By Jessica Ulassin of FlowerWood Farm, a small acreage in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They grow beautiful cut flowers for local residents and designers, as well as create unique floral arrangements for members of their community.
It’s November, which means it is time to start thinking about the holidays. If you are like me, you are always in search of the perfect holiday gift – something simple, yet unique and personal. This year, I’ve decided to gift pressed flower holiday ornaments to my friends and family using flowers from my garden. These ornaments are easy to make, so I recommend giving it a try if you have any flower or garden lovers on your gift list.
To make these ornaments, you will need:
- Cut Flowers – Thankfully, I thought of this idea before the blooms in my garden had faded, so I was able to cut flowers that I grew from seed. If you have missed your chance in your own gardens, feel free to grab some blooms at your local farmer’s market, supermarket, or flower shop.
- Flower “Press” – If you have an official flower press, that’s amazing, but it’s not necessary. I used a large version of Webster’s Dictionary, but really any stack of large books will do.
- Ornament Backing – You’ll need to have an ornament on which to mount your pressed flowers. I’m fortunate in that my husband has a 3D printer and enjoys designing things that I imagine, so for my ornaments, he printed a design that I requested. If you don’t have a 3D printer handy, don’t fret! There are other options. You can always find something at your local craft store, you can order the same ornament backings that I used from our FlowerWood Farm Shop www.flowerwoodfarm.com/shop/p/ornamentbackingset), or if you have a design in mind, but can’t find it anywhere, reach out to us at info@flowerwoodfarm.com to see if we can print it for you.
- Mod Podge and a paintbrush – This will attach and seal your flowers to the ornament backing.
- Ribbon – You’ll need something to hang your ornament with, so consider the size of the hole in your ornament backing when selecting your ribbon.
Making the Ornaments
- Select and cut the flowers from your garden that you would like to press. I recommend using “thinner” flowers such as snapdragons, cosmos, daisies, pineapple sage, or bachelor’s buttons over “thicker” flowers, such as dahlias. Consider the ornament backing you will use when selecting flowers to make sure the flowers will fit on your ornament.
- Press your flowers. If you are using a book like me, lay two pieces of card stock on the page, then lay your flowers flat. I place my flowers so they are facing down. I then continue to layer cardstock and additional flowers on top, making sure that none of the flowers overlap on each layer. Stack multiple heavy books onto the book containing your flowers and leave for 1-2 weeks, or longer (until flowers are completely dry).
- Once your flowers are pressed, place them onto the ornament backing and using a paintbrush, “paint” the flower on the ornament using the Mod Podge. To initially hold the flower in place, you may need to paint the area where you are placing the flower, set the flower, and then cover the whole surface of the ornament with the Mod Podge. Allow to dry.
- Tie your ribbon on your ornament backing, and that’s it! You have a cute, one of a kind, straight from the garden gift!
I hope you are encouraged to get creative with the flowers in your garden, but if this just isn’t your year and you have a flower lover that needs these in their life, I’ve got a few extras from the FlowerWood Farm garden that I’d love to share (www.flowerwoodfarm.com/shop). You can also just snag some for yourself if you want to bring a little of my garden into your home. Happy Holidays! Photo Credit: Jessica Ulassin
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