September 09, 2021
What To Do With Dried Flowers: Getting Creative with Leftover Blooms
It was a day to remember. The flowers you received were beautiful and you want to remember them forever. There is a way to make these blooms last as long as the memories will. Dried flowers can be used in fashion, decoration or even fragrance.We aren’t the only ones that think so. The history books tell us that the ancient Egyptians dried flowers and placed them in tombs of loved ones. Later, in the 16th century, the Japanese invented an art form known as Oshibana. They pressed flowers into washi paper to preserve the beauty and create expressive art. In this article we will walk you through the process of drying your favorite flowers. We will also give you some of our favorite ideas on how to use your newly dried treasures. By the end, you’ll have all the tools to keep your flowers forever.
What To Do With Dried Flowers
How To Dry Flowers For Decoration
BEFORE YOU DECIDE ON WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR DRIED FLOWERS, YOU NEED TO PROPERLY DRY THEM.
It could have been a wedding bouquet, a graduation gift, or simply a single sunflower, but in order to keep it from wilting you must dehydrate your buds. There are a few methods that work well for this. Here are the best two.
1. The Hang Dry Method
This is the easiest method but takes the longest. You’ll need the following items:
String or butcher’s twine
Sticks to tie your flowers and stems to
Scissors
A dry place to hang them
While you’re searching for those items, also make sure the location you choose is dark or has minimal light. Light dulls the color. Remove any leaves and stem length you don’t want included in your display. Then, tie the base of stems to your stick. Leave enough string length so that you can use the excess to hang the bundle upside down. Once you’ve tied your bundle to your stick, hang upside down in your dim environment. They will take about three to four weeks to fully dry. In this drying stage, they can be used as decoration but be careful not to expose them to much direct sunlight.
2. The Microwave Method
This takes a little more attention but produces results in a fraction of the time. Here are the things you’ll need:
Microwave
Silica sand
Microwave safe bowl
A cup of water (also in a microwavable glass)
Remove the leaves from the stems and trim so the flower will fit inside your bowl. Fill the bowl with another layer of silica sand then place your keepsake on top. Then delicately bury the flower in sand and place it in the microwave along with the glass of water. Microwave the flower on high for 30 second intervals. Repeat two to three times checking on your pedals in between. Once they have been through a few cycles, allow the flower or flowers to sit for 24 hours in the silica.
Home-made Potpourri
If your walls and halls are already filled with pictures and you had a particularly fragrant batch of flowers, consider turning it into a fragrance decoration. You’ll need:
Parchment paper
Essential oils (such as lavender or mint)
An oven
A decorative bowl
First, select fragrant colorful flowers. Roses, violets, pansies, sunflowers all make excellent ideas for your bouquet. Once you have selected your flowers, remove the pedals from the stems. Only pedals will be needed so carefully remove any excess leaves or non fragrant pieces. Then, select your fixative, also known as your dominant ingrained scent. Lavender sprigs and mint work well and are long lasting. Lay your flowers and fixative scent on a baking pan covered in parchment paper. Then place the flowers in the oven set at 250 Degrees for one hour. Once you have dried the flowers, the colors will change to much darker tones. Drizzle an essential oil of your choice. Lavender can be used to soothe, citrus to awaken and mint to freshen the scenes. Drizzle your oil of choice to your level of fragrance or dilute with water. Then, simply place the flowers in your decorative bowl and place them in an area you’d like to be filled with your homemade aroma.
Wreaths and Crowns
Whether it’s a seasonal wreath or a wedding headpiece, dried flowers make beautiful additions to any decorative circle. Though many people know them as crowns, the technical term for a circle of branches and flowers on a head or a door is a wreath. Adorning them can be tricky but here are a few tips. Grab either fishing line or hot glue. For most of us, hot glue is best. But if your sewing skills are on point, just thread your buds with the fishing line and sew the bud in the wreath. Tie the string and repeat. The hot glue can be used at the base of the flower. Place a small dap then use pressure to affix it to the branches. Hold for 6-10 seconds and release. Pairing your dried buds with a baby’s breath of lavender can really add a special touch.
Endless Dried Flower Possibilities with FTD
For some of us, saving the memory means saving the bouquet. If you’ve never tried drying flowers, we highly recommend giving it a go. Just remember there is no limit to your creativity. Dried flowers allow us to take a snapshot of a moment in time. It doesn’t matter how you use them, what matters is how the memory is made. Truth is, we aren’t just saving the flowers, we are trying to capture a feeling. A feeling we get so rarely. Pure joy. Holding onto that token of affection is as life affirming as it gets. Enjoy your crafting, and remember to stock up on fresh blooms at FTD.