Skip to content

Make a Portable Flower Press for Your Herbarium

2009 May 23
by 5 Orange Potatoes

Here’s the perfect little flower press to carry with you whenever you go for a hike or even a walk around your own backyard. We keep one in the car too because we always come across plants which we find pretty, want to remember a special event, or can’t identify so we can bring them home and look them up.

To make one you need:
newspaper
corrugated cardboard from an old box
rubberbands (at least 3 thick rubberbands)
scissors
flowers
leaves
package tape or clear contact paper

STEPS:

1. Cut the cardboard into 3 rectangles that are 8″L x 5 1/2″W.


2. Cut the newspaper into 8″ x 5 1/2″ rectangles. These are your pressing papers.

3. Decorate the cover with stamps, flowers, and/or leaves. I used clear contact paper and packing tape to press the leaves and flowers onto the cover.

4. Gather your favorite flowers and leaves to press.

5. Place the bottom cardboard cover down first, layer a couple sheets of newspaper on top of the cardboard and place your flowers face down while smoothing them out as much as possilble. We usually write the location, date and name of the plants we are pressing onto the newspaper to keep a record of them.

6. Layer a few more sheets of newspaper on top of the first layer of flowers, then place more flowers or leaves face down onto the press.

7. Put on the middle piece of cardboard after you have about 5 layers of plants; continue to layer until you run out of flowers. Put the cardboard cover on top and put the rubberbands around the press. You can make the press as thick or thin as you want, just add more newspaper and cardboard as you go.

After a week or two, the flowers should be pressed and ready to remove. Please don’t forget the nature rule…..”if there’s more than 10 you may collect a few, less then 10 don’t be a greedy fool!” We NEVER pick any of our endangered plants and wildflowers. Enjoy!

from → activities, book making, craft, flowers, nature, tutorial

33 Responses
  1. andrea the pomegranates permalink
    June 14, 2009

    http://believingnature.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/preserve-backyard-flowers/

    :)

  2. Lauren permalink
    May 28, 2009

    Great idea! We’ll definitely do this one.

  3. Mom, M.Ed. (Jessica) permalink
    May 27, 2009

    My grandmother loved to press flowers-she had a large hatbox literally filled with pressed flowers. I can still smell them even though she passed five years ago and the box was pilfered by a selfish cousin. Ho hum.

  4. andrea the pomegranates permalink
    May 26, 2009

    oh my goodness! i am in love with this, brilliant!

  5. Julie permalink
    May 26, 2009

    This is so great! Thanks for sharing the how-to.

  6. Chrissy permalink
    May 26, 2009

    Lovely, and so perfect for this time of year! I’ve shared your link at One Crafty Place. Thanks!

  7. Rachel@oneprettything.com permalink
    May 25, 2009

    This is awesome, thanks so much for sharing! I’ll be linking…and making my own too!

  8. karen m. permalink
    May 25, 2009

    Your press is so much prettier and more portable than the phone book or an encyclopedia volume. Thank you for the tutorial!

  9. affectioknit permalink
    May 25, 2009

    What a great idea!!!

  10. Molly permalink
    May 25, 2009

    I really like that idea! I’ve been contemplating pressing some flowers but hadn’t actually gotten to it yet. However, you should see my kitchen counter – trays and sheets of blossoms and petals my flowers have dropped and I am drying – it smells great!

  11. tie-dyed doula permalink
    May 24, 2009

    Thank you for this, as well as everything that you post! What will you be doing with these dried fancies?

  12. docwitch permalink
    May 24, 2009

    An excellent idea! We have a flower press, but it’s wooden and too clunky to take out with us on rambles. So this is a stroke of genius. So simple and completely perfect.

  13. Emily permalink
    May 24, 2009

    I have been enjoying your blog so much over the past couple of weeks! I currently have violets soaking in a bowl on the counter and I can’t wait to finish it later. Thank you for all your inspiration!

  14. Sarah permalink
    May 24, 2009

    This is a great idea for making a fast, easy flower press! I’ve got the stuff to make the presses on OLM’s flower press tutorial, but this is a nice, fast one to make to keep in the car. Thanks!

  15. sarah in the woods permalink
    May 24, 2009

    Very handy! We’ll have to put one of these together.

  16. Sara permalink
    May 24, 2009

    This is beautiful… I must make one.

  17. Crunchy Christian Mom permalink
    May 24, 2009

    Oh, we’re definitely making these soon! And I just bought the Spiderwick field guide for a birthday present yesterday. :)

  18. SE'LAH... permalink
    May 24, 2009

    i REALLY love your blog.

    this flower press is awesome. We bought one a few years ago but certainly, one can never have enough with all the beautiful spring flowers.

    thanks so much.

  19. Shona permalink
    May 24, 2009

    such a beautiful flower press!

  20. Joy permalink
    May 24, 2009

    What a great idea! Lisa, you are one inspiring mama! :)

  21. Holly permalink
    May 24, 2009

    What a great idea-this will be right up our alley. Thanks. Holly

  22. Tan Family permalink
    May 23, 2009

    We haven’t been able to find our flower press since our last move…now I’m inspired to make one of these with the kids instead of waiting for the old one to show up! Portable is always good on the nature hike days. Wonderful. :)

  23. Marigold permalink
    May 23, 2009

    Your blog is awesome!

  24. Dawn permalink
    May 23, 2009

    Very clever! I love this idea. :)

  25. Rebekah Smith permalink
    May 23, 2009

    this will be a wonderful addition to my portable presses!:-)

    and it’s so pretty!:-)

    thanks,

    rebekah:-)

  26. dongdong permalink
    May 23, 2009

    very cool, and pretty.

    I found out that bird on J’s blog is called “killdeer”. It is a funny bird.

  27. Lori permalink
    May 23, 2009

    what a great idea — and you did make it so pretty :^)

  28. tamdoll permalink
    May 23, 2009

    I love the portability of this & that you made it so pretty, too.

  29. Jeannette permalink
    May 23, 2009

    What a perfect idea! This will go into my bag for my bicycle tours!
    Have a wonderful weekend, Jeannette

  30. jumbleberryjam permalink
    May 23, 2009

    We’re putting together a field bag. This will be a fabulous addition to it! Thank you!! And a special thank you for your happiness for me. Joy shared is so much sweeter :-)

Trackbacks and Pingbacks

  1. summer list of activities- outdoor monday | 5 Orange Potatoes
  2. homemademamma.com » Il libro dei fiori di Piccolo Furfante: il glicine
  3. KidStyleFile » Blog Archive » The Crafty Crow presents: Super Springtime Craft Ideas

Comments are closed.

My designs and creations are made by my daughters and me. I love to share but my ideas and designs are for non-commercial use only. If you post an activity or photo from my site please give me credit and a direct link to 5 Orange Potatoes. Thank you for playing nice. :)