3-Minute Skills - Pressing Leaves - Writing Box Part 2/3

Video HERE


Yes, this is a very old-fashioned craft... but it works, so who's gonna try and improve it?

OK, there are some people out there who go really technical with this and bathe their leaves in glycerine or other chemicals in order to make the finished leaves more flexible, but really, why complicate things?

You will need:
Leaves (Duh!)*
Scissors
Gloves
Paintbrush/Cotton buds
Cup of cold water with a drop of bleach**
Blotting paper or kitchen towel
A thick, heavy book or two OR a flower press***
Patience
Sealable Tupperware

*Any leaves will do, ideally ones you've taken with permission from the grower (Or in a sneaky manner when no one noticed). I prefer to go for evergreens which do not lose as much of their colour as deciduous. Avoid completely shaving a tree or bush, a few stems are OK, half the foliage not so much. For green leaves you need to cut them and start pressing within a few hours, if you're going for autumnal you can collect from the ground as well, but you may well need to clean them before pressing.
**Too much bleach will actually discolour the leaves, something like 1/2% in a solution of water is usually enough.
***I only have a small press so the book option works better for large batches.

Method:

1. Always wear gloves, the oils on your skin can cause discolouring and, if you've picked something nasty without realizing they will protect you from a skin reaction as well. Trim your stems to about 5mm.*
2. If necessary** brush the back of the leaves with a dry brush to remove dirt and/or pollution. A gentle wipe with bleach water over the top of the leaf can clean off light soiling. You should discard any with considerable dirt, bird poo or insect damage (unless you're looking for a chewed-up effect). Dry in the air, do not press when still damp.
3. Spread some blotting paper or kitchen towel into a layer of your press, or between a couple of pages***. Arrange your leaves bottom-up on the press or page, then carefully cover with more paper and press firmly.****
4. Transfer to a warm, dry place for 2-3 months.
5. Once pressed and dry remove from the press - wearing gloves - and layer between paper in a sealable box until needed.*****

*The amount of stem you keep is entirely up to you. I prefer them short unless I'm planning on using full sprays for an arrangement - be aware that you cannot guarantee the direction your stem will end up in after drying. It is easy to replace stems with embroidery thread after drying if necessary.
**I would only consider cleaning leaves if I had collected them from near roads where pollution can dull the colour. Depending on your weather conditions and if you collected them from the ground or not you may need to gently clean them first, or wait until after they're dried and brush them off instead. DO NOT use bleach water on the underside of a leaf, it will be absorbed and cause discolouring.
***I picked some heavy hardback books. I find it best to leave about 8-10mm of pages between each layer so that everything is kept smooth and flat.
****If you're using a flower press don't screw it too tightly to begin with. Tighten until just pressed, then turn the screws a little every 3-4 days for the first month.
*****If you have some floating around drop a couple of silica sachets into the box to help keep them dry.

This method can be used for flowers, but I really don't like the look of steam-rollered blooms. I am still looking for a way to preserve flowers that at least look partially alive.

Look out for next week's project when I finally put these leaves to some use.