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"My name is Tafari Lessey. I am
10 years old and live in Point Fortin, Trinidad. I am a Rastafarian and I
make Pressed Flower Craft, I learned to make pressed flowers from my
Mummy."
Please tell us about Pressed Flower Craft.
Where do you
gather the flowers?
All flowers, grasses, weeds and leaves used are
collected from the fields and forests of Trinidad.
How do you dry
the flowers?
First, you need to dry the flowers. Make sure that the
flowers you pick are dry (don't pick them early in the morning or on a
rainy day). Open a heavy book somewhere near the back of the book. Place
one sheet of clean white paper in the book to protect it. Place some
flowers on the paper - don't overlap them or they won't dry nicely. Place
a second piece of paper over top of the flowers. Close the book. Don't put
more that one page of flowers in any book at one time.
Stack the books
that you're using on top of one another. Then stack some more books on top
of those. The heavier the stack, the flatter the flowers - but don't stack
them too high, you don't want to create a dangerous pile of books that
might fall on someone.
Check your flowers after one week. If they are
still damp or if they stick to the white paper, they need to be dried
longer.
Once the flowers are dry, you can create cards with them. You
can use store-bought blank greeting cards, or make cards by folding some
heavy paper in half.
Use some white glue (don't use too much), to
attach the dried flowers to the front of your card. Let the glue dry
completely. Once the glue is dry, peel the backing off of the
self-adhesive plastic and cover the front of your card with the plastic.
Now your card is done - just write your message inside. You can use a pen,
a pencil or a colored marker. Use your imagination to create other dried
flower projects. You could cut a small rectangle out of heavy cardboard,
glue on flowers and cover with plastic - voila! you have a neat bookmark!
What kinds of supples do you need?
1. old phone books or large
heavy books without glossy pages.
2. Cheap toilette tissue without any
"softeners" or scents .
3. Cheap paper toweling.
4. More books for
weight.
5. If you have a humidity problem, silica gel.
What can
you make with pressed flower craft?
They are wonderful souvenirs and
make an ideal gift for a friend or loved one. These are available as book
marks, Greeting cards and ready to frame pictures. These beautiful cards
are perfect for any special occasion. Or, use them to create invitations
to a party.
It makes me feel real good."
"The thing I love
about pressed flower craft is the excitement, you never know what the
finished card will look like till its finished. And it's a lot of fun.
It's just important that I'm doing something positive."
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