Microwave Flower Press

Anyone have ideas for one of these - I just saw one in the hammacher schlemmer catalog - it is two plastic plates which can be locked together for $50 and wool pads to press the flowers between at 2 for 9.95. Says you press flower and microwave for up to two minutes?
Anyone been trying this?
Cost is a little steep in the catalog, but couldn't I do the same thing with 2 pieces of wood and an old wool blanket?

Never tried this, but I have dried flowers in the microwave using silica gel. I got some big packs of silica gel from work when we installed a bunch of new servers - they came as part of the packing - would have cost a mint to buy them, otherwise.

I just gently burry the flowers in the silica gel and nuke for about 1 min. Then leave them undisturbed somewhere over night. Gently remove and dust off excess gel with a paint brush. Mostly retains the colors, although my red rose buds deepen to nearly black if I leave them in the microwave too long.

kitty litter..yup..kitty litter! I saw it in Birds n Blooms mag. The lady used a cheap clay kitty litter, put her flowers in a mic. safe plate and zapped the flowers in it. I did try it and it works!

lisa - do you layer the dish with litter add flowers and another layer of litter or what?

Kitty litter-well that is different. I have tried the silica and it does pretty well. I may have to try the kitty litter.

gosh haighr, it was so long ago...I will try to find the back issue of the 'how-to'. I wish I could remember exactly how I did it. I do know that I did put the flowers between layers of litter.

sounds fun...but isnt the wool pad, metal? if so it shouldnt be nuked...maybe this is real wool....not like brillo pad....

I would guess the wool pads would be made of real wool and be something like felt in texture (as opposed to steel wool or brillo pads)

Candee do you really need to press flowers in the microwave?? I do it the traditional way between two boards and screws in four corners. The process does not take too long either!!

Don't need to Louisa, just saw the setup in a magazine and was curious how it worked?

Lee Valley had the same thing in their catalog for $19 (terra cotta plates and wool pads included) and a 'how to' book for another $17. I was wondering about this as a gift as well. We'll have to try the kitty litter too.