The Microfleur Microwave Flower Press takes the drying time from 4 to 6 weeks, as it is with books, to just a few minutes, and is a great mothers day gift idea.

She can press flowers from her garden or wildflowers from her yard.  Once dry, they can be used it many beautiful works of art that can come in all different forms and enjoyed all year long... and beyond.

Or you use a Microfleur to dry flowers and make her a one of a kind gift with beautiful pressed flowers.  Here are some great tutorials and ideas for making a great mothers day pressed flower gift:

Pressed Flower Jewelry

Cards

Framed Art

Nail Art Kit

Candles

Coasters

Bookmarks

The Mother's Day Gift that keeps giving.

Get the supplies to make pressed flower resin jewelry.  

Where you store your masterpieces will have some bearing on how long the color will last.  The main culprits are sunlight and fluorescent lights, so if you can keep them out of bright light and sealed in some way it will help them to stay colorful.  It may be possible to replace any faded flowers or leaves periodically to keep the color in your arrangement.  It is possible to paint the pressed flowers with water color paint.  

None of the flowers used on this site have been colored in any way. 

If you wish to test the ‘color retention’ of your flowers, place them in bright light, such as on a sunny window sill for a few weeks.  This will give you an idea of how long they will retain their color.   

Making Peel & Stick Stickers with Pressed Flowers

Stickers are something that is fun for all ages.  They can express ones individual style and likes.  Let's also not forget about that feeling of satisfaction and enjoyment that comes from simple peeling and sticking the sticker where it can be seen by you and your friends.  Just admit it... stickers are fun!

Here at Microfleur, we love pressed flowers.  What can be better than a pressed flower? You guessed it! Pressed flower stickers!! They are beautiful, unique as each flower, and very easy to make.  

[Disclosure: Keep in mind that some of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links which mean we earn a commission if you click through and purchase something. However, we only recommend products that we have used ourselves and the decision is yours whether or not to purchase an item.]

What you will need: 

• Tweezers
• Clear dot stickers - 1.5" to 2" are an ideal size, but you can get larger ones if you want to use larger flowers
• Something for pressing out air from the sticker. It can be a toothpick, the rounded back end of your tweezers, etc. I like to use a dotting tool because the tips are round, it won't break like a toothpick might, and it's easy to hold and use.
• Flowers and/or leaves that are slightly smaller in diameter than your clear dots and don't have thick parts. Phlox, shamrocks, verbena, small violas, etc. work great.
• Microfleur Microwave Flower Press

Flower Preparation:

Phlox and verbena have long tails on them.  These add bulk and tend to stick out on one side of the flower.  They aren't necessary for the stickers.  So before pressing them, use scissors or your fingers to remove the end close to the petals, but not too close that the petals fall apart.  

Do the same for violas, pinching or cutting off the little tails and some of the green leaves on the back to help make them press thinner for the stickers.  

Now you are ready to press your flowers following the instructions for your flower press.  Here is a tutorial and video on how to press flowers with your Microfleur.  

Creating pressed flower stickers:

There are two kinds of stickers you can make.  If you are going to use the sticker as soon as you make it, it will only take one clear dot.  If you want to make a peel and stick sticker, you will need two clear dots.  The idea is the same either way.

Peel one clear dot and place it sticky side up on the table.  Handle the clear dot carefully and try to touch the sticky side as little as possible to keep finger prints, etc. from marking the sticker.

Using your tweezers, take a pressed flower and place it face down in the center of the sticky clear dot.  Gently press it down so it doesn't come off the clear dot. Be careful not to touch the sticky stuff.  

Next, carefully pick up the pressed flower sticker with your tweezers.  This is where you can stick it where you want to use it right away.  If you want to be able to peel and stick it later, proceed to the next step.  

Very slowly and carefully stick the pressed flower stickers top of another clear dot that is still stuck to the backing it came on.  Start with one side, taking care to line up the edges of both clear dots.  Slowly lower the flower sticker down, adjusting to keep the sides aligned.  When you are happy with the placement, finish lowering and sticking.  

