Make Long Term Use Out of Your Summer Flowers

Our summer annuals and perennials look great during the summer, but why not enjoy them throughout the year? By pressing your flowers and attaching them to a votive cup, you not only have a great decoration to use in your home (or share with a friend), you bring the beauty of nature indoors. Let’s get started...

Materials Needed
- Pressed Flowers/Leaves
- Votive Cup
- Tissue Paper
- Decoupage Solution
- Foam Brushes

Putting It All Together
The first step to this project is pressing your flowers. There are a couple of different ways to press flowers. Of course you could go to your local craft store and purchase a plant press, or you could opt for a less expensive method and gather a few items from around your home: cardboard, newspaper, tissue paper, a heavy book and a large brick. Learn more about pressing flowers.

Once your flowers are pressed, tear a piece of tissue paper into small pieces, making sure there are no straight edges (torn edges add to the overall look of the project). Next, cover the outside of the votive cup with decoupage solution and arrange the pressed leaves and flowers into a design you like (on the outside of the votive cup). Brush more decoupage solution over the leaves and flowers and lay the torn pieces of tissue paper all over the outside of the votive cup, making sure to overlap the edges. Keep adding tissue paper and glue until the entire outside of the votive cup is covered. Let dry and use. Viola! You have a very cool votive cup!

Have Fun!
Heather W.
Fairview Greenhouses & Garden Center