Dozens of local middle and high school students are being honored in the state 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for their artistic and literary work.
The annual awards celebrate artists, photographers and writers in grades 7-12 across the nation. This year alone, more than 12,000 entries were submitted to the Massachusetts contest.
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Once again, terrariums have taken the plant community by storm. With a little bit of a crafty twist, this DIY sand art terrarium is a great way to spice up the living room, hallway, bedside table, or even bathroom. So, get your plant on and make your own terrarium!
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Terrariums are no longer just seen as a revival of a retro 1970’s craft. Modern versions have popped up in florist shops, furniture stores, and lifestyle shops. Attending a terrarium workshop is now a common activity for a bridal shower and mini terrariums grace the tables of many a wedding.
This newfound popularity is likely because terrariums are charming additions to home decor, along with being incredibly fun to make. These terrariums revive another craft from an earlier era…sand art!
Pouring layers of coloured sand around the roots of a tropical plant gives this project as gorgeous a display below the leaves as above.
This is one of the many garden-inspired projects from my book, Garden Made. Be sure to check it out for more green projects inside and outside the home.
Make a DIY Sand Art Terrarium
Making your own sand art terrariums are quite simple. With some florist’s foam hiding beneath the surface and layers of coloured sand, it’s the perfect addition to your indoor garden.
Materials
Instructions
With a sharp knife, cut the foam to both fit in the vase, and at a height that will allow for the plant you have chosen to be completely contained.
Pour one colour of sand around the foam to hold it in place. Layer another colour of sand and fill to the height of the florist foam.
Set your plant, in the pot, on the florist foam.
Pour layers of coloured sand down the sides of the vase until you completely conceal the small pot. Use the end of a thin paintbrush to hold the leaves aside while you add the sand, and then use the brush to dust the sand off the leaves. Use a cloth to wipe the sand dust from the sides of the vase, inside and out.
For a longer-lasting terrarium, give your plant lots of room to grow. If the plants’ roots are crowded in the pot it was purchased in, pot it up into the largest container that still fits inside the vase.
Water with a dropper, turkey baster, or watering can with a thin spout that can direct the water to the soil just under the leaves. Excess water will flow into the highly absorbent florist foam. Set the terrarium in bright, indirect light and trim back plants as flowers fade or leaves grow tall.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making a Sand Art Terrarium
What Plants Are Best for a Terrarium?
Cyclamen, polka dot plant, and hart’s-tongue fern are featured in my terrarium. Other great plants include nerve plants, peperomia, pilea, selaginella, and air plants. You can learn more about how to care for these terrarium plants here.
Overall, look for smallish plants of varying heights and colours to get a beautiful terrarium. For enclosed terrariums, choose tropical plants that like humidity.
What Kind of Sand is Good for a Terrarium?
In my terrarium, I used coloured sand as it makes the terrarium pop and comes in all kinds of colours. When purchasing coloured sand, look for aquarium-grade sand. It is already treated and safe for use with living things.
Avoid play sand unless the plants are nowhere near it. Made of finer grains, it fills holes rather than creates them. It does not easily allow water to pass through and onwards for our plants.
For cheap and readily available sand that will work, you can also use builder’s sand or horticultural sand. You won’t find these ones in fun colours though!
How Do You Keep Sand Art From Moving?
The less movement the better! Once your plant is nestled within your sand art, leave it alone until it’s time to repot it. To avoid your sand layers from mixing with each other, you can add a layer of white glue and wait for it to dry. Similarly, you can use clear candle wax to keep each layer in place.
How Do You Water Plants in a Terrarium?
Terrariums that are in enclosed containers will not need very much water. Through evaporation, it will produce quite a bit of humidity on its own. All it will need is a little bit of water every few months with a narrow-spouted watering can directed to the base of the plant. Otherwise, the terrarium is fine all on its own.
For my terrarium, the top remains open. In this case, I water it as frequently as I would normally, according to the plant’s needs. Learn more about terrarium care here.
I think these sand art terrariums are very chic and quite easy to make in under an hour. Let me know how yours turn out in the comments down below!
More Posts About Terrariums
Sand Art Terrariums
These crafty but chic terrariums take less than an hour to make and are sure to add some flair to your indoor garden.
With a sharp knife, cut the florist foam to fit in the base of the glass container and to give your plant the right height within the container.
Pour your first layer of sand around the foam to hold it in place. Add a second layer of another colour to the top of the foam.
Set your plant atop the foam.
Pour more layers of sand until you reach the top of your pot. Use the end of a paintbrush to carefully hold the leaves out of the way from the sand while pouring.
Use the paintbrush to sweep any remaining sand from leaves and the inside of the vase.
Water with a turkey baster or watering can with a narrow spout to the base of the plant. The florist foam will help contain excess water. Place in bright, indirect light.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Create your own custom garden journal, adding your own personal touch using found materials. By putting creativity and intention into your garden journal, you’ll find yourself more enthusiastic and more inclined to fill its pages.
Journaling has become part of my morning routine as a way to start the morning off intentionally.
I know I’m not the first person to rave about journaling. In fact, I’m hopping onto the bandwagon rather late. I transcribe manifestations, gratitude, and ideas all into the journal. Then at night, I review them rather than scrolling on my phone.
For me, journaling isn’t a New Year’s goal or a way to practice creative thinking. It’s my way to slow down, which feels like a rebellion in this day and age.
This practice also applies to the garden. Creating a garden journal is a beautiful way to add intention to your garden. It’s a place to gather knowledge, but also musings and feelings that come from the garden.
This project is an excerpt from The Wild & Free Garden, my new book about creating a garden using found materials and free resources. It’s a book that will inspire you to grow a deeper connection to your garden, your community, and yourself. The book releases February 24, 2026, and is available for pre-order now!
The Neuroscience Behind Garden Journaling
Have you noticed that when you first discover something, you suddenly see it everywhere? Like when you spot a new-to-you plant at the garden centre, and the next day you realize it’s growing in all your neighbours’ gardens.
That’s your reticular activating system (RAS) at work, the network of neurons in our brainstem that acts as a gatekeeper for your awareness. It helps us notice what matters based on our beliefs, thoughts, and experiences.
You can train your RAS through activities like journaling. When you write down your goals, intentions, and garden design ideas, you’re giving your brain clear instructions on what to prioritize. Journaling strengthens this effect by filling your RAS with information about what deserves attention.
When we combine this with gardening, there’s an additional benefit from the therapeutic act itself. Gardening helps us focus on the present and notice signs of growth and progress. We pay attention to what’s resilient and renewing, which rewires our thought patterns to help us see what’s becoming rather than what’s missing.
Garden journaling doesn’t just help us find what we’re looking for; it also helps reset our intentions and reconnect us with nature.
Create a Wild and Free Garden Journal
My mother’s garden journal, which I discovered after she passed away, was a modest spiral-bound school notebook. As I thumbed through the pages, I saw her garden come together with interesting magazine and newspaper clippings pasted alongside her notes. It was beautiful; a keepsake of her garden that was well-organized and deeply personal, yet it didn’t cost a penny to create.
Create your own garden journal with a found notebook and some decorative pressed flowers or images to make it your own. The act of creating a garden journal allows us to create a place for planning. The act of personalizing it, just as my mother did with her pasted articles, fosters value and attachment to the planning process and the record-keeping.
Dedicate as much time to the project as you like, but the more personal it is, the more you will treasure it for years to come.
Materials
Make It!
You probably have a notebook in your home or office that could serve as a garden journal. Often, we have books where we’ve jotted down a few notes or started a journal but never completed it; simply removing those pages can give us a fresh start. Or perhaps you have been given a promotional notebook from a business or event. If you don’t have something that can be repurposed, many other people do, so look for them at Little Free Libraries, paper and book recycling depots, second-hand stores, and free groups.
Once you have your notebook, take some time to personalize it. Decoupaging the cover with pressed flowers brings us into our creativity and attaches a value to the notebook that no money could buy. This decoupage project could also be done with printed photos, images from seed catalogues, or old gardening books. The instructions are the same whether you use flowers or paper.
Arrange pressed flowers or other decorative elements on a sheet of paper to map out the final design. When you’re happy with the arrangement, add another sheet of paper on top and flip the flowers so they are upside down. This will help to preserve the layers of the design while you apply the underside to the cover first.
Allow to dry, then apply two to three thin layers of the adhesive over your decorated cover, allowing each layer to dry completely before applying the next.
Create sections for different garden areas or seasons, or just begin filling the pages with notes. It will come together as you work through your garden. Add plant lists, interesting articles, seed packets, and growing tips with lots of room for notes, sketches, and pressed plants.
Expert Tip: Add the date at the top of each page you write and leave room for notes in the following years on those same pages. This way, you can see how your garden grows not just over the season, but over the years.
Fill Your Journal!
For inspiration on what to fill your gardening journal with, check out these posts. Better yet, order your copy of The Wild & Free Garden!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Add a touch of rustic coziness to any space with this DIY Christmas candle centerpiece. This can be created with foraged natural materials for an affordable homegrown project.
A rustic and natural Christmas candle centerpiece planter can be used as table decor, fireplace mantle, or even outdoors on the porch. This is a wonderful holiday decor project using my favourite decorating material: fresh-cut greenery from the garden.
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The Best Greenery for Crafting
Many of the shrubs and trees in your garden that have evergreen leaves can be brought indoors for the holidays. You can see a comprehensive list of the best greenery for decorating in this post.
I love working with greenery because it doesn’t need any special care like watering or misting, and when the holidays are over, you can simply toss them in the compost.
Pairing candles and garden greenery makes for elegant yet natural entertaining decor. I have made one in the spring, as you can see with this 10-minute candle planter. I have made one in the summer with a hurricane candle holder surrounded by succulents. For Christmas, this candle display in a wooden liquor box makes a perfect centerpiece to celebrate the season.
How to Make a Rustic and Natural Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Here are the steps to making your very own rustic and natural Christmas candle centerpiece from the garden (and, in this case, your Christmas tree!).
Materials
Make It!
Head out to the garden with your pruners and cut some greenery. Read this article on The Best Garden Greenery for Holiday Decorating before you go, to brush up on what and how to cut the greenery.