 Using your dotting tool, tooth pick, or whatever you are using to press the air out of the sticker, and rub the sticker from the center in a circular motion working your way to the outer edges.  You will find that the flower shows through the clear dot better and it secures the two dots together.  

When you are happy with the result, you are done! 

These sticker are great for sealing cards, sending as gifts, or just decoration for journals, letters, etc. Get creative and have fun with your pressed flower stickers!

Join Shirley Bovshow in making a Protea Christmas angel as Hallmark Home & Family celebrates Christmas in July. Head over to Hallmark Home & Family for the full tutorial.

When it comes to pressing flowers, the possibilities are endless.  Nature affords us so much variety and beauty.  Seeing all those flowers makes you want to bring home every one.  However, there are some guidelines for choosing and preparing flowers for pressing so that you can have the best results and the most beautiful pressed flowers for your art, crafts, and projects.  

Any flower, petal, small plant, leaf or part of plant is worth trying, including weeds and some herbs, even banana peals or avocado shells (clean the flesh off them first).  Some flowers that press well include pansies, hydrangea florets, bougainvillea, lavender, mimosa/wattle.  As some flowers press better than others, try anything and everything. 

Flowers with a large water content or waxy flowers such as cacti or begonia do not press very well but with a little practice you will be able to tell which flowers will be suitable.  White or very pale flowers need to be pressed as soon after opening as possible, as they have a tendency to go brown in the press.  

It is advisable to get the flowers as flat as possible prior to pressing.  This can be done in several ways, such as trimming the bulk from the back of the flower, taking the flower apart and pressing the petals individually, or slicing it in half.  When trimming the back of flowers be careful not to remove too much as it may fall apart if trimmed too close.  With flat flowers such as pansies, use scissors, a sharp knife or pinch with fingers to remove the stem as close to the back of the flower as possible.  The flower can then be placed in the press with the stem beside it. 

Bulky flowers, such as marigolds, which don’t sit flat can be pressed petal by petal or sliced in half lengthways using a sharp knife and then pressed.  Rose buds may also be sliced in half lengthways.  This way you end up with two flowers and the centre of the bud is very interesting.  Smaller daisy type flowers such as the grass daisy can be pushed flat with your thumb as they are put in the press.  Trumpet shaped flowers such as jasmine can be pressed sideways with their petals fanned out, or they can be cut just below the ‘fullness’ and then pressed flat, the hole in the centre will shrink during pressing and can be covered with a small flower to form a ‘centre’ when being used in a design.   

Microfleur enables you to press quite thick flowers, such as gerberas, camellias and some chrysanthemums.  These can be pressed whole and will finish only 2 - 3 mm thick after pressing.  Before pressing though they need to be carefully trimmed at the back to remove as much bulk as possible.  

The large seed pods in the centre of flowers such as poppies, anemone and nigella need to be removed prior to pressing.  This can be done with scissors, a sharp knife or pinching it off with your fingers.  

Flowers with large heads such as the hydrangea and ixora can be pressed be snipping each floret and pressing separately.  Flowers that are too thick or which can’t be trimmed without falling apart such as sunflowers and some daisies can be pressed petal by petal.  A stem or spray of flowers such as larkspur and gypsophila can be pressed whole or individually. 

Don’t forget to press some stems, leaves, grasses, and also weeds.  Curve some stems for interest and also try to get some tendrils from creepers.  Weeds and seedlings can be pressed complete with roots for ‘botanical’ designs.  

Grab your Microfleur microwave flower press, a sharp craft knife, scissors, cutting board and tweezers.  You are now ready to press your flowers. 

Handmade cards are a great way to show someone you care.  The fact that you took the time and effort to create something just for them adds that extra touch to any gift.  They are great for Mother's Day, Father's Day, a birthday, Christmas, any special occasion, or just because.  With pressed flower cards, the flowers themselves add beauty to the card so designs can be as simple as you would like.  

[Disclosure: Keep in mind that some of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links which mean we earn a commission if you click through and purchase something. However, we only recommend products that we have used ourselves and the decision is yours whether or not to purchase an item.]

