Make art using DIY pressed flowers and Mod Podge! It’s easy to dry flowers and preserve them in a frame – this tutorial shows you how.
Skills Required: None. Even if you’ve never used Mod Podge before, this project is simple. You’ll be sealing flowers with Mod Podge, attaching them to paper, and placing them in a frame.
My mom has a crazy beautiful garden. This is because she’s one of those people that are often referred to as “plant ladies.” I am her only daughter, and unfortunately did not inherit this same skill set. While I love playing in the dirt, and enjoy weeding and planting, I’m not good at the planning or care portion. Execution is where I excel.
As a result, my mom has planned both her landscaping and mine (as well as the landscapes and gardens of many others). My landscaping is definitely more low maintenance while my mother has ALL the flowers and blooming plants. It’s actually quite impressive.
We decided one day that due to the sheer volume of pretty flowers that we would do a DIY pressed flower project and make some simple art in a frame for spring.
Mod Podge was used to keep the flowers secure to the paper and prevent from breaking. I’m excited to show you how it’s done!
These flowers in a frame are really easy to make with Mod Podge. Before we jump into the tutorial, I did want to answer a few frequently asked questions. If you just want the how-to, scroll past this section. Otherwise, here’s a little education for you!
Can I preserve fresh flowers with Mod Podge?
Mod Podge is best for preserving dried flowers so that no moisture reaches them and they won’t fall apart. Mod Podge does not keep fresh flowers from losing their color.
What is the best way to press flowers?
There are several methods to press flowers. None of them are necessarily better than others
Wooden flower press – two pieces of wood screwed together at all four corners
Between the pages of books – place flowers in the pages of books, close and weight down
Ironing – flatten between a book and press with a dry iron
Microwave – flowers stay between two ceramic tiles held together with rubber bands
We used method #2. It takes a minute, but if you aren’t in the rush with the project it’s perfect. You’ll have DIY pressed flowers in a few weeks.
How do you press flowers without losing color?
You can’t. Flowers are going to do what they are going to do. You can’t really tell what colors you’regoingto end up with when preservingflowers. One strategy some use is to cut the flowers before they fully bloom, and that helps. But flowers will not retain their original color when you press and dry them.
Before you do anything else, you need to get those flowers pressin’. If you’re using the heavy book method, it takes a few weeks for drying. Start by picking your fresh flowers and leaves and laying them out on paper towels.
Place them on a flat surface and place additional paper towels on top.
My mom made this interesting flower pressing contraption using a very heavy sheet pan (what is that made out of??) and some binders from her days as a teacher. The point is, you need weight. Then you need to wait 2 – 3 weeks until they are fully dry (we waited two weeks).
When you’re ready to create your pressed flower art, choose your frame and papers for your background.
Remove the frame backer and trim down the papers to fit using a paper cutter or scissors.
Remove your flowers and leaves from the press very gently, using tweezers if necessary. Lay them out on the scrapbook paper in a way that you like.
Cover your work surface. Gently add a layer of Mod Podge to the top of the dried flowers. You can spounce a layer on first (this is a spouncer).
Let dry and then apply a second coat of Mod Podge. Let dry.
Repeat with any other pressed flowers and leaves. We ended up doing with rosemary.
Now your paper might curl a bit and that’s okay. If that happens, you can let it dry and then place wax paper and a book on top to flatten. Honestly we didn’t do anything because it straightened out once we put it in the frame.
Final step – place your DIY pressed flowers in their frame. You can use the glass that came with your frame, or leave it out. That’s really all there is to it . . .
It’s fun playing around with different combinations of flowers and papers. Too cute for spring and summer, right?
Mod Podge guarantees your pressed flowers won’t be hit with moisture (and degrade) or crumble apart in your frame. This pressed flower art will last for years and years!
What do you think about the end result? I think it would look great as some cute DIY farmhouse decor. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Mod Podge is best for preserving dried flowers so that no moisture reaches them and they won't fall apart. Mod Podge does not keep fresh flowers from losing their color.
Use white PVA glue such as Elmer's™ or Unibond™. These glues are colorless when dry, fairly odorless, and easy to use. You can thin the glue with water to make it easier to apply.
Line the flowers on newspaper, plain, white paper, tissues or blotting paper (any paper that can absorb moisture) and place another sheet on top. Then, place the flowers in a book and close the book. You may want to stack books on top of the book that contains the flowers. This method also takes a few weeks.
Do you have to seal dried flowers before resin? No, you don't have to seal them. If you put dried flowers in resin that are sealed, make sure that they are completely dry before you do it – otherwise they will turn brown.
Place absorbent sheets of paper (such as watercolor sheet or cardstock) on the book's pages. Position the blooms face down on parchment paper and lay the parchment paper on top of the absorbent paper. Place another sheet of absorbent paper on top of the flowers. Carefully close the book.
