One of my favourite crafts is pressing flowers. If you haven’t tried it yet you don’t know what you’re missing!

I use pressed flowers to make greeting cards and pictures and they always attract attention. But most of all, I enjoy making them.

Greeting cards made with pressed flowers are completely different from the ordinary printed variety. And you don’t have to be particularly artistic – the flowers do everything for you!

Here are 5 of my flower pressing tips to get you started:

1.     An important tip when you start to press flowers is to make sure that you only use fresh flowers. Flowers that are not at their best tend to lose their colour very quickly.

2.     See to it that the flowers you press are always dry. Dry flowers press the best because they have little moisture to spoil them. Remember that any damp flowers will simply collect mould and even spoil any other pressed flowers that are next to them.

3.     Try to secure a regular source of flowers for your pressing. For example you will need to be able to rely on your own garden or a market or a florist for a suitable supply of flowers.

4.     Do not try to buy expensive flowers for pressing.  In general, the best flowers for pressing are the least expensive ones.  In fact, orchids, roses and exotic flowers do not press well at all. You will soon find that you will rely mainly on inexpensive, very ordinary and easily obtainable flowers.

5.     You also should not be tempted to invest in expensive equipment. A flower press can easily be made using readily available material that you have in your home. You can easily make a flower press with bricks and hardboard. There really is no need to complicate matters by purchasing ready made flower pressing kits.

Follow these tips and dive right in. Remember that the most important step of all is to get started. Begin with just a few flowers and you will soon start to experiment and enjoy this lovely creative craft.

If you would like to find out more about pressing flowers try Flower Pressing Secrets

But before I get diverted, there is one type of craft that I think is far more important than any of the others and I would like to spend a few minutes discussing it because it is so all encompassing.

I am talking about crafting your own life.

So many of us go through life from day to day at half mast! We get through the boredom of our daily tasks and sigh with relief as we tick them off our “to do” lists.

But what we don’t always realize is that our thoughts and actions contribute hugely towards creating the circumstances of our lives.  Just by our attitudes alone we can lift our lives from the mundane and boring to the heights of creativity and passion.

Of course it helps a lot if you have a craft or creative pursuit that you enjoy.

But to be truly creative, you have to be fired up.

No truly creative work can be accomplished in a mood of boredom. A lacklustre attitude will permeate your craft. You have to be passionate about what you do.  You have to be in a state of fired creativity.

Your Deepest Desires

There is only one way to reach that level of passion.  You have to get in touch with your deepest desires.

Your deepest desires are the things you absolutely crave to do.  The things that give you that magical sense of flow when you don’t even realize that time has passed while you were working.

Only your deepest desires can motivate you to reach your greatest achievements.

So if you find your heart’s desire – something you’ve always wanted to do and you have the opportunity to do it – don’t hesitate and deliberate till you lose the impetus.

Go out there and craft you life!

Did you ever make your own bows and arrows or build kites and fly them in open fields? Or galloped on a horse so fast that your hair blew in the wind?

When I was a child we did all these things and more.  We knew how to entertain ourselves without electronic or adult input. We ran, climbed and jumped. We were healthy and wiry and we learnt how to build and design things.

We used our imaginations to create plays, puppet shows and concerts. We discovered or made secret hideouts under arching trees and overhanging branches.

We found solutions for practical problems and we were physically confident and self-sufficient.

Today children have play stations, computer games, ipods and other electronic toys that keep them indoors, staring at screens for hours at a time. They are not nearly as physically fit or active as we used to be in previous generations and we find that there is a growing and worrying obesity problem everywhere.

To me one of the saddest things is that children in cities no longer know how to climb trees. They may have jungle gyms at school but how many of them have actually climbed a tree?

While we have become slaves to technology our children are paying a hefty price for it.

The best gift that we can give children today is to encourage and help them to be more creative. It’s no use limiting their TV or computer time without providing any enticing alternatives. We need to show them exactly how creativity can be rewarding and more fun.

But we can’t expect them to become interested if we don’t try to be more creative ourselves.  Simply telling them won’t cut it either.  We have to set the example by being more hands on and involved ourselves.

It may require a change of mindset or even lifestyle.  But don’t you think it’s worth it?

Or let me phrase it another way – do you wish you could change your handwriting to make it more beautiful?

So many people admire good penmanship.  The type of handwriting that looks artistically designed with pretty little scrolls and curlicues. Anyone with a pretty or decorative handwriting is much admired – even envied.

Then there are those less fortunate individuals with really ugly handwritings.  We’ve heard such handwriting described as “chicken scratchings” or worse.

Anyway, I think it’s time to dispel one of the many myths about pretty handwriting.

• The fact is that pretty handwriting isn’t the most desirable type of writing to aspire to. And I’ll tell you why.

Graphologically speaking, a handwriting that is pretty and decorative and not much more reveals very little individuality or depth of personality.

Any writer who concentrates on the appearance and style of the writing is more focussed on the decorative aspect rather than on the desire to communicate meaningful information.

Here is an example of pretty handwriting:

This writer is more concerned with appearances than with any serious intent. The focus is on form rather than on function – on decoration rather than intent.