For this project, you will want the following:

• Cardstock
• Mulberry Paper
• Scissors
• Acid-free Glue
• Small Paint Brush
• Water
• Flowers - either already pressed or fresh (along with your Microfleur Microwave Flower Press.  See the post about Flower Pressing Methods or our video tutorials for how to use the Microfleur)
• Tweezers

Start by cutting the card stock in half so you end up with two 5.5" x 8.5" pieces.  Fold the pieces in half lengthwise and you will have two cards.  Next, measure and cut a piece of mulberry paper the size of the front of the card (It will end up being smaller than the card when you are finished).  

 Take your finger or the paint brush, dip it in water, and wet the mulberry paper in the size and shape that you want it for your card.  It can be rectangular, oval, heart-shaped, etc.  It should tear easily, if not, wet it some more.  Gently tear the outside portion off and you will be left with a frayed edge.  

Spread glue on the back side and position it in the center of your card.  The card stock will make a nice frame around your mulberry paper.  Let it dry under a book or weight so the card stock doesn't curl.

Once that has dried, you can gather your pressed flowers and arrange them on your card.  It's recommended to arrange them first, before gluing, that way you can rearrange until you are satisfied with the look.   Crafting Tweezers are great for handling the pressed flowers and placing them where you want them.  Taking a picture of the arrangement with your phone, camera, etc. will give you a reference when gluing down the flowers (optional).  Flip your flowers over, apply some glue, gently brushing on the glue starting from the center and out to the end of each petal, sticking them down in the arrangement you have chosen.  

Depending on how many flowers in your arrangement, when finished gluing your pressed flowers down, you may want to spread some plastic wrap over the card (so your card won't stick) and place it back under the book or weight to let the glue dry to keep the card from curling.  

Now all that's left to do is write a message inside the card and send it to that special someone.

Decorating Easter eggs is a tradition in many households.  It comes with the decorating of the season, much like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, (or pick your favorite day).  All have their own unique home decor involved.  After a long winter in northern Wisconsin, Easter brings along with it, thoughts and sometimes the weather of spring.  There are many ways to decorate eggs, but nothing says spring like flowers, so today we're going to decorate Easter eggs with pressed flowers.  

[Disclosure: Keep in mind that some of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links which mean we earn a commission if you click through and purchase something. However, we only recommend products that we have used ourselves and the decision is yours whether or not to purchase an item.]

To prepare your eggs, you will want to first blow them out.  Martha Stewart has a great tutorial for blowing out eggs shells.  Some people just make a hole on each end and put their mouths on the egg, blowing the contents out the bottom hole, but you can also use a one hole egg blower tool.  There are different kinds of egg blowers out there.  

Once the eggs are blown out and dry, seal them on the inside with some glue.  If you used a 2-hole technique, then you need to seal one of the holes in your egg with tape to keep the glue from coming out as fast as you squirt it in.  

Mix some glue with a little water to thin it and make it easier to squirt in the egg using a precision tip applicator bottle.  It doesn't take much glue.  Put your finger over the open hole and give the egg a good shake to spread the glue mixture around the inside and let it dry.  Now your eggs are ready to decorate. 

If you are new the using the Microfleur microwave flower press,  you can check out our tutorial video page or our post about flower pressing methods so you can have your pressed flowers ready to go.  

Select and lay out flowers that I may want to use for my projects.  You may not use all of them, but choose whatever you're in the mood for and ones that will suit themselves better for any given project.  Since eggs are curved and not flat, flowers with thick, very stiff parts or greens with thick stems or veins will not stay well on the egg or may break when trying to glue it down.  Flowers that have very small centers, such as pansies or violas, work well or you can just use the petals from any flower. 

Using an acid free glue and a small paint brush, paint the underside of the flower.  Where the petals overlap, there will not be glue yet and this is ok because the petals will move when pressing the flower around the egg.  Petals that stick up can be glued down once the flower is on the egg.

Place your glue covered flower in the desired position on the egg.  (This is where our crafting tweezers come in very useful.)  Use your fingers to gently pressed down the flower petals and smooth out air bubbles.  Use your paint brush to put glue on the underside of any petal that is still sticking up and press it down.  

You can glue as many or as few flowers as you would like.  You can make a bouquet or decoupage the entire egg.  Let your creativity flow!

