OT: pressing flowers
just me
unable to find an appropriate ng. I am experimenting with pressing flowers.
I have noted that many, but not all, of them loose their color. Does anyone
know how to press flowers and have them retain their color or only loose a
little bit of it? Or, does anyone know of a really good www. site or book I
could research this in?
Thanks all.
-Aula
Jude
just me <thede...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:EJFg5.19684$5N1.7...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Hi Aula,
I tried drying some of my roses in that powdery kitty litter & a lot
of the pigment was lost in the process also. It makes me wonder what
would happen if we set the flower stems in some colored water (as
close to the natural color as possible) for a day or two before trying
to dry. I've thought about it, but have not tried the process. Also
does anybody have those plastic electric food dryers in which you dry
slices of fruit? Have you tried to dry flowers in those & how do the
colors come out? I'm a bit curious myself about this.
Judy
Jude
information. Plus a list of flowers best for drying.
www.makestuff.com/dry_preserve.html
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06540.htm
just me
"Jude" <rvai...@tampabaybucs.rr.com> wrote in message
news:V4Yg5.11752$sO2....@typhoon.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> Hi Aula,
> I tried drying some of my roses in that powdery kitty litter & a lot
> of the pigment was lost in the process also. It makes me wonder what
> would happen if we set the flower stems in some colored water (as
> close to the natural color as possible) for a day or two before trying
> to dry. I've thought about it, but have not tried the process. Also
> does anybody have those plastic electric food dryers in which you dry
> slices of fruit? Have you tried to dry flowers in those & how do the
> colors come out? I'm a bit curious myself about this.
> Judy
>
Unfortunately, I never discussed this hobby with her. She died when I was
about 10. Lost opportunities, sigh.
Your thoughts about wetting the stem in colored water are interesting. I
will be intrigued to hear what happens. I have been pondering using my
microwave to dry flowers and have found some good reading on it. The main
reason I have not is because I have a particular project for Christmas gifts
in mind that would require pressed flowers. I have seen some really old
books on it, but so far nothing addressing maintaining color quality,
despite the books having beautiful color photos of relatively brightly
colored pressed flowers. Sigh. Why do I always have to pick the relatively
out of fashion arts! [I learned to tat in the early 70's, when no-one but
my grandmother knew what tatting was, now it is in style!]
-Aula
just me
-Aula
"Jude" <rvai...@tampabaybucs.rr.com> wrote in message
news:8nYg5.11759$sO2....@typhoon.tampabay.rr.com...
Jude
My Mom passed away 8 1/2 years ago and I kept clippings of the flowers
from her casket blanket. I had put them in the family Bible. One of
my daughters for Christmas, that following year, framed them in a
shadow box frame with matting & lace tying the stems. I loved it and
brought tears to my eyes when I opened the package. It was a great
gift. I also love the old fashion hankies. My grandma always said a
girl should have one tucked up her sleeve or in her purse. Now that's
something you could tat (an edging around the handkerchiefs). Just
trying to keep you busy, while the flowers are drying.
Judy
just me
>
> My Mom passed away 8 1/2 years ago and I kept clippings of the flowers
> from her casket blanket. I had put them in the family Bible. One of
> my daughters for Christmas, that following year, framed them in a
> shadow box frame with matting & lace tying the stems. I loved it and
> brought tears to my eyes when I opened the package. It was a great
> gift. I also love the old fashion hankies. My grandma always said a
> girl should have one tucked up her sleeve or in her purse. Now that's
> something you could tat (an edging around the handkerchiefs). Just
> trying to keep you busy, while the flowers are drying.
I really like what your daughter did with the flowers from your Mom's casket
blanket. I've been seeing photos of similar ideas for bridal bouquets.
But, as to needing ideas on how to keep my time full, well......did I tell
you about the 13 x 11 counted cross stitch item my Mom gave me for Christmas
last year? It is about 2/3 done and is a night scene embroidered in deep
blues and grays and such on a midnight blue piece of aida cloth! I need to
use two light sources or go outside in order to make sure I am actually
setting my stitches where they are *supposed* to go!!!
-Aula
Jude
> I really like what your daughter did with the flowers from your
Mom's casket
> blanket. I've been seeing photos of similar ideas for bridal
bouquets.
> But, as to needing ideas on how to keep my time full, well......did
I tell
> you about the 13 x 11 counted cross stitch item my Mom gave me for
Christmas
> last year? It is about 2/3 done and is a night scene embroidered in
deep
> blues and grays and such on a midnight blue piece of aida cloth! I
need to
> use two light sources or go outside in order to make sure I am
actually
> setting my stitches where they are *supposed* to go!!!
