Hi Crafters! One of my favorite things about springtime is seeing all of the flowers start to bloom, making the world so much more colorful after a drab winter. Unfortunately flowers don’t live forever, but you can preserve their beauty! This DIY is all about preserving your flowers in an artful and creative way. Whether it’s a special bouquet you’d like to keep forever, or a way to have flowers around even when your allergies or pets won’t cooperate, this project will keep your home forever in bloom!

You will need:

• Pressed flowers
• Floral scissors
• Parchment paper
• Heavy books or flower Press
• Any frame (I used an IKEA frame)
• Tweezers

Let’s get stareted: 

Cut the flowers. I experimented with a lot of different flowers, and found that small, thinner flowers that could lay flat worked best for pressing. Thicker, larger flowers took a lot of pressure to flatten and dry. Line a book with parchment paper and place cut flowers on the page without overlapping. Press for two to four weeks until they are completely dry.

Tip: Try to press your flowers when they are in full bloom to help get the best shape and colors. The colors will fade, but pressing them in the height of their bloom helps. Make sure they are completely dry, too, or they can mold.

Select a pressed botanical to display. Create arrangements using multiples of a single plant type or a variety of plants in different frames to keep the look modern and create a graphic composition; mixed specimens in one frame can vary in thickness and might affect how the panes hold together.

Open up your frame and start laying out your flowers! Position the specimens on one pane of glass as desired. Let the shape of the botanicals inspire you: experiment with random place­ment or more structured designs like a grid or wreath.

Top with a second pane, then connect the two together with binder clips or friction tape.

You’ve created a piece of decor that no one else has. Put this unique piece on display in your home or give it as a gift to someone who loves flowers as much as you do.

Pressed flowers can be used in many ways. From botanical prints to crafting cards, they add a unique touch to whatever they are included in. Try adding pressed flowers to a thank you gift to show the recipient how grateful you are.

Care: Keep out of direct sunlight to minimize fading. Should you need to clean the glass once the project is finished, be careful not to get any moisture in between the panes of glass.