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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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Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

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Rainer Maria Rilke exclaimed, “It is Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” Truer and more beautiful words are rarely spoken. Yes, Spring is indeed here again, and it seems like the earth is more than willing to share with us her good gifts of flowers, rain, fresh air, and the vibrant colors we so missed in Winter.

Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Spring

Nature is readying itself as the fullness of Spring approaches; should our homes be any different? With just a few minor changes, your home can rival the beauty of any Spring flower. Consider the following ways to ready your home for Spring:

Replace heavy for light, dark for bright – After months of Winter’s heavy wools and flannels, no doubt you are more than ready for the lightness of muslin, linen and other Spring-friendly materials. Such fabrics are best chosen in delicious shades that mimic the soft beauty of nature. Toss a brightly colored throw across your couch, lay cheery pillows on your bed, and place fluffy pastel towels in your bathroom for a cheap and easy home makeover.

Display fresh flowers – Fresh flowers; what other two words evoke remembrances of the fragrance of freshly cut lilacs, the lemony yellow hue of new daffodils, and the silky feel of tulip petals? A simple vase of fresh flowers on your kitchen table is a powerful reminder that Spring has arrived with Summer on its heels. A milk bottle full of daisies would also make a charming addition to any bedside table. When it comes to decorating with flowers, the sky is truly the limit, so be creative and fearless.

Serve fresh produce – This Spring, fill your meals with fresh produce, the ultimate feast for the senses. To optimize your health, choose mostly local produce. And, don’t forget that smoothies are perhaps the best Springtime treat of all.

Open doors and windows – Trade Winter’s doldrums for Spring’s delights simply by opening up your doors and windows. This simple act airs out your home and invites Spring’s presence inside. Don’t forget to “clean your windows – inside and out — it’s likely they’ve picked up some dirt and grime during winter, and the cleaner your windows are, the more natural light will get in.”

Display some Spring-themed art – A well-placed Spring-themed picture can totally change the atmosphere of a home, so be sure to change out your wall art. (If you enjoy creating seasonal art, check out our digital paint-by-number daffodil pattern set; it is perfect for Spring!)

Is your home ready for Spring? How do you prepare your haven for this dearly beloved season? Share your comments with us today.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Welcome Spring with a Freshly Painted Front Door

Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring

Coloring Each Season with Healthy Food

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

Segmation

Join us on FacebookSegPlay® Mobile iTunes now available for iPhone and iPad

www.segmation.com

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