Flower compositions from dried flowers are relevant at any time of the year. Especially on the eve of New Year's holidays and Christmas. Even in the coldest days, dried flowers will remind you of a warm sunny summer. There are many kinds of floral compositions. And one of the most original species is a unique floral paper.
Turning your favorite flowers into a beautiful and original paper is not difficult. From this paper you can make a floral picture. On it you can write a congratulation or wrap it in a gift, having pleased the people close to you with a creative approach to the matter.
Dry the flowers beforehand. The material for crafts should be prepared in autumn. At this time we have a huge variety of flowers and ornamental plants. But if you get fired with the desire to try your hand at creativity immediately - it does not matter. Flowers are also sold in winter.
You can dry the flowers correctly in several ways:
The easiest way is to hang individual flowers behind the stems with buds down. The stems should be strong enough. If the flowers are short or tender, they can be dried by spreading on blotting paper. In summer and autumn, plants dry in the shade at low humidity.
The second way is on the wire. Draw a wire or a grid on the drawer. We put flowers into the cells with buds up. This method is suitable for individual buds or short plants. But the flowers, dried in this way, perfectly retain color and shape.
The third way - under the press. Plants are placed under the press between two sheets of blotting paper. In a few days, flowers can be removed and used for flower arrangement.
Preparation for work. To create a paper floral composition, we will need many components. This is an aluminum grate, two identical wooden frames, clips, paper or cardboard. And also watercolor paints, wallpaper paste, mixer, bucket and clothespins. Flowers can be used both dry and freshly cut.
First we make a sieve for washing. For this purpose, the aluminum grating is clamped between two frames.
We make a paper gruel. For paper pulp suitable plain paper or cardboard. It is not advisable to use very white paper. Then it will look more decorative.
Paper should be picked in small pieces. In a bucket we mix water and wallpaper glue. Then put pieces of paper, once again carefully stir. The resulting mixture is left to soak and swell overnight. You can add the paint by mixing it all with a mixer.
We lay the foundation on the sieve. It's very simple. The sieve prepared by us is vertically lowered into a bucket with a mass. Then turn the grate flat and gently raise, rocking left and right, to make the glass water. At the same time, a layer of paper pulp remains on the grate.
We decorate with flowers. The most pleasant part of the work. Now a damp paper stock can be decorated. For the composition, any part of the plants is suitable: buds, petals, leaves, stems, or a flower entirely. It is desirable to pick flowers of this shade, so that their coloring contrasts with the color of the paper slurry. This we will achieve greater expressiveness. Composition is made according to your desire, taste and imagination.
The final stage. The grate is separated from the frame. After tumbling it, we work out the paper mass on blotting paper. Then, gently rolling with a rolling pin, we remove excess moisture. The resulting floral composition of dried flowers or fresh flowers with pegs is suspended for final drying.
When the flower paper dries, it can be inserted into the frame and we get a "live" picture. Also it can be used as wrapping paper for a gift. An original greeting card is also not a bad option. Having shown a little imagination and diligence, we can create an exclusive gift for our friends and relatives with our own hands.