How to press flowers for unique gifts

This is a very cool way to make personalized cards for any occasion. Can also be used, whoever has the patience, for scrap booking, check book inserts, creative canning labels yadda yadda etc.
I remember an aunt who did this while I grew up. Definately unforgettable.

1. Collect plants when they are dry, but preferably before the heat of the day has wilted them. Usually you only want the flower, not the stem, but you will want to gather some foliage. Some root systems are neat and useful.
2. Flatten flowers - even remove the petals from a thick center core. Press some foliage at the same time so you can have a record (even if you don't use the foliage). Press flat with fingers if necessary.
3. Pansies and violas are particularly easy to press and tend to hold color. If in the field (as on a road trip), use any absorbent paper directory (like the ones you can get which advertise rental/sale properties). Ask the motel/hotel for a Yellow Pages phone book. When you get home, you can transfer to a large phone book. Adding weight on top helps flatten.
4. Spread pages and insert a folded facial tissue. Place petals/flowers inside the fold. Close the pages, skip a few and repeat. The tissue makes it easy to transfer...
5. Transfer tissue containing the flower to another book. The idea is to remove moisture from the plant.After the third transfer, leave it alone until it is completely dry.
6. Remove from tissue and place on acid free paper (my computer paper supplier tells me that all of their paper is now acid free). There are pens that you can buy to test acidity (probably less than $10).