Regular readers know that I have a new favorite place to look for bargains...our downstairs trash area! Our building has trash chutes on every floor and they feed into a separate room, but for boxes and other things that people can't put in the chute, there is an area (indoor) near the loading dock, for people to put things they don't want. I've found several cool items so far.
And here's another. I love that some people just sit items at the side so they don't get lost to the trash forever. Case in point, this was leaning up against the dumpster in the building's loading bay. I knew immediately what it was and snatched it up.*
*(cue 2nd Man eye roll)
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| Flower press |
A flower press!
And from the looks of it, probably homemade. It still had some cardboard in it and even paper towels between sheets of paper and thinner cardboard. I was hoping there might be some flowers still inside but alas, they were all gone.
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| Homemade flower press |
One thing about it, the bolts that screw down to tighten it (and create the "press" effect) stop before it's squashed down very far. I'm guessing that maybe there are a few missing pieces of thicker cardboard? Or maybe the thickness of flowers adds to that as well?
We have so many wildflowers around the farm pretty much all times of the year, and a bunch more are planted or about to be planted, I'd really love to get into that. And I'd love to decorate the top to make it more of "our own".
Anyone ever used a flower press?
Any tips/advice?
You do the best dumpster diving ever!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'm just lucky living here ha.
DeleteThe only flower press I've ever used is a big fat book. And then I forget about them until the next time I use the book. Makes for a surprise!
ReplyDelete:D
What a neat thing to discover later on in a book. I'l have to remember that.
Deletei have a bunch of flower presses and use them all the time. the flowers are fat at first and you have to keep screwing them down as they dry. i don't know about that pad though. anything that retains moisture causes the flowers to go moldy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I Guess that's true they are fat and there needs to be room for them at first and then gradually get them flatter. Thanks!!!
DeleteI have also only used books. And love the later surprises...
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for books. I love that thought of a hidden surprise for the future. would be kind of nice to just stick a flower in a random book and forget about it for awhile.
DeleteI have no advice, as I have never used one. But I have a very heavy thick Greek mythology book a good friend gave me and have several pressed flowers in it I have found from trips. There still in there and look great. Nice memories.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to use pressed flowers from trips. I like that idea. Thank you for the suggestion. Good memories are always a welcome thing.
DeleteA great find, especially for all the beautiful Farm wild flowers.
ReplyDeleteI have never used one - as the others said, just a heavy book and then a nice surprise several months later.
I'll try it with some wildflowers. thanks for the suggestion!!!
DeleteGreat item to find. I'm sure you will make great use out of it.
ReplyDeleteStep by Step in pressing flowers;
http://www.proflowers.com/blog/how-to-press-flowers
(2md man; you keep rolling your eyes like that; someday they may stay that way. :} )
Have a Great weekend.
Off with my shorts and on with the sweatpants this morning. Woke up to 53 deg. temp. outside this morning along with blowing wind; not a breeze but a wind.
DeleteI made sure he read your comment. He said "yes ma'am". :-P
DeleteThanks for the link. You found some good ones as always.
It wasn't quite that cold here but it was. shock when I walked outside in the morning, ha.
DeleteSome of the most beautiful presses aren't flowers but leaves! Fern leaves are beautiful and the leaves don't loose as much color as the flowers. Framed botanical leaves and prints are all the rage!
ReplyDeleteFern leaves? Really? Wow, thanks for that suggestion.
DeleteGreat find. I've seen these before and always thought it would be cool to have one. So nice that useful items are made available for new homes.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the greatest feeling. Plus I love that instead of throwing it IN the trash, they left it out for someone to take. Can't wait to try it out. Thank you!
DeleteYou could always take the current screw posts out and replace them with ones with more threads to tighten it down more. Almost all hardware stores have lots of threaded bolts. (And I love the pressed leaves suggestion. I'm trying that!)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I didn't even think about that! Thank you for this suggestion. And yep, aren't leaves a great idea? Doing that too! I just need to make time to do it!! Not get too distracted with other stuff, ha.
DeleteRan across this an thought you might enjoy inspiration for your flower press:
ReplyDeletehttp://pds.lib.harvard.edu/pds/view/4184689?n=12&printThumbnails=no&oldpds