How to Preserve Flowers for Creative Projects

After designing and creating something special with flowers, I always hate to see them wither and eventually fade away. Recently, I began preserving the flowers I love so I can enjoy and use them again in future creative projects. This year, I’ve been experimenting with one of my favorites—the beloved dahlia—and the results have been wonderful.

I’ve even been known to disassemble a special bouquet and transform its individual flowers into a small everlasting wreath, creating a meaningful keepsake that helps commemorate a beautiful occasion.

Preserving flowers this way gives them a second life, turning something fleeting into a lasting piece of art.

Different Methods for Drying and Preserving Flowers

There are several simple ways to dry and preserve flowers, and the best method often depends on the type of flower. When I have abundant, sturdy stems like lavender, I typically use the traditional method of hanging small bunches upside down to air dry.

For flowers such as hydrangeas and tiny spray roses, I’ve found that an even easier method works beautifully: simply place them in a vase without water and let them dry naturally. As they lose their moisture, many flowers take on a wonderfully sculptural quality, creating a beautiful piece of dried-flower art with almost no effort at all.

Experimenting with different flower-preservation methods is part of the fun. With a little patience, flowers that might otherwise be discarded can become lasting materials for wreaths, arrangements, crafts, and other creative projects.

Dried spray roses in simple vase.

How to Preserve Flowers with Silica Gel Crystals

One of my favorite methods for preserving flowers is drying them with silica gel crystals. Silica gel gently draws moisture from the flowers, helping them retain much of their original shape, color, and delicate details. It’s an especially effective method for preserving flowers for wreaths, floral arrangements, crafts, and other creative projects.

I like to begin by removing any excess foliage and stems using my favorite Micro Pruning Snips. If you’re planning a project that requires the stems, you can certainly leave them intact.

Next, add about 1 inch of Silica Gel Crystals to the bottom of a Rubbermaid container, making sure the crystals create an even layer across the entire surface. Carefully place your flowers on top of the silica gel, either face up or face down, depending on the shape and type of flower. Arrange them closely together, but make sure the flowers aren’t touching one another.

Once all of your flowers are arranged, slowly pour more Silica Gel Crystals over the top. Continue adding crystals until each flower is completely covered and the silica gel has gently filled in around every petal and detail.

Secure the lid tightly and place the container in a cool, preferably dark location for approximately one week. The exact drying time will vary depending on the type and size of the flower. Some delicate flowers may be completely dry in just a few days, while larger, moisture-rich flowers can take longer.

The wonderful thing about drying flowers with silica gel is that you can experiment with different varieties and drying times to see what produces the best results. With a little trial and error, you’ll discover which flowers preserve beautifully—and you’ll have a wonderful supply of everlasting blooms ready for your next creative project.

Delicate dried Dahlia Flowres.

How to Remove and Store Flowers Preserved with Silica Gel

Once your flowers have finished drying, it’s time to carefully remove them from the silica gel. For this step, I recommend using a small slotted spatula, which makes it much easier to gently retrieve smaller, delicate flowers without damaging the petals.

I carefully slide the spatula underneath each flower and lift it slowly, allowing the Silica Gel Crystals to fall back into the container. Once the flower is removed, I gently tap it on all sides to release any crystals that may still be tucked between the petals.

I then arrange all of my newly preserved flowers side by side on a tray and allow them to sit for a little while longer, making sure they are completely dry before storing them. This extra step is important because any remaining moisture can lead to mold.

Once I’m confident the flowers are completely dry, I store them in a container with air vents to allow for some circulation. Properly dried and stored flowers can last for a long time, giving you a beautiful collection of everlasting blooms to use in wreaths, floral arrangements, crafts, and other creative projects.

Gently scooping dried Dahlia Flowers out of the Silica Gel Crystals.

Creative Ideas for Dried Flowers

Once you’ve preserved a beautiful collection of flowers, the fun really begins! There are so many creative things to make with dried flowers, from everlasting wreaths and floral branches to small decorative pieces that can be used as table cards, place settings, or gift toppers.

I especially love turning little pieces of wood into unique dried flower decorations. They make charming table cards or thoughtful gift toppers and are a wonderful way to give preserved flowers a second life. Another favorite in autumn are dried flower pumpkins. Hot gluing your dried bounty to the top of a pumpkin is simple and it makes a great centerpiece.

Or, you can keep it wonderfully simple. I often arrange small groupings of dried flowers in a pretty vase and let their natural beauty speak for itself. Unlike fresh flowers, dried floral arrangements can be enjoyed for months or even years, making them a lovely way to preserve a special moment, bouquet, or season.

If you’re planning to make dried flower wreaths, floral decorations, or gift toppers, I highly recommend investing in a quality glue gun. Because I do quite a bit of designing, I purchased a professional-grade, cordless Ryobi Glue Gun, and I absolutely love it. It gets very hot, so be careful when working with it, but not having a cord to maneuver around makes creating so much easier. The battery and charger are included, too.

