Flower Fun: Pressing Flowers Properly

Pressed flowers can be used to make lots of other things, which I will post about later, but first you have to know how to start off this flower pressing activity. It is quite simple. To start, I recommend using relatively flat flowers and leaves. You can press others, (roses for example are not flat) but is much more difficult. Try my favorite, daisies, they are quite simple to use.  You'll also need paper. It doesn't matter so much what kind, you can use news print, napkin, notebook paper, whatever floats your boat really. The goal is to absorb the moisture from the flowers. (I prefer paper towels, because they absorb well and are easier to separate from the flowers later on.) You'll also need several heavy books, approximately 15lbs that stack easily.

Remove flower stems.
Place them in a single layer on your sheet of paper, making sure they don't overlap at all. (They will stick together and become impossible to separate without tearing if they touch)
Then place another sheet of paper on top.
Place this sandwich in the middle of a book. (If this is a book you care about, be sure to place wax paper underneath and on top of the sheets of paper, otherwise there will be stains.)(You can press multiple batches of flowers in the same book if you leave about a 1/4" of pages between them.)
Stack the other books on top and wait for two weeks.


"This morning I counted 14 pink petunias in my flower box. Spring is quite lovely."

Flower Fun: Making Blossom Ice Cubes

There are many edible flowers, most of them actually taste pretty good. I will post a list of my favorites later.  Blossom Ice Cubes are adorable to float in a party punch or just in your ice water on a hot summer afternoon. 

Making Blossom Ice Cubes: 

Bring water to a boil, and sustain for at least 3 minutes. (This allows a lot of the air trapped in the water escape, making the ice cubes as clear as crystal.) Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. (Do not try to rush this process by stirring, adding more water, or placing in a refrigerator, let it cool on it's own.)

Rinse your flower blossoms(Be sure they are pesticide-free)

Place a flower blossom in the bottom of each slot in an ice cube tray. 

Fill each slot half full of cooled boiled water and freeze. 

Wait until the water is frozen, and then fill each slot the rest of the way and refreeze. 

Then enjoy. 

(I will add a picture as soon as my camera starts working again) 

"You need the messy stuff (dirt) to make the flowers grow."