Hobbies And Interests
Paper Goods
Beautify a piece of paper by adding a pounded flower design to it. Begin by selecting a variety of colorful flowers and leaves. Lay your paper on a flat surface, and arrange the plants in a design on the page. Place the flowers face-down on the paper, or pluck the petals to make other designs and shapes. Put a piece of cotton cloth over the flowers. Lightly pound on top of the flowers with a hammer or mallet, evenly pounding over the entire surface. The natural oils and colors of the flowers or leaves will bleed onto the paper, leaving a colorful mark where it used to be. Brush away any excess petals or plants. Frame the picture as it is, or fold the paper in half to make a card.
Fabric Goods
Use the same method of pounding flowers on paper to create colorful designs on fabric, which can be turned into goods such as tablecloths or handkerchiefs. Begin with a piece of 100 percent cotton fabric. Muslin fabric works especially well for this project. The Michiana Public Television website recommends washing the fabric with both regular laundry detergent and 2 tbsp. washing soda. Next, soak the fabric for two hours in a mix of 2 cups hot water and 1/4 cup alum per yard of fabric. Set the fabric for 8 hours in a mixture of 1 tbsp. washing soda and 1/2 cup hot water per yard. Let it dry naturally. This process will help the material better absorb the flower oils and colors. Pound the flowers on the fabric as you would with paper. After pounding, allow the fabric to dry. Iron it on a low heat to set the pounded flower design.
Charms
Create colorful charms or ornaments from pounded flowers. Follow the directions for pounding flowers on either paper or cotton fabric. When the flower colors have been transferred, cut the material into a small shape, either in a flower design or a simple circle. Poke a hole in the top of the colorful piece and dangle the charm from the ceiling or in front of a window. Make two matching charms and attach earring hoops to create a natural and one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.
Mixed Media
Experiment with different mediums of design by using flower pounding in a mixed media art piece. Pound a design of flowers on a piece of paper. When the oils are dry, use colored pencils to outline the shapes of the blossoms. Or create a watercolor landscape on a blank page and then press the flowers around the paper. Use a marker to draw stems and other features of the flowers on the page.