Pressed Flower Lantern

 This month's theme for the Sustainable Craft Challenge Group is Nature.  What a great time to think about crafts using products right outside your door!  Today I made a Pressed Flower Lantern from the flowers in my cutting garden. These adorable lanterns would be perfect for a summer baby or wedding shower, or a garden party. They are entirely pretty just on their own, but they are incredible when used with a grouping of items on the table.

I press my flowers the old-fashioned way, with a heavy book!  I pick the flowers in the mid-morning after the dew has completely dried them off.  I use two pieces of parchment paper to protect the pages of the book.  I snip off any leaves that I don't want, lay the flowers on the parchment in the center of the book, and close it.  I try not to open it for at least three weeks.  The flowers are usually totally dried by the fourth week.  I use tweezers to pick the flowers up from the parchment.  You can also purchase pressed flowers from Amazon, and I have done it this way more than once!

To make the lantern I used the following materials:

• clear contact paper
• tweezers
• scissors
• domed containers from the Dollar Tree
• battery operated tealights 
• pressed flowers
• glue gun

To assemble the lantern I did the following:

• Remove the labels from the domed containers.
• Measured the contact paper to fit the circumference of the container and cut it to size, using the grid on the back of the contact paper.
• Remove the backing from the contact paper.
• Using tweezers, lay the flowers in a design that you like. I tend to put the flowers toward the base of the container.
• Turn on the candle and hot glue it to the inside of the base.  When the candle dies, I pop it off and glue another one in place.
• Working carefully, place the contact paper sticky side on the domed container and slowly seal the contact paper to the container, smoothing over the flowers and removing as many air bubbles as you can.
• Snap the top of the container to the base.  Your lantern is complete!

To make this project more sustainable:

Collect clear milk jugs instead of purchasing containers.

Collect clear jars to use as the lantern.

Dry your own flowers if possible.

Check out these other wonderful crafts using recycled goods and with the theme of nature.  You will have a fantastic time with their creations!

Sum of their Stories	Julie	Mini Vases upcycled from yogurt bottles
Vicky Myers creations	Vicky	Cyanotype Art
Purple Hues and Me	Gail	Eco Friendly Fall Decorative Wreath
Sew Crafty Crochet	T'onna	Three-Strip Flower Scarf
Simple Nature Decor	Maria	Sea Glass Candle Holder
Christine's Crafts	Christine	Flower Pounding on Paper - A Complete Beginners Guide
Decor Craft Design	Mel	DIY Fall Sign Gold Dried Leaves
Treasures Made From Yarn	Julie	Upcycled Project Bag