A way to preserve flowers is to pound their essence and color into a sheet of paper. I had some handmade paper, measuring 6×4, with deckled edges. I found it the perfect background for pounding some of my garden flowers.
I started my flower pounding with violets. Years ago, I transferred some from the woods into my garden beds. I have hundreds of violets in my grass and flower beds in early spring. I don’t mind them at all. I pull them out if they overwhelm my perennials or annuals. Because they sow seed, there will be many more to take their place next year. They are also a great ground cover for areas I don’t want to weed weekly. The leaves are a host for the fritillary butterfly.
The beautiful violet color is easy to transfer. I place the flowers and leaves on the handmade paper, then, using a piece of tracing paper to see what I’m doing, I place this over the flowers and pound them flat with a small hammer. It is easy to work in a corrugated box based on the floor rather than on the floor itself. Some flowers stick to the handmade paper. I let these sit for a few minutes, and then gently remove them. Voilà, there is an impressionistic-type print of the flowers.
After drying the paper out for about two weeks, I used a 005 permanent marker to create a few lines, using the photos I took before I pounded the flowers as a reference.
I love the way the finished product turned out. I will continue pounding flowers all summer, labeling each pounded flower print with where it was taken from in my garden or other places. At the end of the summer, I intend to make a handmade book containing all the prints.
This is lovely Kathy. First time I heard it…flower pounding.😍
LikeLike
Hi Arlene, it is a fun and easy craft. You can use any type of paper if you pad the area underneath of it. I enjoyed bringing the colors to life with the pen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I watched it on YouTube, it seems easy enough.😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely, ongoing project!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Anne, I’m looking around my garden beds for the next candidates.
LikeLike
Beautiful flowers, never knew about doing that with flowers
LikeLiked by 1 person
Give it a try! A quick and easy craft.
LikeLike
The technque returns a lovely impressionistic wash of color. Thanks for sharing your method.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for stopping by and kind comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Violets are my favorite flower.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love them too for their beauty and resilience. They multiply and self-sow seeds. The fragrance is lovely, and the blooms look sweet clustered in a small vase. Even better is the fact they are a host plant for butterflies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
To me this is a new way of using our colorful garden flowers — I think I’d like to try it! thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Gretchen Jo., Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and the comment. Let me know how they turn out. I will be pounding throughout the summer so I am sure I will update the progress now and then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow..I knew of pressing and this is kind of like it. How pretty and how amazing to make your own paper. Thank you for visiting and leaving such a lovely comment..Michelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you in return for the kind comment.
LikeLike
Wow, I love the way the color comes out too – and what a beautiful craft that lets us celebrate flowers.
I sure wish I had some wooded areas to go and harvest some lovely violets. Although I do have one jumping jack that came back this year – and I was so shocked because I thought they were gone – and som survived – they are a deeper purple and have yellow –
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’, sorry about the time period in between your comment and my answer. We have been on vacation and returned yesterday. I’m planning to pound quite a few of the garden’s flowers too.
LikeLike
well thanks for the reply and I hope your vacation was refreshing – and nice to connect a bit 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, we had a very nice time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🌸🌸🌸😊🌸🌸🌸
LikeLiked by 1 person