Pressed Flower Art
Pressed flower art is a super fun and easy way to beautify your space even when you have little time. (The longest part is waiting for them to dry!) This post will go over the basics on how to press flowers and then how to display them.
Disclaimer: This post have some affiliate links in it. I only promote products I use and/or are of good quality! All opinions are my own.
Choosing Flowers to Press
When out and about looking for flowers to press, look for ones that are more delicate and not as fleshy or thick as, for example, roses or carnations. These will be very hard to press and get all of the moisture out. Look for varying sizes and shapes to mix things up, and don’t be afraid to pick some different kinds of greenery and leaves to incorporate as well.
How to Press Flowers
You’ll need:
- A Flower Press – you can also make one of your own pretty easily
- Mod Podge
- A brush to apply to Mod Podge
- Fresh picked flowers
- A piece of acid-free paper to arrange the flowers on once they are dried
- A frame if you’d like to frame your finished product
Drying Flowers
- Once you’ve picked some of your favorite flowers, make sure to arrange them immediately and begin pressing them. Once they start to wilt it will be hard to arrange them the way you’d like to and the petals may break easier.
- Trim any extra stems or petals you don’t want with a scissors.
- Lay your flowers onto a piece of paper, making sure that none of them touch each other. If you press them and they touch, you won’t be able to get them apart without breaking them!
- When positioning the flowers, position them face down in order to press them so the center is visible. Splay out leaves and petals the way you would like them positioned.
- Place another piece of paper on top once you’re satisfied and then place the top of the press on the flower press. Screw the wingnuts tight.
- I normally wait about 2 weeks for my flowers to be completely dry, but some sources say to wait longer. It really depends on how fleshy and how much moisture is in the flowers. If you’re unsure, you can check them!
Displaying Dried Flowers
- Arrange your flowers the way you’d like them to be displayed.
- Remove each flower one at a time and place a thin layer of mod podge where the flower will lay.
- Place the flower back in place and paint a few coats of mod podge all over the top side of the flower.
- Allow to dry overnight.
- Add additional layer of mod podge if some of the flowers haven’t been glued down properly.
- Frame and display!!
Want more DIY projects? Keep reading here: