To begin your flower pressing experience, you first need to gather some supplies: Several pieces of corrugated cardboard  cut approximately 15" x 15",  several newspapers, and enough bricks or heavy books to weight down the "flower press."

   1. To press roses: I would suggest that you press petals.  Pull off individual petals and place them next to each other, not overlapping, on a stack of three sheets of newspaper, cut to fit just smaller than the cardboard. Once the paper is pretty well covered, put three more sheets of newspaper on top, and add a piece of cardboard.   

   2. Baby's  Breath: press whole stems, 3, 4, 5, or 6" can be successfully pressed, and these can be overlapped.  On top of  a sheet of cardboard, add three newspaper sheets, the baby's breath, and three more sheets of newspaper, and another sheet of cardboard.

   3. Delphinium, Larkspur,  Stock, Snapdragon, and Bells of Ireland  (flowers that bloom up a stalk): Individual flowers should be removed from the central stem and placed upside down on three pieces of newspaper placed over a piece of cardboard. These should not overlap.  Once the newspaper is covered, cover with three more sheets of newspaper and a sheet of cardboard.

   4. Lilies: separate the petals from the flower and press separately with same papers and cardboard as listed previously.

   5.  Daises:  Daises will press well, but they need a bit of extra care. You will need tp put them face down on the three sheets of newspaper and press them down rather firmly.  You will also need to limit the number of daisies on each layer to no more than  nine spaced pretty far apart.

   6. Gladiolus: these do not press very well routinely.  Each flower should be removed from the stalk and should be placed on a layer of four sheets of newspaper. Since these are very wet flowers, limit the number to no more than four per level. Cover with four more sheets of newspaper and a piece of cardboard. Be prepared to check on these flowers every day, and probably change the top and bottom newspapers for several days.

   7. Mums: Do not put mums in the flower press; instead, press them flat with your fingers and put them face down on a towel placed on top of the press. Each day, check them and continue to flatten them with your fingers.  

   8. Ferns and/or greenery:  Ferns generally press well, and can be overlapped. Press whole stems, but not more than two thick.

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You can have several layers of cardboard, newspaper, flowers, newspaper, cardboard, etc. The top layer must be cardboard. Once you have used your flowers, you are ready to add the weight. This can be books, bricks, Or what ever you have that is generally of this weight. The weight needs to be evenly distributed across the top of the press to allow for air movement and to insure that all of the flowers are pressed evenly.  The presses will need to be checked regularly for the first day or two. Individual flowers may need to be moved if the paper is damp under them, and some petals may need to be moved if they have  overlapped. Weight should be kept on the press for at least three weeks.