Some might be familiar with the old practice of pressing leaves or flowers inside books to keep them preserved. While this is a fun way to keep and dry plants, you miss out on the opportunity to display those plants as art in your home. If you have fallen leaves from your houseplants or from the outside world and you want to turn them into art, here’s how you can do it.
There are different techniques for pressing leaves, but the easiest way is by using paper towels, wax paper and something heavy to put on top. You can use a heavy book, a small box or even a jug of milk. The only requirement is that the item you choose distributes its weight evenly over the entire surface of the leaf you want to press.
To preserve leaf color, you will also need a hot iron and a towel. To frame and mount your pressed leaves, find a frame, matting board and the hooks or stand for display.
You can press virtually any type of leaf for this project. However, different types of leaf will dry at different speeds. The thinner the leaf is the quicker it will dry and the more delicate it will be afterward. Some recommended plants to try include ferns, philodendrons, arrowhead vines and pothos. For a bigger and more dramatic art piece, try an alocasia, ficus or ZZ plant.
Place the leaf between two pieces of wax paper. Cover it with a towel.
Use a hot iron (not steam) to press down for a few minutes until the leaf seems dry.
Flip the towel and wax paper over, leaving the towel on the bottom this time. Gently iron again.
After about 2 minutes, carefully peel away the wax paper. This should leave a thin layer of wax on the leaf which will preserve the bright color.
To frame your pressed leaf, simply place onto a piece of matting board and put together the frame as if you were adding a photo. To keep the leaf in place, you can use a tiny dot of glue on the back.
If you’re mounting your finished leaf, try different colors of background to create contrast or harmonize with the rest of your decor. Creative frames are also an excellent way to enhance your final product. This simple art piece will make an excellent edition to any room of the home, whether on a table or on the wall.
Mark comes to us with extensive experience in the real estate industry with over 20 years of experience working with buyers, sellers, and builders. Mark has been an active member of RACM, REALTOR Association of Central Massachusetts, since 2001 and has built a formidable reputation in Worcester county.
Consistently ranked among the top 10 Realtors in Worcester county with career sales totaling 300 million in pending and sold, Mark is an extremely valuable resource for those getting ready to list their home, purchase a new home, or build from the ground up.
As a Shrewsbury native, and a seasoned real estate professional, Mark joined Andrew Abu REALTORS and works side-by-side with a talented team of industry experts who specialize in market trends and local market stats, to keep ahead of the curve and combine home marketing with innovative technology and forward-thinking. His valued reputation with client's and business partners for the past two decades and proven success with record setting sales, will leave you in capable hands during any real estate transaction.
