4Real Forums: How to mount flowers and leaves?

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science ( Forum Locked)
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: How to mount flowers and leaves?

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MarilynW
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Posted: June 12 2014 at 10:02pm \| IP Logged

Please would you share how you mount flowers and leaves in your nature study notebooks? Do you use a press? If so which one?

Thanks so much!

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Marilyn
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Mackfam
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Posted: June 13 2014 at 6:44am \| IP Logged

We use the Lee Valley flower press, and have...well...for at least 18 years now. I think my mom gave it to me as a gift before Sarah was born. I have the regular size one - not the large one. Also, I've used mine regularly for 18 years and have never replaced the wool pads.

It's easy to use - lay the specimen flat between the center, enclose in the wool and brick layers, place in microwave for a short amount of time (you do have to microwave intermittently so that you can check to see if the flower is dry - it will feel papery). The microwave removes all the moisture from the specimen, rendering it dry, and then you can place it in a nature notebook almost immediately. Since some of the specimens have a lot of delicate parts, we usually place a small square of clear, gloss contact paper over the specimen to hold it in the nature notebook.

I've been drying leaves and flowers this way and then covering with contact paper...for years, and all of the specimens preserved in that way have survived nicely. I was just looking at Sarah's first nature notebook the other day as I removed some of her things from the shelves to give to her, and it was neat to see maple leaves she collected when she was so little!

I like the method because it's quick and can be done without any extra stuff besides the press, and some contact paper. I also like very much how the colors are preserved using this press.

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Jen Mackintosh
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MarilynW
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Posted: June 13 2014 at 12:15pm \| IP Logged

Thanks Jen. I had never heard of a microwave flower press! My kids use the old-fashioned layer kind and it takes a long time to press the flowers.
I don't use a microwave, but I have an old one in the basement bathroom that we sometimes use for crafts.

Thanks for the Contact Paper tip too. Awesome! I had a variety of other ways -ranging from packing tape to freezer ziplocs - this is the best!

Question - does Lee Valley ship to the US? Another - when using the microwave, do you use it on high or a lower power. It is 15 years since I used the microwave, and I will have to figure out how to microwave at different powers.

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Kelly
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Posted: June 13 2014 at 9:48pm \| IP Logged

We have a similar one called "Microfleur" -i ordered it from somewhere here in US-very easy to use.

Kelly in FL

CrunchyMom
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Posted: June 14 2014 at 5:21am \| IP Logged

Lee Valley delivers to the US. I love the catalogs!

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