> -Aula
Lord, my eyes are straining at the thought of such a project. Excuse
me, I've been needing to make an eye appointment. I bet it will be
beautiful when it's finished. I used to like to do cross stitching,
but the third kid cramped my style and I quit sewing and everything
there for a few years. Now, Kat gets into my polymer clay when I try
to make a project and I have to clean my tools all over again. She's
been pulling my nails out of my stained glass project. She seems so
grown up that I have to KEEP reminding myself she's only 5 1/2. Then
I have to turn my attention to teaching her. Good luck with your
cross stitch.
Judy
Kendra
>Also
>does anybody have those plastic electric food dryers in which you dry
>slices of fruit? Have you tried to dry flowers in those & how do the
>colors come out? I'm a bit curious myself about this.
I've dried flowers in the oven. Just place them on a cookie sheet and put them
in at a low temp for less than 10 minutes. (depends on the flowers)
The color, however, usually fades.
Kendra
"Fight like a real man, get on your knees and pray!"
< ><
Jude
Kendra <digital...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20000731135113...@ng-cg1.aol.com...
> Jude wrote:
>
> >Also
> >does anybody have those plastic electric food dryers in which you
dry
> >slices of fruit? Have you tried to dry flowers in those & how do
the
> >colors come out? I'm a bit curious myself about this.
>
> I've dried flowers in the oven. Just place them on a cookie sheet
and put them
> in at a low temp for less than 10 minutes. (depends on the flowers)
>
> The color, however, usually fades.
BooHooo!
Mike and Sharon Hays
just me <thede...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:645h5.27524$ga2.7...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
>
> "> >
> My Grandmother used to dry flowers in some sort of white powdery stuff.
> Unfortunately, I never discussed this hobby with her. She died when I was
> about 10. Lost opportunities, sigh.
I bet it was silica sand that she used. You can find it just about anywhere
including the craft section at Wal-Mart. It starts out with blue and white
crystals. You put the flowers in a sealable container, then cover them with
the silica, and close it all up. It takes a few days to get them completely
dry. But when you look in and the blue crystals have turned pink, it's
done. I've done roses this way. They don't really loose their color so
much as they darken. Some of the ones I did were red. They turn a really
dark red when they are dry. Pale pink roses, turn more of a light mauve.
When you are done with the silica, you don't have to throw it away. If you
pour it onto a cookie sheet and bake it in the oven for a little while
(there are specific instructions on the label) it will turn blue again and
be ready to use another time. One tip, dry it in the oven *before* you try
to pour it back in the original container. Once it has absorbed that
moisture, it also seems to increase in size and you can't get it back in the
can till you dry it. LOL
I have also seen freeze dried flowers. They seem to hold their original
color a little better than this method. But I don't know how you would do
that. I could ask my hubby. :-} He's a refrigeration specialist.
Although, he might say "Dunno. Want me to bring you some dry ice home from
work and you can see what happens?" LOL
Good luck with your projects. Hope you don't go cross eyed from the
X-stitch! I love to do that too. DH got me a floor stand and scroll set a
couple years ago for my birthday. I love them! My left hand used to cramp
from holding the hoop. I have seen a couple of those that are made so you
can clamp a goose neck lamp on the top. That might help with the project
you mentioned.
Sharon
PS
Hey Judy! C'mon up and I'll let you play in my sewing room. ;-}
Steve
>
> just me <thede...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:645h5.27524$ga2.7...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> >
> > "> >
> > My Grandmother used to dry flowers in some sort of white powdery stuff.
> > Unfortunately, I never discussed this hobby with her. She died when I was
> > about 10. Lost opportunities, sigh.
>
> I bet it was silica sand that she used.
Try alum or something hygroscopic (absorbs water). Sand is not. If most
of it was sand then they have added some cobalt chloride (pink and blue
as discussed) and some other dessicant like alum or numerous other
salts. Silica is not hygroscopic. The little white packets at the bottom
of pill jars to keep them dry are dessicants, which absorb water after
it has been baked out of them.
> You can find it just about anywhere
> including the craft section at Wal-Mart. It starts out with blue and white
> crystals. You put the flowers in a sealable container, then cover them with
> the silica, and close it all up. It takes a few days to get them completely
> dry. But when you look in and the blue crystals have turned pink, it's
> done. I've done roses this way. They don't really loose their color so
> much as they darken. Some of the ones I did were red. They turn a really
> dark red when they are dry. Pale pink roses, turn more of a light mauve.
