anniversary. Using the pressed flowers to create a bookmark is relatively easy, requiring little expense, yet will serve as a beautiful keepsake of a loved one lost or a celebration of love renewed or preserve those first spring flowers. Pressed-flower bookmarks can be made as a family project, Children will love giving these as gifts to parents, grandparents or a favorite teacher.
Pressing Flowers
Pick flowers from your garden mid-morning when the dew has dried on the petals and they are at their freshest. If pressing already-cut flowers, soak them in a vase of water overnight to freshen them up unless you are pressing them immediately.
Lay the flowers on a piece of stock paper, spreading out the petals with the center of the flower facing up. Place another piece of stock paper on top of the flowers, sandwiching them between the paper.
- Pressing flowers is an age-old technique of preserving the beauty of flowers fresh from your garden or capturing the sentimental value of flowers from a funeral, wedding or anniversary.
- Using the pressed flowers to create a bookmark is relatively easy, requiring little expense, yet will serve as a beautiful keepsake of a loved one lost or a celebration of love renewed or preserve those first spring flowers.
Use one heavy book such as an encyclopedia, phone book or dictionary, or two heavy hard-backed books. Place the paper with the flowers in between the pages of the book or between the two books, pressing down firmly to flatten the flowers
Leave the flowers for seven to 10 days inside the book and do not open or pull off the paper to look at the flowers before the time is up. The flowers can be left for a longer period, but do not leave for a shorter time or there will still be enough moisture left in the flowers that mold could form.
Making a Pressed-Flower Bookmark
Remove the flowers from between the pages of the book and carefully take off the top piece of paper to reveal the pressed flowers. Use a pair of tweezers to lift the flowers off the paper, if needed.
Cut two pieces of contact paper each 6 inches by 2 1/2 inches. Remove the backing of one piece only and lay it on a table with the sticky side facing up, Arrange the flowers on top of it in any pattern you desire.
- Use one heavy book such as an encyclopedia, phone book or dictionary, or two heavy hard-backed books.
- Place the paper with the flowers in between the pages of the book or between the two books, pressing down firmly to flatten the flowers Leave the flowers for seven to 10 days inside the book and do not open or pull off the paper to look at the flowers before the time is up.
Remove the backing from the second piece of contact paper and carefully place the sticky side down over the other piece, sandwiching the flowers. Line up the edges.
Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark about 1/4-inch below the top edge. Cut an 8-inch length of 1/4-inch-wide ribbon and fold in half. Holding the two loose ends together, thread through the hole in the bookmark pulling halfway through. Insert the two loose ends held together through the loop of ribbon, then pull the loose ends tightly to secure the ribbon through the hole.
Tip
The edges of the bookmark can be cut with craft scissors that have a decorative edge.
Related Articles
References
Tips
- The edges of the bookmark can be cut with craft scissors that have a decorative edge.
Writer Bio
Amy Hannaford teaches childbirth education classes and a healthy pregnancy series in Southern Oregon. Hannaford holds an Associate of Arts degree, a certificate in medical assisting, and has been a childbirth educator and birth doula for 20 years. She has been writing articles for Demand Media since 2008.
