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5 from 5 votes

Pressed Ferns

The EASIEST way to take fresh ferns and press and mount them for works of art in your home.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Equipment

  • Iron and ironing board
  • garden shears

Materials

  • Waxed paper
  • Craft paper
  • Nylon Scraper
  • Spray Adhesive
  • Stretched canvases
  • Mod Podge
  • Foam brush to apply Mod Podge if not using spray form.

Instructions

  • Snip fresh ferns the size that fit the frame or stretched canvas that you want to add it to.
  • Place brown craft paper on your ironing board large enough to cover beneath and above the fern.
  • Position the fern between two sheets of wax paper to completely cover, making sure that the frons are separated and laying flat.
  • Put the waxed paper holding the ferns between the craft paper, making sure that the craft paper completely covers the wax paper to protect the iron and ironing board cover from the wax melting from the wax paper.
  • Heat the iron with a DRY setting. NO STEAM needs to be used when pressing the ferns!
  • Begin ironing the craft paper applying pressure and heat to all areas of the front. Then flip over and completely iron the back.
  • Remove the wax paper from the craft paper and peel away the BACK side of the wax paper.
  • Take the wax paper OUTSIDE and spray the back side of the fern with spray adhesive.
  • Flip the fern over to the right side and carefully line up where you'd like it on your canvas. CAREFUL! Once you lay it down, you are committed!
  • Leaving the wax paper on top, use a nylon scraper and begin scraping the fern through the wax paper. The wax paper will lift a bit, embedding the fern into the canvas and leaving the wax coating on the fern as you do this.
  • Gently remove the wax paper a little at a time after scraping the entire fern. If there are areas that want to come up, go back over them and apply more pressure so that they will adhere to the canvas.
  • Remove the wax paper completely making sure that all of the fern has adhered to the canvas.
  • Seal the fern with Mod Podge. Cover the canvas, as well, to cover the bits of adhesive that are stuck onto the canvas and could collect dust if not sealed.
  • Hang and enjoy! Or give as gifts! You choose!

Notes

This is a wonderfully easy and quick way to press and mount ferns for works of art in your home!
TIP: I have found this works better on stretched frames.
Perfect way to capture the beauty of the garden into decorating your home! 
Hope you'll make a few for your home and perhaps for gifts. Enjoy!