Of course there is nothing wrong with that.

But take a look at this handwriting:

It may not be decorative but it shows individuality, strength and character.

Do you know whose handwriting that is?  None other than the great psychoanalyst Freud himself. You can read more about his handwriting at Freud and Jung

So where do you fit in? Maybe in-between or somewhere completely off the chart!

It doesn’t really matter. I have just tried to show that pretty handwriting is not the be all and end all of style and desirability.

So if your handwriting is less than pretty – relax. It may just show a bit of individuality!

Nothing can compare with the joy of working with real flowers. Not only because of their beauty but because they hold a special meaning for us.

I think that part of this meaning lies in a flower’s fragility and fleeting existence. We know that it will only last for a short while.

A flower is but a brief moment in time.

When you press a flower you capture that moment in time and preserve it in a picture where it will always be able to jump-start a memory.

It can be a flower from a wedding bouquet, a leaf from a memorable holiday or a gift from a loved one.

Pressing flowers isn’t just about sticking flowers to cardboard. It’s so much more than that. Pressing flowers connects us with nature.

It’s a way to appreciate the joyful little things that money can’t buy, like a new bud, a curved tendril or a delicate petal.

It makes us more aware of the beauty in nature and gives us a way of looking at the world with appreciative eyes.

How to press flowers

The only difference is that the actual picture is larger than the one I have reproduced here.

Flower pressing is a wonderfully creative craft. And it’s such fun.  You don’t even have to be artistic.  The flowers do it all for you!

If you would like to find out how to press flowers like this – you can. Because I have written up a detailed manual with all my flower pressing secrets.

“Flower Pressing Secrets” is a detailed and illustrated course that will help you to master the art of flower pressing – perfectly!

Not only will I show you how to press flowers step by step – you will also find out how to make lovely greeting cards, pictures and more – all with that polished, professional look.

I have put everything I know about flower pressing into this course. I have held nothing back. I show you exactly which flowers to use and how to press them; how to preserve the colours; how to create easy designs that you will love – and so much more.

This course contains every bit of information that I collected personally over years of flower pressing.  And I have many innovative and original methods that are inexpensive and easy to use.

I know they work because these are the identical methods that I have used!

You’ll find this flower pressing course practical and easy to follow. It’s perfect for the home user because the materials you’ll use are inexpensive and easily available.

You won’t need expensive flower presses or kits either. Simply follow my methods that I have tried and tested personally- and you’ll get excellent results.

” Flower Pressing Secrets” is a complete course that covers everything from the picking and pressing of flowers right up to marketing your cards and pictures.

It’s packed with real helpful information, clear instructions, many good tips and colourful pictures of real pressed flowers and designs. You’ll be thrilled at how quickly you can start producing your own designs and pictures.

All you have to do is follow the step by step instructions. And it can be yours in minutes!
Here are some of the things you’ll learn in my course:

• How to choose the best flowers to press.
• When to pick your flowers and at what stage of the flower’s development
• How to preserve the natural colours of your pressed flowers.
• How to make the flowers last and keep their colour for 10 years or more.
• The best type of foliage to use
• How to liven up your designs with leaves and tendrils.
• How to give your designs a soft, flowing line rather than that stiff dried look that you often see in less professional work.
• You will learn my secret method that allows you to manage the feather-light flowers without using a drop of glue!  A most valuable trick.
• An easy way to seal your designs
• And many more pressed flower tips and secrets   . . .

I have revealed everything in the course. In it I have given you all my ideas and tips – and as the course is available online it’s just a click away.
So don’t wait -
You can get the “Flower Pressing Course” for only $39.95 but for readers of my blog – I have made a brief but special offer of $29.95.  You  won’t find this anywhere else.

Take advantage of this special offer by clicking on the book below and you will have my illustrated course on your computer in minutes:

Flower Pressing Secrets

If you’re on the lookout for an inspiring and creative craft that you can really enjoy you should think about pressing flowers.

For one thing, flower pressing is a wonderful boost to creativity – which is a gift in itself.  But it’s also a great stress reducer and that is certainly one of its most appealing qualities. It takes your mind off everything because it becomes quite addictive and all you need to do is concentrate on your lovely flowers and designs.

You’ll be pleased to know that you can learn to press flowers rather quickly. And once you get started you’ll be amazed at the variety of articles that you can make and decorate with your lovely collection of pressed flowers.

How to use pressed flowers

Pressed flowers are ideal for making colourful and original greeting cards.  You can also use them to make pictures for framing.  I have used smaller pressed flower pictures in sets of three to decorate a little girl’s bedroom.

You can use your pressed flowers to decorate boring looking telephone directories.  My own telephone directory  is quite a conversation piece!

Candles, photo albums and lampshades look great with applications of pressed flowers artistically placed in one corner.  There is no end to the various ways you can use your collection of flowers. You are truly limited only by your imagination.

A really big plus is that the tools you need for pressing flowers are simple and easy to obtain. You’ll probably find that you have most of the requirements for flower pressing in your home already.

