Flowers stand as one of the most cherished tokens of affection, most especially on Valentine's Day.
However, their beauty often proves to be transient, and is often discarded once the petals of the flowers droop and fade.
But with a touch of care and the right techniques, these floral treasures—along with the sweet memories they come with—can be preserved.
For the sentimental girlies and guys, there are ways to preserving these flowers. But before exploring these methods, they need to be dried first.
HOW TO PRESERVE FLOWERS
DRYING
The primary method is through drying, and there are two effective techniques to achieve beautiful results.
The first method involves air drying: trim the excess stems of the flowers, then hang them upside down with a hanger.
Allow them to dry for one to two weeks, adjusting the duration based on the size of the flowers.
Alternatively, silica sand can be utilized. Place the flowers in a container along with silica sand, which absorbs moisture without altering the form or color of the flowers.
For TikTok creator @mgrannn, this is the best way to preserve the flowers.
The second technique is dry pressing.
After trimming the flowers, arrange them or their petals between parchment paper, and place them within the pages of a thick book.
Leave them to dry for a few weeks.
FLORAL CRAFT IDEAS
Once these flowers have been dried, here are four craft ideas to preserve them and find them a new purpose.
1. Laminate.
One of the easiest craft ideas for dried flowers is to laminate them, according to TikTok content creator @khylaviee, who tried it on flowers in August 2023.
Simply place a dried flower or petal between two sheets of laminating film and apply heat.
If you don't have a laminating machine, you can achieve the same result by placing the film with the flowers between two sheets of paper and using a clothes iron to apply heat.
Once laminated, you can transform these preserved flowers into bookmarks or simply display them as decorative pieces.
To those planning to make one, an A4-sized laminating film is available on Lazada for PHP240.
There are also laminating films available on Shopee ranging from PHP110 to PHP330 depending on their size.
2. Frame it.
Another method is to frame the dried flowers. Place them in a shadow box frame, and personalize them further by adding your polaroids or photos.
You can then display the framed flowers as a decorative piece or a part of your home decor.
This Nordic-style, double-sided acryllic shadow box frame is available on Lazada for PHP154.68.
Meanwhile, this single-sided acrylic shadow frame is available on Shopee for prices ranging from PHP118 to PHP185, depending on its size.
3. Turn them into art.
Those who are artistic can easily transform their flowers into works of art.
TikTok content creator @littleelmcreative shared this tip on her account.
First, arrange dry-pressed petals on a canvas, then carefully glue them together. Take caution as these petals are delicate.
Once completed, you can paint on the canvas, express yourself through art, and then display it as a decor in your home.
For those in need of canvases, you can find them on Lazada at prices ranging from PHP28.30 to PHP161.99, depending on the size.
4. Make a potpourri.
You can repurpose your dried flowers by creating a potpourri, which is a mixture of dried petals and spices placed in a bowl or small sack to perfume clothing or a room.
Following the suggestion of TikTok content creator @sarahgavilla, place them in a mason jar. Then add a few drops of your favorite scents.
To those looking for options for the jar, try the Famco glass jars available for PHP175 - PHP195 on Shopee.