Fit some dry craft foam into a wooden box. You do not need wet florist’s foam that holds moisture for flower arrangements. The stems do not need water; the foam is simply to keep it all in place. You can also glue the craft foam to the wood box if you would like. I didn’t find it necessary, as the arrangement holds in place perfectly once it is finished.
Set the taper candles into the craft foam, equally spaced apart.
Next, start designing the planter with cascading, needle-leaf greenery around the edges (I used Fraser fir trimming from my Christmas tree) and colourful broad-leaf evergreens and berries in the center (I used Portuguese laurel and holly).
Check the arrangement to be sure that it looks good from all angles, especially if it is going to be used on a table where the guests will surround it.
Light the candles and enjoy the ambiance!
A Note About Candles and Greenery
This candle planter, if not used with common sense, could be a fire hazard. Please do not leave the candles burning unattended near greenery or wood. You could certainly enjoy this planter without lighting the taper candles. You could replace the candles with electric candles, or even candles contained in glass jars. I only plan to light the candles while sitting at the table where I can closely monitor them. When they burn down, I will blow them out.
Please use your common sense when using candles. I don’t think that every project should have to show electric candles for safety reasons on a blog, and we do not take any responsibility for how the projects are used at home. Be smart, my friends, and you can enjoy the warm glow of candles and fresh greenery for Christmas!
More Christmas Crafting Ideas
DIY Rustic Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Forage greenery from your backyard and make this lovely rustic centerpiece for the holidays.
Cut a chunk of floral foam to fit in your wooden box. If necessary, you can glue it in place.
Add the candles into the foam, equal distances apart.
Layer in greenery around the candles. Make sure to press the stems firmly into the foam. Place cascading greenery on the outer edge, and shorter greenery on the inside.
Light the candles and enjoy!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Recycling Christmas cards into gift tags is such a quick and easy project. It’s simple, reduces waste, and is a great way to save the thoughtful holiday cards you were lucky enough to receive.
Materials
Make It!
1. Gather all your pretty Christmas cards and recycle any parts with handwritten or personalized sentiments.
2. If you have a tag punch, this next step will take mere minutes. Just position, punch, and ta-da! You have a gift tag. This would also work with round or flower-shaped punches, or if you don’t have any of those, you can use scissors.
I must say that I use my punch far more than I thought I would. I can recycle tissue boxes, packaging, and other decorative card stock into pretty tags that are handy with all the handmade stuff I give away.
3. For some cards, you may be able to get a bunch of tags…
…others may only have one image that will work…
…and with some, you can use the sentiment as long as it fits well in the area.
4. The final step is to punch a hole in the top of each tag. Thread some baker’s twine, garden twine, or ribbon to add it to your gift.
You can now store them away until next year, when you unpack the tags and memories of this holiday season.
More Crafty Christmas Projects
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Christmas door swags are such a simple yet beautiful way to add some fresh greenery to your door. And much easier to make than a wreath! I love this Christmas swag with a vintage skate twist. So dust off your skates, and let’s get crafty.
Who doesn’t have a pair of old skates lying around the basement gathering dust? You can transform them into this charming vintage skate swag in just a few simple steps.
Truthfully, you can even use the skates you still use. If you’re anything like me, those skates only come out once or twice a year to go on the ice anyway, so you might as well use them for décor!
The beauty of a swag is that you really don’t need many clippings to make a beautiful display. I’m a big fan of going out in your garden or foraging locally for some branches to use in your display.
You can use whatever is local and fresh in your area. Here are a few of my favourites for holiday greenery decorating:
Add pine cones, too, as well as dried flowers and seed heads.
How to Make a Vintage Skate Christmas Swag
Put those babies back into use as charming holiday décor for your door. Embellish your skates with holly and other holiday greens from the garden, some fancy ribbon and a candy cane or two. You may also want to use bells, seed pods, holiday ornaments, mini gourds or small tree fruits.
Materials
Make It!
Clean the skates and replace the laces with heavy-duty or double-ply garden twine. Leave enough twine at the ends so you can hang them from your door.
Find two small jars that will fit inside the skates. They will keep your greens in place and also hold water (optional) to keep them fresh. They won’t be seen, so don’t worry about how they look. Opt for something you already have to keep this project easy and low-cost.
Select an assortment of greens from the garden (holly, cedar, salal, etc.) and tie them into two neat bundles. Place the bundles in the jars and trim the ends until you have a pleasing display.
Decorate your skate swag with more ribbon, pinecones, and ornaments and then hang it in place on your front door or potting shed. An over-the-door wreath hanger is a great way to hang it on your front door without needing to put in a screw or nail.
Be sure to grab a copy of Everyday Eden: 100+ Fun, Green Garden Projects for the Whole Family to Enjoy. The book is filled with projects using inexpensive, often recycled, materials and easy techniques. This lively collection of garden projects and practices will delight beginner and experienced green thumbs alike.
Snow globes are a magical wonder, showcasing tiny scenes where snow is always whimsically falling. Making your own Mason jar snow globe is surprisingly simple with easy-to-find materials. Personalize the scene inside, and you’ll have a beautiful decoration to display every holiday season.
Is there any more quintessential winter object than a snow globe? There is something about these tiny snow-covered winterscapes that fills us with a sense of nostalgia and wonder.
Making your own is easy and fun, and all you need are a few simple materials that you may already have around the house.
This Mason jar snow blog is fun for kids and adults to make, and having your very own personalized snow globe feels magical, no matter what your age.
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How to Make a Mason Jar Snow Globe
For this project, you can easily use a Mason jar or a different glass jar and lid you have available, as long as it’s air-tight. Feeling extra creative? Make your miniature objects yourself out of polymer clay.
Materials
Make It!
First, choose the objects you want to use and try setting them up in different ways until you get the scene you want. Try holiday or winter-themed items or objects in red and green for a Christmassy snow globe.
Or do something wild and unexpected, like a tropical scene. It’s completely up to you! I chose garden-related objects with a holiday theme.
Make sure the miniatures are the right height for your Mason Jar as well as the width.
Position your objects on top of the plastic canning lid, the way you want them to be laid out inside the snow globe.
Keep your scene small enough that everything fits easily in the center of the lid. The glass of the Mason jar will magnify the scene, making the snow globe look fuller once it is all put together.
The glass will slightly magnify what’s inside.
Use the waterproof adhesive to glue down the objects in the positions you want them in.
Allow the adhesive to dry for a few hours to make sure it is completely set.
Ensure your adhesive is waterproof.
Glue the plastic lid down onto the underside of the snap lid, making sure not to get any adhesive on the orange ring around the outside edge of the lid. The orange ring is the seal, which will not work to keep liquid inside if it gets glue on it.
Some waterproof adhesive expands when they dry, so keep that in mind and give yourself some extra room around the snap lid’s seal.
Keep your orange seal clear.
Fill the jar with water, glycerin, and some glitter. The consistency of the mixture will be different depending on how much glycerin you add.
The glycerin makes it thicker so that the glitter falls more slowly, so start with mostly water and add glycerin gradually until you like how the liquid moves the glitter when you shake it up.
I used fairly small glitter, but not superfine. It clumped together a bit, which made it look more like snow.
I used a super fine glitter that formed little snow-like clumps when in the glycerin.
Now it’s time to put the snow globe together! Add a bit more water to the jar so that it is very full. You’ll want to do this next step over the sink, as there will likely be some spillover.
Carefully screw the lid onto the jar so that the miniature scene stands up inside it. If your jar has writing or patterning on one side, try to position the scene so that it faces the part of the jar that is completely clear and smooth to give you the best possible view.
Wipe off any liquid that spilled over the sides, and seal the lid with waterproof sealer so that the ring stays in place permanently. Turn the jar upside down, and you have a whimsical snow globe ready to set somewhere in your home or give as a gift.
Mason Jar Snow Globe FAQ
Are there eco-friendly alternatives to glitter for a snow globe?
Thankfully, there are many eco-friendly glitters available now. They’re slightly pricier, but it’s worth it to not be contributing any more microplastics.
I originally made these snow globes many years back, so I have not had the chance to try ones with eco-friendly glitter yet. Since they’re designed to break down, they might slowly fade over time in the snow globe, but I’m not positive. If anyone tries this out, please come back and let me know how it does!
What kind of jar is needed for a snow globe?
You need an airtight container. Even though you will use a waterproof sealer to secure the snowglobe, you want to ensure the lid and the container are a good fit.
Also consider a jar with writing on it. If yours has writing on it, this will play a part in where you position your scene inside the snow globe.
Avoid using tall glass containers and opt for rounder and shorter glass jars.
What liquid do you put inside a snow globe tumbler?
My snow globes use a combination of water and glycerin (and glitter). The ratio depends on what type of glitter you use. 50/50 is a good place to start, but play with it depending on how you want your “snow” to fall.
More Crafty Christmas Projects
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
With just a snippet from an outdoor evergreen, you’re well on your way to making these miniature wreath ornaments. You can hang them on the tree, use them to decorate the outdoors, add them to gifts, or even use them as napkin rings! No matter how you use them, they are a fun and simple project to bring the outdoors in.
Every year, I make a large fresh wreath to adorn my front door. By the end of creating, I have endless bits and pieces of fresh evergreens covering my feet and work station.
Why let them go to waste when you can create even smaller, miniature wreaths? I’m obsessed with all things mini, and I love how easily you can make these miniature wreath ornaments with some leftover plant trimmings.
Let me show you how I made these!
Adorn your miniature wreath with a pinecone or other dried elements.
DIY Real Miniature Wreath Ornaments
I don’t really know why, but this holiday season I’ve been making everything in miniature. It started with these tabletop Grinch trees, and now miniature evergreen wreaths.
The idea for mine came from finding this floral wire with red berries on the ends. I thought it would be a quick and easy way to make plenty of decorations from garden clippings.
Materials
Make It!
Start with a fairly pliable clipping from an evergreen. Leaves from cedar and false cypress are soft and easy to form.
Bend the clipping around so that the tip overlaps the cut end. Wind floral wire tipped with red berries around the two ends to secure it.
Secure the one end first. Then we’ll wrap the rest.
Continue wrapping wire around the wreath until you have all the little leaves tucked in.
