If you’re looking for a beautiful, heartfelt way to showcase your love of flowers and art, making a two-layered pressed flower design is the perfect project for you. It’s not only a fun creative outlet, but it also adds a gorgeous, handmade touch to your home or makes a thoughtful
I’m here to guide you through the process of making a beautiful two-layered pressed flower art piece, where the top layer of cardstock is cut out in a shape—like a cat, heart, or any design of your choosing—to reveal the pressed flowers below. Trust me, you’ll be amazed by the stunning result. Let’s dive into how to create this artwork step-by-step!
Disclaimer: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain Amazon and other affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read the full Affiliate Disclosure.
Materials Needed
Before you start, let’s gather all the materials you’ll need to make your pressed flower art:
- Two pieces of medium or heavy weight cardstock (8×10 inches or your preferred size)
- Fresh flowers (like daisies, lavender, roses, and violets work beautifully)
- Scissors
- Tweezers (to handle delicate flowers)
- Heavy book or flower press (to press the flowers)
- Craft glue
- Pencil or pen (to sketch your design)
- Craft knife or scalpel (for cutting the cardstock)
- Wax paper (optional, for pressing the flowers)
Step 1: Prepare Your Flowers
First things first, you’ll need to press your flowers. This is the fun part where you can get creative with the flowers you choose. You can go for bright and cheerful flowers like daisies or pink roses, or more delicate choices like lavender and violets. Whatever you choose, make sure to pick flowers that are fresh and vibrant.
Now, to press your flowers:
- Gently cut the flowers from the stems, leaving just the petals and the main part you wish to press.
- Place the flowers between sheets of wax paper. If you don’t have wax paper, you can use parchment paper or even regular paper towels.
- Put the flowers inside a flower press or a heavy book. If you’re using a book, make sure it’s a thick one, and place some additional heavy books on top to ensure an even press.
- Leave the flowers to press for about 1-2 weeks, depending on how thick the flowers are. You’ll know they’re ready when they are completely flat and dry.
Step 2: Prepare Your Cardstock
While your flowers are pressing, you can prepare the two pieces of cardstock for your art. You’ll need one piece of cardstock for the base (where the flowers will be arranged) and the other for the top layer (which will have the cut-out shape). Here’s how to prepare them:
- Take your first piece of cardstock (the base), and make sure it’s the size you want for your finished artwork. If you want a standard frame size, 8×10 inches works perfectly.
- Draw your design on the second piece of cardstock (the top layer). In the example, we’re making a cat shape, but you can choose any design you want—hearts, stars, flowers, or anything that suits your style.
- Using a pencil, lightly sketch the outline of your shape. For the cat shape, you’ll want to sketch the body and head with pointed ears.
- Be sure to leave a border around the edges of your design, as this will be the part that stays intact when you cut out the shape. The center area (where the flowers will go) will be cut out.
- Cut out the shape using a craft knife or scalpel. Go slowly and carefully to ensure the cut is clean and precise. If you make any mistakes, it’s easy to fix with another layer of cardstock, so don’t stress!
Step 3: Arrange Your Pressed Flowers
Now that you have your two layers of cardstock ready, it’s time to bring in the pressed flowers!
- Place the second piece of cardstock (the base) on a flat surface. This is where your pressed flowers will live.
- Carefully lift the top cardstock layer (the one with the cut-out shape) and place it over the base layer. This helps you visualize the design while arranging the flowers.
- Arrange the pressed flowers inside the cut-out area. Using tweezers, gently place the flowers inside the outline you cut. For this, I like to start by placing larger flowers first, like daisies or roses, and then fill in smaller spaces with little blossoms like violets or lavender sprigs.
- Don’t be afraid to overlap the flowers a little, creating a layered effect. You want to make sure the flowers fill up the cut-out shape and look like they’re bursting with life.
- Play with the placement of colors. For instance, you can use lavender and pink hues for a soft, pastel look, or mix bright yellows and purples for a bolder style.
- Be creative—you can add leaves, stems, and other little details that fit your design. It’s all about what feels right to you.
Step 4: Glue the Flowers
Once you’ve arranged the flowers exactly how you want them, it’s time to glue them down. Be sure to use a light touch when applying glue, as you don’t want it to seep through the petals or create a mess. Here’s how to do it:
- Apply a thin layer of craft glue to the back of each flower. If you’re worried about excess glue, you can put the glue on the paper first and press the flowers onto it, or apply the glue directly to the flowers using a small paintbrush.
- Carefully place each flower back into its spot on the base layer of cardstock. Press gently so they stay in place but don’t distort their delicate petals.
- Allow the flowers to dry completely, making sure the edges don’t lift. This may take several hours or even overnight.
Step 5: Assemble the Two Layers
Now comes the exciting part! You’re going to assemble the top and base layers into one stunning piece of art.
- Place the top cardstock layer back on top of the base layer. Align the edges so the two layers fit together seamlessly, with the flowers visible through the cut-out shape.
- Press the entire artwork under a heavy book or flat surface for several hours or overnight. This helps secure the two layers together and ensures the flowers stay flat against the paper.
- Check the artwork once dry to make sure everything is secure. If needed, add a little more glue around the edges to hold the layers together, but be gentle to avoid disturbing the flowers.
Step 6: Add Final Touches
Once your art is assembled and dried, you can add final touches to make it even more personal. If you want, you can:
- Draw small details, like the face of the cat or some extra accents, with a fine pen or marker.
- Frame the artwork in a beautiful frame that complements the design.
- Use the artwork as a greeting card by writing a thoughtful message inside.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve now created your very own two-layered pressed flower art. Whether you decide to hang it on your wall,
Pressed flower art is a timeless craft that combines nature’s beauty with creativity. And now that you’ve mastered the technique of layering and arranging flowers, the possibilities are endless. You can create any design you imagine, from animals to abstract shapes, and explore different types of flowers to create unique patterns and textures. The best part is that every piece you make will be completely one-of-a-kind.
