Category Archives: flower

Make Your Own Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Would you agree that there is something enchanting about pressed flowers? They dazzle the eye with vibrant color and exquisite detail, all the while evoking gentle feelings of nostalgia. Perhaps best of all, pressed flowers cost nothing.

Preserve Your Favorite Spring Flowers by Pressing Them

Do you love flowers? Do you hate to see things go to waste? Are you great at crafting and making things beautiful? If so, our pressed flower jewelry box project is for you. It is the perfect Springtime craft, and also makes a thoughtful gift.

Before you begin making your jewelry box, gather the needed materials:

Small wooden box
2 pieces of white paper
Acrylic paint (your choice of color)
Small paintbrush
Elmer’s glue
Several blooms of your favorite Spring flower (small blooms work best)
Krylon anti-UV clear acrylic sealer (comes in a spray can)
A hardback book

Altogether, these materials should be very inexpensive.

Directions for Making Your Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Once you have gathered your materials, you are ready to get started making your pressed flower jewelry box. Follow these directions to get a beautiful result:

Carefully place your live flower blooms onto one piece of white paper; do not let the blooms overlap. Open your hardback book and place the white sheet loaded with blooms into it. Cover the blooms with the other sheet of white paper and close the book firmly. Now comes the hard part: leave the book alone for at least a week; this is how long it takes for the flowers to become thoroughly pressed and dried.

In the days you are waiting for your flowers to dry, paint your wooden box with the acrylic paint you chose. You may need to apply 2 coats of paint. White is the perfect showcase color for your vibrant pressed flowers. Allow box to dry totally.

After the week long period, open the hardback book and carefully remove the dried flowers with tweezers. They will be as thin as tissue paper, so be very gentle.

Using tweezers, arrange the pressed flowers into a design of your choice on top of the box. Be as creative as you desire. Remember, this is your creation!

After your flowers are arranged atop the box, carefully lift each dried bloom and dot tiny amounts of school glue (use a toothpick to do this) on the backside of the flowers. Then, lay the flowers on the box and gently press down on them. Do this until all your dried flowers are glued in place. Let arrangement dry.

The last step is to spray your completely dry craft with Krylon clear acrylic sealer. Be sure that the top of your jewelry box is open when you do this; otherwise, the spray will glue the box’s lid shut. You may want to spray another coat of sealer after the first coat is dry. Allow box to dry. Your Springtime pressed flower jewelry box is now finished and ready to be enjoyed!

We would love to see your finished product. Please share a photo of your Springtime craft with us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/segmation).

Is there a specific craft you love to make that uses pressed flowers? Please share with us in the comments section below.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Paint by Number – The Original DIY Project

Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring

Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

Be an Artist in 2 minutes with Segmation SegPlay® PC (see more details here)

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Communicate Your Feelings Through Flowers

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Flowers are perhaps the most perfect gift, graciously supplied by the earth. The mere sight of one’s favorite flower can soothe frazzled emotions, stoke the fires of new love, and rekindle feelings of hope. Flowers are living works of art that remind us that life is worth living. It would serve anyone well to learn more about flowers.

Read on to discover what types of flowers may be most meaningful to your loved ones (or yourself) on a special occasion or just an ordinary day.

Let the Flowers Do the Talking

Before you choose a type of flower to give to your loved one, ask yourself what you’d like to communicate to him or her. Whatever the sentiment is, flowers can express it. For example:

Love – There is no better way to express love than with classic, exquisite roses. Though typically associated with romance, roses are not just for lovers. Yellow roses are often exchanged between dear friends. Red roses are the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat. If you’re looking for something out-of-the-box, ask your florist for tie dyed roses.
Purity, Beauty, Innocence – Daises are often equated with innocence and youthfulness; they are an ideal gift for a young girl, a high school graduate, or a free spirit of any age. A bouquet of daisies can minister feelings of carefreeness and youthful exuberance.
Style, Class – Lilies, particularly Casablanca lilies, communicate that you see your loved one as beautiful, stylish, and one-of-a-kind. Its amazing fragrance makes this type of flower even more perfect.
Luxury, Strength, Beauty – Orchids are the best flower to give to someone you deeply value. Most people liken orchids to costliness and rarity. Katie Pavid of the Bristol Post explains, “During the Victorian era, orchid symbolism shifted to luxury, and today this sense of magnificence and artful splendor continues, with orchids representing rare and delicate beauty.” A gift of orchids will be long remembered.
Fascination – You might not know it, but carnations can effectively express fascination, making them a great gift to be sent by a secret admirer.

Colors Change the Meaning of Flowers

The color of a flower has the ability to alter or totally change the message you wish to communicate to the flower receiver. For example, giving your loved one pink flowers will communicate that you admire her femininity. White would highlight the receiver’s purity. Purple speaks of the high regard you hold your loved one in, and red represents romantic love and passion. Ralph Waldo Emerson exclaimed, “The earth laughs in flowers.” This lovely statement reminds us of the joy flowers can bring, and the simple power they possess to touch hearts and express sentiments. What is your favorite flower, and what color do you prefer? When was the last time you received a breathtaking bouquet of nature’s art? Share with us in the comments section below.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color: Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring Sunflowers are Summer’s Glory Roses May Smell the Same, but Colors Make a Difference

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Sunflowers are Summer’s Glory

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Are you enjoying the act of gardening this summer? Do you like to water plants, till soil, and watch flowers sway with a warm breeze? What does your garden have growing in it this time of year?

Sunflowers are a main attraction in many yards. Helianthus (as they are scientifically known) seem to catch everyone’s attention. They are popular because of their unique appeal. The flower is commonly associated with happiness because of its unusual height and brilliant color.

The tallest growing flower, with potential of reaching between 8 and 13 feet, is a summer favorite in North America and throughout the world.

Cheer Up Your Garden

Has this summer inspired you to add more color to your life? If yes, consider cheering up your garden with sunflowers.

There are many types of sunflowers you can plant. Some grow taller than a person and develop bright yellow blooms the size of dinner plates. Others come in shades of orange and red.

With tall stems and large, colorful blossoms, sunflowers are known to be useful too. They can create a natural fence to block a neighbor’s unsightly yard and distract from the view with pops of color.

Why Plant Sunflowers

Sunflowers are native to North America but can be found all over the world now. They are easy to maintain and can begin growing within six months of planting seeds. In addition, seeds can be planted up to 100 days before freezing temperatures strike. Any seeds that fall on fertile soil (as this is important for sunflowers) may surprise you by shooting up quickly next spring.

When autumn begins to sweep in, you can cut the head of the flower off a few inches down the stem. Hanging it up in an airy place to dry will produce many seeds. You can gather the seeds and use them for cooking or save them to plant the following year.

Interesting Facts about Sunflowers

Sunflowers are not only a beautiful addition to any garden, they are also interesting. There are many surprising facts about sunflowers. Wet your curiosity with these four truths. Then, learn more by reading this blog:

A single sunflower is made up of thousands of flowers joined together- each pedal represents one flower.
Sunflower heads track the sun, which is correctly known as heliotropism.
Sunflowers are the national flower of Russia.
The tallest sunflower grew to be over 25 feet tall.

Sunflowers are summer’s glory. There are many ways you can express your creativity this season, and many mediums that allow for artistic expression. Gardening can be a canvas to those who like to be outside in nature.

Yard work does not seem very artistic at times, but think about it this way: no two gardens are the same. By all means, get outside and create your unique art garden this summer.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Gardening:

Garden Art Knows No Limits

Where Urban Life Meets Natural Art

Tulipmania Art

Be an Artist in 2 minutes with Segmation SegPlay® PC (see more details here)

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