Herbarium - Dried Flowers in Oil: It's like bottling feelings but in like a good way.
I recently came across these Japanese herbariums online. They're dried flowers preserved in oil to be displayed! I just loved their esthetic so much I wanted to recreate one for myself. Theirs just something that gives them whimsical charm and beauty as the sunlight shines through the glass and illuminating the petals. My favorite part about this project was taking dried flowers from weddings, funerals, or special occasions and taking something dead and giving it a near life! It's like bottling feelings and displaying them for all to see.. but like in a good way! They're actually very simple to make if you'd like one yourself!
What you'll need:
baby oil
a jar or bottle with a lid
If you don't have any dried flowers you can go pick some and let them dry hanging upside down for a few weeks. If that's too long you can also check your local craft store or go online!
How to make your herbarium
First start by adding flowers to your jar. If they're bigger be sure to take your time slipping them into the bottle so they don't break. If the flower is too big you can try making it smaller by removing some of the petals or simply adding petals to the bottle for color. you can use tweezers or a long object like a stick or pencil to move things the objects into place.
Once you're happy with the flower arrangement add the baby oil. Slowly squeeze it in to avoid spilling or moving the flower arrangement around too much.
Once you're done add the cap to the bottle.
Lastly you can decorate the bottle however you like. I added string or paper to mine to help hide the ugly cap.
I hope you enjoy making yours! Feel free to tag me on social media to see how it turned out!
If you don't have any flowers and would like to order some online this Dried Flower Kit a great option on amazon! This flower kit provides lots of flowers in a variety of shapes and colors.
PRO TIP: If you use a cork stopper be careful. The oil can be absorbed by the cork and seep out. If you use a cork I recommend leaving a little bubble of air at the top or use a hot glue gun to cover the bottom of the cork as a barrier between the cork and the oil. A screw on lid is the best choice to avoid mess.
Colors can fade overtime especially with exposure to sunlight. It'll still keep its beautiful shape but turn into a beautiful beige color after months or years.
The story behind my bottles
This purple flower one I made for a friend who's wedding I was in. I dried the bouquet I was given and then used an old ranch bottle to make it into something beautiful. It brings me a lot of joy!
(PRO TIP: Sometimes using glass bottles from food is great because once you take the label off the jar or bottle is often blank instead of it saying MASON over the front and blocking the flowers)
This other bottle with pink flowers is made with the flowers from my grandma's funeral. I kept the flowers as a reminder of her but it made me sad to see the flowers dry up as I grieved, and I didn't know what to do with them other then keep them around. When I showed my mom the herbarium idea her first reaction was she wished she had some flowers from her moms funeral to make one. Little did she know I saved mine so I still can! I think she'll like it when I surprise her later and we can look it with teary eyed smiles together. My grandma a was always a resourceful woman. She could reuse and never waste anything. I think she would have love it if she got to see something sad or mundane recycled into something beautiful.
