By Stacy Risenmay |Â @stacyrisenmay
After working in your yard all year and growing beautiful things, it is nice to be able to enjoy those beautiful things during the winter as well. One way to do that is to preserve leaves and flowers by pressing them. There are so many fun things you can do with pressed flowers. Today I am sharing how you can turn them into ornaments.
Collecting Leaves and Flowers
The first thing you you'll need to do is grab your gardening gloves! Walk around your yard and cut leaves and flowers. I collected mine at the end of November and I was surprised how many things had survived our first frost and still looked nice. There were even some flowers still in bloom.
If you didn't collect leaves and flowers in time before your weather got cold, you can always collect leaves from your houseplants. Another idea is to buy a boquet of mixed flowers from a florist or the grocery store and use those.
Pressing Leaves and Flowers
Flowers like cosmos and pansies that are thin and more delicate are better for pressing. Thicker flowers like zinnias are harder to press and don't look as good when they dry. But if you aren't sure, just try it anyway and see!
You can buy a flower press or you can just use heavy books. I have found that for leaves, you can simply place them in between the pages. If you have flowers, it is best to put parchment paper between the pages first to protect the book pages from pollen or moisture.
Making the Ornamnets
I bought these small frames online several years ago and have loved using them on my tree with different photos and things in them. Adding pressed flowers is so simple, and doesn't make a mess. It is a beautiful way to enjoy the flowers you grew in your garden all winter long.
The two pieces of glass press right up against each other so your leaves and flowers won't slip or move around. You don't need to worry about securing them to the frame with glue or anything. If you have a thicker flower or leaf, it may have trouble closing all the way.
If you decide to keep these up all year and hang them somewhere other than your tree, make sure they are out of direct sunlight. The sun will fade them over time. If they do fade, you could always just replace them with newly pressed flowers.
I just love their natural beauty! And these ornaments would make a beautiful gift for the flower lover in your life. It is a fun way to preserve flowers from a special event like a wedding or anniversary too.
What flower craft have you made with pressed flowers and leaves? I'd love to hear more about your projects!