> When you are done with the silica, you don't have to throw it away. If you
> pour it onto a cookie sheet and bake it in the oven for a little while
> (there are specific instructions on the label) it will turn blue again and
> be ready to use another time. One tip, dry it in the oven *before* you try
> to pour it back in the original container. Once it has absorbed that
> moisture, it also seems to increase in size and you can't get it back in the
> can till you dry it. LOL
>
> I have also seen freeze dried flowers. They seem to hold their original
> color a little better than this method. But I don't know how you would do
> that. I could ask my hubby. :-} He's a refrigeration specialist.
> Although, he might say "Dunno. Want me to bring you some dry ice home from
> work and you can see what happens?" LOL
----------------------
Freeze drying is done by freezing the object and then removing the water
from it by the process known as sublimation, whereby water goes right
from solid to gas skipping the liquid state. To do this you need to put
it frozen in a bell jar and pump on it with a vacuum pump which will
reduce the vapor pressure so the water will leave.
Jude
Mike and Sharon Hays <hay...@aye.net> wrote in message
news:soceih...@corp.supernews.com...
> Good luck with your projects. Hope you don't go cross eyed from the
> X-stitch! I love to do that too. DH got me a floor stand and
scroll set a
> couple years ago for my birthday. I love them! My left hand used
to cramp
> from holding the hoop. I have seen a couple of those that are made
so you
> can clamp a goose neck lamp on the top. That might help with the
project
> you mentioned.
> Sharon
>
> PS
> Hey Judy! C'mon up and I'll let you play in my sewing room. ;-}
Aawwwwww, that's so nice. Thanks! What's in progress up in that thar
sewing room?
Judy
Mike and Sharon Hays
Jude <rvai...@tampabaybucs.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3dBh5.14177$sO2....@typhoon.tampabay.rr.com...
> > Hey Judy! C'mon up and I'll let you play in my sewing room. ;-}
>
> Aawwwwww, that's so nice. Thanks! What's in progress up in that thar
> sewing room?
> Judy
>
>
Right now, some pants for Mongo the giant, and jackets for Prince Charming
and Sleeping Beauty's father. ;-} One of the fun things about running the
youth program at the community theatre. I have 24 in my cast and crew. The
youngest is 11. The oldest is 16. Great kids! The show this year is a
retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Red Riding Hood.
The twist is that the bad guys weren't really bad. The bad fairy was just
trying to warn them about something she saw in her crystal ball, when she
said Beauty would prick her finger. The wolf was just minding his own
business when he ran into Red, who really is a mean, nasty little punk, and
her fur-trapper granny. And Mongo, well, Mongo was just trying to keep his
house from being robbed by that kid who climbed up the beanstalk. He wound
up in a body cast from the fall down the stalk, btw. The kids wrote the
script (with some help from me --- mostly typing,) built the sets and
Mongo's body cast. You can do *anything* with chicken wire and muslin!! I
actually have a costume designer this time too. She is a senior in college
studying costume design. So she has take over most of the stuff. But
simple things I told her I would be happy to do for her. :-}
After those are done, I think I will be doing some stuff for Anna for
school. We have to clean out drawers seems like just about everything she
owns is too short! lol And she likes the cargo pants I made for her last
year. They are on the short side now (high waters! lol) so I will have to
replace those. I love being able to do that though! Got some denim on sale
for $1.88/yd. So I can make her cargo pants for about $5 instead of paying
$17 at Wal-Mart for them! Yea!! At least till she is too cool to wear
stuff Mom made. Hopefully that will be a few more years off.
Sharon
Jude
happy times. Your kids are very very lucky to have a mom so devoted
and who gives her time for their benefit. I love the kid's creativity
with the story lines. They all sound so nice, nothing bizarre or
really sinister.
Our girls did the community theatre two summers in a row in middle
school. I remember prompting behind the curtain and making some fairy
costumes, but that seems so long ago. They had a wonderfully patient
& musically talented Director who claimed he was a 200 yr old
reincarnated something or other, vegetarian. I just remember at the
curtain call, the kids gave him a bouquet of celery stalks tied with a
big red ribbon. He had brought them celery during rehearsals claiming
something about it giving them a calming affect or something like
that, so they wouldn't be nervous. Aww, brings back memories. Take
lots of pictures.
Judy