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Hello all, this is Jen writing (from Toronto, Ontario, Canada),
Just wondering if anyone has attempted making cards with their own dried flowers?
I am thinking I would like to have them on the front of the card but am wondering how I would go about that without having the flowers destroyed when the envelope is opened???
I've used dried flowers quite a bit in the past. I made a whole set of cards with them to give to my dad at one stage. One thing I've found quite successful is to use PVA glue thinned down with water and painted onto the back of the flower to adhere them to the card - this gives extra strength and stability.
What flowers work best? I love these cards! I used to mark bookmarks with my Mother when I was a child with pressed flowers similar to La Fonz' card. Just beautiful!
I have used dried flowers on cards- about 20 years ago. There weren't as many choices, then, so I used regular glue (like elmers) and water. I used a sponge to cover the surface of the card front, laid the flowers down and pressed them flat (gently) with my hands over waxed paper. I experimented with watercoloring under my glue mix- it worked okay when allowed to dry before tapping on the glue.
Something I enjoyed doing was making dried flower arrangements for wall "pictures". I spread iron-on-interfacing (black is spectacular) over a piece of glass glue side up, arranged my flowers on it, then I laid the glass from the picture frame over everything and c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y turned the sandwich over and removed the glass that was the bottom that was then on the top and ironed them onto the interfacing on a cotton setting. I sometimes spray painted fern or grass silhouettes with gold or silver on the "background" being careful not to get too much spray on the area where the main arrangement was to stick (today we call it masking). Hmmm. maybe I ought to start pressing flowers again- it is Spring- and see what I can come up with with all the new products available, today?
I am much like some of the other replies. I made cards with dried flowers several years ago. It is interesting how trends come and go. I also used just a drop of white glue to hold the flowers in place. Thanks for the suggestion of painting the backs of the flowers with watered down glue for stability. Maybe I should pull out my presser and do this again.
What flowers work best? I love these cards! I used to mark bookmarks with my Mother when I was a child with pressed flowers similar to La Fonz' card. Just beautiful!
Some lose their colour more with time, but if you're regarding them as ephemeral, many are good. Violets are OK, pansies are great, buttercups work well - I've had small rosebuds that I bought commercially pressed which still have colour in them years later. I used to have an online album with a set of pressed flower cards, but I deleted it just recently.
Here's a neat idea - I did it YEARS ago in a class and still haven't used the cards as I can't bear to part with them!!!! You need FLAT pressed flowers. Stick them on sticky paper and delicately burnish them - maybe that's not the right word - but press on them to be sure they are secure. Even cover with the carrier paper that was on the sticky paper and brayer over it. Somehow you want the flowers to be as flat and secure as possible. And close together, too. Then (here's the magic!!) sprinkle gold embossing powder over all. Brush off the flowers as much as possible. Heat very carefully so you do not singe the flowers but melt the embossing powder. You may need to do a little glue touch up - but it really looks awesome with pansies and leaves.
Card Making with Dried Flowers from my Garden