If you liked this post you will also find the following articles interesting:

A Few Pressed Flowers – Pretty and easy to make

How to Make your own Greeting Cards

I have just discovered the creative craft of quilling and not only is it fascinating – it’s completely addictive!

Quilling!  I had never heard the word before much less understood what it was all about.  And then I did some investigating and I was bowled over. It’s a lovely craft that uses strips of paper for making the most beautiful designs.

Quillers (that is what they are called) make the most amazing works of art. They roll narrow strips of paper and use these strips for creating their designs.

Some of these designs are very intricate and beautiful. But you can start off with the more simpler desings. Coloured paper is used to add wonderful effects.

Fortunately quilling is quite an easy craft to learn.

Anyone can learn to do it.  I imagine the simpler designs will be great for children to try.

The whole idea is to learn to roll and scroll paper in a special way. Then these scrolls are used to make the most fascinating designs. But the real art is in the designs themselves which are then framed.

Some of the creations are 3-dimensional figures and they can stand on their own. Quillers also make lovely folded roses, jewellery, necklaces and earrings. What fun it is to be so creative!

This is one of the quickest and easiest crafts to master. If you’re looking for a creative craft or hobby – do yourself a favour and take a look at Quilling Masterpieces .

Simply subscribe at the link there and they will send you free illustrated instructions in full colour that will get you started. You’ll be delighted and inspired just as I have been!

It epitomizes the dichotomy in his personality and reveals his inner conflict.

It shows his removal from reality, his insecurity, and his need to be the embodiment of the heroic life he so admired.

Signatures change.

Signatures grow and develop with the changes in our personalities – and this is particularly true in the case of Michael Jackson.

If you take a look at one of his earlier signatures you will see how it started off as being rather simple and practical.

The words are legible and easy to read. Each letter is easily identifiable.

But the following signature is very different and shows a big personality change. Notice how angular it is in comparison with the earlier signature.

Over time Michael Jackson’s signature changed considerably and became a far more delicate, fragile and ethereal expression of his personality.

A very Different Signature

The most striking thing about it is the huge discrepancy between the body of the signature and the soaring upper zone that seemed to touch the stratosphere of his ambitions.

And then note how it plummets from great heights into great depths as well. Depression and euphoria were never far away.

His tragedy was that his real life and his fantasy life could never come together. They were poles apart.

The tiny body of the signature reflects his dissatisfaction with his ordinary, earth-bound self while the soaring upper zone reflects his boundless aspirations. It was all about the things he wanted to do, the things that he still hoped to achieve.

But his aspirations were so high that they caused him to lose touch with reality and inhabit more and more a strange world of fantasy. He poured his whole being into this world of fantasy until it became his reality.

And then look at that great circle which takes centre stage in his signature – the symbolic expression of his attitude to the importance of dance. It’s as if he feels that music and dance can bring it all together.

But Michael Jackson’s amazing success was not only due to his musical and dancing talent. It was a personality thing as well.

His remarkable versatility, his physical, mental and emotional agility, his soaring aspirations and his driving ambition allowed him to become the legend that he was.

A Romantic Vision

We know how this translated into the facts of his life. How he wore outrageous uniforms and changed his physical appearance to fit in with his romantic vision of himself. How his ranch became the embodiment of the life-style he desired and how he named it Neverland after Peter Pan’s fictional home – Never Never Land.

It was the embodiment of his dreams – a place where no-one could grow old and where dreams could blend with reality.

Michael Jackson had never been happy with what he was born to.  So he crafted and honed his appearance, his personality and his whole being in order to become the romantic hero he so aspired to being.

He envisioned himself as a heroic figure like the ones in fairy tales where knights and princes wore wondrous outfits and performed fantastic deeds. He saw himself in the role of a dashing romantic hero who would not use a sword but would use his talents to turn his dreams into reality for his millions of fans.

It’s all in the Signature

All this can be seen in his signature which is the embodiment of his ambitions, his desires – and also his fears. His unusual signature reveals it all.

If you would like to know more about signatures and the messages in handwriting check out The Meaning of Signatures You’ll find it fascinating.

If you found this interesting you may also like the following:

Michael Jackson’s fantastic signature

Celebrity Autographs and Signatures

The Hidden Meaning of Handwriting

Patterns in the Sand

No more the rustling in the reeds
where finches shout out from the trees
as sunlight gleams on flashing wings
and yellow feathers drift like leaves;
Where grass nests swing in hammocked cadence
teasing muddied streams below;
and dipping branches brush the froth-foamed
earth-browned water’s bubbling flow.

No more the arches overhead
where branches meet in tunnelled shade
and close by on the shaded banks
the long-legged crane and water-fowl
print cross-hatched patterns on the sand.

For Nature was improved upon;
and altered till the wilds were gone
No mountain springs or inland streams;
but heated pools and cultured zoos;
with neatly labelled bars and cells;
all individual private hells.

Yes, Nature’s been neutered, cramped and computed
Her voice will be muted for decades to come.
She’s been catalogued and classified,
corrected and defined
homogenised and purified,
amended and refined.

Gusts of progress everywhere
Have blasted through the land
And finches’ nests have blown away
Like patterns in the sand.