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DIY Handmade Paper with Pressed flowers

by Patti Estep 10 Comments

Handmade paper is easy to create in your own kitchen. Made from scrap paper and pressed flowers, you won’t believe how pretty it turns out.

Handmade paper is easy to make and creates a one of kind look.this post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy

I’ve always wanted to make my own handmade paper with real plant material. However, after researching the process, I decided to take an easier approach and make handmade paper with pressed flowers using household paper waste. The process is simple. The first batch I made was just okay but the second time was much better, and I’m going to share them with you here today.

Making Handmade Paper with Pressed flowers

The Materials

  • Scrap paper torn into small pieces
  • Pressed leaves and flowers 
  • Large plastic bowl
  • Large plastic bin
  • 2 – 8 x 10 picture frames
  • Piece of screening material to cover one frame
  • Old towels
  • Sponge or absorbent towel
  • Old blender or chopper

The Process

First put your paper scraps into a large bowl and added hot water to cover, and let it sit. The first time I used copy paper from the trash. Then I remembered that my husband uses a shredder in his office and that paper worked much better because it was really smaller and saved me the time it took to tear or cut the paper.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Staple the screen material to the smooth side of one frame. Place the second frame on top. I bought these two from the dollar store and they worked great. You can used old frames from you home or Goodwill. I even saw one person use splatter guards for the screen. Someone else mentioned using old pantyhose.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Fill up a large plastic bin about 1/3 with water. This tub was really big. I could have used one much smaller. I’ve even seen some use disposable aluminum baking tins.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Make pulp by blending the soaked paper and water in a blender or some other chopping instrument. One person was using a hand mixer and bowl. Another used a mortar and pestle. I used an old chopping machine.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Pour the pulp into the large container and mix around with your hands. Then dip the frames in at angle to scoop up the pulp. Hold the frames under the water with one hand and lay the pressed flowers on top with the other. Then with both hands move the frames around a bit to thoroughly coat the frames and using your hand gently over the pressing flowers.

Lift the frames out the water and tilt slightly to drain as much water as possible. Remove the top frame and gently place a cloth on top of the paper.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Then carefully flip it over and place on the counter.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Using a rolled up towel or sponge gently press on the screen and soak up as much water as you can. Wring out the towel into the pulp container and repeat.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

Gently remove the screen and let dry. The first batch dried naturally overnight but then when I made a second batch I used a hairdryer to speed up time.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

The first batch looked pretty gray when wet and the second was a greenish blue.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

However, they both dried a lot lighter. This picture above shows the first batch where I used only copy paper and it turned out really white. The rose bud petals bunched up to the one end and in the next picture where I placed the ferns by hand turned out a little better but I really like them both.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

If you want to purchase pressed flowers online you can use HEARTHANDVINE10 to receive 10% off your order when you purchase from Greetings of Grace.

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

This is definitely something I would want to try again. Although it’s not great paper for writing on, it would make beautiful gift tags and backing paper for vellum shower or wedding invitations.

Oh and sometime I want to make some cards with flower seeds that can be planted in the ground.  Ahhh but I’ll save that idea for another post.

 

Learn how to easily make your own handmade paper from scrap paper and press flowers.

 

Filed Under: crafts, Decorate, Garden, Gifts, Herbs, Projects Tagged With: DIY, gifts, handmade paper, paper crafts, pressed flowers

About Patti Estep

Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

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Comments

  1. bath sponges says

    July 26, 2016 at 11:25 pm

    I don’t even know the way I stopped up here, however I believed this post was once great.
    I don’t understand who you are however definitely you’re going to a famous blogger in the event you are
    not already. Cheers!

    Reply
  2. Sabina says

    January 30, 2018 at 7:29 am

    Hi and thanks for this post!

    Question – do your flowers bleed onto the handmade paper while drying? (leaving stains in the respective color – e.g. yellow flowers stain the paper in yellow). This happens to me especially when using larger pressed flowers/petals, not small chunks.

    If so, how do you avoid this? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Patti Estep says

      January 30, 2018 at 8:23 am

      Hi Sabina,

      I know what you mean. For me, some did bleed a little bit but it varied from flower to flower. I don’t know what to say about how to prevent this, but you might be able to test them first by setting a flower on something like a white paper towel and misting it with water to see if the color bleeds.

      Reply
    • Roshan says

      April 23, 2018 at 5:42 am

      You could soak the flowers in a mordant like alum , etc

      Reply
  3. Annie Glacken says

    March 6, 2018 at 9:46 pm

    I have a question. If you want to use handmade paper that has flower inclusions to cover book board for a journal, should you seal it with so,ething somthe flowers don’t rub off?

    Reply
    • Patti Estep says

      March 7, 2018 at 6:31 am

      Hi Annie,

      I’m sorry but I have never done this. You might try a spray on polyurethane but I don’t think it will add the protection you need.

      Another idea would be to find some kind of transparent cover to place on top of the flower paper.

      Reply
    • Roshan says

      April 23, 2018 at 5:44 am

      You could cover it with a very thin almost translucent layer of pulp

      Reply
  4. Kate Supino says

    January 3, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    Very pretty. Thanks for the post, Patti.

    Reply
    • Patti Estep says

      January 4, 2019 at 7:14 am

      So glad you like it Kate!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 40 Stunning Pressed Flower Art Ideas • Cool Crafts says:
    June 20, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    […] you know that you can make paper by hand, plus it can contain pretty pressed flowers? Garden Matter discovered this for herself so created this insightful […]

    Reply

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