Don’t worry about some small pieces still sticking out.
Trim the wreath with scissors to clean it up and make a nice, round form.
Add decorative elements like seed heads, miniature pinecones, and other things found around the garden with a hot glue gun.
Pinecones are great, as well as dried flowers.
You can also use ribbon to decorate the wreath. This raffia ribbon makes an easy bow as you simply need to tie it in a knot, then unfold the ends of the ribbon.
Add ornament hooks to hang them on the Christmas tree or around the garden.
Or tie them to gift wrapping and add a little outdoors to your presents.
Aren’t these miniature wreaths just adorable? In my experience, they also dry well and can be stored again for the next holiday season once fully dried. Happy crafting!
More Miniature Christmas Crafts
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Awesome gifts under ten dollars? Yes! It’s possible, and here is how: make them yourself! You can make gifts so beautiful, they’ll look artisan-made. They can be personalized for an extra special touch or made in bulk to cross everyone off your gift list this holiday season.
Making your own homemade gifts is always my go-to for the holidays. With so much heart, time, and personality poured into them, you simply cannot get these items from the store.
There is one catch, though. Homemade gift-giving can often be as expensive or more than store-bought gifts if you’re not careful. I know I have walked out of a craft shop, looking at my receipt, wondering how I spent so much on just the supplies.
There is just so much to make and so many cool supplies to stock up on, right? But really, if you follow my tips, you can make all 20 of these gifts under ten dollars each.
Here’s what we’ll be making!
Tips for Keeping Homemade Gifts Affordable
If you are smart and savvy, you can create some pretty sensational gifts with just a few inexpensive supplies. There are plenty of crafty treasures you can create for a fraction of the price of store-bought. The best part is that they look much more expensive and will put a huge grin on the face of your recipient.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are making handmade gifts on a budget:
There are many frugal gift ideas that don’t come from the dollar store. If you have a longer list than your bank account will allow, make some of these in bulk, and the savings will pour in.
Stick to projects with supplies you have on hand, can find for free, or can buy for cheap.
Watch out for specialized equipment. If you don’t have a sewing machine or a double boiler, don’t buy one just to start the project. There are ways you can work around the equipment (borrow a sewing machine, make a double boiler) or choose another project.
Don’t rush. If you have a project in mind but don’t need the materials “like-yesterday,” then you can keep your eyes peeled for a sale when you are out shopping. I pick up silicone candy moulds whenever I see them on sale because of the many ways I can and want to use them (bath melts, chocolates, homemade crayons, etc.)
Hold a handcrafted gift swap with some friends. Arrange a few talented folks to each make a large batch of one gift, then have a party to trade with your pals. A party with friends swapping handmade gifts is much more appealing than shopping for gifts!
20 Homemade Gifts Under Ten Dollars
Now let’s get onto the ideas! Here are some fabulous DIY gifts under ten dollars, and the steps to make them.
These monogrammed drawer fresheners work for nearly everyone on your list, especially a fashionista or someone who pays extra special attention to their clothes. Made of scrap fabric, these drawer fresheners help to keep away that musty smell and add some fresh herbal scent to stored clothes.
Making your own candles is such a fun activity to do. I’ve made all kinds of candles, but these rosemary pressed herb candles are some of my favourites. You can do this with any pressed flowers, herbs, or foliage from your garden or neighbourhood. To keep them cost-friendly, opt for 16-oz pint jars or smaller. Use recycled or secondhand vessels!
This beaded wind chime was originally designed as garden art, but it makes stunning decor hanging in a window as well. This project is ideal for someone who already has beads on hand or can get beads in bulk. Beads can be on the pricey end of things, so opt to buy a bulk bead set or get them on sale from a craft store.
If someone in your life likes luxuriating in the bath, I highly recommend making a batch of these lavender and cocoa butter bath melts. They’re super easy to make by melting the ingredients together on the stovetop and pouring them into a silicone mould. Whoever gets them can easily pop one in the bath and experience the luxury of soothed, moisturized skin.
Spend one afternoon learning the art of macrame, and you might get hooked on the craft. Pair this macrame plant hanger with a plant propagation from your own houseplant collection to make it super affordable and personal.
If you’d like a low-cost card to add to your gift or perhaps as a way to personalize a gift card, these hammered flower print cards take the beauty of what’s growing in your garden to gift. Make them out of any fresh flowers, whether that’s a blooming houseplant or a bouquet from the grocery store.
These clay leaf dishes are made using the real imprint of a leaf on air-dry clay. Aren’t they gorgeous? They can be used as soap dishes, to hold jewelry, for trinkets, or to display all on their own.
If you have an outdoorsy person on your gift list, these fire starters are a great gift to make. Anyone who has an indoor fireplace or an outdoor fire pit would appreciate these. Use cupcake moulds to make a ton of these wax fire starters and top them off with all kinds of craft scraps and foraged materials.
This ten dollar gift idea is for all my thrifters out there! I love the look of succulents in vintage silver, pewter, and china. I used a milk and sugar set to make my own set. They work great as centrepieces or to add to an existing houseplant collection.
These hand-stamped fabric napkins are one of my favourites for a hostess gift. All you need to make them are a set of fabric napkins, fabric paint, a roller brush, and a stamp of your choice. I went with trees for a holiday theme, but you can stamp any design that feels on theme for your recipient.
I make a ton of bath salts with many dried ingredients, but sometimes I hate the cleanup afterward. Especially after you’ve been relaxing! Tub teas solve the issue of your bath getting messy by keeping all the herbal goodness in a single large tea bag. Again, you can really customize this one based on what ingredients you choose to fill your tub tea with.
Working with wood can be intimidating, but these natural branch coasters are a great place to start. The key is to find the perfect branch that is neither too big nor too small to make coasters with. Once you have that, all you need are a hand saw, sandpaper, and clear varnish.
Note: the wood does take a long time to dry. Months in fact! To speed things up, buy pre-cut wood slices.
This may be one of my easiest gifts under ten dollars on this list. Sand art terrariums feature a small potted plant amongst layers of coloured art sand.
The key to keeping this project inexpensive is to choose a cheap glass container (reuse one or buy one secondhand) and only choose a couple of sand colours for layering.
If you squirrel away things like I do, then you just might have a few acorn caps in your collection. The “eggs” in this acorn nest necklace are made of small beads. Of course, the chain itself can be as expensive or affordable as you’d like. I’d recommend buying secondhand to get a decent quality chain for under ten dollars.
If you’ve ever wanted to try embroidery, these dried flower hoops are a fun spin on it. Embroidery hoops are fairly inexpensive to buy, as is the tulle used as the background. On top, you can glue or sew in dried flowers from your garden or inexpensively found online.
If there’s a flower lover in your life, or someone who loves to craft as much as you do, a wooden flower press is the perfect gift. You do need a drill and saw to complete this project, so it’s best for someone who already has these tools on hand or can easily borrow. If you do, it’s fairly inexpensive to make but super cute.
I made these seashell beeswax tealights years ago, and they remain one of my most fun projects. If you live near the ocean, then chances are you know a good spot where you can find plenty of shells for this project. Because they’re so small, they don’t use up much wax or wicks. Create a bundle of them and they’re the perfect gift.
Everyone in your life could use a little pampering. This peppermint and coconut foot scrub does three things: scrubs and exfoliates tired feet, moisturizes with coconut oil, and leaves a pleasant cooling sensation thanks to the peppermint.
Are you good with a sewing machine? I love making little projects like this, as I can use up my scrap fabric. This hot pad (or tea trivet) is filled with spices and dried herbs to provide a delicious scent once something warm is placed on it. It serves two purposes!
Last but certainly not least is my air plant holder. One of my most popular Pinterest projects, air plants are super cool plants that can flourish in the smallest of spaces. Rather than glue them down, make an air plant holder to go alongside the plant as a gift.
More Homemade Gift Ideas!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Candle making is such a fun hobby to get into, using all kinds of recycled containers (from seashells to flowerpots!) to make unique homemade candles. But how do you know what wick to use? Or how much scent to mix in? This master guide will cover everything you need to know on how to make candles at home.
I’ve been a candle-obsessed, maker-enthusiast, and DIY potion master for so many years now. Once you make one candle, you quickly become hooked.
I got so obsessed with how to make candles at home that I wrote a whole book about it. If you really want every tidbit and the nitty-gritty details about how to make your own candles, I encourage you to check out my book Make & Give Home Candle Making. It has tons of unique homemade candle ideas, too!
But let’s buckle in, because this is a juicy, tip-filled article. I cover everything you need to know about making homemade candles.
First, I’ll break down the different types of materials available, and then I’ll go into step-by-step candle-making instructions. I’ll finish off by sharing some of my candle projects to spark some inspiration.
Feel free to jump ahead to whatever section you’re interested in most below!
A Note on Safety
Remember that we’re dealing with fire here! All candles should never be burned without you in attendance. Always be prepared to extinguish a candle by covering it. Do not throw water on a burning candle, as it can cause the wax to splatter.
When adding anything into a candle other than wax, be aware that it can catch on fire. If you add herbs or other elements like glitter, colour, or even essential oils, they can react in a way that you might not expect.
Materials for Candle Making
While candle making is fairly straightforward, each material has a few options. Read through to find the best option for you based on your desired candle and budget.
When it comes to wax, there are three popular options for candle making: beeswax, soy, and paraffin. All are fairly easy to come across, either online or in craft and candle-making stores.
Beeswax is created by honeybees, giving it a sweet honey aroma and honey colour hue to the candles you make. It’s on the more expensive side, but often doesn’t need any fragrance added (though it pairs well with citrus and floral scents).
Soy wax is a vegetable-based wax made of hydrogenated soybean oil. It comes in a creamy white that can easily be dyed any colour. It also takes well to most fragrances. It has a lower melting point and a longer burn time than paraffin wax, but it can create dimples when the candle is burned.
Paraffin wax is a byproduct of crude oil and has been used for over 150 years to make candles. It can be a more economical choice for wax and is known for an even burn. However, it has a shorter burn time than soy wax.
You can always blend your waxes to improve wax texture, performance, and affordability. Don’t be scared to mix things up!
