Try This: Pressed Flower Luminaria

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Photo By Thayer Allyson Gowdy

The following is an excerpt from "Weekend Handmade" by Kelly Wilkinson (STC Craft, 2011). The excerpt is from Chapter 2: Grow. 

Pressed Flower Luminaria 

These lanterns give off a soft, ethereal light, perfect for adding glow to outdoor gatherings or indoor suppers. They also show off dried flowers in a spare, modern way—pressed between gauzy panels made from wax paper. As twilight fades to night, the luminaria glow brighter and brighter.

Finished dimensions 

4½" (11.5 cm) cube

Materials 

Foraged flowers or foliage, such as ferns,
leaves, rock rose, and Queen
Anne’s Lace (see note below)
Wax paper
Japanese washi tape (paper tape)
Votive candle in glass holder or
battery-operated flameless LED
tealight candle
Paper towels
Heavy books or a flower press
Craft knife
Clear acrylic grid ruler
Self-healing cutting mat
Iron and ironing board

Note: Delicate leaves and flowers will dry faster than other types of specimens. Choose specimens that will allow a lot of contact between the sheets of wax paper so the sheets will adhere to each other.

Press Floral Materials 

Arrange freshly picked floral materials flat between two paper towels, and then place the paper towels between the pages of a heavy book or flower press. If using a book, stack other books on top to weigh down. Let dry completely. This will take a few days.

Make Panels 

1. Using a craft knife, cut four 9 x 4 ½" (23 x 11.5 cm) rectangles of wax paper.

2. Set iron to medium. When hot, place a flower or foilage on one side of the wax paper rectangle. You will fold the other half on top and seal to create a square panel, so arrange the flower or foliage within the rectangle accordingly. Keep in mind you can place the flower or foliage so it runs beyond the edge of the paper since you can trim after making the sealed wax paper square.