We finally end of this three-part series reached on drying flowers. If you arrived at this point, you probably already know that small, homemade, do-it-yourself flower presses can be purchased in places Such as craft shops, gift shops well stocked, and even some shopping the Big Ol 'Box known as wearing a certain time. I've seen a lot … especially in a country far away that the third world, then shipped here to be much more than it should be sold.
AFlower Print is truly a useful tool for the craftsman. It is not just fun and prizes to dry your … can be profitable as well. Our daughter, for example, earns a decent sum after-school, free time to make bookmarks perfectly charming flower prints, which were accepted and sold at a crafts shop very nice. Imagine your custom laminated bookmarks and beautiful and charming gifts for friends and relatives. artisans of stained glass with a good deal pressed flowersEffect in their creations, often as jewelry.
Literally anyone with the simplest tools – or, neighbors, or with a handsaw and light commercial vehicles to penetrate a friend. The only detailed in this article for a total cost of 88 cents (for the four bolts with wing nuts and washers) so you can see, this is not a costly project! A link to the images of the process appears at the end of this article.
First, look for pieces of scrap, one quarter inch plywood, hardboard orDisguise. You need three pieces. The color or type of wood really does not matter. Old, no-longer-used clipboards would be a perfect source. Most of the cellars, attics, garages or barns have arranged the destruction of wood-nice-to-disposable. Poke around.
The finished product can be any reasonable size – these will be 5-1/2 "7" when it's done, but that could change according to your needs. Do not be squeamish precise measurements, provided all three pieces are the same sizeand form. Most flower prints will be pretty low, so that makes no sense, that a jumbo size.
Cut (or cut), what we think is a reasonable size, then carefully – carefully – and then sand with fine sandpaper central to all the bumps removed. Splitter can be a bad memory, if you skip this step. Smooth surfaces and edges is much better to paint or decorate later. Now, stack all three parties together and went to 4 or 5 rubberBands around them to keep them in place. With your hand or an electric drill, drill a 1/2-inch hole about 1/4-inch in every corner. Keep the drill as close as possible to the vertical, and is exercised in all three parts at the same time, certain that anything that "slips" in the process, so let all holes aligned. I like the sand or file a notch on one side of all three boards at this point, it is easier to align the holes when the time actually pressingFlowers.
After the holes are finished, return to your paper and sand down to smooth rough edges of each hole to remove chips and "Hanging Chads" (sorry, I just had it in you!). So much for the fun part.
Somewhere in the basement, garage or barn to create some boxes just waiting for a need to be. If not, groped the local grocery, hardware and appliance store – will look forward to their bag of recyclable waste. Use a measure of the woodwork and the markabout a dozen pieces of equal size and is made of cardboard with a thick pair of scissors, a yard stick and a knife (be careful not to cut a piece of knee or thumb), or a knife, cut off. Clean counts … and be careful not to slice into the carpet or the dining table.
Do the same with about 25 or 30 sheets of equal size of newsprint. "Newspaper" is what the newspaper is printed. Most of the craft or art stores tablets newsprint whiteArtists sometimes use as a sketch pad. You can contact the local press check daily or weekly … often they will get what they call it dull – the remains of once massive paper ends that're now too quick to call the press. If more than one dollar a pound or so – and a pound will go a long way. You could even make a fist. Most newspapers do people press a couple of white-and-folded before starting to apply the ink copies, just to be safe,all aligned. This empty newspapers, all in one basket really great. No harm to ask!
I prefer the newsprint fragile dried flowers, probably will not hold because of the type has a modern hard surface. Copy paper, on the other side is more porous – rough – and delicate petals may hang in texture.
Now comes an important step. Do you remember the holes in the corners for the screws? The corners of both cardboard and newsprint havecut off to accommodate the hardware. Of course it should go without saying, but here it is anyway: real careful with these scissors! Yes, surgeons can sew his hand back, but the process is quite a scar – more than a few of us know from personal experience.
All that remains, save a trip to your local hardware store and make the purchase of four 4 inches long, 8.1 "screws (slightly less or slightly larger question – provided that they are long enough), 4-wing walnuts (you candrag it with your fingers instead of a wrench or pliers), and 8 are appropriately sized washers.
And now? Easy! The ideal is to press a flower that has little lumpy-bulk. Not have much luck, for example, a rose, narcissus, begonias or geraniums groups. On the other hand, are among the best of pansies and violas. Violets seem only flowers of geraniums and hydrangeas are made for printing. There are many other equally suitableTechnology … And do not forget, small pieces of seed heads of grasses, ferns and small colorful or interesting shaped leaves. Let your imagination.
Here's how:
* Put a washer on each of the four screws and slide through the four holes in a piece of wood. Put them in a table with the threads of screws point up toward the ceiling.
* Load a sheet of cardboard cut to a sheet of newspaper on a flat piece of wood between the … followedBolts.
* Now the position of the flowers so they do not touch each other … watch for curved petals or anything that seems unnatural.
* You lay a sheet of newsprint on them, followed by another piece of cardboard. Drop in another sheet of paper … ready for your next layer of flowers.
* Continuation of distribution cardboard, newspapers, flowers, newspapers, cardboard, etc., until you've reached about half.
* Now slide the second piece of wood as the bolt aftera rigid, central gain and continued to build layer upon layer, until all 12 pieces of cardboard were used.
* Finally, slide slide the last piece of wood on the bolt, a washer each, and turn the wing nuts until they are close. Might be useful at this point, press the center of the pile with the ball still tighten the nuts.
The goal here is slightly flatten the flowers … but not crushed, all the waves of the box.Done? Ok. Mow is the time for patience – and dreams of what you're doing with pressed flowers. Put your press card with his precious cargo in a dry place at room temperature with some air circulation. Keep away from heat and high humidity … and hold onto his shirt.
Since the board has permitted trade unions, will be broadcast through each of these small "tunnel move", the evaporated moisture is drawn from the flowers of dry material separately. And since theProcess is actually very fast, almost all of the original flower color is maintained.
For how long? For the tiny flowers with low humidity and light, 2 or 3 days is usually sufficient. thicker leaves may take longer. Gently loosen the four wing nuts, remove the first layer of wood and carefully lift the paper around the corner "Peek" flowers. If they are dry, you will know immediately – will take off and easy if you're not careful, the impactTable with the slightest breeze. If they seem "glue" to put the paper, gently all together again and wait a few days.
So what are you doing now? We started selling the card as transparent vinyl shelf. Later we bought a plastic laminator at Staples for about $ 100. Most copy shops (quick-release ") and seal laminators have to like everything you would bring more suited to their car. Some of these large machines with ahot-process … some cold. Personally, I do not think that is important. I know that some older workers, so here is the same, the sealed plastic bags (Staples, again) and an iron to dry with just a little 'to use the hottest setting. A very smooth surface and a sheet of rigid, smooth paper should be made on both sides. If it were me, I would try a couple of times before you wade through all the best specimens of pressed flowers!
Finally, do not forget to take pictures of this process view of the connectionbelow. When you get there, click on each photo to see more closely. Enjoy! Why not share bookmarks with pressed flowers or a book lover shut-in. And 'appreciated!
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