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Learn to preserve flowers from a pro

I’m Ana, a professional flower presser and writer based in Chicago. I have worked with almost 400 clients through my art practice, Bloom & Make, since 2021.

My FREE weekly newsletter for beginner and advanced pressers is packed with the most complete flower pressing tips you’ll find anywhere. Detailed, specific, no fluff. Subscribe now to press flowers with confidence!

Recent articles

Flower pressing

Why some white flowers are tricky to press

White flowers, ranked: which hold, which change, which need a plan

Ana Constantinescu

•

Jun 5, 2026

Flower pressing

How to press flowers in a book + a fun project

This first pressing project will make you feel like a pro

Ana Constantinescu

•

May 29, 2026

Flower pressing

7 reasons why pressed flowers turn brown (and how to prevent it)

Most browning advice stops at "use fresh flowers" or "change paper daily." Here's what they're not telling you.

Ana Constantinescu

•

May 22, 2026

Gardening

Growing dahlias for pressed flower art

Drainage mistakes, sad short stems, lost tubers. The dahlia lessons I learned the hard way so you don't have to, plus pressing tips.

Ana Constantinescu

•

May 20, 2026

Flower pressing

The flower pressing tools and equipment I actually use

Here are the exact tools in my pressing studio and why each one earned its place.

Ana Constantinescu

•

May 15, 2026

Flower pressing

How to press flowers with a microwave press

A complete guide to the Microfleur: conditioning your pads, timing your bursts, best flowers, and the hybrid method that gets pro results

Ana Constantinescu

•

May 8, 2026

Flower pressing

How to glue pressed flowers: a pro presser's complete guide

After hundreds of wedding commissions, here are the three glues, the applicator tool, and the techniques I use on every piece.

Ana Constantinescu

•

May 1, 2026

Flower pressing

How to store pressed flowers so they last for years

A pro presser's guide to keeping your pressed flowers beautiful for years, whether you have 50 or 5,000

Ana Constantinescu

•

Apr 26, 2026

Flower pressing

How to press flowers with cotton pads

How a five-dollar bag of drugstore makeup pads became my professional go-to for pressing feverfew, chamomile, and other delicate small flowers.

Ana Constantinescu

•

Apr 20, 2026

Flower pressing

5 things to know before you press hellebores

They’re one of the first flowers you can press each spring. Here’s how to get the best results.

Ana Constantinescu

•

Apr 13, 2026

Gardening

6 summer annuals to grow and press in your zone 5-6 cutting garden

Zone-specific timing, pressing techniques, and variety picks for warm-season flowers that bloom from midsummer through first frost

Ana Constantinescu

•

Apr 9, 2026

Flower pressing

A quick guide to pressing daffodils

Four daffodils, three little girls, and a quick pressing tutorial

Ana Constantinescu

•

Apr 5, 2026

Flower pressing

How to press flowers with a traditional flower press

The equipment, techniques, and timing details that will give you consistent results

Ana Constantinescu

•

Mar 27, 2026

Gardening

How I became a gardener (and pressed flower artist) at the right time

I killed every houseplant I ever owned. Then my daughter brought home a plastic cup of zinnias and my life changed.

Ana Constantinescu

•

Mar 22, 2026

Gardening

The seed-starting setup that gets flowers worth pressing

The equipment you need, plus a few tips I learned over eight years of growing my cut flower garden from seed

Ana Constantinescu

•

Mar 15, 2026

10 hardy annuals to grow and press in your zone 5-6 cutting garden

Gardening

+1

10 hardy annuals to grow and press in your zone 5-6 cutting garden

Zone-specific timing, variety picks, and pressing tips from eight seasons of trial and error

Ana Constantinescu

•

Mar 12, 2026

Flower pressing

4 ways to press flowers without special equipment

You don’t need a flower press to start pressing flowers.

Ana Constantinescu

•

Mar 10, 2026

Learn to preserve flowers from a pro

Recent articles

Why some white flowers are tricky to press

How to press flowers in a book + a fun project

7 reasons why pressed flowers turn brown (and how to prevent it)

Growing dahlias for pressed flower art

The flower pressing tools and equipment I actually use

How to press flowers with a microwave press

How to glue pressed flowers: a pro presser's complete guide

How to store pressed flowers so they last for years

How to press flowers with cotton pads

5 things to know before you press hellebores

6 summer annuals to grow and press in your zone 5-6 cutting garden

A quick guide to pressing daffodils

How to press flowers with a traditional flower press

How I became a gardener (and pressed flower artist) at the right time

The seed-starting setup that gets flowers worth pressing

10 hardy annuals to grow and press in your zone 5-6 cutting garden

4 ways to press flowers without special equipment

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