Flowers are beautiful works of natural art, and they are worth saving before they fade away. They can be dried whole, pressed between paper towels, or the petals can be removed and used in very creative ways. They often retain their vibrant colors, detailed designs and distinct fragrances.
I love flowers, and I plant a container garden every spring. I remove the heads of a few perfect specimens, and I carefully pluck off their petals. I dry the flower petals on paper toweling, and I find creative ways to use them in my home. I no longer have much time for crafting, but I am saving some of my beautiful flower petals for crafting and decorating my home in the following creative ways.
Flower Petal Works of Art
I enjoy creating works of art with dried flower petals and foliage. I recreate the beauty of live blooms using the dried flower petals along with acrylic craft paint. I begin by painting a background on a canvas board. After the background dries, I paint the centers of the flower blooms and stems. I recreate the natural designs and colors as closely as possible. After the paint dries, I apply the dried flower petals using clear drying craft glue. I carefully layer the petals around the centers and glue the leaves to the stems. The results are stunning.
Layer Flower Petals in a Clear Vessel
The natural colors of flowers are beautiful. Look closely. Some contain very tiny iridescent specks. Others are highly detailed. I also like to layer various colors and types in clear vessels. My favorite work of homemade tabletop art is a ten-inch tall cylindrical glass vessel filled with dried flower petals. I saved and dried the fine fringed petals of deep purple asters, iridescent violets, snow white daisies, sunny orange marigolds and tiny sky-blue forget-me-not flowers. It took a lot of careful plucking to harvest the smaller specimens, but it was worth the effort. I layered them color by color in the clear glass cylinder, and they look fantastic.
Use Flower Petals to Decorate Plain Pillar Candles
Plain pillar candles can be visually boring, even the fragrant variety. When looking for creative ways to use dried flowers, I discovered a way to combine petals and candles. I used the wax from an old hollowed-out candle to decorate a new one. I lit the old candle to create a pool of melted wax, and I used the wax to apply dried flower petals to the sides of a new candle. The flower designs looked lovely on the sides of the plain cream colored candle, especially when it was illuminated.
Save some of your perfect specimens each spring, summer and fall, and dry them using the easy directions in the article entitled Dry Flowers in the Microwave with Silica Gel. Dried flowers are gorgeous, and their parts can be used in countless crafts and home decorating projects. They look far better than the silk variety, and they are far more versatile.
Source: Personal and Professional Home Decorating and Crafting Experience
