Don't know where you live, but call/check craft stores & hobby stores. If the flower press isn't part of gift, you could use a phone book and/or a stack of newspapers, that latter with a hefty phone book as a weight.

For all of you flower pressers who would like more instruction, the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild is having a conference in June. Let me know if you would like more info! jpressed 4TH INTERNATIONAL PRESSED FLOWER GUILD CONFERENCE The World Wide Pressed Flower Guild will host the 2008 international conference from the 21st to the 23rd of June, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, 1240 S. Walnut, Anaheim, CA (close to Disney World), USA. Pressed flower art is a vibrant and friendly art form. History says that it was in Italy in the 16th century that the change from reference herbarium to botanical art took place. Then, England and Queen Victoria gave it a lot of fame. Today pressed flower art is going through a "Renaissance", thanks to modern technologies. The microwave oven presses flowers in seconds or minutes. Time is an important factor today, but color retention is much more pertinent; a rose remains rose, a bluet stays blueÂAcid free papers and adhesives abound, effective sealing methods prevent deterioration. The Internet is a fantastic tool proving instant knowledge and communication. The pressed flower art world quickly benefited as old traditions from the Orient and diverse methods working with botanical material became available. In July, 2001, the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild was established as an entirely "online" organization which brings together the worldÂs pressed flower artists and promotes the art and craft of pressed flowers through the exchange of information, tips, and fellowship, and the exploration of new innovations and trends in all aspects of floral art. Presently the guild includes members from all over the world. Through its members and its efforts, the guild is fulfilling its goals, members are attending competitions, many win awards, and others have already written and published books on the subject. The conference in June, open to all, will include a competition and exhibition, international and local artists and teachers, and workshops for all levels in the art and craft of pressed flowers. For additional information, contact Kate Chu Telephone: (714) 998 6608 kate@pressed-flowers.com ###########################################################################

I made a bunch of them for my junior high art students. You cut two boards, 1/4" to 1/2" thick, to size, perhaps 6x8 or similar. You cut cardboard to fit inside these and then paper to fit inside the cardboard. Hold it all together with velcro. You sew 3+ inches of the "hook" side of velcro to about 10 inches of the fuzzy side so it will hook together when you strap it around the wood. Make two such strips for your flower press. This is easier than clamps or even than drilling boards. Press your flowers between the papers backed by the cardboard. Good luck.

I have been making greeting cards for years! I was using Perfect Paper Adhesive but here in Hawaii, unbenounced to me, there are little tiny almost invisible to the eye, BUGS! And, they ”continue to eat the flowers once sealed with PPA!“ I have found my best bet and failure free ”Mod Podge” is the BEST sealant! I use the matte, not the glossy and I must say my cards turn out beautiful and best of all, they last a lifetime! I have done a lot of experimenting with varios glues, adhesives and I always return to Mod Podge! As far as pressing flowers, try to use those that have the same thickness. This allows for even drying. The larger flowers with big, bulky centers, i.e,. cosmos cosmos, I take the centers out, press the petals and save the seeds to grow more cosmo’s. I am also a huge fan of placing the flowers beteen 2 pieces of Bounty paper towel. This is the only paper towel I can find that doesn’t have a design with depth to it. I am also a die-hard put my flowers in a big heavy book followed by several other heavy books then and I wait 4-5 days to check on them. I think the biggest thrill for me to this day is peeking under the paper towel to see how they’ve dried! Seriously, my heart flutters with joy when I first set look at them! I get giggly just before opening the book! As an added note, I seem to always use too much Mod Podge which nearly always makes me press the finished card back into the large book and stacking several more heavy books on top of them! This pressed flower card making has saved my life!! I have been suffering from debilitating fibromyalgia for over 15 years now and this is one thing that gets my mind off of the pain I feel every day! And, if I might be so bold, I have gotten better and better as the years go by! I hope any of the information I have shared will help or inspire anyone to make flowers which are already beautiful into a life-lasting treasure by turning them into something someone you love can have as a memory for life! Aloha * Liz