Pressing flowers

Get your kids to press colourful flowers from the garden to show off in the windows.

What you need to make the press

White paper

Cardboard from a box

Veranda bolts with wing nuts

Two pieces of wood cut into the same size

How to make the press

1. Cut two pieces of the plywood/wood the same size; they can be any size you like.
2. Drill four holes through the two pieces of wood at each corner.
3. Cut several pieces of cardboard and paper the same size as the wood; snip off the corners where the screws are.
4. Layer it in the following order as shown in the diagram: wood, cardboard, paper, flowers, paper, cardboard, wood.
5. Finally, tighten the screws.

How to press flowers

1. Pick flowers when they are dry – the drier the better. Press the flowers as soon as you have picked them, as they will wilt quickly.
2. Place the flowers between the paper, adding more layers of cardboard and paper if you want to press a large number of flowers. Once the flowers are in the press, screw the wing nuts tightly and evenly.
3. Once pressed, it takes about a week or less for them to dry. Larger flowers take a bit longer. Try to be patient and don’t open the press or the flowers might be destroyed if they are still wet.
4. Once the flowers are dry, get some glue stick, or other glues that can be washed off windows, and carefully use a paint brush to put glue on the back of the flowers.
5. Stick the flowers on the window to make a stain glass window flower collage.