Scrapbook WAHM

Sometimes you just don’t need to improve on a good thing. Many of the top scrapbook adhesives have been around for 10 years or more. I’m not saying that some haven’t been improved over the years, or companies haven’t come out with an adhesive that really made certain projects easier.

But my scrapbook room is not complete without these items. They are the same now as they were 10 years ago and I love that. I appreciate that I can still have the product loyalty after all these years.

My top picks in adhesives and yes they are in order

1. Hermafix Dotto

2. Foam Squares - especially since I love to stamp and cut out images.

3. Glue Dots

Seriously, anyone that has been scrapbooking for a while is laughing right now because we’ve all used these products since they came out. But they are something I can never be without in my scrapbook supplies.

What are your must-have adhesives?

What Do I Need to Start Pressing Flowers?

Pressed flowers make beautiful additions to all sorts of crafts. They’re often used to make handmade greeting cards, but there’s so much more that can be done with them. They’re great for plaques and other home décor items, scrapbooking, and even decoupaging onto furniture.

You can purchase a wide variety of pressed flowers in craft stores, from florists or online. But if you want as much control as possible over your finished product, pressing your own flowers is the way to go. You can press flowers that you may not be able to find in stores, and you can create your own unique pressed arrangements.

Pressing flowers is not at all complicated. In fact, it can be done with items you probably have around the house. But you can also purchase tools that will allow you to press your flowers much more quickly.

Pressing Flowers the Cheap Way

All you really need to press flowers is something that will compress them and hold them flat until they dry. An old, thick hardback book works beautifully for this purpose. All you have to do is place the flowers between two sheets of plain paper, insert in the middle of the book and place heavy objects on top of the book to weigh it down. About two weeks later, your flowers will be ready.

Some crafters use the microwave to get their flowers ready faster. If you want to try this, make sure you use a book that you don’t mind losing, just in case. Place the book with the flowers and paper inside in the microwave, and set it for 30 seconds. When the timer goes off, open the book to let out steam and check the flowers. Repeat until the flowers are nearly dry, then leave them in the book for a day or two to finish.

Flower Presses

Those who press a lot of flowers often invest in a flower press. Presses allow air to circulate around the flowers, making it possible for them to dry more quickly. Some are also designed to hold a large number of flowers, so you can press as many as you need in no time.

Many of today’s flower presses are designed for use in the microwave. But you’ll still need to microwave the flowers in short bursts to keep from burning them. For avid flower pressers, there are even presses designed for specific types of flowers.

If you do not use a lot of pressed flowers or are on a budget, using a big book will usually work out just fine. But for those who sell pressed flower crafts or make them frequently, a quality flower press is a good investment. Either way, pressing your own flowers is easy and rewarding.