Once you're finished gluing on the flowers, allow them to dry.  When the flowers are no longer tacky, using glue, paint a thin coat over the flowers and the entire egg.  This will help to protect the flowers by sealing them from any humidity.  Allow to dry.  Another coat can be added if desired.

Once dry, your pressed flower Easter eggs are ready and will make great springtime Easter decor around your house.  

Pressing flowers is an age-old form for drying and flattening flowers and foliage to preserve them.  Once pressed, or dried, the flowers can be stored for later use or used right away in fine art, crafts, jewelry, scrapbooking, home decor, or whatever your imagination can produce.  It is also a way of preserving edible flowers, herbs, and other plants without using chemicals.  

There are different ways to press flowers.  Some flowers may lend themselves better to one way than other, but it more depends on personal preference.  The following are various methods for pressing flowers.

Using Microfleur

Microfleur flower presses are specifically designed to be used in a microwave oven.  It is a very quick method so although you only do one layer at a time, a lot of flowers can be pressed in a short time.  It consists of two platens, two pieces of heavy felt and two pieces of cotton lawn, held together with slide-on clips. 

To use it - place 1 platen, ribbed side down on the bench, place one felt pad on top and then one piece of fabric on top of the pad.  Place the specimens to be pressed on the fabric, making sure they sit flat and do not overlap or touch each other as they may stick together in the press.  It is not important whether the flowers are placed face up or down, it is really a matter of what is the easiest.  As pressing times vary, it is advisable to press similar specimens together.  Also if you have a thick flower in with a thin one you may find the thin one will not press successfully.  You can press one specimen or as many specimens as will fit on the fabric.  Carefully place the second fabric sheet, pad and platen (ribbed side up) on top of these.  Apply a little pressure to the top platen while you slide the clips into place on opposite sides of the platens, so that the whole assembly is held firmly together. 

Your Microfleur is now ready to put in the microwave oven.  Pressing times will vary depending on the power of your microwave and the amount of fluid in the flowers.  Lower powered ovens (500 watts) will require longer times than higher powered models (1000 watts).  Fleshly or moist flowers will take longer than dry flowers and leaves.  Specimens should be dried in stages, starting with an initial burst, followed by as many shorter bursts as are needed to completely dry the specimen.  As a guideline, initial bursts should be about 45 seconds for a 600W oven, 30 seconds for a 750 W and 20 seconds for a 900W.  Secondary bursts should be about half to one third of the initial burst.  Specimens may partially dry after they are picked, or if they are picked after lengthy periods of exposure to strong winds, sun or low humidity.  Under these circumstances, or when pressing any specimen for the first time, it is advisable to reduce the suggested initial burst time by half.

Unfortunately, some flowers, such as carnations, have a tendency to burn during the Microfleur pressing process.  This may be avoided by reducing the number of seconds for each burst in the microwave.

There are a number of advantages in using short bursts of drying instead of a single continuous period:

— this method gives better control over the final product

— where the specimens have thick and thin portions (e.g. calyx and petals) the thicker parts can be dried progressively without destroying the thinner portions

— some rearrangement of petals and other parts is possible while the specimen still retains some moisture. 

After the initial burst open the press and test for dryness.  Flowers with long thin petals, such as gerberas, have a tendency to curl up when the press is first opened.  For this reason it is advisable to allow the press to cool slightly before opening.  If the flowers stick to the fabric, gently stretching the fabric should aid in their release.  If more drying is required, close the press and give it another short burst.  Check again and repeat as necessary until fully dry.  Allowing the flower to get cold can help decide if it is fully dry, as if it is still damp it will feel cold and a bit ‘squashy’.  The aim is to obtain a reasonably stiff specimen which resists drooping and has a dry or ‘papery’ feel when touched.  You may think that the flower is dry and then when you go to use it in the next day or so it feels damp, put it back in the press and give it a 5 to 10 second burst.  Repeat if necessary.  This can also be done if the flower has twisted or warped due to being left out in the air after drying.

