Blotting Paper for Flower Press by Berstuk • Large A4 Flower Press Paper • Highly Absorbent and Reusable Herbarium Paper • Pack of 10 Blotter Paper Sheets

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You are likely to find that flower pressing enthusiasts have a particular type of paper that they love to work with. As a hobbyist, you may need to experiment for a while to find out the paper that will work for you. I can count the years that I’ve watched spring come to life on our hillside. Yellow forsythia star-shaped flowers and cheery daffodils are always the first teases of spring. Followed by pink buds on our redbud trees that remind me of a merry-go-round, at a closer look. Once you have tried some of the easier flowers to press – and with a little practise, you’ll be able to press almost any plant material. Heavier, bigger flowers (such as sedums or hyacinths) are much more challenging to press – but not impossible – so you may need to doctor the flower slightly before pressing (see below: How to press large flowers). How to press flowers Blotting paper for the face and blotting paper for flower pressing are similar in that they are both types of absorbent paper that are used to remove excess moisture and oil. However, there are also some key differences between the two. Harvest leaves and herbs before they reach their peak. And select flowers that look like they are just ready to open their buds.

If you’re pressing flowers or leaves from a bouquet or arrangement, avoid those sprayed with glitter or paint. These will always turn brown due to chemicals. Tips for Collecting and Preparing Herbs, Leaves, and Flowers for Pressing Wax paper is another option for flower pressing. It is widely available and affordable. It is a thin paper that is coated with a thin layer of wax, which makes it moisture-resistant. This can help to protect the flowers from humidity, dust and other environmental factors. But pretty much it.However, you will be pleased to know that you have many options for paper for pressing flowers effectively. Blotting paper (A3 size is best but A4 will do). Alternatively, sheets of kitchen paper or tissue paper will work just as well If any items have stamens such as a lily, remove them, so the pollen doesn’t stain. For roses, carefully peel petals to press. If you're trying to press a bulkier plant, add extra paper and card to ensure that every part of the plant and flower is being directly pressed, to avoid bits shrivelling up.

Lay one piece of cardboard on top of the base board and place a piece of blotting paper on top of that. Don’t be tempted to open the press early. Blooms pressed for only a day or two will be flat but not dry and are more likely to deteriorate. The longer you can leave them in place, the longer the colours will last.

How to press flowers

Repeat the same process until your press is full or you have used all of your blotting paper and card. Gently press down on the flower heads by hand as you add each paper layer, so your flowers don’t bounce up and out as you build up the press. For large flowers with layered petals, consider separating the petals before pressing and then “reconstructing” the flower later, if desired. Drill a hole in each corner of the boards, about 1 inch from the edge. Make sure you match the size of your bolts and line up the holes on both boards. Step 2: Arrange flowers in between cardboard and paper Carefully place your flowers and leaves onto the paper and lay another sheet of paper over the top. The following steps are intended to help in the collecting and pressing of herbarium specimens. These guidelines will help in creating useful and long-lasting herbarium specimens.

If you want to press a succulent plant or something with a large stem, use kitchen roll to absorb the extra moisture that comes out on the first day, and throw it away. Ditto if you are trying to press multiple specimens at once. Place the kitchen roll so that it is an extra layer outside of the newspaper. You could also consider cutting the plant stem in half.

You will need:

You then need to create sandwiches of materials. First put a piece of cardboard onto the wood and then add a sheet of newspaper folded to A4 size on top. Place one of your blotting paper 'folders' on top and cover with more newspaper. Blotting Paper: I’ve tried other things like printer paper, paper towels, and wax paper, and none work as well as blotting paper. Wax paper can retain moisture and cause mold. And paper towels will leave an imprint on plants, for example. In a pinch, white tissue paper or parchment paper can work. How to Use a Flower Press: Flowers will be happy in the press until you need them, but can be stored elsewhere. We use mount board fixing them in place with thin strips of masking tape over the stems. As the flowers become brittle, it is important to keep them flat. Mounting: Attach the specimen to the paper using a combination of neutral-pH PVA adhesive and gummed linen hanging tape. The label should include the plant name and author, plant family, description, location, date, collector and any other relevant details. The label should be placed on the bottom right-hand corner.

Newspaper works well as the immediate covering for your plant specimen because it is fairly absorbent and has anti-fungal properties. Place your flower press on a flat, sturdy surface, with the bolts all in place, protruding upwards through the six holes in the wooden base board. If using a bouquet, keep it in water until ready to press. (Tip: Always cut stems at an angle and place flowers in a vase with flower food to maintain freshness. Replace water daily and remove any leaves below the water line.)Lay out your flowers, blotting the ends of the stems with an absorbent cloth to remove any excess moisture. It’s good to use flowers that keep their colour; the best flowers for pressing include buttercups, pansies, violas, forget-me-nots, daisies, hydrangeas, roses and larkspur. Leaves and ferns are also easy to press, and it’s always worth including a few leaves in your press as they are very useful to use as ‘fillers’ in your artwork later on. I’ve also had success with lavender – however, once pressed, the buds have a tendency to detach quite readily, so if you’re going to use pressed lavender for craft, it’s a good idea to be ready with the PVA to stabilise your spike once you remove it from the press. PVA is the most commonly used glue for pressed flower projects as it doesn’t discolour the petals, and it can also be used as a protective coating.