This is a slightly revised version of a previously popular blog. Enjoy!
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
"Winter is dead."
-from Daffodowndilly by A. A. Milne
It's been a long winter here in southern Vermont with plenty of snow still on the ground. I am craving spring more than most other years. This morning, amid the piles of snow I went looking for signs of daffodils; even the tiniest shoot would have given me hope that winter is finally dead. But I didn't see any. My friend Charlene once told me if I listen hard enough maybe I will hear them. Hmm...what's that gentle humming I hear.
Pressing Daffodils
I love daffodils for their beauty while alive, but also as a pressed flower. They make beautiful framed art and pressed flower cards. Pressing daffodils is not as difficult as you might think.
How to Press Daffodils
I'll walk you through the process of how to press daffodils, so you can enjoy their vibrant yellow any time of year!
Be sure to pick flowers on a dry, sunny day after the morning dew has gone. Select flowers that have newly opened. Fresh flowers will retain their color better.
Cut the stem as close to the flower as possible so the flower will lay flat on the press.
If you are working with a variety of daffodil that has a very short cup, the flower can be pressed face on as in this picture to the left.
Whenever you are pressing flowers, remember to press stems and leaves as well. You can use these as accents and decorations in your pressed flower art.
Daffodils with long cups, on the other hand, should be pressed sideways. A few petals can be removed to show off the cup of the flowers. The petals can be pressed separately and added to the daffodil or used later in another project.
Flower Presses
There are a variety of flower presses you can buy commercially or ones you can make yourself. My preference for nearly all my flower pressing is the Microfleur microwave flower press.
The Microfleur Flower Press
The Microfleur is a flower press that goes in the microwave oven. When pressed with the Microfleur, daffodils (and all flowers!) are pressed, dried, and ready to use in just minutes. The rapid drying retains the vibrant colors of flowers for a very long time. It's so easy, even a child can press flowers with the Microfleur.
If you're interested in learning more about Microfleurs or viewing pressed flower art, cards and bookmarks visit Vermont Pressed Flowers.
Try pressing some daffodils yourself this spring! Happy spring and happy pressing!
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