Drying flowers in the microwave.

Hello everyone, on my latest card (http://trimgym.blogspot.com/2009/06/challenge-4-at-craft-challenge-shopping.html) I used some flowers that had been dried in the microwave. I wanted some flowers quick and thought this might be the way as I had heard it was possible. So, I just googled it and found this really helpful link http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/workshop/flowers.htm.

What it is basically is saying is this: (but it gives links to more advice on this as well)

These days, however, many blooms can be dried using a microwave oven.

Roses, geraniums, marigolds and zinnias are said to be very successful, however, that is not the case with petunias and impatiens. I suppose it is really a case of experimenting. Here a few pointers -

The final blooms will appear several shades darker than the original flowers.

It is best to gather the flowers in the late morning after the dew has dried off.

Obtain some silica gel crystals which are available from craft shops.

Line a microwave safe container with these crystals and heat on High for 3 minutes; this ensures the crystals are as dry as possible.

Place 1in/25mm of warm crystals into a heavy glass container making sure it is wide enough for the flowers you are drying.

Cut each flower stem to within 1"/25mm from the flower head.

Push each flower stem gently into the warm crystals so that they stand upright.

Gradually pour the remaining warm crystals down the side of the glass to completely cover the blossoms.

Microwave on High. Rosebuds will need about 1 minute 45 seconds but large, fleshy blooms will need 4 to 5 minutes. Once again it is really a case of trial and error in order to find out the optimum time for each species.

Cool for 20 minutes, then gently pour off the crystals. Clean the flower petals carefully ( a fine make-up or paintbrush is ideal for this purpose). Mist lightly with an acrylic spray.

The finished blooms can be taped to florists' wire to provide a stem for flower arrangements.

Click here for more information on drying flowers with silica gel

Go on, have a try - what have you got to lose - you may even surprise yourself

I did not really have any silica gel and didn't really want to go out and get some. I therefore experimented a little more. I thought, if it works with that it may well also work withwith dry, uncooked rice.

And it does!

So what I did was to put some rice in 2 separate all purpose cloths folded around it to make sure it would not spill out.

Then heated it in the microwave as suggested.

I found that the suggested time was too long for most small flowers, but it is possible to do it with those as well. The small and thin leaved flowers only need to be in for about 35 seconds. Then leave to cool as suggested, lift the top packet of rice (you put the flowers in between the 2 parcels) and remove the flowers carefully (they sometimes stick to them a little).

Voila! You have some freshly pressed/dried flowers that still are not fully flat and therefore give a, what I think, even nicer 3D effect. They also quite often still smell nice as well.

Hope this helps and I would love to see what you all do with the pressed flowers. Be careful though as they can be quite fragile.

Love,

Jo.