With a collection of preserved blooms and a few simple supplies, you can turn dried flowers into beautiful, lasting pieces for your home, entertaining, gift wrapping, and creative projects.

Mini spray roses glued to a tiny piece of wood.

I hope this inspires you to start preserving all the beautiful flowers you encounter and turn them into something you can enjoy for years to come. I’d love to see what you create, so feel free to drop me a line and share your dried flower projects!
Your Supply list:

Hearty Fresh Flowers (without a lot of delicate & loose petals)
Micro-Tip Pruning Snips
Rubbermaid Storage Containers with Lids
Silica Gel Crystals
Mini Slotted Spatula
Professional-grade Glue Gun

How to make your own flower confetti

Forage from your gardens

• Take a walk around your gardens or a nearby meadow and bring your shears and a small bag or basket. Whenever I come across a flower with great color, I try to snip a few to use for flower confetti. Many cut flowers like to be cut regularly because this promotes new growth, so don’t be afraid to snip a few. If you are foraging in a meadow, make sure the petals are large enough, and if they are not, like with a wild daisy, snip the entire flower head.

Choosing flowers with colorful petals

Save every petal

• After foraging, lay everything out on a tray or towel to see what you have. Shoosh away any small insects and gently begin to remove the petals from the larger flowerheads before they turn brown

• You can separate and leave the petals to dry as is on a flat surface or …

• Place the petals in your dehydrator and set it to the lowest setting. Dehydrate for only about 1 hour or until all petals are completely dry but not brown. Be careful not to over-dehydrate; watch closely. All flowers are different, so this step needs to be monitored

Separating the petals from the centers

Store After Drying

• Separate and place the petals on a white plate so you can easily see the array of colors, and if necessary, wait several days to make sure they completely dry

• Discard any petals that have turned brown

• Store the dried petals in a wide-mouth jar without a lid or use a lid with air vents to allow air circulation and prevent molding.

Dried Peony Petals

Style Tables and Give Confetti Gifts

• Now on demand, you can create flower confetti jars to give as gifts. They make lovely summer picnic gifts, and they pair so nicely with baskets full of fresh herbs, vegetables, and homemade sourdough bread.

• Style pretty summer tables by sprinkling the flower confetti around candles, place settings, or amidst flower arrangements. Here is the list of all the supplies I use to create my own flower confetti. Enjoy!

Simple jars of Flower Confetti make wonderful gifts

Creating a Pressed Flower Frame

I really enjoy creating pressed flower frames, especially when I am making art from a beautiful bouquet.

Start with Fresh flowers

Nothing beats a stunning bridal bouquet as a starting point, but it’s critically important to keep the bouquet as fresh as possible after the wedding. Plan to keep the bouquet in water and refrigerated, or at least in a cool, dark spot, until you are ready to press. I gathered this bouquet 2 days after the wedding and began pressing immediately.

The Flower Press

I use this attractive wooden flower press from Aboofx. This wooden flower press not only looks appealing on a desk or counter, but it also comes with plenty of blotter paper, screws, and washers that allow me to easily apply ample pressing pressure. For a less expensive option, just buy loose sheets of Blotter Paper and press your flowers under several heavy books.

Press single Petals, Greens, and whole Flowers

Remember, it takes 4-6 weeks to press fresh flowers properly, but during that time, you can collect all the supplies you’ll need for your farmed art and rehearse the design you’d like to create.

Follow these steps when preparing the press:

• Eliminate all moisture from petals and flowers (air drying is best while the flowers are still on the stem, but in water)

• Cut off all thick stems as close to the flower as possible

• Pull apart the petals from thick, round flowers like roses and press the petals individually

• Take tiny cuttings from the greens and filler flowers like statice and baby’s breath

• Separate leaves for pressing if you choose to include them in the final design

• Use your best judgment when pressing small buds. If they seem too thick and full of moisture, do not try to press them

Layering the Blotter Sheets:

• Lay each flower, green leaf or petal, individually, and try not to touch other pieces

• When the blotter sheet is full, place another sheet on top and continue (be careful not to shift the sheets underneath)

• When all of the flowers, greens, and petals are positioned, cover the stack with one final piece of blotter paper before placing the press’s wood cover or your pile of heavy books on top

• Secure screws and washers, twist until tight, and the sheets cannot shift (only if using the flower press)

  *Pro tip: If you are pressing WHITE flowers, place the entire press, including the books, into a refrigerator for the duration of the press. This will keep the white flowers white. But if you want an antiqued, tea-stained look, then keep them at room temperature.

