DIY Framed Ferns

Just as I led you to believe in the title, today I framed some pressed ferns. Pressing flowers is something I remember doing with my grandmother. We'd collect flowers and press them in fat telephone books (perhaps one of the only things they're useful for anymore). I remember being so impatient! Waiting for them to dry was too much for me, and I'd always be tempted to take a peek. This year I picked a few ferns and pansies in the spring thinking it will be a project for a later day. I all but forgot about them until this week!

When pressing flora, start out with items that are generally flat to begin with, small flowers, ferns, or leaves. They're just easier to assemble and get a nice flat pressing. Pat them dry and remove any dirt from them. Then carefully lay them in between two sheets of waxed paper in a large heavy book.

I didn't have any waxed paper at the time and used paper towels instead. Now you can see then texture in the pansies, rookie mistake. It takes about two weeks to get all the moisture out. Patience!

They're textured, but still cute! I'll use them later...

I had a white frame that would house the size of the fern. I removed the inside paper behind the mat to use as a template for my own mounting. I chose a thick water color weight paper with some texture. I've read that any sort of mild Elmer's glue, or wood glue is acceptable using on delicate pressed flowers. You could dab a bit on a toothpick and gently put it on. I just used my glue stick because the fern seemed pretty sturdy, and I didn't need much for this.

I wanted to add a vintage botanical flair so I penned the fern's scientific name and where it was found in the corner.

I brought out some pen and ink for this.

One helpful hint for lining up any photo with a mat is adhering a bit of tape behind the print face up, then placing the mat over top so you can align easily.

And that's it! Now, when I take Dante for walks in the park I keep my eye out for things that are "press worthy".  Soon enough I can create a little wall of botanicals.

Chris thought I bought a print of a fern, surprise!

UPDATE: After 2 months, the little ends of my fern are yellowing, due to the sun, most likely. So, if you plan to hang this project in a sunny area, be sure to use a  frame with UV Protection. OR don't worry about it, and let it fade naturally!