Terica, of the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild, has been doing wonderful interviews with the guild's "Heirlooms,:" those who really formed the guild and in some cases, ushered in the last 50 years of the various arts of flower pressing. Her own site is: Flowerimpressions.com
How /why /when did you start pressing flowers
Since I was young I have always loved flowers . My Grandmother always had
something growing in the house all winter and outside the rest of the year.
My Mother was a crafter. Always coming up with something out of nothing , she was truly
the first UP-cycler I knew .
I can't imagine not seeing flowers growing and 4 leaf clovers ! The clovers are truly the first thing I remember pressing.
I remember finding one and being told it would bring me good luck and to put it in a book so
I could keep it ! I lost it ? that was not good luck? But I kept finding more and that was luck enough to me .
Well after finding many and hearing other people say they had never found one ?
I decided it would be nice to put them in other peoples books ,then that would bring them luck!!
I continued this though my twenties , sometimes spending an hour searching before going to the library .
I have always tried to grow something where ever I have lived. I like the feel of dirt and the smell.
I would rather walk through the woods than any Mall.
I love making birdhouses and yard art to decorate my garden.
Then I met Rebekah Smith , she was decorating Rocks with pressed flowers !
She started doing this with the extra resin left over from doing other projects .
Then she would hide them in gardens for people to find .
I was hooked ! I wanted to do this ? I imagined my yard covered in these rocks with flowers !!
here are some of mine;
I was filling homemade presses made of everything .Since then it has went from craft to addiction.
What is your favorite thing to make with the flowers?
This is a hard one for me , it matters on the flower ?
Some fade quicker so they tend to become bookmarks or cards.
Violas , daffodils , mini roses ,dogwood and wildflowers have to be my favorite . I like things easy to press .
As I progress with classes , I find I truly love to use leaves to paint landscapes .
Do you grow all or most of your own flowers?
Here in mid North Carolina we are blessed with lots of blooming things . Dogwood is everywhere!
We grow most of what I press , but I am also blessed with gracious neighbors ,that love to see me deadhead
their flowers for a few good ones too! We have 1 acre attached to a pipeline field that is mowed once a year
with literally thousands of wildflowers too! That doesn't stop me from planting more!
I hope to sell flowers soon , I have been pressing too many for me alone.
My son gave me my name for my etsy site & web " Flower Impressions " because I was always saying
" Come see what Flower I'm pressin' "
How long have you been with WWPFG?
I joined World Wide Pressed Flower Guild in 2006, which I credit my true talent to the guild .
I have learned so much in the discussion group there . Plus the encouragement You get from fellow artist
whether they are masters or beginners are outstanding!
The online month long classes there , are taught by Master teachers from all over the world.
I have learned to make lovely landscapes with things like banana peels and Fall leaves.
I have been an Ex Com member for nearly 3 years now and helped with becoming a non profit org.
What is your biggest challenge in flower art ?
Keeping Whites white is a big challenge and Hydrangeas to stay the color they start out !
I gave myself a Big challenge this year and entered the Philadelphia Flower Show competition in 2 themes !It was a big challenge for me . Learning the rules and realizing I use a lot of flowers I could not identify ?
I realized after signing up that if my work passes the guidelines and
actually gets hung on the wall there for competition , I have won!
I am expecting a ribbon just wanted to know I could pass the test !
I would recommend everyone to compete in an event just to challenge Yourself !
What advise do you have for newbies in flower pressing art ?
1.Never think there is a Perfect Press , experiment .I press a LOT. I have several sizes and styles.Mostly homemade made from Up-cycling !
For ideas feel free to go to my blog where I tell how to make several presses from mini to 12 x12 .Just type ,'How to make presses' in the search box.Ask any questions You like on any post I will try to answer asap;
http://makingpressedflowerartandcrafts.blogspot.com/
2.Don't be hasty to throw away a flower because it is not perfect ,
the tans and browns they turn can become a skin-tone or landscape piece.
"Ask the flower what it wants to be ?"
3. Go to my blog and read interviews from Pressers around the world giving tips weekly.
http://flowerpressersworldwide.blogspot.com/ ( look for the March 3rd blog with Chris's interview too)
4 . Have fun with it and teach a child how to press too !
Of course I would definitely recommend joining:
http://www.wwpfg.org
Peace and Happy Pressing, Terica / Flowerimpressions.com
Thank you, Terica!
Here's the tip of the day:
Don't discard your messed up pressed flower resin piece if the front has a hair or piece of dust or bubble; often you can sand down to the error and repour the resin. It will come out just fine!
