PRESSED BOTANICAL TILES

Spring flowers are by far my favourite and this simple, affordable technique allows you to capture their delicate forms and turn them into beautiful everlasting displays.

YOU WILL NEED

SPRIGS OF PLANTS

GREASEPROOF PAPER

ANY SOFT, INEXPENSIVE CLAY, SUCH AS ‘SCHOOL’ CLAY (NOT AIR-DRYING CLAY)

PLASTIC ROLLER USED FOR SUGARCRAFT KITCHEN KNIFE

PLASTER OF PARIS

LOLLY OR STIRRING STICK OR LONG PIECE OF THICK CARD ROUND-NOSED PLIERS

1MM-THICK GALVANIZED WIRE AND WIRE CUTTERS EMERY BOARD

ARTIST’S PASTELS AND FINE PAINTBRUSH (OPTIONAL)

1 Gather short samples of spring flowers and plants from your garden or a local patch of countryside nearby. If they are from a hedgerow, take care to only gather a few common plants such as shepherd’s purse, buttercups, daisies and cow parsley. Gently shake the stems to remove any insects. 2 Arrange your botanical specimens so they form a pleasing naturalised design, echoing the manner in which they grow in the wild. This individual collection should be around 15cm across or less. 3 Place a piece of greaseproof paper on your table or kitchen surface. Then take a piece of clay and roll it out on top of the greaseproof paper so it is around 1cm thick and a centimetre or two wider than your flower collection.

4 Position your botanical specimens on the clay and press each stem gently into the clay with your fingers so they stay in place. Put another piece of greaseproof paper on top of the flowers, then use the roller over the top to ensure they sink into the clay and become flush with its surface. Carefully peel away the greaseproof paper (on top) and the stems – there should be a clear imprint. 5 Cut the clay mould to size using a kitchen knife and use the trimmings to make little vertical ‘walls’ around it, around 2cm tall. This is to contain the plaster of Paris while it solidifies on top of the clay mould. 6 Press and smooth your clay walls so that they are sealed to the base mould and to one another. This will create a shallow open clay ‘box’ with the mould as its base in which to pour the plaster of Paris.

7 Prepare the plaster of Paris. For a tile around 10cm x 10cm, you’ll need 100g of dry plaster with 50ml water. Multiply this up according to the size of your mould. Mix the powder and water with a wooden stick to make a smooth creamy mixture. 8 Pour the plaster mix onto the mould, ensuring it spreads into each corner. Carefully shake the greaseproof paper underneath the mould to level the surface. 9 While the tile is drying, make a hanging loop for the back. At both ends of a length of wire, create a loop, wrapping the end around itself several times to ensure both loops are strong. 10 When the tile has set for half an hour or so, insert the looped ends of the wire, near each of the uppermost corners, so the loops embed in the back of the plaster. 11 Leave the tile to solidify overnight, then carefully peel away the walls and lift the tile from its clay mould. Use an emery board to smooth any rough edges or imperfections. 12 If you wish to add colour, work chosen pastels on a piece of spare paper to form a small pile of powder and apply to the petals, leaves and stems with a paintbrush.