Save A Little Bit Of Summer With Pressed Flowers

Where has the Summer gone? Yeah, I know everyone says this every year but seriously, I feel like it has literally passed me by. My 5 year old is heading off to kindergarten and I am filled with trepidation. Perhaps this feeling explains where my summer has taken off to. Along with this momentous event comes all the joys that can only accompany the back-to-school season. The 12 year old is involved in a grueling soccer program and various other middle school activities, while my 5 year old has just began the tight rope act of balancing ballet lessons and soccer along with school. At least little Emi, only just turning 3 has one more year before she starts the rat race. With this impending schedule shift quickly approaching everything that is a part of Summertime is rapidly fading. Flowers in full bloom, swimming pools, kids riding their bikes, evening walks and lemonade on the porch. County fairs, corn on the cob, ice cream trucks, nature hikes and family vacations are all soon to be replaced by snow, cold weather, mittens, sled riding and hot cocoa.

Thankfully you can save a bit of summer with a project that I did with pressed flowers. Pressing flowers is easy and very gratifying. You simply pick your favorite blooms and grab a large, heavy, hardcover book. Flat facing flowers work best for pressing as opposed to tulips or daffodils but it can still be done so don't be discouraged if these are your favorites.

Instructions For Pressing

1. Open your book to the middle somewhere and place your flower.
2. Place your flower or leaves flat and spread out evenly.
3. Take care to close the book with the pages and flowers laying flat and not shifting together.
4. Allow the flowers to press for 1-2 days for small flowers and 3-6 days for large flowers.
5. When the flowers are finished pressing carefully remove them from the pages.

Now that you have your lovely pressed flowers you are ready to create something unique and special that will remind you of summer through the long winter months to come. You could enhance your stationary, make unique gift tags, create greeting cards or make beautiful framed works of art. I took an old cork board with picture frames that was laying around begging to be spruced up and put the pressed flowers inside the frames. I encourage you to try this out with the flowers left in your garden and have fun creating your own little bit of summer!