Flower Pressing Basics: A Simple Craft for All Ages

Pressing flowers is an easy, rewarding project—great for kids. Use pressed blooms as delicate bookmarks or glue them onto cards and stationery for a personal touch.

While the classic method uses a heavy book and newsprint, a simple wooden press lets you preserve more flowers at once and handle thicker specimens.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Arrange flowers. For complex or rounded flowers (roses, carnations, mums), dismantle petal by petal. Lay petals on a padded board without touching or overlapping.
2. Load the press. Cover with blotting paper, then cardboard. Repeat with a second padded board. Stack both sets between the wooden press boards and secure with rubber bands.
3. Dry. Leave for several weeks, or speed up by microwaving on defrost for about 3 minutes (time varies by microwave and petal thickness).
4. Finish. If microwaved, let cool completely. Use tweezers to remove petals and store in an envelope or flat box until ready to use.