Thank you guys for your comments on my pressed botanical gallery wall! I am still so in lurve with her!
It was such an easy process. Here’s what I did if you want to get the same look.
STEP ONE: Gather flowers, pretty weeds (yes, I don’t discriminate), leaves. What ever you can find that has a pretty shape, don’t worry about color. To press start with a nice flat surface and sandwich the flowers between two sheets of paper towels (don’t use the towels that have designs pressed into them because it will show up on your dried flower – found out the hard way) and then place another flat object or book on top. Then weigh everything down by adding more heavy objects on top to press the flower flat. I waited about 2 weeks before pulling the pressed flowers out.
STEP TWO: Spray paint whatever side of the flower you think looks the best and let it fully dry. I used Krylon’s Premium Original Chrome spray paint. I picked mine up at Hobby Lobby. The shiny chrome paint really shows off the textures in the flowers.
STEP THREE: Lay the flower painted side down on the inside of the frame. I used Ikea’s RIBBA frame. Make sure you cleaned the frame’s glass really well first. Any dirt or smudges will really show against the black mat.
STEP FOUR: Gently place your mat over the flower. For my mat I purchased a large piece of black poster board and cut it down to size. For my sized frames (11.75″x15.75″) I got three mats out of one piece of poster board.
STEP FIVE: Place your backer piece and secure it into place. If you feel like your flower isn’t staying secure, you could add additional paper between the mat and backer. I didn’t have a problem though.
STEP SIX: Oooh and ahhh over your awesome pressed botanical!
This one is my favorite. Blue Agapanthus (I had to look that up, I have no idea what anything is called). I snagged found this one while driving past a restaurant.
Some others were courtesy of a McDonald’s parking lot and a neighborhood common ground 😀 The ferns, leaves, and weeds are all me though!
My inspiration came from this image that I just couldn’t for the life of me get out of my head.
| via |
I think it was a perfect recreation, for no doubt a smidgey-idgey fraction of the cost.
So, anyone going to be flower hunting this weekend???
it's stunning!!! just stunning! i love your inspiration and your DIY. mcdonald's flowers never looked so good.
So beautiful. Thank you for sharing the how to. I have the perfect spot for an application such as this.
I mean, seriously!! You recreated that look SO WELL! I just may have to try this, it's beautiful.
This is just so darn awesome! Beautiful job.
Shelley!!! You are brilliant, this is amazing, I want one (entire wall)!
Incredible DIY! Thanks so much for sharing. Found you through {simple details}…so enjoyed visiting your place this morning! And, welcome to Texas!!!!
So glad you stopped by, Belinda! And, thank you! Where in TX are you?
wow!!! fantastic!
Thank you so much, Wendy!