4 DIY Wildflower Projects

Since moving to California I have fallen in love with flowers and have wanted to have them in my home to brighten up the space. However, purchasing flowers frequently can add up and using fake flowers does not give you the same feeling. So I came up with 4 DIY's to brighten up your home with wildflowers! The best part is that you can do these for FREE!

The first step for all of these DIY's is the same. You need to collect wild flowers. 

There are a few key things you need to think about when collecting wild flowers.

First, be careful of where you are collecting them. Avoid wildlife preserves and other places where taking items is prohibited.

Second, you should have a basic understanding of poisonous plants and be careful to avoid them as well.

Third, be conscious of the amount of flowers you're taking. Only take what you need. If the area looks disturbed, you have taken too many. It is important to preserve nature for others to enjoy.

Fourth, consider collecting your wildflowers from different locations in order to acquire the best variety of flowers.

Fifth, it goes without saying but to be clear don't take flowers from people's yards or property.

The second step is to dry out and press your flowers. 

Note: Although this looks pretty I recommend using a book that has more absorbent paper. This book had a glossy texture that didn't dry out the flowers very well. I also don't recommend using a book that you wouldn't want to get stained.

Above is an example of a more absorbent paper. For most of these projects you will want to dry out the flowers for at least 24 hours.

For the frames I collected old certificate frames that we had around our apartment. You know, the kind of thing you hold onto but aren't sure why. Luckily, we had several that perfectly matched.

1. Wildflower Wall Art

I love the way these came out. 

The first thing you want to do is lay out your flowers and leaves.

I tried out a few different patterns on white paper to see what arrangements I liked. There are no rules so try as many patterns as you like. 

Once you settle on a pattern. Place your glass on top of the arrangement you've chosen. Lifting the paper, carefully flip over the flowers and transfer them to the glass. A few of the flowers may have slightly moved position. Re-adjust as needed. Another option is to glue the flowers in place. I chose not to and the flowers stayed in place just fine. 

Originally, I used a cardboard backing to give texture. However, I decided in order to get a better pop of color from the distance white would be a better background and I switched it out. If I had glued it down that wouldn't have been an option.

2. Leaf Wall Art

This project was so easy!

First lay out your leaves. For this project it isn't necessary to dry out the leaves first.

I've always loved ferns and wanted to have them as a major part of the collection I made.

 I laid down one fern in the middle of the glass, looked at it, and loved it. I moved on to the next one and placed down a small branch stem that I liked at an angle to add interest. I loved the minimal style immediately and closed them up.

To complete the set, I wanted to use the same two types of leaves. To create a similar look you'll want to pay attention to patterns. If you'll notice the two frames on the left have vertical leaves while the two frames on the right have angled leaves. The two frames on the top have a single leaf grouping while the frames on the bottom have two leaf groupings. Adding patterns like this will add visual appeal and create balance.

3. Wildflower Confetti

This confetti is perfect for a party, brunch, bath, or just for releasing an amazing scent in your home! 

I used a hole puncher to cut as many holes in the leaves as I could. I love the way it makes the leaves look.

Using different colored leaves adds warmth and depth to the confetti.

Some of the flowers that I dried came out with blemishes or broke in the process. Those are perfect pieces to add to the confetti. Other flowers I had set aside specifically for the confetti. For larger flowers, tear off the petals and add them to the confetti mix. For smaller flowers, add them in whole. Don't hesitate to use as much of the plant as possible. Pieces that aren't necessarily beautiful can add texture and depth.

You could do a confetti in all one color or do it like mine with all of the colors.

During the drying process some flowers will shed. These are perfect pieces to add to your confetti.

4. Wildflower Boquet

For my bouquet, I used flowers that are naturally dry. However, in most cases I recommend drying out your flowers by first arranging your bouquet. Next, tie a rubber band or floral wire around it and add a ribbon. Then, hang it upside down for at least a week. You'll be left with a beautifully preserved wildflower bouquet.

Another bouquet option that you could do more frequently is collecting a small arrangement of wildflowers and putting them in a vase or jar with water. Doing that will allow you to always have fresh flowers on a budget!

At the end of all of these projects, I found that I still had a few flowers left. If you find yourself in the same boat you can easily store them in the books that you used to dry them out until you have a new project to work on.

If you try out any of these DIY's or have other DIY wildflower recommendations let me know in the comments below.