How to Press Flowers and Leaves

Learn how to turn your favorite garden finds into beautiful, flat keepsakes using simple household items. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Pick and prepare your plants. Choose flowers or leaves that are fresh and dry. Use your scissors to trim the stems so they are short. If your plants are wet from rain or dew, gently pat them dry with a paper towel.
2. Arrange your specimens. Open your heavy book to the middle. Lay down a piece of plain paper. Place your flowers or leaves on the paper, making sure they don't overlap. Lay another piece of paper on top to cover them.
3. Press and wait. Close the book carefully. If you have more heavy books, stack them on top of the first one to add extra weight. Now, you have to be patient! Leave the book in a cool, dry place for at least one to two weeks.