Clementine & Co 4 things to do this weekend …
Hello there
the thing I absolutely love about foraging it is both free & accessible to everyone. City dwellers, country dwellers and those of us in the burbs! we all luckily have access to leafy public walks, parks and streets. Where if you are observant, you can find beautiful botanical finds in some shape or form. From a simple Dandelion growing between the cracks of the pavement to a magnificent Camellia hedge or rose bush edging a park.
So take a walk this weekend and mindfully forage for flowers and beautiful branches, grasses or leaves to bring the outdoors in.
Of course there are some manners to follow around foraging …
ideally look for fallen flowers or branches before cutting from a plant or tree
be mindful avoid taking too many flowers, leaves or branches of a plant or tree . Always leave some for all to enjoy so it is healthy and left almost as you found it!
never take cuttings from Botanical Gardens & National Parks. Or neighbour’s gardens without permission
Nature is such a mood brightener – it’s heartening to feel connected to the outdoors in new ways especially throughout Winter.
So here are 4 lovely ways to use your foraged natural finds this weekend ….
Enjoy
Xxx Aimee
1) Decorate your table …
adding a few flowers ( and a napkin of course! ) to your table setting elevates your meals. Even if it’s just a last minute takeaway pizza & a glass or 2 of wine with friends a touch of prettiness really makes a meal memorable & special.
I love the quirkiness of wayward branches with buds and irregular flowers tucked into a napkin tied with some of our velvet ribbon - so pretty!
2) Press flowers …
Pressing flowers is a lovely way to capture the changing of seasons. I love the traditional Victorian aesthetic of botanical & floral specimens framed to adorn the walls. It is very easy to make your own.
Flowers that will hold their shape & colour work best for pressing, ones that are naturally flat & have single-layered petals. Such as Zinnias, Delphiniums, Pansies, Violas, Daisies, Geraniums & Cosmos - which I have used here. When you are foraging for blooms to press, do so when they are as dry as possible & not soaked with morning dew.
You will need a flower press or simply use 2 pieces of smooth heavy card, 4 pieces of heavy blotting paper or watercolour paper. You can place these between the pages of a Clementine & Co notebook! with some big heavy books on top .I used five heavy books to press our Cosmos. Simply place your smooth card on a flat surface, then layer 2 pieces of your heavy watercolour paper on top.
Lay out your flowers in a pretty formation on the smoothest side of your watercolour paper,
Place the remaining 2 pieces of watercolour paper and smooth card on top then weigh them down with your stack of heavy books. Leave undisturbed for 7 to 10 days. You will want to check to make sure all the moisture is gone & your flowers are beautifully preserved & papery before framing.
3) Paint …
the act of picking up a paintbrush, pencil or pen to draw or paint is proven to calm and restore. Putting your phone away and focusing on your creativity can give you the rest you really need this weekend.
4) Bedside blooms …
there is nothing more delightful than waking on the weekend, in your own time without the alarm clock!, to the scent of flowers at your bedside.
If you are lucky enough to be able to find scented blooms on your foraging travels be sure to place them in plenty of water on your bedside table to enjoy.
I recommend and have foraged, beautifully scented Jasmine, Lavender, Gardenia, Roses, Frangipani, Daphne, Wisteria, Magnolia, Jonquils & Daffodils.
