The Delicate Nature of Dried Plant Material: A pressed plant is like tissue paper when it is dried and is often attached to the paper at one or more points. It can be easily removed, however, by bending & folding the paper around the flower to loosen the bond. If this does not work, try slipping a flat razor blade under the portion that may be attached. Handle the plant very gently with dry hands - no hand creams, please! If it falls and is difficult to pick up, try using two toothpicks to lift and hold the plant while you manage to pick it up. Do not use tweezers even though they seem like the right choice at the time. They will break the plant or cause holes in the brittle material.
It is ready to use as soon as it is dry! If you are not ready to use it when it is removed from the paper, place the plant material between clean sheets of paper and put in a safe, dry place or keep in an open box with a silica packet ( those little packets that come with new shoes, etc.) . Do not place in plastic or seal in an airtight package since the plant will not be able to stay dry. There is always the risk of re-hydrating the pressed plant, which would result in a limp, non-usable item.
Uses for Dried Flowers, Ferns, Leaves, and Grasses - My Gallery & Gift pages show the plants that I have pressed and used in botanical art, note cards, floral or fern soaps, etc. The most popular and easiest use of dried plant matter is for the creation of a pressed floral or fern bookmark or placemat. Both of these items can be easily covered with laminate to preserve the design and the plant. Other ideas include: note cards, gift bags, memory boxes, framed artwork under glass, garden journals, etc. There is a long list of crafts using dried flowers and other plant materials, but the best ideas are the ones that you create on your own.
Aging Gracefully - Since the items pressed are real plants, they do need some protection from sun and humidity. If kept in a cool, dry place, the pressed plants will last a very long time. I have blue delphiniums in a glass frame that were preserved in 1998 and they still look as if they were just picked yesterday. They are on a wall that is in an open foyer, but not facing a window. They are kept dry because the air flow is constant and they are out of direct sunlight. If pressed plants are in direct light or trapped in a humid room, then the colors will soften with age. Bright blues will mellow to a softer shade of blue or light violet and bright pinks will soften to a blush. Ferns are more resilient, but they also will mellow to an olive shade of green if kissed by the sun on a daily basis.
If you have specific questions about the drying process, pressing methods, or types of plants to press, please ask! E-mail: pauline@petalnfernimpressions.com