Choose A Nice Frame

The frame choice is very important because you want the finished piece to hold up and look wonderful. I always choose floating frames with glass, not plastic, because I think they showcase the flowers well. You can decide between white, black, metal, or wood finishes, and of course, there are many sizes. This bouquet was large, and I wanted to represent all of the flowers, so I chose the Americanflat 11x14 Floating Frame in Oak with Polished Glass.

Designing the Flowers and Petals

This is the fun part. Only after 4-6 weeks have passed and your flowers have had enough time to dry and press, should you begin designing. Test each layer of your press to make sure everything is ready. I like to lay each sheet on my table so that I can clearly see everything before I begin arranging.

Lay out your design

To begin, place one piece of the frame’s glass onto a soft work surface. I used a plain, white dish towel so nothing could scratch the glass.

Start by laying out your preliminary design to get an overall sense of where you want to place each flower. I like to use a tweezer to carefully lift each petal or leaf, remembering that everything is very delicate at this stage and the petals tear easily. Sometimes I create using a lot of white space, allowing the flowers to breathe, while other times I like to bunch items together. Design is really personal preference.

Once you have your vision in place, carefully place small glue dots behind each flower or leaf and lightly press them into place. Some layering is aesthetic, but be sure not to create too many layers; otherwise, your double-layered glass will not slide into the frame.

Assemble the Frame

When you are happy with your design, pick up the glass and make sure none of the pieces fall. If they do, just secure them with some more glue dots until everything stays in place. At this final stage, go over the entire design and make sure you do not see any glue from the front. If you do, place a small flower to cover it or remove the glue dot with your tweezers. Once everything is secure, slowly place the second piece of glass on top and assemble the frame.

I hope you enjoyed this blog

Have fun creating your pressed flower frames. Here is a short list of supplies you might like, including several unique press options for your convenience.

How to Design a Valentine Tree

Why I Designed a Tree FIlled with Love

As the Christmas season was coming to an end, I decided I wanted to enjoy our pretty tree a little longer. I knew I could get away with keeping our faux Balsam Hill Pine up through January dressed in its wintery guise, but what excuse did February have? That’s why, this year, I created a Valentine's Tree. Read on to see how I did it.

Transitioning a Christmas Tree

We created a pretty simple Christmas tree this year so the transition was easy. I first removed all of the Christmas balls but kept all the white lights and icicles. This step was very quick and with a semi-bare tree, I was able to then plan for February-appropriate decor.

Making a Valentine's Tree Topper

I considered keeping our glowing Moravian Star tree topper but decided that a Valentine's tree needed to better reflect Valentine’s Day. I considered a grapevine heart wreath covered in dried flowers but decided I’d like to just use found materials and make my own. This is how I did it.

Start with a basic shape

I took an old cardboard box and cut two identical free-form hearts. I then hot-glued a 10” doubled-up piece of floral wire about 4” deep inside the two panels and extended it out the bottom, so that I’d have something to wrap around the tree’s top branch. If I do it again, I will also extend the wire from each side so the heart has more stability when topping the tree.

Once the wire is secured, hot glue the hearts together. This step helps the topper to be more ridged and stable.

Designing the front of your heart topper

Start by designing one side of the heart with your dried flowers and moss. I used my professional-grade Ryobi glue gun, some reindeer moss, and the dried flowers I harvested this year. If you want to learn how to dry your own flowers, see my blog: Learn how to dry your own garden flowers. I didn’t have much of a design or plan, but I just kept filling in the cardboard as I went around the heart and eventually, one side of my heart was completely covered.

Designing side 2

When I finished side 1, I realized leaving the second side of the heart blank wouldn’t look very nice from the side view, so I cut up a coloring book, quickly glued it to the surface of the heart, and glued some leftover moss around the edges to finish it off. In retrospect, I would cover this side first with contact paper or something simple to make the job easier. You could also fill the back side with moss if you have it.

The Heart-Shaped Tree Topper

Here is the result. Not bad for a trial run. Later I’ll show you how it looks on the tree.

Hanging hearts on the Tree

Now the rest of the tree needed some LOVE-ly decor. I found these pretty heart ornaments in rose gold online. They are sold in sets of 45 so I only ordered one set. You can also get them in silver, pink, gold, red, and a pink, red & white combo.

Accenting with Vintage Valentine Cards

I also found some vintage Valentine ornaments to add some character to my tree. There are many types of interesting card ornaments to choose from on Amazon, so look around. Some are more childish which would be nice if you are creating this for your children or grandchildren.

The Unveiling

When all the little rose gold hearts and vintage Valentines were hung, I added a few large dried flowers and some colorful felt ball garlands that I had lying around.