Candle Vessels
Choosing a container for your candle is one of the best ways to personalize your candle. As you can see from the pictures in this post, I’ve made candles in all kinds of containers.
Any container that is heatproof, clean, and free of cracks and holes is a goodoption. Avoid using large jars, as they require lots of wax to fill, which can get expensive and create an uneven burn once you light the candle.
Aim for containers that are pint-sized or smaller. Here are a few recycled container ideas you can try:
Candle Wicks
Wicks come in all materials and types. You don’t want to choose a wick that’s too small, or your candle won’t melt all the way to the edge. On the other hand, a wick that is too large will create lots of smoke. You want to look at the packaging of the wick to see what wax it’s appropriate for and the appropriate vessel diameter.
Here are some wick options:
Cotton wick: comes in a large roll of string and is braided for thickness.
Wood wick: flat wicks made from a soft wood. Make a cracking sound when burned.
Wired wick: contains a thin zinc wire to help keep the wick straight.
Waxed wick: contains a thin coat of wax. Use a paraffin-coated wick for paraffin wax and a soy-coated wick for both soy and beeswax.
Tabs: metal tabs to hold and weigh the wick down at the bottom of the container (often glued in place).
Artificial Fragrance vs Essential Oils
Personally, I rely only on essential oils for my candles. I find artificial fragrances irritating, especially in candle form when they are designed to scent the whole room. That being said, I’ll tell you the pros and cons of both fragrance and essential oils.
Fragrance oils are the most consistent. They are designed to handle the hot temperatures of a lit candle without evaporating, and come in a wide variety of lab-created scents you just won’t find in an essential oil.
Essential oils are natural scents extracted from plants. They’re sometimes better suited for people with scent sensitivities or allergies. Essential oils are common in aromatherapy thanks to their healing effects. In candles, they aren’t as consistent in fragrance as some will evaporate at the high temperatures of candles.
Pro Tip: hot throw refers to the scent the candle gives off when it’s burned, while cold throw refers to the candle’s scent when unlit.
You can also try to make youe own fragrance blends by combining different scents.
Colouring Candles
Another great way to personalize your candle is by adding colour. I love making ombre candles by layering different colours of wax. You can use liquid wax dye and solid wax dye, both designed for colouring candles.
I also like to use crayons because they’re super inexpensive. However, they can give a slight crayon smell and can clog a wick. To avoid this, use them in a very small amount.
All in all, remember that you’re dealing with fire here. You don’t want to include anything large and flammable. Keep elements like dried flowers to the edges. I like incorporating pressed flowers along the glass where they are decorative but well away from the wick and fire.
Another creative way to decorate is with wax itself. You can make shapes out of beeswax sheets (like in this flower candle).
You can also buy moulds with all kinds of shapes that you can use to fill with wax and then decorate the top of your candles with. I particularly like these succulent ones, this seashell mould, this flower one, and this fall-themed set.
Wrapping Candles
The final touch on a candle is to wrap it up. If you’re gifting your candle, you definitely don’t want to skip this step!
Here are some wrapping suggestions:
How to Make Candles At Home: Step-by-Step
Now onto the candle making! Once you have all your supplies and materials sorted out, the actual candle-making process isn’t difficult.
Gather your supplies ahead of time
Start by preparing your wick. Assemble your wick of choice by placing it in a tab (if it isn’t already in one). Make sure it sits flat on the bottom of the container.
Add a dab of hot glue or a wax adhesive to firmly attach the wick tab to the bottom of the container. Use a pencil or pen with a lid if you can’t get your fingers to the bottom of the container.
Secure your wicks before pouring the wax.
Use a chopstick or clothespin to help keep the wick upright and straight.
Even glued down, wicks can move. A chopstick or clothespin helps to keep it straight.
Prepare your double boiler. I like to use a container with a pour spout to make pouring my wax as easy as possible. If you make homemade candles often enough, I suggest investing in a candle pouring pitcher.
Temperature is important when pouring candles.
If working with wax blocks, cut them up into smaller pieces to help them melt faster.
Weigh the amount of wax needed on a scale, followed by the fragrance or essential oils.
Weight is more accurate for measuring your wax.
Heat the wax over medium heat until the wax is melted and reaches the appropriate temperature designated on the packaging of the wax you purchased.
If you’re adding colour and scent, the wax needs to be heated higher than you will pour the candle. It will differ depending on what type of wax you’re using since they all have different melting points. So refer to your wax’s packaging for the temperature.
Candle dye can come as a liquid or a wax chip.
Let the wax cool to 140°F and pour the wax into the container.
Make your candles in a warm room to prevent cracking or dips.
Wrap your candle in a towel and let it cool down, and set it completely untouched in a warm room.
After 24 hours, trim your wick to 1/8” to ¼”. And it’s ready to be burned!
Trim your wicks once your candles are fully cured.
Unique Homemade Candle Ideas
I’ve made MANY candles over the years. Here are a handful of the candles I’ve made for indoor, outdoor, and Christmas use. Find detailed tips and tutorials for each candle by clicking the project link!
Indoor Candle Projects
Outdoor Candle Projects
Christmas and Holiday Candles
Homemade Candles Troubleshooting
How much fragrance do I add to my candles?
Fragrance load is how much scent oil the wax will hold. A common fragrance load for soy wax is one ounce of scent oil per one pound of wax, or a 6.25% ratio.
You can increase or decrease the ratio depending on how strong the scent is. Use 8-10% for a subtly fragrant oil and 6-8% for a strongly scented one.
How to make homemade candles smell stronger?
Fragrance oils will always smell stronger than essential oils, since they are designed to handle the higher temperatures when lit. Essential oils can evaporate when they reach a certain temperature, leaving the cooled-down candle nearly scentless. So, while they may have a nice cold throw (scent when unlit), they may lose the hot throw (scent when lit).
If you want to stick with natural essential oils, choose strong, notable scents such as eucalyptus, sweet orange, lemon, and cinnamon.
Make sure you add the fragrance at a higher temperature so that it properly bonds to the wax and is evenly distributed. The temperature varies depending on the wax, so read the packaging for the exact temperature. For soy wax, it’s typically around 160°F.
Why do my homemade candles sink in the middle?
A depressed center can occur from the wax cooling too quickly or varying wax temperature. If you get a depressed area around the wick when cooled, warm up some more wax and pour a thin layer on top of the candle to smooth out the surface. You can also smooth out the top using a low-temperature heat gun (do not use a blow dryer, as it melts and splatters the wax).
Some brands of soy wax can create dimples when it’s burned. If this happens, consider using a different brand or a soy wax blend.
Cracks in the candle can happen if the wax was cooled too quickly or left in a cold room.
And that just about covers it all! If you have any more questions about how to make your own candles, leave them in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m able!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Dried flower embroidery allows you to preserve the beauty of your garden while also adding your own spin with hand stitches. This is just one of the many gorgeous dried flower art ideas you can do using an embroidery hoop. Let me show you how!
As a serial hobbyist and crafter, I love it when two worlds can combine. I’ve been spending the past two summers focusing on my dried flower garden, growing and testing out new flowers, specifically with the intention of drying them.
So you can imagine, I have quite the stash.
But during the winter, you can find me nestled up watching some TV while embroidering my latest project. My embroidery stash is another pride and joy.
Everyone in my life has both dried flowers and embroidery from me at this point. So, it was only natural that I combined the two into these beautiful, dried flower embroidery pieces. It may just become my next obsession this winter.
Here’s how you can make your own stunning dried flower art.
Use a combination of pressed flowers and dried flowers for more depth.
Dried Flowers for Art
Some flowers dry better than others. Test out which flowers in your garden hold their colour and structure. Since these are often small art pieces, I like to use smaller flowers or branching flowers that can break down into smaller bits.
Here are some of my favourite dried flowers to use in a dried flower hoop:
Strawflower, winged everlasting, and fern.
Other Materials to Include
You can also use pressed flowers for your embroidery, but just note that they will be extra delicate to work with. I like to apply them first, as they work best as a background. The 3D flowers on top give the piece depth.
Don’t be scared to explore and incorporate all kinds of natural materials. Here are some things you could forage for:
Don’t forget about seed pods! They’re also great decorating items.
Dried Flower Embroidery Art Tutorial
How many flowers you use and how long it will take you to complete your dried flower embroidery depends entirely on the size of the embroidery hoop you use. I recommend starting with a smaller-sized hoop and working your way up to larger pieces.
Materials
Don’t have an embroidery stash? I recommend getting white and green thread for this project.
Make It!
Use your flowers and your empty hoop to figure out your general design ahead of time so you know how to properly layer the flowers. Take a picture so you remember your design and can reference it while creating.
Lay out a general design ahead of time so you know where to thread/glue items.
Prepare your embroidery hoop by cutting a piece of tulle and placing it between the wooden hoops. Stretch it tight, but not so tight that the tulle looks warped. It should be taut.
Pro Tip: You can also try using chicken wire instead of tulle. This creates less of a delicate look and more of a rustic look, where you weave the stems in as opposed to sewing them. This works great for bigger pieces.
This is how tight the tulle should look.
To secure your flowers in place, you have a few options:
Embroidery. Using thread, this creates the most delicate look. It also takes some patience and handiwork to accomplish.
Weaving. If your flower has an intact stem and isn’t too thick, you can weave it through the tulle. While the easiest way to do dried flower embroidery, it isn’t as secure as the other methods.
Hot glue. This can be a little messy, and won’t work for the smaller flowers, but it is great for securing larger flowers in place without stems.
Start by adding your flatter, background pieces. For this piece, I used pressed ferns as the background. I used a simple stitch along the main vein to secure the fern in place.
I used green stitching to blend in, but you can also use thread and the stitches as a contrast.
Pro tip: Since we’re working with tulle, you have to keep your stitches fairly clean at the back, as they might be seen. I like to start my knot somewhere behind a flower where it won’t be seen. Start a new thread for each flower so there are no jumping stitches.
Add in your next layer of flowers. I usually like to incorporate my medium-sized and branching flowers at this point.
The last flowers I like to add are my larger flowers, which usually are my strawflowers. For these, I like to glue them in place, adding a large dollop to the back of the strawflowers and then holding it in place on the tulle for 30 seconds while the glue dries.
