flower power

I quite like the idea of drying flowers. I've still got some four-leafed clovers that I pressed in an old dictionary from years ago. And I found a buttercup in a library book once. I suppose lots of people press the occasional flower or leaf. But what do you do with them after that?

The answer might be in this book I found in the library - The complete guide to drying and preserving flowers by Lesley Gordon and Jean Lorimer, first published in 1982. It's full of dried flower collages. Unfortunately most of the images are black and white. These are some of the few in colour. Some of the collages are really interesting. I especially like the face, above - perhaps inspired by Giuseppe Arcimboldo?

I also found some more recent - and beautiful - collages by Amanda Lee. I really like her dried flower/foliage text. Also a nice, more traditional sampler, here at Glitter Paradise. 

Imagine drying every bunch of flowers you ever received. I bet someone's done that already.