Hey friends,
how are you? We’re still waiting for our little family member to join the tribe and I might be in the nesting mode, because all I want to do is decorate the apartment. Today I’m sharing a tutorial for a pressed flower art in a floating frame. I bought this frame a few weeks ago while we were grocery shopping and I promised my husband that this spontaneous purchase will turn into an amazing project. So here we go! Are you ready?
Supplies
You will need:
- Flowers or leaves
- Floating glass frame – I used one like this or this one, but you could also go for the honeycomb shape or a standing frame
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Parchment paper (or any other paper, really)
- Hot glue gun
- Flower press / microwave / thick books
The last one depends on your preferred method of drying flowers. I opted in for the quickest option with the microwave.
Step 1: Collect your flowers
First of all, collect your flowers and greenery for the project. Here are a few tips to keep in mind depending on where you get your greenery.
Collect wildflowers from around your house (or your garden)
If the season is right, there’s probably a lot of wildflowers and blooming trees in your area. They are a wonderful (and free!) crafting supply. I recommend taking a small pair of scissors with you to cut the flowers and speed up the process. A small bowl will also come handy to keep your hands free as you collect more flowers.
One thing to note: Make sure to scan every single flower for bugs before you come back home. I don’t know how about you, but I don’t like bugs hanging out at my apartment and bugs definitely like to hang out on flowers. Double-check the bottom of leaves as well.
Visit the local florist
You might want to pay a small visit to your local florist and get the flowers there. Make sure to ask if the florist has any seconds or not-so-perfect flowers in stock. If you plan on using single petals, it won’t really matter that the flower stem is slightly bent or the flowers is starting to wilt, so you can save the flowers from being thrown out. You might even get a good deal or get the seconds for free 🙂
Use what you already have
Maybe you have pressed flowers hidden in one of your books? Or maybe you were recently gifted flowers for an occasion and don’t want to throw them all out? This is a perfect opportunity to use what you already have at home!
Step 2: Dry the flowers
Cut the stems off your flowers. If you intend to just use the petals – separate those from each other.
If you’re a patient person, you can dry your flowers in between book pages or inside a flower press. I’m definitely not patient, so I’m using a microwave to dry my flowers fast.
To dry your flowers in a microwave, place them between two parchment paper sheets. Put them into the microwave and weigh down with a flat plate or a few glasses. Microwave for 30 seconds and check if the flowers are dry enough. If not, repeat for another 30 seconds. Do it until the flowers are completely dry. Make sure to do this in 30-second intervals (or shorter) to avoid burning your flowers.
Step 3: Arrange the flowers
Ok, this is going to take a while, so make sure to grab a cup of coffee or your favorite tea.
Open your frame and place the flowers how you’ll want them to be arranged. I’m a huge fan of symmetrical designs, so I made a kaleidoscope-like arrangement.
Use the hot glue to secure your flowers on the back of the frame. The big advantage of hot glue is that you can easily remove it from the glass once it’s cooled. Don’t worry if you used too much or if the flower is not where you wanted it to be – you can always wait until the glue cools and take it off.
Step 3: Clean up the glass
When the wall art is ready, you’ll want to clean your fingerprints off the glass. Start with the inside and once you’ve closed the frame, move on to the outside. If your glue gun left tiny webs on the glass, you can pick them up with the tweezers.
Step 4: Display
It’s time to display your artwork for everyone to see! I hung up the glass frame on our bedroom wall, but don’t feel limited to walls. There are many floating frames that can stand on their own. If your frame was particularly big, you can also lean it against the wall on the floor level.
Let me know below if you have any questions and don’t forget to tag #annagrundulsdesign or @annagrunduls in your finished projects! I can’t wait to see what you create.
Happy Crafting!
Anna
Hey! Just a great article
Thank you, Hanna! 🙂
Hey! Just a great article!
Hey Anna,
If I wanted to use the stem of the flower, how would you dry it? The same as the petals when you microwave it? Or would a book be better? Thanks!
Hey Brooke, it really depends on the flower type. Some stems are thin and work well in microwave, but if the stem is thick and “juicy”, I would go with the book or flower press 🙂
Where did you get the frame for this project??
Hi Liz, I bought mine in a local store that no longer sells them, but I linked a few alternative frames from Amazon in the post above. All of them will work great for this project 🙂
Wow! that is really cool diy art. I really want to try it. Perfect wall decor on my kitchen. Thanks for this idea.
You’re welcome! I’m sure you’ll have a ton of fun with this project 🙂
This is soo cute! Wonderful idea. When you glue the pressed flowers onto the glass with hot glue, is the glue visible or does it dry clear?
Hello Kate! If it hangs on the wall and the glue faces the wall, you can’t see it from behind the flowers. But if you hang it away from a wall, then yes, the glue will be visible on one side of the frame. If you’re looking to make a suncatcher, you might consider using Super Glue instead. If you make the glue dots really tiny, they will be barely visible, but they will hold the flowers in place.
The only downside to using Super Glue is that it dries really fast. Hot glue gives you the option to reposition the flowers if needed.
This looks really beautiful. Well done. Wish I have time or talent for such things.
Thank you Natalie! ❤️
Love, love, love this craft project post! I can’t wait to follow your instructions and make one for our home! These would make a great gift!
True! And just like plants, these look great in any space 🙂 I cannot wait to see your finished project! Feel free to tag me on social media when you post as @annagrunduls #annagrundulsdesign
this looks amazing. I have a lot of free time these days. So, I can try this out.
I’m sure you’ll love it! Let me know how it goes 🙂
I used to do this to the flowers I got from my relationships. It was such a great way to hold on to good memories.
I agree! It’s a great way to preserve some of the fresh flowers we get ????
I love trying DIY things, I will just need flowers then I am all done.
Yessss! Local florists can always use our support 🙂
Wow. Very nice! This looks like a perfect gift made out of love. <3
So true! I made one for our own bedroom, but this would be a perfect DIY gift for Mom. It lasts longer than fresh flowers and it’s refreshing, not cluttering 🙂
This is super creative. I love pressed flowers and have a few books I keep them in. Now I can use them for this piece of art.
Oh, that’s perfect then! Let me know how it goes 🙂 Feel free to tag me on social media, so I can feature you. It’s @annagrunduls and #annagrundulsdesign
These flower frames are absolutely adorable! Thank you for the “how-to” process as this would be a great project to do right now.
You’re welcome, thank you for checking in! It’s definitely a great project for these weird days and what a fun way to reconnect with nature while we’re all staying home right now.
DIY Pressed Flower Art in a Floating Frame is a good project! It’s very timely and it’s a good design to any home.
Thank you, Emman!
What a neat project. I haven’t seen one of these floating frames before. I would like to try this with my girls.
Thank you! I’m sure they’d love this project. This is a slow, but fun project to DIY at home 🙂
Wow superb. Great idea it would be a best gift to give someone very special.
Absolutely! And it will last much longer than a traditional bouquet of fresh flowers.
Wow! I love your idea! Spring stays with me all over the year
Thank you 🙂
I love this idea so much. It would make a beautiful gift for Mother’s Day!
Oh my God, yes! And it would last much longer than a traditional bouquet of fresh flowers ????
Love this design!! 🙂 Do you *have* to use a hot glue gun or will the flowers stay in place in between the frames on its own?
Thank you Nahya! It highly depends on your frame, but I suggest securing the flowers in place somehow. They will keep drying inside of the frame and even if they stay in place while you create the arrangement, they could get thinner over time and slide down. Double-sided tape could be an alternative to the hot glue though 🙂