The Queen Anne's Lace is blooming and I've been busy gathering the flowers for pressing. I like to use them to add a touch of lace to my gourd creations. I have a very simple pressing mechanism. It is just two boards with bricks on top for weight.
Gather the flowers after the dew has dried. Cut off the stems and lay flowers flat between two pieces of paper and cardboard. You can put a few layers together, put them between the two boards, and then weight it down with 3 or 4 bricks.
It then takes a few weeks for the flowers to be ready. All moisture needs out of the flowers before using them on any projects.
When using them on the gourds, I first prepare the gourd with any color or stain then give it a layer of sealer. Let dry well. I use Mod Podge as an adhesive to apply the flower and then apply 2 or 3 coats over top, drying between each. Then apply another coat of sealer of your choice. I also like to use colored paper napkins on my gourd and then use the Queen Anne's Lace over that.