Tag: decor

  • DIY Tutorial – 5 tips on How to Press Flowers

    Why to press flowers:

    Flowers are a beautiful gift of nature which don’t stay same for long . One way to preserve your favorite flowers is by pressing them . It’s a simple process and I am sharing 5 basic tips on how to press flowers . These easy tips will help you avoid the common mistakes and get great results .

    Pressed flowers find their use in a number of DIY decor projects . They are very useful as embellishments in various art items. You can use these as framed art , make greeting /invitation cards or add them to decor items like candles ,vase or wall plates .

    pressed flowers and leaves on a wall decor paper mache plate
    Wall plate decorated with pressed flowers

    Items needed:

    1. Flower /petals/leaves for pressing
    2. Book or Newspaper
    3. Heavy object (to place on top of book )
    4. Blotting paper (Optional) .

    5 tips for pressing flowers:

    1. Press Flowers at Earliest 

    If possible ,carry a small notebook which can hold the picked flowers for the time being. Flowers wilt and wrinkle easily if you put them in hand or directly inside a bag .

    After reaching home, put the flowers between clean sheets of paper or inside a book. Take a heavy book like a dictionary or telephone book . Choose a book that you don’t mind getting damaged as the moisture from flowers can spoil the pages.

    You can even put the flowers between pages of an old newspaper . Add a couple of heavy books or any heavy object on top for adding weight.

    Choose a dry place as humidity doesnt let the flower dry well and leads to mold. Keep flowers away from direct light as sunlight affects the color of the flowers.

    Pressing flowers using parchment paper
    Pressing flowers in an old diary

     

    2. Selecting the Flowers  

    To avoid mold , pick flower/leaves which are free from any moisture, dirt and soil  . Preferably, pick the flowers in daytime to avoid the morning dew.  

    Different variety of flowers and leaves for pressing
    Collection of flowers and leaves for pressing

    3. Decide the Final Look

    Pressed flowers lay flat which gives them a distinct look from fresh flowers . Depending on the petals arrangement of flowers being sparse or dense the end result after pressing varies. You can take just the petals if you don’t like the look of full flowers after pressing .

    Press the same flower sideways and face down to see the change in the outcome. Gently adjust the petals  with your hand or tweezers to set in a desired shape.

    pressed flowers and leaves on a wall decor paper mache plate
    Adding leaves with pressed flowers on a wall decor plate

    4. Add Greenery to Flowers

    Along with flowers ,most of leaves and grass look very beautiful after pressing . Adding a couple of leaves is a great way to compliment flowers and give a natural look to the arrangement.

    5. Pressing Duration

    Most flowers take 2-4 weeks to dry fully .Initially you can open the book to check the flowers for signs of moisture. Be patient and don’t disturb the arrangement frequently.

    Useful Tips:

    1. Flowers are fragile and get brittle after pressing and need to be handled gently . You can also use tweezers while working with pressed flowers .
    2. Pressed flowers fade with time with exposure to direct sunlight . You can seal them to preserve them a little longer . The simplest option for protecting your projects is to apply Mod Podge or watered down PVA glue over them.
    Frame artwork made using vibrant colorful flowers and leaves
    Framed art using Pressed flowers

    I hope that you will try to press different kind of flowers and find the tips in the article useful. If you are looking projects that use pressed flowers ,do check my DIY posts.

    If you have more questions,feel free to ask them in comments below .

  • Easy Tips : How to make flowers last longer

    Easy Tips : How to make flowers last longer

    One thing we all can agree on is that fresh flowers look great and have the power to brighten up a room all by themselves. Every time I see fresh cut flowers I secretly wish I had the superpower to make them stay fresh and last a bit longer than a couple of days.

    However,in the absence of a magic word that would keep my flowers from wilting, it is more of a “learning by doing ” and I am sharing everything I learned hoping to make life easy for your flowers .

    The mantra for keeping flowers fresh is –
    “Give them food & slow the bacterial growth” .

    The effect of these 5 simple tips on your flowers will surprise you , so don’t laze out on them , because we know you love those flowers more than you want to admit .

    Fresh flowers lift your spirit

    Step 1 : Do it ASAP

    When you bring the flowers into your home from the garden or a florist make sure to get them into water at the earliest but first remove all the plastic or paper . Also,rid the stems of dirt by washing them under running water .

    The more you delay and leave flowers without water , lesser is their life .

    Step 2 : Picking the vase and place

    Choose a vase with sufficient room at the bottom for your stems and a mouth large enough to allow air circulation . Make sure you wash the vase thoroughly.

    Ideally most flowers will last longer under cooler conditions hence try to keep your flowers away from harsh conditions like direct sunlight and high heat .

    Step 3 : Prune the flowers

    Firstly remove all the leaves which will be going inside the vase as they tend to rot quickly leading to the growth of bacteria.

    Now cut each stem at an angle with a sharp knife. You can use scissors too but be careful as they tend to crush the stems . Angled cut stem allow better water absorption.

    Note : It is advised to cut the ends under running water .This will renew the water vessels and keep air from entering the stem ,as air bubbles interfere with water absorption .

    Step 4 : Feed your flowers

    Since your flowers are not getting any food , giving them sugar solution will ensure a longer life . The downside of sugar is that it will also  help the growth of bacteria .

    Within 3-4 days bacteria create slimy ,gunky residue on stem ends and the water  will start to stink( Rings a bell , doesn’t it ? ). This also prevents the stem from taking up water causing more trouble for your flowers  .

    To counter this you need to add an agent that will slow the bacterial growth like Apple cider vinegar .

    Flower food mixture :

    To make the flower food , mix 2 tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar in 1 cup of water. Alternatively you could use 1:1 tablespoon ratio of sugar and salt in one cup of water .

    The ratio is variable depending on the number of flowers  and amount of water you take.

    Old as good as new !

    Step 5 : Repeat the cycle

    It is very important to change the water every day or on alternate days to reduce bacterial growth .If it’s possible , wash the vase from inside ,especially its walls.

    When you change water make sure to re-cut the stem and remove all the wilting ends to keep a check on the inevitable bacterial growth .

    You will need to top the fresh water with sugar  and salt/vinegar mix as you did above .

    Also , water wisely.

    You don’t have to fill the vase upto brim. You just need to feed all the stems.

    This will give you enough margin to snip a bit of stem every time you change water.

    Lastly , observe and improvise everytime you bring fresh flowers home. All flowers behaves differently but with experience, you can get a better idea on how to take care of them. .For eg , I personally prefer Chrysanthemums as their life is 2-3 weeks.

    My 2 week old flowers

    Fingers crossed, I am sure that the above 5 tricks will tip the scale in your favour and you will emerge a winner with long lasting flowers(Drum rolls playing in background !! )

    If you have any new suggestions or tips which have helped you keep your flowers  fresh, do share with us in the comment section .

     

    If time permits,do read the articles below to get a better understanding of fresh cut flowers : Read 1 , Read 2  and Read 4