How to Make Pressed Flower Lanterns

These pressed flower lanterns are the perfect addition to a warm summer’s eve. They are easy and cost almost nothing to make, plus you can use them to preserve your favorite summer flowers even after the blooms have passed. A warm, gentle glow makes these perfect for a backyard party, or a quiet evening alone under the stars.

To make your lanterns you will need flowers, leaves, grasses or other flora that can be pressed. You’ll also need a few sheets of standard printer paper and some tissue paper as well as rubber balloons, a paintbrush and a cup of flour.

To create your lanterns you will first need to press the flora you plan to use on them. You can use anything that can be pressed fairly flat. Stiff items like twigs and sticks won’t work. Begin by laying a piece of clean paper on top of a sheet of cardboard. Place your plants on the piece of paper, making sure they don’t overlap or touch one another. Lay another piece of paper on top of the flowers, and another sheet of cardboard above the paper.

If you need to press more flowers, repeat the process by stacking cardboard, paper, flowers, paper and cardboard until all the flowers are in the stack. Finish by placing a stack of heavy books on top of the pile. Leave your flowers for about a week, then carefully disassemble the stack and gently peel the flowers off the paper.