I glued in strawflower and gomphrena, and stitched the bunnytail.
To finish up your dried flower art, trim the excess tulle. Use hot glue all around the back of the hoop over the ends of the tulle to help secure and hold it in place against the embroidery hoop.
Glue the edges of the tool to the embroidery hoop to help secure it in place.
You can also add some embroidery stitching. Again, you have to be extra careful about how the back of your stitching looks through the tulle.
That’s it! These dried flower hoops make beautiful gifts and unique home décor. Hang it on the wall or in the window as a special, dried flower suncatcher.
More Dried Flower Art Ideas
From Vancouver, BC, Holly is Garden Therapy’s Content Manager. She has a BFA in Writing from the University of Victoria as well as a diploma in Floristry Design from Burnaby CCE. At home, she loves to grow cut flowers and dried flowers for her business, Dirty Daisy Florals, and is an avid houseplant collector and lover of bees. You can find her at @dirtydaisyflorals and @hollyheuversocial.
Looking for a unique way to bring your love of the outdoors to your home? Make this pretty DIY clay leaf dish! Whether you use them for soap dishes, to hold jewellry, or as a gift for a friend, making this project is simple.
These clay leaf dishes are a project you can make anytime throughout the year. Head out to the garden and look for unique shapes to preserve.
Perhaps you have a special tree that you’d like to commemorate? I know that I can get very sentimental about my trees, and this is a nice way to preserve the leaf of a loved tree for years to come.
Thanks to air dry clay, it’s simple to do this clay project at home in a weekend. Here’s how to make these clay leaf dishes.
This post will cover…
Use craft paint to colour your clay leaf dish.
Choosing Leaves for Clay Imprints
When choosing leaves, look for those that are still supple, as dry leaves may crack and break before you get a good mold from them. Leaves that have interesting shapes like oak and maple will make bowls with deeply grooved edges, making them interesting yet impractical for holding much.
I like to use smooth-edged leaves with a fairly large size, about as big as the palm of your hand for a small pinch bowl or as large as your whole hand for a decorative jewelry dish. Hydrangea leaves make a perfect bowl shape and you can ruffle the edges for a bit more decoration. And long leaves make an interesting ring holder.
Once you’ve chosen your leaves, then it’s just a matter of using clay to mould them and paint to decorate. You can make these at home and finish them with a coat of paint or head to a local pottery studio and use a kiln to glaze them, but no matter how you decide to finish them, here is how to make these lovely leaf dishes.
I used hydrangea leaves for my clay imprint.
How to Use Air Dry Clay
Air dry clay is an easy material to work with, but it’s not as durable as kiln fired clay. Air dry clay can break easily and turn to mush if left outside in the rain without sealer. The good news is that it is really easy (and fun!) to work with so it is worth taking a bit of extra care.
Make sure that you work out the bubbles before you mold your clay. If your clay is new from the package you can cut off a slab and roll that out without too many air bubbles. If you have a ball that has been previously handled, you can work out the bubbles by kneading the air bubbles out.
Potters call this “wedging.” While this is absolutely necessary in kiln pottery, air dry clay is a bit more forgiving. See how to wedge clay in this video and use it to reshape your clay and remove air bubbles.
Air dry clay dries out very quickly. To avoid cracks, keep your clay moist and smooth out any cracks with a wet sponge before allowing it to dry. Dry air dry clay slowly in a cool room. Check it often to make sure the shape is holding as the edges can curl up.
When the clay is completely dry, paint it and use a clay sealer to protect the finished piece. With these tips, air dry clay is an easy way to start sculpting!
Air dry clay dries out quickly, so make sure to keep it moist with a wet sponge.
How to Make a DIY Clay Leaf Dish
Making these dishes are simple, and will be enjoyed for years to come!
Materials
This project takes two days, as the clay needs to be fully dry before you paint it.
Make it!
Start by removing a section of clay from the block using string or dental floss. Wrap the string around your 2 index fingers, the width of the block apart and use it to pull through the clay to cut off a chunk. Start at the back and pull towards you.
Store any clay not in use in an airtight bag or container to avoid it from drying out.
Roll out the clay to 1/2 inch thickness and place the leaf, with veins facing down, on the clay. Use the rolling pin to gently imprint the leaf’s details and shape into the clay.
Place the leaf with veins facing down to get the best imprint.
Use a sharp edge of a knife to cut out the shape of the leaf and pull the leaf off.
Cut the remaining clay off with a sharp knife.
Cup the finished clay leaf in your hands and gently work it into a bowl shape by curling up the edges.
To ruffle the edges, use both hands to curve the edges back and forth, creating a wave pattern.
I made my edges more curled and whimsical than the actual leaf.
You can set the leaf in a shallow bowl to dry and take on the shape, or roll up some newspaper to set under the edges of the bowl. This will make sure it keeps the curved shape as it dries.
Use a bowl or planter to help you create the proper shape.
Paint the Clay Leaf
After the clay is completely dry, you can paint it any way you like! From simple white to multicoloured, a set of craft paints will transform it. Try painting geometric shapes, splatter painting it Pollock style, or adding your own touch.
Use a gloss or matte sealer to protect the finish and set it out to enjoy.
Where to Use the Clay Leaves
Note: these clay leaf dishes are decorative and not meant for food. It is not possible to wash them or submerge them in water. It’s best that they are used to show off pretty collections or other small items you want to display.
If you want to have food-safe dishes, join a pottery studio and make this simple project there! You don’t need much experience and you can make beautiful designs with the glazes. Here are some that I made in a pottery studio with the hydrangea leaves.
Pottery studios will create a different finish by using a glaze.
I use these as soap dishes for my handmade soap at home and as gifts.
More Crafty Garden Clay Projects
How to Make a Clay Leaf Dish
Looking for a unique way to bring your love of the outdoors to your home? Make this pretty DIY clay leaf dish! Whether you use them for soap dishes, to hold jewelry, or as a gift for a friend, making this project is simple.
Wrap the dental floss around your fingers and use it to break off a chunk of the clay.
Then roll the clay to 1/2″ thick, and lay your leaf with the veins facing down on the clay.
Use the rolling pin to transfer the imprint of the veins to the clay.
With the craft knife, trace out the leaf’s shape in the clay.
Cup the clay leaf in your hands and gently form the bowl shape by curling the edges upwards.
Let the clay dry completely.
Paint the dried clay leaf with craft paint. Then protect the finish with a sealer.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
My secret to gorgeous, dried flowers? Silica gel, of course! I love using these dried flowers for my resin creations, but you can also use them for all kinds of décor, from shadow boxes to potpourri. With some delicate handling and these tips for drying flowers with silica gel, preserve the beauty of this season’s blooms.
Ranunculus bloom dried by silica gel
I’m excited to share yet another way to dry flowers that many aren’t as familiar with. Unlike hanging flowers to dry or dehydrating the petals, this method retains the shape and colour of the flowers extremely well. Sometimes they look identical to their original flower!
You know all those little packets you get in your food containers and shoeboxes that read do not eat? That’s silica gel. In another form, this silica is actually marvelous at drying flowers.
Silica gel is a desiccant, meaning it absorbs and holds moisture. For crafting purposes, they come in hard small beads that are a white or light blue colour. You can likely find silica gel at your local Michaels craft store and on Amazon.
Using silica gel for drying flowers is fairly easy, but there’s definitely a technique to it that helps you achieve the best-dried flowers possible. Let me show you my tips!
This button mum retained its structure perfectly when dried in silica.
What Flowers Can I Preserve in Silica Gel?
Most flowers dry very well in silica when done properly. But some are easier to dry than others! Bright and colourful blooms always dry best, as their colour remains fairly consistent throughout the drying process.
These silica-dried hawthorn flowers look nearly identical to their fresh counterparts.
Fresh, locally grown flowers are also ideal. You want your flowers to be hydrated and in tip-top condition, since they will dry exactly as they are.
Here are some flowers that are known to dry exceptionally well in silica:
Silica dried flowers, including cherry blossoms, ranunculus, butterfly ranunculus, gerbera daisy, button mums, hawthorn, grape hyacinth, and lady’s mantle.
Flowers to Avoid
Flowers with lots of delicate petals are very difficult to dry in silica, as their petals are likely to fall off due to the weight of the gel. This includes mums, cosmos, and anemones.
You may also want to curb your expectations when it comes to white flowers and other light colours, as they’re very prone to bruising, especially if you plan to preserve your flowers in resin afterward. They’re also very likely to change colour, turning more into cream and yellow than white.
Wearing gloves when handling the flowers at all times will help prevent your oils from bruising the petals down the line.
Tropical flowers and anything with fleshy petals are also likely to develop some bruising and browning down the line. Most will change their colour during preservation. This includes orchids, classic lilies, and canna lilies.
Even if the flowers are listed here, it doesn’t hurt to try! Experiment, practice, and be delicate with your blooms, and you just might have some success.
This white hydrangea turned cream and browned in the areas it wasn’t completely covered in silica gel.
Drying Flowers With Silica Gel: Step by Step
Drying flowers in silica is one of the best preservation methods, and it is fairly easy to do. Once you have the silica, you can use it multiple times to dry flowers all season long.
Materials
I’ve used Ashland and Activa brand silica gel.
Preparing Your Materials and Flowers
Choose a container that’s deep enough to hold your flowers. You can also layer flowers if the container allows it. 2-4 inches is usually deep enough, since silica can be expensive, and I avoid using too much. A rectangular container is what I prefer to use, since it can hold more flowers. Your container should not be used for food storage after holding silica.
Make sure your flowers aren’t wet and use a paper towel to dab off any remaining moisture. I allow my flowers to fully hydrate in a vase while the dew dries from the petals. And I snip the stems and moisture right off when I’m ready to dry them.
When snipping the flowers for drying, leave a little bit of the stem behind. This will give you something to grab and hold onto besides the petals when removing the flowers from the silica.
If you’re concerned about bruising, wear gloves when working with the flowers before, during, and after drying.
Make sure flower petals aren’t wet before drying them in silica gel.