I am very pleased with how this turned out and I’m happy I started a new tradition for our home. Don’t worry, if you’ve already removed your Christmas tree this year, you can plan for next February or grab some fallen branches from outside and place them in a garden pot to make a smaller Valentine’s Branch Tree. Anything is possible. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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How to Create Oyster Shell Necklaces

Oyster Shells - All the Rage

Oyster shell art seems to be all the rage recently, and I’ve enjoyed learning how to create small jewelry dishes with these shells.

When friends of mine decided to design oyster dishes during our fall beach getaway, I thought why not try to make a few pendant necklaces instead? I couldn’t help but notice that several of the smaller oysters we had collected, already had natural holes, so it was the perfect opportunity to try.

Cleaning and Prepping the Oyster Shells

While on a weekend trip to St. Michaels, MD, I found a bucketful of oysters for sale. I rummaged until I found 10 perfect pendant-sized shells and brought them home to create some gifts. If you don’t have a beachy source to gather some oysters, you can always buy some online.

When home, I soaked the shells in a bucket of water with a bit of bleach for about an hour. I did this to remove any sand and contaminants that might still be lingering on the shells. The next step is to set the shells out to dry thoroughly so you can use a marker to indicate where you’d like to drill a hole, if there isn’t a natural one already.

Drilling the Hole

After you’ve marked the spot that you’d like a hole, decide on the size hole you like and match up the correct drill bit. I purchased 1.5mm round leather cord for my necklaces, but you can use an existing gold or silver chain too.

Set up your drilling station by placing the shell on a small piece of wood and keep a little dish of water nearby. You’ll want to wet the drill bit slightly and drop a few drops of water directly on the shell. This helps eliminate friction when drilling. If you do not have a drill, here is a good drill for small crafts.

Cover the Blemishes

After you’ve successfully drilled the holes and you know your shell did not split or break, you are ready to cover the dark blemishes on the inside surface. I have been doing this with white nail polish but a good opaque white paint works well too. You probably have one or the other lying around. You don’t want to skip this step because these dark blemishes will show up under your designs and ruin the overall look.

Adhere Paper Napkins

Now comes the fun part. Before you begin, you’ll want to acquire a variety of pretty paper napkins. These can coordinate with a holiday or season, a getway weekend, or maybe they are pulled from a collection of the prettiest paper napkins you’ve acquired or stolen from dinner parties all year long!!

Decide which design you’d like to use for your necklace or small dish. If your napkin is 2ply, be sure to carefully remove the underlayer so that only the printed layer remains. then cut the napkin with a scissor in the rough shape of the shell. Make sure your cut is larger than the shell itself. I try to make my cuts at least 3/4” larger on all sides.

Apply Mod Podge

Next, you’ll take your small paint brush and apply Mod Podge to the inside surface of the shell and let it set for about 30 seconds. Then, gently lay your napkin inside the shell cavity, face side up. It will crinkle a bit but lightly press it down with your fingers so that it sticks to the sides and bottom. Now, coat your brush with Mod Podge, and brush it over the napkin until every piece is glued down. You can choose matte or gloss Mod Podge depending on the look you prefer. Do your best to smooth out all the creases with your brush and when all of the inside surface is covered, allow your shell to dry for a few hours. The excess paper napkin will still be all around the edges and that’s okay, you will tear it away once it’s thoroughly dry.

Tear Edges

When your shell has completely dried it will not look that great, in fact it will look unfished. This is normal, the next step is what brings it to life.

Carefully hold your shell and start tearing off the excess paper napkin as gently as you can, all around the edges. If you tear too far and remove some from the inside, that’s okay, just patch the section with a tiny brush of Mod Podge if necessary to secure it to the shell and keep moving. You want to get it to where there are no loose edges of the paper at all around the perimeter. If you patch, be sure to let dry again.

Apply Gold Leaf Edge

Once every edge is torn and everything is dry, vigorously shake your gold leaf (or silver leaf) pen and begin drawing around the edges. You’ll want to shake the pen, and dab it a few times on a napkin to get the gold leaf flowing. Be sure to buy gold leaf and not just a gold marker because the ink is different and you won’t get the metallic leafing effect. Of course, if you are going for a different look and don’t want metallic, you can use a paint marker of any color. But again, be sure your paint marker is opaque and not just a typical marker because you want the outlining edge to cover over the edge of the napkin and define the shell. Have fun with this step by taking the pen into the design or highlighting edges on the back of the shell, as I often do.

Loop the Cord Through

The last step is to string the leather cord through the hole. You can tie it off with a simple slip knot if you’d like, or add beads to finish off the look.

Please attach photos of the necklaces you make after reading this blog. Have fun. There is a full supply list below.

Supplies for Oyster Necklaces

Oyster Shells

Scissors

Drill / Bits

White Nail Polish

Napkins

Matte Mod Podge

Gloss Mod Podge

Small Brush

Gold Leaf Pen

Silver Leaf Pen

Leather Roping