Decorative Uses Of Pressed Flowers Seeds Cones Shells Driftwood

The fashion of decorating with pressed-flower pictures, with flower and foliage arrangements covered by glass domes, and with wood-panel designs of shells, seed pods, and cones springs from a rich heritage of European art. Our ancestors liked such things, and often included forms of fruits which they made by melting, molding, and painting wax. They worked with such careful detail that after centuries, fruits of wax still look real. Today many of these old-fashioned decorations are again in vogue, and they offer delightful accents for modern homes. If you are not fortunate enough to possess a "flower heirloom," you can with a little time and imagination work out artistic flower and fruit designs of your own.

Arranging flowers under glass, as was done in olden times, offers opportunity to use the more delicate flowers that dry well but lose shape if exposed to damp air. The glass protects them from this hazard. This is also a charming way to keep flowers cherished for sentimental reasons. A friend of mine has a "keepsake tray," which holds under glass, flowers from her bridal bouquet, along with the ribbon from her prayer book and a plume from her wedding hat.

Shadow boxes and glass domes—adaptable for garden scenes—glass table and desk tops offer other possibilities, and you can also make pressed-flower pictures for framing, or groupings for paperweights. All these are excellent for Christmas and wedding gifts. Marine globes, obtainable at the florist, are nice for small amounts of material. Roses, hydrangea, and lavender are interesting under these, and pink celosia looks like coral.

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