Excessive drying will result in brittleness, particularly for thin specimens such as leaves and petals, and eventually the parts will scorch if the exposure time is too long.  Freshly picked specimens will take longer to dry than specimens which have been cut and allowed to stand.  Fresh specimens are less prone to burning except when they have been exposed to lengthy periods of strong winds and sun.

With practice it is possible to press quite large and succulent flowers with Microfleur including such things as whole roses, chrysanthemums, gerberas and camellias.  Because of the amount of moisture in these, it can take many minutes to dry them successfully, but this should be done in  stages.  “Resting” the specimen by opening the Microfleur and allowing to stand for 20-30 seconds between bursts, assists the process by allowing excess vapors to be ventilated naturally.  Exposure times should be shortened to 10, or even 5 seconds, as the specimen approaches the final stages of drying.  When dry, your flower is ready to use or store until required.  

Some microwave manufacturers’ recommend that a container of water is placed in the microwave when in use.  If this applies to the microwave you are using the pressing times will be almost doubled.  If you are using a container of water the ‘burst times could be increased by 50%.

Using a Traditional Flower Press

These presses are usually made of wood with layers of corrugated cardboard and blotting paper held tight with long bolts and wing nuts.  To use the press place the base of the press, with bolts upright, on the bench then a layer of cardboard and blotting paper.  Specimens to be pressed are carefully placed on the blotting paper, making sure there is plenty of room around them as they tend to spread a bit in the pressing process.  Flowers that touch during the process may stick together.  Better results are obtained if only one type of flower is put on each sheet.  Cover with a piece of blotting paper then cardboard, another piece of blotting paper, flowers, blotting paper, cardboard, etc.  Keep adding layers until you have used all the flowers to be pressed, finishing with blotting paper and cardboard. Put the top on, and tighten the wing nuts as tightly as possible.  Place the press in a dry, airy position and check every couple of days and if necessary tighten the wing nuts.  Try to resist the urge to open the press in the first few days.  The drying time will vary, but about 4 - 6 weeks is required.  It is possible to reduce the drying time by replacing the blotting paper every few days. 

Using a Book

Placing the flowers inside a telephone or heavy book with weights on top is another way to dry them.   The drying time will vary, but about 4 - 6 weeks is required.  You may wish to put blotting paper or something between the book pages and the flowers as some flowers may bleed their color onto the book pages.  It is also a good idea to write the name of the flowers and the pressing date on the blotting paper, so that you will have a record of what you pressed and when.  

Doing something is always easier with the proper tools, so here is a list of some basic equipment that may make various pressed flower crafts easier to do. Although not all these items may be needed, it would be ideal to have following items on hand as they will at least be useful for completion of various projects.  This is not a complete list, but our recommendations are based on the usefulness.  

[Disclosure: Keep in mind that some of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links which mean we earn a commission if you click through and purchase something. However, we only recommend products that we have used ourselves and the decision is yours whether or not to purchase an item.]

Flower press - The Microfleur Max press has lots of space for pressing lots of flowers at one time.  The Microfleur Regular press is a great beginner press.

Pressed flowers - Experiment with all sorts of flowers, foliage, and botanicals.  You can even go for a walk and see what wild flowers you can find.  Pick (make sure you have permission) and press anything you can.  The main thing is to enjoy it, and give your creative talents free rein in your projects. 

Clear working space with plenty of light - I find it handy to place a large sheet of white paper over my work surface as it makes seeing the flowers and design so much easier.  It also helps to protect the table from spilled glue. 

Cardstock for cards and bookmarks and sheets of white paper. 

Glue - Use a good quality, acid free, water based PVA craft glue, and this is sufficient for the majority of projects.  A little glue can go a long way so be sparing in the amount you apply.  It is best to place small dots of glue over the back of the flower or leaf so that the glue can spread when your work is placed under a book to keep flat until dry.  With fine specimens such as maidenhair use a wet brush to apple the glue as this will help dilute it.  Try to avoid using too much glue as any excess may seep out from under the flowers and as some dry and shiny may detract from the design.  

Foam brush or paint brush for applying the glue - or if the specimen is very tiny, a toothpick may be more suitable.

Scissors - they need to be sharp and come to a small point so that you can get at all the fiddly bits. 

