FLORAL CRAFTS

Pressed Flowers Note Cards BY PIONEER THINKING Materials: Tweezers Flowers and Leaves (You can also use herbs) White absorbent paper Note Cards Construction paper (Optional) White Glue, Toothpick Directions: 1. Choose flowers that are a good size for your work. The best ones are simple flowers with few petals such as pansies, buttercups, Queen Anne's lace. (This is especially true for beginners, until you get more confidence to try more elaborate blossoms and greenery.) Pick your flowers after the dew has dried, usually late morning. 2. After you have selected your flowers and greenery and picked them its time to press them. Remove all the stems from the flowers. Spread the blossoms and leaves in a single layer on a sheet of white absorbent paper. Place a second sheet of paper on top and place heavy objects such as books on top. Leave for about 2 weeks. 3. Now that your blooms and greenery are dried its time to get creative! Its a good idea to arrange your flowers and greens on paper before you glue. Be gentle though as some flowers or leaves can be brittle. Next step is to take a pair of tweezers and pick up a leaf that you want for the background. Using a toothpick dipped in white glue apply a small amount to the back of the leaf. Place on white note paper.(Fig.1) Continue this process until you have placed all the leaves you want onto your card. 4. Next glue on all the major focal flowers. Glued the same way as the greenery. Once this is done, add all of the accent flowers. (Fig 2 & 3).   5. Now that your pressed flower arrangement is completed you can write you quotes, poetry etc under the flowers, or you just leave blank for a simple but beautiful look. To protect your cards cover them with clear self-adhesive contact paper. Press contact paper down firmly to make sure it sticks to the flowers, greenery and card. For extra color glue finished card onto construction paper. Editor's Note: You can also use pressed flowers for other craft projects. Try adding them to place mats, Table tops, Create pictures.......Let your imagination run wild!

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