Fondness caught in flowers

With their smiling faces, pansies represented fond thoughts in the Victorian language of flowers. Their beauty is preserved by carefully pressing them. Flowers are picked mid morning, when the dew has dried. This helps ensure they dry quickly without browning. Freshly opened blooms without any damage are selected. These are more colourful and look most attractive when pressed. The easiest way to press flowers is within the pages of a heavy book. The pansies are arranged on top of absorbent paper. Another sheet of paper is placed on top of the flowers and the book pressed firmly closed. Adding extra books on top ensures the flowers are pressed flat. The flowers are pressed on a weekly basis to see if they are dried. The absorbent paper is changed when necessary. Once the flowers are fully dried, usually in two to four weeks, they are used to make a delicate window hanging. A strip of translucent craft or recycled paper is torn to the desired size and the dried pansies arranged. Craft glue is used to stick them in place. Once dry, holes are made in the top corners and a piece of string tied to form a hanger. The finished decoration is hung to catch the light.