Drying Flowers With Silica Gel
Before working with the silica, make sure to wear a mask. When pouring the silica, it creates a dust that you don’t want to breathe in. Gloves can also help prevent your hands from drying out and getting irritated.
Add a base layer of silica gel to your container. You need enough to support the base of your flower stem. About ½ to 1 inch is enough.
Nestle in your flower’s face up in the silica. The flowers can be close, but they should not be overlapping.
Make sure the flowers aren’t touching.
Carefully pour in the silica (a Mason jar or pitcher can help give you more control). Flowers will dry exactly as they are buried in the silica, so you want to avoid dumping silica right into them, as they will get crushed. The goal is to bury each flower while maintaining its exact original shape.
Pour around the edges of the flowers first to support the petals.
I like to pour around the outside, shaking the silica into place until the outside is fully supported before adding silica to the center. Shaking helps to get the silica into all the grooves and crevices.
Fill in the center and all the gaps, but be careful not to dump and lose the flower’s structure.
Make sure to fully cover your flowers with silica, or you may end up with browning (see the cream hydrangea photo earlier). You can layer as many flowers as your container fits, as long as the flowers aren’t touching. Put heavier blooms on the bottom and more delicate blooms on top.
Fully cover flowers in silica.
Cover with an airtight lid, and label what flowers are inside as well as the date.
Seal with an airtight lid.
Removing the Silica Gel
Most instructions that come with your silica gel will say you only need a few days to a week for your flowers to fully dry. This is not long enough in almost any case.
I leave my flowers in silica for a minimum of three weeks, or longer if I’m working with larger flowers (such as roses), since they contain a lot of moisture. It’s impossible to leave flowers in silica for too long. Longer is better than not enough.
If there is any soft texture, your flowers aren’t ready. They should feel like paper and be extremely light.
Carefully pour out the silica rather and avoid pulling out the flowers.
To remove your flowers, gently pour your silica into another bowl or container slowly. Do not dump it all at once. Gently catch the flowers as they fall out, holding onto the stem rather than the petals.
Hold the flower upside down and gently tap to help get rid of the remaining silica. Use a soft paint brush or makeup brush to remove any stubborn silica pieces.
Grab flowers from the base and the stem to keep the petals intact.
Using Your Silica Gel Flowers
I dry flowers in silica to use for resin. They must be fully dry, or they will rot in the resin. If I don’t use them right away after removing them from the silica, I’ll place them back in the container with a thin layer of fresh silica at the bottom. The flowers don’t need to be fully covered in silica once they’re fully dry.
Other than resin, you can also use them for many other projects (they don’t have to be stored in silica once dried. That’s only for resin projects.)
Here are some project ideas for silica gel flowers!
My preserved cherry blossom in a resin globe.
Silica Gel Flowers FAQ
How long do silica gel flowers last?
While I wouldn’t say these flowers last forever, they do last for a very long time when done right. If they begin to change shape shortly after being removed from the silica, then they were not in there long enough.
Your flowers should last you a minimum of a year, and can go onwards to last for a decade. Like any dried flower, their colour will begin to fade. To prolong their life, keep them away from sunlight, heat, and moist areas.
How do I preserve a rose with silica gel?
Roses dry extremely well in silica gel. They do contain a lot of moisture, especially the center, so you need to leave them in the silica for at least 3 weeks to ensure they fully dry.
Some people will remove the center petals to prevent the flower from browning or rotting. Personally, I skip this step and just make sure to carefully fill all the nooks and crannies of the rose to ensure the silica absorbs all the moisture.
Can I reuse silica?
Yes! Fresh silica is the strongest and can be used a few times before it needs to be recharged. While each brand varies, usually the colour will change when it’s no longer able to absorb any more moisture.
To recharge your silica, it should be placed on a baking tray and left in the oven at 250°F for a minimum of five hours. However, check the instructions of your silica gel to see their recommendations.
Silica should be recharged after every use for best results.
Silica gel dried flowers.
Get creative with your flowers, experiment, and have fun! Let me know if you have any questions about using silica gel for drying flowers in the comments below.
More Tips for Drying Flowers
From Vancouver, BC, Holly is Garden Therapy’s Content Manager. She has a BFA in Writing from the University of Victoria as well as a diploma in Floristry Design from Burnaby CCE. At home, she loves to grow cut flowers and dried flowers for her business, Dirty Daisy Florals, and is an avid houseplant collector and lover of bees. You can find her at @dirtydaisyflorals and @hollyheuversocial.
On this day in 1803, all masters and journeyman shoemakers in the area interested in planning a celebration of the birth of St. Crispin should come to Union Hall at 6:30 that evening. Crispin, a Christian martyr, is the patron…
Using a wood burning pen is a simple way to make some floral pyrography. Coasters are one of my favourite creations to make with them, and it’s a super fun project that you can do in one weekend. Here’s how to make your own wood burned coasters!
Wood burned coasters are a great creative project that can be done no matter what time of year it is. Pyrography is the art of decorating wood (or leather) with a heated pen that burns the image into the wood as opposed to using paint to embellish it.
Better yet, it requires only three materials and some practice to find your groove with a pyrography pen. I’ll warn you now though, it can be very addictive!
Here are my top tips for those just getting started with pyrography.
I’ve also used this to make Christmas ornaments!
How to Make Wood Burned Coasters
You can get your design inspiration from almost anywhere, but adult colouring books have some lovely line drawings that are easy to copy with a wood-burning tool. I used some of the designs from the Garden Therapy Colouring Book as inspiration for these coasters.
Materials
You’ll need some practice wood too, so don’t start on your favourite pieces first.
Make It!
Making branch slices into coasters is a fun project that can be done easily from found wood or trees cut down from your property. There are full instructions here if you would like to make your own. Wood slice crafts are so popular these days that you can also purchase wood slices online very easily.
Cut and sand the coasters as in the instructions above, but don’t stain them yet.
Make sure your wood slices aren’t too small or too large to be coasters.
Set up the wood burning pen according to the package instructions and test out the different types of pen tips. I found that I definitely preferred the cone tip, but you get different results with each of them. Grab a block of wood that is well-sanded and test out some of the tips and designs.
Different pen tips will give you different effects.
If you prefer to try something a little bit more structured, choose a drawing and use transfer paper to transfer the image onto the wood before using the wood burning tool.
I prefer to freehand the drawing and see what takes shape. As I work on the projects, I learn new techniques and designs that work well with a wood burning pen.
Once you are finished with the line drawing, include embellishments and shading to really add depth to the artwork.
One of my favourite “moves” with the wood burning pen is to make dots. The dots are perfectly round and have a little halo around them. You can also use the side of the wood burning pen to lightly burn parts of the wood and add a little bit of shading.
Add embellishments and shading to take your design to the next level.
Use a spar urethane sealer to protect the finish of the wood once your design is complete. Sand and varnish the spar urethane as directed in the instructions on the packaging.
You can also add a few non-stick feet or glue a piece of felt to the bottom of the coasters to protect the tabletop that you’re using them on. My coasters are sanded so smoothly that they are fine directly on the table. I will say that my tables are not precious, though, and a few scratches never bother me much.
Wrap up a set of four to give as a gift, or set them out in your own home to enjoy.
Seal your coasters to prevent cracking.
Wood Burned Coaster FAQ
How do you keep wood slices from splitting?
If you are making your own wood slices, you must let them dry for quite an extended period of time before you can make anything with them. The key is to dry the wood very slowly in a cool, dry space. You want them in a location with limited moisture and heat. I put mine in my basement for the fall and pulled them out a year later. But really, the amount of time depends on how wet the wood was, how fresh it is, and where it dries.
How safe are wood burning pens?
I haven’t had any issues burning myself with the pen. You can wear heat-resistant gloves if you’re worried about burning yourself. Never touch the metal part of the pen when it’s plugged in, and use a stand to set it down. Never leave the pen unattended when it’s plugged in.
How do you sand the coasters?
If you want to sand your coasters ahead of time, use a heavy grit sandpaper first, then a finer grit to smooth out the surface. If there’s bark on the edges, do not sand it.
More Creative Projects to Try
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Pumpkin flower arrangements are a fun and chic way to set the table for fall festivities, including Thanksgiving and Halloween. Grab some warm-toned flowers from the garden or the grocery store, and pick a pumpkin that calls your name!
I keep seeing these gorgeous pumpkin flower arrangements at florists, farmers’ markets, and online. A collection of blooms tightly packed into a bright orange pumpkin just screams “fall.”
It’s an elegant take on fall decorating: setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner, adorning the mantle for the season change, or even to give as gifts.
I know I would love to receive one of these gorgeous pumpkins, and they will be just as rewarding to give! Here’s how you can make your own.
Use pumpkins of all sizes and shapes to really make it your own.
How to Make Pumpkin Flower Arrangements
With flower arranging, the artistry is in the design, and it’s not as easy as it looks. But if you want to take a stab at creating your own pumpkin flower arrangement, then here is how to do it.
Keep pumpkins cool and shaded to help them last longer.
Make It!
Cut the top off your pumpkin so that you have a fairly wide opening near the center of your pumpkin. Scoop out the guts and make these addictive Roasted Rosemary Pumpkin Seeds.
Line the inside of the pumpkin with a sheet of plastic. This will hold some of the moisture in when you water the floral foam.
Cut a piece of floral foam with the knife to a size that will fit inside the pumpkin. Soak the foam in water while you prepare your flowers (soak it, don’t dunk it!).
Make sure to use wet flower foam, not dry flower foam.
Choose flowers with strong, straight stems that are freshly cut, either from the garden or a purchased bouquet.
Insert the floral foam into the inside of the pumpkin and create your arrangement. Start with flowers, then add leaves, berries, and other embellishments to create a full and interesting arrangement.
Use garden clippings to make it extra seasonal.
Items collected from the garden will shine in a new way when displayed in a pumpkin vase like this one I spotted at Vancouver florist Flowerz.
Save the top of the pumpkin for an extra unique arrangement.
You can even pop the top of the pumpkin like on this other creative arrangement. Hold it on with a piece of floral wire inserted into the floral foam (also from Flowerz).
Save the succulents once the pumpkin begins to decompose.
I even made up one with some tender succulents for my garden. As the weather starts to get cooler, the succulents won’t survive outdoors, so why not bring them in, plant them in a pumpkin, and enjoy them for as long as you can?
