PERSEPHADES

• Putting too many flowers at once - they're supposed to be in a single layer with lots of room between the flowers on the page. Also, use more paper between the layers, one sheet of paper is not enough, try 10 or more.

• Picking the flowers when it's wet or rainy outside.

• Not giving them enough time to dry - leave them in the book/press for at least a month. Patience is key!

• Trying to press flowers that are too large or too thick. You can't just put a bouquet, an entire rose or a whole lily in the press and expect it to look nice on the first try. It's always supposed to be in the thinnest possible layer. If the stem or the head of the flower make the book not close, it's too big. The smaller flower the better results! Bigger specimens you can separate- pick apart the leaves and petals to make them 2D and give them more space on the page. Some flowers just aren't pressable unfortunately, imagine trying to press a fruit. Too much juice! Start with something thin and small.

• Whether you're pressing in a book or a press, the paper inside is important. The worst results come from some kind of shiny, artificial pages such as colored magazines, newspaper or picture books. They don't have the texture to take any moisture. My favorite books to use for pressing are those with old, yellow, thick pages. The paper should be thick and dry. And like I mentioned before, you put a single flower and then leave a space of at least 10-15 pages before the next one, depending on the size.

• Storing your press in a closed, humid environment without air circulation.