Why I Bought a Flower Press, and Why You Might Want One Too

beautifully engraved flower press sitting on a rock surrounded by pressed flowers

Every year about this time, my daughter starts picking me little flowers that she finds in our yard; and I proudly display them in my favorite, special little vase reserved for “mommy flowers” (which is actually a fancy shot glass that I bought at a flea market decades ago, but you can’t tell).

Now for some reason, this year I got the notion that I wanted to start pressing some of the petaled jewels that she brings me. I think perhaps it might be because she’s growing up so fast and subconsciously, I realized that “mommy flowers” will soon be a thing of the past. (Pardon me while I tear up…) I honestly wonder if this season will be the last before she dismisses such “childish” things.

So, I decided to purchase a flower press. I briefly considered making my own, or just using a book, as I’ve done in the past, but I irrationally wanted a fancy one. (Maybe it was due to pining after one in an American Girl catalog as a child.) It didn’t take me long to find, and fall in love with, the flower press featured here. And as with most purchases that I adore, I wanted to share it with you as a Fun Find. (No; I don’t get any perks for doing so.)

I discovered SunriseGrove on Etsy (gotta love small business and handmade!) and the owner, Summer, is kind as well as talented. I highly recommend that you check out her shop, as she has some really amazing items! And quite frankly, I am over the moon about the flower press that I ordered. It’s gorgeous and extremely well made. The rice paper and cardboard inserts that come with it are also very high quality, and it’s easy to use.

You might be wondering what one does with pressed flowers after they’ve been dried and flattened… If you’re the crafty type, you’re going to love all the possibilities! If you need a bit of inspiration, I plan to use them to make bookmarks, in resin projects, in frames, on seed bombs, applied to various surfaces with Mod Podge, etc. The sky’s the limit! (See articles below for some fun ideas.)

So, what do you think? Do you suddenly have the urge to stop being pressed for time and start pressing flowers instead? I have to say, the process and the outcome are both pretty amazing. And there’s certainly something to be said for slowing down and picking wildflowers…

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