Pressed Wildflowers

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Clear plastic trinket boxes can be decorated in much the same way. Pick up a few of the small, transparent containers at a craft supply shop (the 3" X 2" X 1" ones are a practical size). Then lay out a practice design on top of one of the boxes, set the arrangement aside, and cover your working surface with a thin coat of glue solution. Return the flowers to the positions you've chosen for them, cover them with a piece of tissue paper cut to the size of the box, and gently brush the paper with more glue.

No sooner is the box dry than it's finished! . . . and all ready to hold such things as stamps, needles and thread, jewelry, or pills.

Once I'd tried my hand at trinket boxes, it seemed natural to me to progress on to pictures on glass. To do some yourself, you'll need the same materials that I've already listed, with the exception of wax paper and the addition of picture frames.

I select my frames from the local dime store, and you can probably do as well at your neighborhood fiveand-dime. Most any size and variety of frame will work . . . from small, matched, gilded ones right on up to a biggie measuring 12" X 16" or larger.

Begin by taking the frame apart and cleaning its pane of glass. Then follow the same procedure that you follow when decorating a trinket box: coat of glue, flower design, single sheet of tissue, and second coat of glue. When your creation has dried, just cut away any extra paper that extends beyond the glass and either glue the picture into its frame or fasten it with the small cleats often provided for that purpose. If you wish, you can insert a colored mat behind the glass to help bring out the design, but the wall itself will usually make a fine mat.

My notepaper covers, trinket boxes, and framed pictures are not only fun to create but also serve as excellent all-occasion gifts. And-better still-they've always sold very well at craft galleries and tourist shops in my area. The possibilities for this kind of work, using local materials gathered in any part of the country, are endless. And-with any craft-you don't have to waste a minute of time waiting for your fresh-picked blossoms to flatten and dry!

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