Collage Prompt: Foliage
Prompt #19
Happy Collage Friday!
Welcome to Prompt #19!
(and the continuation of a series of prompts started in 20251)
Over the next 5 weeks, I’m continuing to share new little collage prompts before I take a 6-week summer break to start Grad School. I hope they give you some fun new bite-sized ideas to bring into your own collage process. I will return in August with new prompts and posts leading up to a collage workshop on the Oregon Coast that I’ll be teaching in September - exciting! In the meantime, I hope you find a little inspiration here in Collage O over the next few weeks to keep you collaging all summer long.
I’m currently away from my studio to attend my son’s wedding in Colorado! 💕 So today, I’ll keep it short and sweet, taking inspiration from a piece I created early in my collage-making weekly practice.
Prompt = Foliage
I found this pressed leaf in a used book. Over the years I’ve collected a variety of interesting things that fall out of books unexpectedly - from vintage letters and photos to paper scraps (as bookmarks, I presume) and dried foliage and flowers.
One of the most interesting instances was a letter from whom I assume was a bird expert to the author of the vintage book I purchased on South American birds. She was apparently asked to advise on accuracy of the information to which she replied with a handful of corrections. I found it intriguing that it was placed within the very book she was tasked to read. Unfortunately, this was something I found in my early bird book collecting days when I wasn’t as diligent about keeping and/or photographing found ephemera. At least the chance encounter encouraged me to keep collecting and take notice of what might live unnoticed within the pages of a used book.
Pressing Flowers
From the Farmers Almanac (almanac.com/how-press-flowers-and-leaves)
“Pressing flowers in a very heavy book is the easiest method. It’s best to pick a book that isn’t too dear to you, as the pages may get damp.
We’d also recommend “blotting paper” to draw out moisture. (If you don’t have blotting paper, use plain facial tissue or even non-corrugated coffee filters; however, avoid paper towels, which may leave marks.)”
Arrange your finds flat between sheets of smooth blotting paper. Position as you wish. Leave space between multiple flowers.
If you have a press, screw it tight, and write down the date. If you don’t have a press, weigh flowers down with heavy books or bricks.
Leave undisturbed in a warm, dry place for at least four weeks (possibly less) until the paper and the flowers are perfectly dry.
Check on flowers weekly and change blotter paper until the paper and flowers are dry.
Using tweezers, gently move the delicate dried flowers from the paper to mount on a card, and affix them carefully with a little diluted white glue, especially the sturdier parts (stem, leaves, buds).
You may want to spray the finished arrangement with a clear acrylic spray or, if you put the flowers on a box, use clear varnish.
While you might want to glue down more delicate pressed flowers or foliage in your collage, I thought it was fun to stitch something more sturdy, such as the pressed leaf. I was actually quite surprised I was able to run it through my sewing machine so easily.
Since this is also a prompt that requires additional drying time (for the foliage), it might be a good time to prepare a few simple backgrounds for when your flowers and leaves are finally ready to add. If you need some ideas, check out the previous prompts below!
Happy collaging,
Jennifer
Collage Friday History
For 2026, I’m continuing to highlight some past favorite Collage O posts for those of you who may be new to the circle. This week, I’m sharing a recap of my 2025 prompts. I look forward to adding more prompts over the next 6 weeks!
Without having read your prompt, I made this collage yesterday. And now I come across this post. What a coincidence!