I didn’t use floral foam for the succulents, but instead filled the inside of the pumpkin with indoor potting soil. I do this for my outdoor pumpkins every year. You can see a whole bunch of them here.
Pumpkins don’t have to have all of the fun; this works well with gourds, too!
Pumpkin Flower Arrangements FAQ
How long do the pumpkins stay fresh?
It depends on a few factors, like how fresh it was to begin with and what the conditions are. But I would say a good estimate would be 1-2 weeks. Keep the pumpkins cool and away from sunlight to help them last longer.
How far in advance can I make these pumpkins?
Like all fresh flowers, they look best when freshly made, so I would try to make them no more than 1-2 days in advance. The arrangement should then look pretty for another 1-2 weeks, depending on the flowers and the temperature they are stored at.
More Ways to Use Pumpkins
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
If you want a simple, pretty way to dress up your home for the season, forage some pinecones and give them this easy makeover! Bleached pinecones can add a touch of woodland whimsy to any space in your home. Here’s how to make them in minutes!
Are you a squirrel? Do you pick up chestnuts, seed pods, and pinecones every time you go for a walk and add them to your collection? I certainly do, and pinecones are one of my favorites. They come in so many different shapes and sizes, from almost-round stubbies to giant oblong cones.
Pinecones are iconic natural items to use for seasonal decor, whether you adorn a wreath with them or simply display your collection in a pretty basket. Instead of painting or bedazzling them with glitter this year, try giving them a softer, weathered look by bleaching your pinecones!
This post will cover…
A regular vs a bleached pine cone. It’s quite the difference!
How to Make Bleached Pinecones
Bleaching pinecones requires very few supplies and is an easy project. Even so, it does take some time. When I started researching how I should tackle this process, I came across many people who said it didn’t work for them. Don’t worry, for the sake of crafting science, I will guide you on how to successfully bleach pinecones to use in your holiday decor!
Bleaching pinecones is simple, but it takes some time to let the process happen
Pinecones will turn various stages of white depending on how long you leave them in the bleach solution.
Make It!
It doesn’t matter what type of pinecones you use. I gathered several different species and sizes. Each species of pinecone will bleach differently. Also, bleaching them will not turn them totally white. They will become lighter, but not pure white. It’s more of a patina or weathered look (kind of like driftwood).
Different pinecones will turn white differently.
I used two parts water to one part bleach. It’s best to do this part outside or in a well-ventilated area because of the fumes. Make sure you are wearing clothes that you don’t mind ruining just in case you splash yourself with bleach water, and wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
Put the pinecones in a large bucket (I used a 5 gallon utility bucket). Fill the bucket with water first and then add the bleach. The cones will float. Push them back down into the bleach water and lay the bricks or stones on top. You might have to add another rock or two and tuck any floaters back under the rocks.
Let the pinecones sit in the bleach solution for 24 hours, but no more than that. I did a check after 12 hours or so and noticed some of my smaller pinecones were already whitish.
Pinecones close up when they are wet, so if you can’t see any change because they are closed, that doesn’t mean it’s not working. Let them sit submerged in the bleach water for the entire 24 hours for the full effect. Any longer than that, and the pinecones will start to deteriorate in some spots.
Use rocks to help weigh down your pinecones and keep them submerged in the bleach water.
After 24 hours, put on your gloves and work/craft clothes and remove the bleached pinecones. I laid them out on a large piece of paper outdoors so the fumes would dissipate. To dispose of the bleach water, I poured mine in a bathtub slowly, being careful not to let any twigs or dirt go down the drain.
Let them dry outside first to let the fumes dissipate.
Drying Pinecones
As they dry, the bleached pinecones will start to open up again. If it’s a sunny day, perfect! Leave them outside to completely dry. It can take a few days for them to fully open.
If you are in a hurry or have a stretch of wet weather, you can dry them in your oven. Set your oven to the lowest setting (it’s usually 170-200°F) and let the pinecones dry for a couple of hours. As soon as they are open, remove them.
As they dry, you will be amazed at the transformation! Once dry, bleached pinecones get a silvery sheen that makes them perfect for any holiday crafting. They are even pretty on their own, displayed in a tall vase or bowl. However you decide to use them, making bleached pinecones is a simple project that yields beautiful results.
Pinecones will open up and appear more white/silvery as they dry.
What to Do With Bleached Pinecones
And just look at what you can do with them! I made this wreath entirely out of bleached pinecones. Carefully store it, and you can use it year after year for your fall and winter decorating.
You can also make an outdoor decoration like this Simple & Elegant Natural Pinecone Swag. Combine it with fresh evergreens for a quick but beautiful seasonal decor.
You can also make some pinecone spheres. I used untreated pinecones for mine, but it would also look amazing with the bleached effect.
FAQs About Bleached Pinecones
UPDATE: After posting this originally, we got a lot of questions about bleached pinecones, so here are the answers to your bleached pinecone FAQs:
Will my pinecones smell like bleach?
Nope, not once they dry. Bleach dissipates quickly in the air, so although making the pinecones is a stinky process that should be done outdoors or with good ventilation, once they are dry, the bleach smell will go away.
What kind of pinecones should I use?
The results of this project will vary with different pinecones, and I suggest trying a bunch of different kinds until you get a final product that you like. In my experience, really fresh pinecones don’t take to bleach as well, and it’s best to use those that are older, dry, and fully open.
Is bleaching pinecones safe?
The final product is very safe, but as with any project that involves bleach, make sure to take appropriate safety precautions. Work in a well-ventilated area, and when you leave the pinecones to soak, keep them somewhere that will not be accessible to children or pets.
More Seasonal Decor Ideas To Try
How to Bleach Pinecones
Bleached pinecones are simple to make and can add a touch of woodland whimsey to any space.
Add pinecones to a large bucket.
While outside, or in a well-ventilated area, add 2 parts water to 1 part bleach to the bucket.
To keep pinecones submerged in the mixture, lay bricks or large stones over them.
Let the pinecones soak in the mixture for 24 hours. Then, use your gloves to gently remove the bleached pinecones and place them on a roll of paper to dry out and allow fumes to dissipate.
It may take a few days for the pinecones to dry naturally. If you need them to dry faster, set your oven to the lowest setting and let them dry for a few hours.
Debbie Wolfe is a mom of two rambunctious boys, wife, and work-at-home mom from Georgia. In her free time (when there is such a thing), she is in the garden or hidden away reading the latest post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama! As interests, Debbie is an obsessive crafter, home chef, and gardener. She is a freelance writer, blogger, and is a co-author and photographer behind the garden blog, The Prudent Garden; a collection of tips, crafts, and articles that highlight home gardening.
Everyone knows that ornamental gardens are gorgeous when they’re in full bloom, but you don’t normally think of how beautiful plants can be after their flowers are done. Learning how to dry and preserve flowers and seed pods allows you to have plenty of crafting materials for the cold season ahead.
At the end of blooming season, when plants have gone to seed, is one of the loveliest times. It’s this time of year when natural sculptures take shape in the garden in the form of seed heads, pods, and more. Seed heads come in so many different varieties, from the large sculptural spheres of alliums to tiny, delicate grasses, and they can be dried and preserved to use as attractive indoor decor.
As fall begins, I love to go out into the garden and collect as many seed heads, pods, stems, leaves, and flowers as I can to dry and display. Sometimes I make them into crafts, but often I simply pop a few seed heads as-is into a vase or glass jar and—presto!—I have an instant, artful arrangement.
Collecting flowers, leaves, stems, and pods from the garden now will give you a treasure trove of beautiful dried plants to craft with all year long. Read on to learn how to dry and preserve flowers as well as leaves, stems, and dried seed pods from your garden, plus some creative projects you can try with them. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you see how much beauty is left behind once the blooms fade.
Dried allium heads remind me of fireworks.
Drying Seed Heads
As with everything I do, I prefer the most natural possible option, so when I’m drying seed heads and flowers from the garden, I avoid artificial preservative sprays and glues. If you harvest your plants at the right time and dry them properly, they will still last a long time and look beautiful, no chemicals or stinky adhesives needed!
The flowers leave behind interesting seed pods and dried stalks, which are wonderful for crafts and dried arrangements. Don’t be too hasty with the pruners, as many species just dry in the garden and can be picked in mid-fall.
It’s a good idea to shake out any seeds so they’re not falling all over the place inside.
Don’t wait too long, either. You want to harvest seed heads once they have dried on their own, but before they begin to decompose or get mushy.
For more fragile plants like delicate decorative grasses, it is best to pick a collection of stems when they look their best in the garden, then dry them indoors.
Some flower pods and grasses look even better in bunches.
Chive seed heads. Most members of the allium family produce interesting dried pods.
How to Dry and Preserve Flowers
Harvest flowers in the morning for best results, as this is when the plant is most hydrated.
Choose flowers that are not entirely openyet. Almost all flowers will open more as they dry. You can also dry flowers that are open, but they shouldn’t have any signs of wilt, browning, or age. Flowers that are already at peak bloom may not dry as nicely.
For stalks of flowers, such as delphinium or winged everlasting, harvest the stems once the first few flowers are open.
Hanging flowers upside down ensures the stem stays straight and firm.
Dry flowers by first removing the foliage and then grouping them into bunches and hanging them upside down in the open air, away from the rain or indoors. Some flowers hold their colour better if you dry them in a dark place and keep them away from windows to avoid sun bleaching.
Hydrangeas must be clipped when already beginning to dry on the shrub, then placed in water.
Good Flowers for Hang Drying
Pressing Leaves and Petals
To preserve tender leaves and colourful petals, harvest them at their peak of colour and place them on the pages of a thick book under weights. Telephone books are ideal (if you still have those!) as the paper in them is absorbent and provides lots of space to dry the flowers.
If you want to protect the pages of the book, slip some printer paper or watercolour paper (it’s extra absorbent) on top and below the flower.
I have tried plant presses, but store-bought ones only hold a small number, so if you like, you can make your own bigger one using this tutorial. As you can imagine, you can press many specimens in the pages of a phone book.
Avoid pressing thick, juicy flowers and foliage as it is more likely to mould than to press well.
