How do you press flowers?

Press flowers by gathering them, laying them between the parchment-lined pages of a book, closing the book, and placing a weight on the book. This takes up to 10 days for a flower to become pressed completely. You need flowers, a book, a weight and parchment paper.

1. Gather flowers

   Gather flowers for pressing. You want them to be as perfect and blemish-free as possible. It is best to collect them in warm weather and later in the day when there is no dew or rain on the petals.

2. Prepare the book

   Cut two sheets of paper from a roll of parchment paper. Place the sheets on the open pages of a book or phone book. The parchment protects the flowers from the ink on books.

3. Place the flowers on the parchment paper

   Place the flower on the parchment paper with the petals facing down. Make sure that you carefully arrange the flowers so that none of the petals are folded over or under.

4. Close the book

   Gently close the book, making sure to keep the flower in place.

5. Place a weight on the book

   Place a weight on the book in order to press the flower.

6. Leave the flower in the book

   Leave the flower in the book with the weight on top for up to 10 days until the flower has a papery appearance.