Sealer - Such should be a water based liquid.  It provides a seal over the flowers and helps protect them from damage.  It also makes an excellent glue for delicate flowers and ferns, and although it goes on white, it dries clear.  It is available in either brush on or aerosol, Matte or Gloss - the Matte is very useful on cards as it is hard to detect when dry.  Please check for color change on a sample of card and flowers before use.

Sharp Knife - a craft knife with a retractable snap blade.

Tweezers - Like the Microfleur craft tweezers make handling the delicate flowers much easier and there is less chance of damage

Cutting mat 

Ruler and pencil

Markers - a supply of gold and silver and coloured felt markers or paint pens 

Ribbon - an assortment of various colored ribbon for use with bookmarks and cards

Compass

Piece of glass/plexiglass - this is optional but it is a great help when gluing the flowers, also if you get interrupted cover your project with it and the flowers are less likely to get displaced.

Plastic food wrap - to cover the design after gluing, prior to putting under a heavy book to dry.

Rubber Stamping and Embossing - a great way to enhance your pressed flower designs.  There are many stamps and supplies to choose.  Have everything ready before you start - stamp pad, stamp, embossing powder, paper, heat source (such as a heat gun or toaster, not a hair dryer), card.  Stamp the design on the card, sprinkle with embossing powder and shake to cover.  Shake the excess onto the paper.  Holding the design several inches from the heat source heat the design until it goes glossy.  If using a heat gun direct the heat straight onto the design, with other sources such as a toaster, apply the heat to the back of the design.  The excess embossing powder can be carefully returned to the bottle for re-use.  

Two-part Resin - gives a thick, slightly heat resistant, extremely shiny finish on inflexible surfaces, such as coasters, trays, wooden placements, etc.  There are detailed instructions included with each kit.  Any air bubbles that may appear can be removed by gently blowing through a straw or with a small propane torch.  The process requires patience and a ventilated work area.  Drying time can take up to 48 hours and the item needs to be kept perfectly level during that time.  Covering it in some way, such as a large box, helps to keep the dust and little insects from damaging the surface.  Any flowers, paper, etc. that are to be covered with the gloss must be perfectly dry and fully glued and sealed as any loose pieces may curl and break the surface and then another coat will be required.

For some applications, you may want a Glaze which cleans up with soap and water while still wet and doesn't require mixing of parts.   

We are excited to introduce you to Pressed flower artist Ellie Roden, who is one of the artists features on our Pressed Flower Gallery.  Ellie was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us.

What's the first artwork you ever sold?
 
The very first piece was sold at an art show benefiting our local health center.  It was a horizontal triptych with 3 different blue flowers (forget-me-nots, bachelor buttons, and delphinium) in each window. They were in a 3 pane, double white mat with a silver frame. Lots of local people attended this show but I was thrilled that a total stranger from out of state purchased the piece!

How has your practice changed over time?   

Initially, I was making only original pieces and selling them at art/craft shows.  Then I began making cards, bookmarks and prints to offer less costly items to customers.   While shows are very profitable and great exposure,  they are physically demanding and  time consuming.       

In recent years I have been focusing more on internet sales, and selling my work in shops and galleries.  Also, I really enjoy  doing presentations and workshops for garden clubs and other organizations.  There are still 2 or 3 favorite shows I continue to do each year but as I grow older my interest in doing shows has definitely waned.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?  

“It’s all in the framing”  I was once told. How true it is! Framing can enhance or detract from a piece of art.  A so-so piece of art can look wonderful in the right mat and frame. And a wonderful work of art can be easily overlooked if it is in a cheap looking frame with the wrong mat.

Framing is one area where I never cut corners. After all the time spent growing flowers, pressing them, arranging and gluing them to paper, I want to present them in the best way possible. Quality framing does that. I always use conservation glass (UV resistent) and sometimes even splurge on museum glass.

Thank you Ellie!  Please read more about Ellie Roden and her beautiful work in our gallery. 

The Microfleur was featured recently on Hallmark Channel recently.   Home & Family host Shirley Bovshow did a wonderful tutorial on DIY pressed flower ornaments. It was great to see the amazing color retention of flowers pressed with the Microfleur on national TV!