To make cards for the winter holidays or for many other uses, such as thank-you notes, birthdays, and for craft fairs or gifts. This one is from my book Garden Made.
This card features ginkgo leaves.
To make herbal tea sachets or scented sachets from herbs and sweet scented flowers to tuck into drawers and cupboards.
Lavender buds are my favourite for providing a floral scent.
This fresh lavender is easy to work with and then dries beautifully.
Preserve pressed flowers in all kinds of resin moulds, such as these coasters.
Pressed flowers and foliage also work wonderfully in candles when pressed against the side. They’re a safe way to include dried flowers in candles.
And to make bouquets from dried flowers for winter use. They have the wonderful quality of not requiring watering when we head out for warmer climes in the winter. My mother taught me the trick to buy beautiful pottery vases and make long-lasting floral gifts for autumn and winter parties.
Now go grab some clippers and head out to the garden for a treasure hunt. In the colder winter months, when the garden has been put to bed, you will be glad that you did!
More Tips for Harvesting Flowers
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
The best way to preserve the beauty of the garden is with a flower press. With just a few materials and tools, you can make a handmade flower press that looks as beautiful as it is functional.
You can certainly preserve flowers and leaves in a book, a method that works well and is explained in this article. For those of you who want to take your crafting to a whole new level, a flower press will give you the most pristine and perfect dried flowers to create your artwork.
Last summer, I grew violas for the first time. They are such pretty flowers, I decided on a whim to press some between a few heavy books. Those pressings turned into a favourite summer activity, and I soon had quite the collection of pressed flowers and leaves from my garden.
This year, as I plan my garden planting, I’ve also decided to prep for more pressings by making my own handmade flower press. Let me take you along and show you how you can make one too!
Colourful flowers often press the best as they retain their colour well.
Handmade Flower Press
Luckily, my grandfather has a woodworking shop, so I stopped by one afternoon and we made this flower press together.
Materials
2 pieces of wood of equal size
4 bolts
4 washers
4 wing nuts
Cardboard (or thin wood)
Watercolour paper (or white paper)
Additional Tools
Saw (or have your wood cut to size at your local hardware store)
Drill
Sandpaper
You can easily use recycled or scrap wood for this project.
Make It!
First, cut your wood to size (you can make your flower press any size you want!). I made mine approximately 8″x 10″. Then, with the two pieces of wood stacked together, drill a hole through each corner (all the way through both pieces of wood). Use sandpaper to smooth off any rough edges.
Note: Make sure to choose a drill bit that is the same size as your bolt. I recommend drilling a test hole (using a scrap piece of wood) and making sure the bolt slides through the hole easily.
Use sandpaper to smooth the rough edges of your cut wood.
Next, cut your cardboard to size. My grandfather happened to have a piece of very thin wood on hand, so we decided to use that instead. Cut your cardboard/wood slightly smaller than your 2 boards. Then cut off each corner so that it will fit inside the bolts.
Use a piece of the cut cardboard/wood as a guide for cutting the watercolour paper (or white paper) to size.
Cardboard between your paper helps to absorb moisture and keep things straight.
How to Use a Wooden Flower Press
To assemble the press, insert a bolt into each corner of the bottom piece of the press. Layer alternate pieces of cardboard, paper, and flowers or leaves inside the press. The number of layers you use will depend on how many flowers you are pressing.
Note: I don’t recommend using paper towels (instead of white paper or watercolour paper) as the texture of the paper towel will be imprinted into your flowers while pressing.
The number of layers you can have depends on how tall your bolts are.
Place the top piece of wood onto the press by threading the bolts through the holes. Add a washer to each bolt, then top with a wing nut, screwing each one down tight, creating even pressure. Your flowers still need some air flow to properly, so make sure the press isn’t too, too tight.
Create pressure and make it flat, but still allow air flow.
Let Your Flowers Dry In The Press For One Month
This part requires some patience. Allow your flowers to press for a full 30 days. I highly recommend checking on the flowers every week to ensure there is no mould. The thicker and juicier the flower, the more likely it is to mould.
Just be extremely careful because checking them, as pulling the layers can result in tearing or wrinkling your flowers!
Let the flowers dry fully for one month before you remove them from the flower press.
Expert Tips for Flower Pressing
Harvest flowers for pressing on dry days. The best time to collect flowers is mid-morning after the morning dew has dried.
Get your picked flowers into the press as soon as possible, before they start to wilt, and keep them out of direct sunlight.
Sort your flowers by type and then place them face down into the press. Grouping like flowers together is best because they will dry at the same rate.
Make sure the flowers do not touch each other in the press. Otherwise, as they dry, they will become stuck together forever.
When pressed properly, flowers retain their shape and colour well.
Decorate Your Plant Press
After my flower press was assembled, I decided to decorate the top with a botanical illustration I found in an old book. I used an X-Acto knife to carefully cut out the flowers. Once cut out, I sprayed the back with adhesive and placed it onto the press. Next, I coated it with a few layers of Mod Podge and gave it a final spray of clear acrylic sealer to give it some extra protection.
Customize your wooden flower press by adding your own illustration, painting, or collage.
Flower Press FAQ
What layers do you need in a plant press?
Each layer of your flower press should consist of a piece of cardboard, the white or watercolour paper, your pressed flowers and leaves, the white paper again, and another piece of cardboard. Keep stacking layers until your flower press is full, and add the wooden piece on top to seal it all in.
How do I press small flowers?
One hack to help press small flowers is to put them between two cotton pads (like the cosmetic ones) instead of paper. This helps them to hold their shape better and prevent the small petals from shrivelling up. Just make sure to use smooth cotton pads so there is no imprint on the flower petals.
What flowers are not good for pressing?
Anything thick and juicy will be difficult to press as it retains too much moisture during the drying process. Unfortunately, this means that plants like dahlias, roses, tulips, mums, lilies, and more are difficult to press without the flower moulding. Many people suggest disassembling the flower petals and reconstructing the “flower” after all the petals have been pressed.
White flowers will also tend to turn yellow or brown in the press, but you can have success with them. Just make sure to press a few extras and see what turns out!
Use Your Pressed Flowers in These Crafts
Rachel Beyer is an artist, designer and creative maker living in Portland, Oregon. She spends her days working at Molly Muriel Apothecary and blogging at Adventures In Making. Her favorite hobbies include cooking, gardening, and crafting.
I’m always looking for ways to keep my house and myself smelling fresh and clean. These herbal drawer fresheners are an easy way to use the herbs from my garden to keep my clothes smelling fresh and clean…no matter how long they’ve been tucked away!
These herbal drawer fresheners keep folded laundry smelling fresh. They are simple to make, which is good because you will want to make plenty of them!
These drawer fresheners are made from the thrifted wool sweaters that I felted originally to make tea cozies. You can also use fabric, but with the felted wool, you can needle felt initials on the sachet for a personalized touch.
Package up a few monogrammed drawer fresheners for a handmade gift idea that anyone would love! Here’s how to make them!
I monogrammed mine, but you can do any kind of design on them!
What Types of Dried Herbs to Use
I used herbs from my garden that I dried over the growing season: lavender (both the flower buds and leaves), mint, and rosemary. Use whichever herbs you love the best from your own garden, a shop, or even the inside of an herbal tea bag. Here are a few more ideas of what you can add to a drawer freshener:
Hunt through your spice cabinet for dried spices such as cinnamon, star anise, fennel, and cloves.
Use dried flowers petals like rose, calendula, and peony which remain fragrant when dried but are often times more useful in natural beauty recipes and potpourri where their beauty isn’t hidden away.
Cedar chips are said to keep moths away and have a pungent aroma that keeps clothes fresh.
Or skip the herbs altogether and fill them with rice scented with essential oils.
Whatever you decide to use, think about how you want your clothes (and your family wearing the clothes) to smell.
Just make sure the herbs are dried! You can’t put in fresh herbs, or they will mould.
How to Make Herbal Drawer Fresheners
These are quite simple to make, using recycled materials and herbs you already have in the house. Yet, they can be the perfect personalized gift for a loved one.
Materials
Make It!
Felted wool is bonded more closely, making it easier to sew.
Cut the fabric into 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch squares. I felted wool because it doesn’t fray when it’s cut—a big time saver when sewing. You will need two squares per sachet. Take a look at How to Felt Wool to learn how to felt thrift store sweaters.
I sewed mine together with a sewing machine, but these are small enough that you can do them by hand.
If you want to add a design to the felted wool, it’s best to do so before you sew. Again, I like to use wool because it’s easy to add a pretty design or monogram with a felting mat. Check out No-Sew Mug Cozy tutorial to see how to use a felting mat.
Leave an opening to add in the herbs.
Use a funnel to help get the herbs in the wool sachet.
Pin two squares together and sew a 1/4 hem around three sides. When you get to the fourth side, leave an inch-long opening in the middle of the fourth side. Back stitch on both sides of the opening to reinforce.
Using a funnel or spoon, fill the square with the dried herbs. You don’t need to stuff it until it bulges, just until it’s full and no herbs are spilling out of the opening.
Once filled, sew the opening closed on the sewing machine.
Don’t fill them too full, as you still need to close them and don’t want them to bulge.
How to Use
Add these fragrant drawer fresheners to your kids’ sock drawers, your husband’s gym bag, or a linen closet: anywhere that can use a boost of herbal freshness!
They also make wonderful gifts. Sew up a few extra for stocking stuffers, housewarming gifts, or bridal shower favours. Wherever your decide to put them, they will be a lovely reminder of a summer garden’s bounty every time you smell them.
FAQ About Herbal Drawer Fresheners
How can I make a no-sew version?
If you don’t want to sew these, you can use seam tape to secure the fabric together. You can also forgo the fabric altogether and use small drawstring linen bags. These also make refreshing the herbs easier.
How do I felt wool?
It’s quite easy to do! I just do it in the washing machine with an old pillowcase. You can follow my steps and instructions in this post.
How long do the herbs last?
My herbs last for about six months to a year until they begin to lose their fragrance. To refill them, take a seam ripper to make a small hole to empty the old herbs and put in new herbs. Then just sew it closed, and you’re good for another six months!
