#Scoutspiration // Preserving Leaves and Flowers

Spring might not have officially "sprung" everywhere, but there's no doubt the trees and flowers will start budding and blooming soon. How do you make a little piece of spring last longer? One way is to collect your favorite leaves and flowers and preserve them.

(above) A collection of pressed flowers from the garden of My Petal Press ($7).

pressed flower tutorial

To get you started, The Dainty Squid has some great plant pressing tips. You may have done this process in grade school, but it's definitely not just child's play.

Herbarium

Once your plants are properly pressed, you'll need somewhere to keep them. If you're the type of person who likes systematic categorization, this herbarium folder by ARMINHO ($54) is a perfect way to archive spring.

pressed flower jackelope art

Of course, you don't need to keep the pressed flowers in a notebook or herbarium. There are numerous ways you can put them on display year-round. Here one idea from Sofia Rose Vintage ($26).

light switch plate pressed flower

And another crafty idea in the form of a light switch plate by My Petal Press ($11).

pressed flower necklace

With a little bit of help from some resin, pressed flowers can also make gorgeous wearable items, like this Queen Anne's Lace necklace by Lowe Lowe Jewelry ($26).

pressed flower artwork

Or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, you can try your hand at pressed flower art. This amazing, intricate work is by Irina's Art by Nature ($150). Yes, those are all real pressed plants!

pressed plant print

If you're not a plant-pressing pro yet, you can also purchase prints like this one by Day Three Creations ($10) for your home. Happy pressing!

Scout Adventure #12 // A Weekend in the Woods in Pennsylvania's Michaux State Forest

anna michener cabin

I've been feeling cooped up this winter. Shortly after the new year rolled around—and thanks, in part, to a plethora of snow days—cabin fever seemed to set in early. While reminiscing about summer fun a few months back, a friend and I came up with the great idea to go camping for my birthday, which is in mid-March. Let's just say it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Well, the cold weather didn't quit just because it was my birthday. The day of the trip I was relieved to find the weather was balmy. But when we started the mile-long hike into the campsite, there ground was covered in fresh snow.

anna michener cabin

Thankfully, we arrived at the campsite to find some friends had already started a rip-roaring fire. The rest of the night was filled with a campfire potluck, plenty of laughs, and even some birthday cake. What more can you ask for?

anna michener cabin

Before we knew it, our bodies had synched up with nature. We went to bed early(ish) and awoke soon after the sun came up. After some campfire eggs and pancakes (plus plenty of instant coffee), we were off on a hike to an overlook where we could laze around in the warm sunshine.

anna michener cabin

The rest of the weekend was filled with a mix of rest and relaxation. Well, at least in between all the wood chopping, fire starting, and tidying up. There's nothing like having to start a fire to boil water for coffee and washing dishes in a cold stream to make you appreciate modern amenities. The trip certainly rekindled my love for hibernating at home—at least until next weekend.

These images were taken at the Anna Michener Cabin in Pennsylvania's Michaux State Forest.

Scout Adventure #11 // A Bustling City in the Middle of the Brazilian Rainforest

No roads lead to Manaus. Smack dab in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest, the only way to reach Brazil’s seventh-largest city is by boat or airplane.

manaus-brazil-tourism-boats

The bustling boat docks are more akin to floating bus stations, with boats crammed in and brazenly advertising what direction down the river they are headed. Men carrying oversized packages load onto these ships via slim, wooden planks. I even saw one guy climb a ramp while precariously balancing a piece of wood with three open buckets of tar on his back.

manaus-brazil-woman-storm-copy

The boats aren't the only colorful part of Manaus, though. Each building seems painted in a different hue.

manaus-brazil-market-shopping-cart

We made a quick stop at the local market. From plantains to piranha, there was just about everything you can imagine for sale.

manaus-brazil-market-banana-pile

Banana consumption in Manaus must be like corn consumption throughout the U.S. There was a whole football-field-sized section of the market dedicated solely to the fruit. This man proudly sat next to one of the largest stacks.

manaus-brazilfish-market

Another expansive section is the fish market, which I'm told is the largest in Brazil. Inside, a hundred-or-so men decked out in white uniforms chop up, package, and sell fish that's been freshly plucked from the river. Some of the ones on the right were still squirming around.

manaus-brazil-by-bike

Outside the market, I spotted this lonely bike. Later, we met a man selling maps in a park.

manaus-brazil-rivers-converge

Manaus itself is a city of about 1.8 million people (more than Philadelphia!) that is located where the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimões converge, creating the swirl effect seen above. The dark, black-ish water is the Rio Negro, while the murkier, muddy-looking water is the Rio Solimões. It really was a sight to see.

manaus-brazil-rio-negro-reflection

I was there to cruise along the Rio Negro. The water is so dark it's like a sheet of glass reflecting everything on the surrounding banks. I kept trying to capture this mirror effect, but no pictures seem to really do it justice.

manaus-brazil-ariau-amazon-towers

Manaus is a far out destination, but one that is well-loved by ecotourists. On one boat trip, we breezed by the Ariau Amazon Towers, a collection of wooden towers built in the rainforest that are connected by snaking, raised catwalks (not a design decision, but instead a way to avoid flooding as the river rises and falls). Our guide told us the room with the balcony pictured above used to belong to Bill Gates – which also might explain why there is a huge cell phone tower outside of the hotel, the only place where we could get any reception during the five-day trip.