Floral keepsakes
Inspired by the vibrancy and beauty of nature, designer and illustrator Beci Orpin inspires us with creative projects for outdoors and the home. Here she guides us through the delicate art of flower pressing.
What you’ll need
+ flowers or foliage: ones with flat petals are best
+ an old book
+ paper or card: try blotting paper, coffee filters, printer paper or several layers of tissue paper
Method
+ While this may be the slowest method of pressing flowers (as opposed to using an iron or microwave) it is easier and produces the best results.
+ Open up your book and place a sheet of paper on one side. Liquid from the flowers can leach into the surrounding pages, so use an old book or several sheets of paper to prevent this.
+ Arrange your flowers on the piece of paper, making sure the flowers aren’t overlapping (unless you want them to).
+ Cover with another piece of paper (or fold the first piece of paper in half) and close the book. Weight down the book by placing some heavy books or bricks on top of it.
+ Change the papers after 1 week; then leave for a few more weeks until the flowers are completely dry. Resist the temptation to check them (unless changing the paper), as this can disturb the flowers
This is an edited extract from Sunshine Spaces by Beci Orpin. Published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Chris Middleton.
