How to Make Pressed-Flower Cards

Pressed flower-cards are inexpensive yet beautiful and also easy to make. Not all flowers press well so do not pick any flower that you fancy. A rose is a good flower for pressing. Imagine such nature-blessed gift in colors, red, white, and pink so try your find. If a flower has a thick center, you can remove the petals and dry them separately. You can also use wildflower, ferns, leaves, grasses and even weeds for your home-made cards. Make your creation as lovely and expressive as you could provide.

Here's how to make one:

Preparation

1. Press your best pick between the pages of an old telephone directory. Make sure that the leaves or the flowers or both are lying flat in the way you want them to look when they dry up.
2. Leave about 20 pages between the plant parts to be pressed.
3. Put a heavy weight like a large book, board, or brick, on top of the phone book.
4. Leave the pressed plants undisturbed for about three weeks to allow them to dry.

Making the Pressed-Flower Card

Materials needed:

Two pieces of light cardboard or heavy paper
Cellophane (transparent)
Pencil
Tape
Scissors
White Glue
Pressed flowers, grasses, and leaves

Procedure:

1. Fold one piece of the cardboard or heavy paper in half to form a card. Cut the other piece to make it the same size as the front of the card.
2. On the smaller piece of cardboard, draw any of the following shapes: oval, circle, square, triangle, rectangle, heart. cut it out. This will serve as the cut-out window.
3. Arrange the pressed flowers, grasses, and leaves into any design you like.
4. Glue the pressed plants onto the front of the folded card. Make sure they will be visible through the cut-out window.
5. Cover the pressed plants with a piece of cellophane. Smooth down the cellophane wrap and tape it to the edge of the card.
6. Glue the piece of cardboard with the cut-out window onto the cellophane-covered front of the card.
7. Fold the card again. Now you have the card.

Don't forget to write a special message on the inside. You know what to write then.

"I love you dear."