5 Simple DIY Ideas Using Preserved Flowers

Preserved flowers have slowly become one of the more versatile craft materials available. Unlike dried flowers, which tend towards brittleness and muted colour, preserved flowers retain their texture and vibrancy for months (and many times, stretching into years) with no watering, wilting and maintenance. 

If you have a bunch sitting at home and are not sure what to do with them beyond putting them in a vase, here are five ideas to get you started. If you stay on, you will also find two workshops where the materials, guidance and finishing touches are all taken care of for you.

1. A Resin Keepsake

Casting preserved flowers in clear resin is one of the most satisfying DIY projects for beginners because the results look considerably more polished than the process deserves.

Pour a thin base layer of resin into a silicone mould—a coaster, a paperweight shape or a small dish—allow it to partially cure, then press your flowers face-down into the surface before pouring the final layer over the top. The flowers suspend mid-resin with a depth that pressed flower frames rarely achieve. Coasters made this way are functional, genuinely attractive and make considered gifts.

2. A Framed Botanical Display

A simple shadow box or deep-set frame transforms a handful of preserved flowers into wall art that holds up over time. Arrange stems, individual blooms and foliage against a plain background (cream linen, dark card or watercolour paper all work well) and secure them with a small amount of floral adhesive before sealing the frame. The key is restraint: negative space does more compositional work than filling every corner, unless you are going maximalist. A single stem of preserved pampas grass against a dark background is often more striking than a crowded arrangement.

3. Flower-Pressed Candles

Attaching preserved flowers to the exterior of a pillar candle produces an effect that looks elaborate but takes under 30 minutes. Warm the candle surface slightly with a heat gun or hair dryer until it becomes tacky, press individual petals or small blooms directly onto the surface and seal with a thin layer of mod podge or decoupage medium. The flowers adhere flush to the wax, giving the finished candle a botanical, studio-made appearance. Use unscented candles with a wide diameter for the most forgiving surface to work on.

4. A Dried Flower Mirror

A plain mirror, even the kind sold inexpensively at most home stores, becomes a beautiful decorative piece with a border of preserved flowers glued around the frame. Work in sections, layering larger blooms first and filling gaps with smaller florals and foliage. Eucalyptus, baby’s breath and preserved roses are a reliable combination for this project given their varied scale and texture. Hot glue works fastest, but floral adhesive gives a cleaner finish if you are prepared to hold each piece in place for a few seconds. The result is the kind of thing that photographs well and looks expensive against a white wall.

5. A Wax Sachet

Wax sachets are flat, fragrant discs made from a mix of soy wax and essential oils, with preserved flowers pressed into the surface before the wax sets. They are used in drawers, wardrobes and gift wrapping as a botanical alternative to synthetic air fresheners. To make one, melt soy wax flakes and stir in your chosen essential oil. Lavender, rose and ylang ylang all complement floral arrangements naturally. Pour into a shallow silicone mould, arrange your preserved flowers on the surface while the wax is still liquid, then add a ribbon loop before it sets completely. Once cooled, the sachet holds its scent for several months and looks handmade in the best possible sense.

Bonus: A Preserved Floral Wood Frame

If the framed botanical display in tip two appeals but you want a more structured, guided version of that experience, our Preserved Floral Wood Frame Workshop is exactly that. Working with a curated selection of preserved roses, wildflowers, foliage and moss, participants arrange their own composition inside a wooden frame under instructor guidance, covering everything from material handling and trimming to final styling. You take home your creation the same day, built with newly acquired material knowledge that makes the DIY projects above considerably easier to execute afterwards. 

Sessions are priced at $55. Book here.

Also Worth Exploring: The Preserved Floral Garden Workshop

For those drawn to something more organic and three-dimensional, our Preserved Floral Garden Workshop takes the same preserved flower principles and applies them to a bowl arrangement. Here, you layer roses, wildflowers, hydrangeas and mosses into a compact, garden-like composition. It shares the same hands-on format and instructor-led structure as the wood frame session, with the added tactility of working with moss and varied bloom heights to create something that feels almost alive despite requiring no water whatsoever. 

Priced at $48, it is a natural companion session to the wood frame workshop, and many participants end up doing both. Book here.

Browse available dates for more workshops at J2 Terrarium.