The Most Stunning Way To Preserve Dandelions For Whimsical Decor

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Anyone else remember blowing on a dandelion puff to see which way the seeds blew? Before we grew up and started thinking of dandelions as an annoying weed that can also be a great fertilizer, these little white puffs were rooted in fun and whimsy.  By simply pressing the puff between two pieces of plastic and gluing it together with hot glue, you can preserve dandelions for whimsical décor in the most stunning way. You'll also recapture the magic of dandelions without spreading the seeds across your lawn.

Dandelion puffs are water-repellent by nature, but if you're concerned about mold, try pressing them before starting. Not sure how to press flowers and use them for décor? The book or iron methods are good places to start. For the book method, simply lay a piece of absorbent paper (think parchment or tissue paper) in a book, add the puffs, top it with another piece of paper, and close the book. Add more books on top to increase the weight. Check back in two to three weeks. The iron method is faster: Lay parchment paper over the puff, and with the iron at low temperature, press for 15 seconds at a time until the flower is dried, but be careful to not destroy the delicate puff.

To make this easy DIY — and reuse plastic fruit containers around your house — gather a marker, some dandelion puffs, scissors, a hot glue gun, a small metal ring, some acrylic paint, and your chosen container. Pick your dandelion puffs carefully (they're delicate), then make two circles on the plastic container. Cut the circles out, lay the dandelion flat on the bottom one, and gently press the other circle on top. Hot glue the edges closed, attach the metal ring, and let it dry. Add some paint to the edges — gold, white, or a green that matches the dandelion stem would be beautiful — and let it dry. Use suction cup hooks, like DSMY Suction Cup Hooks, or attach a ribbon to hang your preserved dandelion in the window.

The beauty of these preserved dandelions is they can bring a little whimsy to any area of your home. Simply tap a thin nail or picture nails, like Mr. Pen Double Headed Picture Nails, into the wall, then hang. Consider adding them to your home office décor to bring the outdoors inside, especially if you spend a lot of time at the computer. Or, bring a little cottagecore into your home by hanging them by your coffee station or your living room's gallery wall. 

This DIY is a fun way to preserve the whimsy of dandelions, but it can also be used for tons of different flowers. Are there any flowers to avoid preserving? Tropical flowers that are used to hot weather tend to retain more moisture, making them harder to successfully press.