The simplest way to press flowers is the one we all experimented with in grade school—the waxed paper technique. Take two sheets of waxed paper and place your flowers between them. Cover the waxed paper with a thin cloth and press with a warm iron on a low to medium setting.
The flower was damaged. Sometimes the stress of shipping flowers can cause them to have veining and brown spots when they are completely pressed. This is why it is important to package your flowers well!
For the most part pressed flowers are able to maintain their natural color for a very long time, but eventually some amount of fading is inevitable (typically after 5-7 years on average). Some may begin to show fading sooner, while others may last longer.
Place a piece of paper on your ironing board, put the flattened flower on the paper, and add another layer of paper. Next, place the iron on top of the flower for approximately ten seconds. Don't move the iron around as though you're ironing. Allow it to sit still on top of the flower.
Flowers with naturally flat blooms are the easiest to press, such as violets, daisies, and single-petal roses (many types of shrub roses are good choices). If you're pressing flowers with obvious stamens (the part covered in yellow pollen), such as alstroemerias and lilies, remove the stamens so the pollen won't stain.
You can also use hairspray to preserve fragile dried flowers—especially bouquets with particular sentimental value. They will hold up better when moved around, and colors will fade less over time.
Creating an invaluable collection. With appropriate care, pressed plants can last for hundreds of years. The Museum has volumes of herbarium sheets dating from as far back as the late 1600s and early 1700s.
Drying flowers is the best method of preservation, if you want to display them as a bouquet, in a shadow box, or use them to make a floral wreath because drying flowers preserves their three-dimensional shape, as well as their beautiful colors.
Yep, that's it! Well, not “it,” but it's that simple. Your regular Mod Podges are made for applying items to wood, metal, glass, etc., but this formula is used when fabric is the base. If the process is followed appropriately, you'll be able to wash (or hand wash as the case may be) your decoupaged items.
Use a soft bristled brush and then sand between coats. To do this, apply the Mod Podge and let it dry an hour. Then use #0000 steel wool and lightly sand the entire surface. Do this between every coat.
If you want to display your flowers in a frame or decoupage them onto a craft project, then pressing is the way to go. There are several ways to press flowers. Basically, as long as they're smooshed between two flat, heavy objects, they'll eventually dry out and be preserved.
If they become wet or damp, there is a chance that they can develop mould. For this same reason, you should be careful to not to place them in an environment which is going to get damp.
No, you shouldn't use a grinder to break down flowers before pressing rosin. Just use your fingers and/or scissors to break apart the flowers into popcorn-sized nugs before loading into the rosin bags.
Substitute tissue paper, blotting paper, newsprint or smooth coffee filters for the parchment, if desired. These kinds of papers will absorb moisture from the plant parts. Don't use textured paper or paper towels, which will leave marks on the blooms or leaves.
While the iron is heating up, press your flowers under a book to make sure they are fairly flat as this will help the drying process. Place a piece of baking paper or greaseproof paper onto an ironing board. Carefully place your flowers and leaves onto the paper and lay another sheet of paper over the top.
To check the flowers, gently lift the top sheet of parchment paper and touch the blooms. If they feel papery thin and dry, they're done! If they are still retaining moisture, keep ironing them.
White flowers can stay white if they are in good condition when pressed, but are prone to turning yellow or brown if they are pressed after they are already deteriorating. White flowers are also easy to fade and brown over time.
Dried flowers and preserved flowers should not smell. However, if the flowers haven't been properly dried out or preserved, excess moister can form when the flowers are packaged which can cause a bad odour.
Pressed flowers can last for years with a bit of extra care. Make sure to keep them out of sunlight, and to store in an area free of moisture and humidity. To keep them fresh and free of dust when on display, store under glass, or blow with cool air gently from a hair dryer.
Glycerine A fantastic way to preserve flowers is to use glycerine. The flower absorbs the glycerine, replacing its water content with it. This keeps your flowers supple and bright. Simply place the stems of fresh flowers in a mixture of two parts lukewarm water to one part glycerine (car antifreeze is a good solution).
As you can probably guess: YES, you can decoupage on glass. You can Mod Podge directly onto glass with paper, fabric, tissue paper, napkins, photos (copied), and a variety of other materials.
With appropriate care, pressed plants can last for hundreds of years. The Museum has volumes of herbarium sheets dating from as far back as the late 1600s and early 1700s.
Wanna know what it is, basically? Watered down PVA glue. That's: Homemade Mod Podge is PVA glue with water in it. But people are paying heaps for this crafting Must Have, to do things like decoupage and scrapbooking, that people have done for years with watered down PVA.
Mod Podge dries to the touch right away (like most acrylic products); in about 15 – 20 minutes. Depending on the environment, it can be longer. Humidity can make it take longer. You can speed up the drying with a hair dryer.
Hobby: Gunsmithing, Embroidery, Parkour, Kitesurfing, Rock climbing, Sand art, Beekeeping
Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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