Dried Florals: The Winter Collection
When the journey becomes a vibe
I’ve been preserving and drying flowers for a while now, to the point where it has become a routine for me. While routines can be mundane, my latest flower drying experience unleashed some major creativity which led to this collection of dried florals. I’ll be sharing details on different flower preserving methods soon (stay tuned), but in the meantime, here is a spark of inspiration to brighten up the day:
The Journey
After a recent grocery trip to Trader Joe’s, AKA my weekly flower haul, I hung a few stems on hangers to dry in my bedroom among my clothing. I usually place them in a closet to air dry, but due to the number of stems I had this week, I decided to use the clothing rack instead. The next morning I woke up and realized I created a vibe. A big vibe. This is The Winter Collection: an assortment of winter flowers inspired by and styled with, a winter wardrobe. When I say winter flowers, I mean, all of these flowers are readily available for purchase during winter months at your local grocery store, and the flowers themselves reminded me of winter. Everyone talks about the journey, right? (looking at you, Alexis Rose) Well, maybe the flower drying journey is just as inspiring and beautiful as the final product. These flowers were meant to be "beautiful" after they'd dried and been placed in a vase. Yet, the process and journey has proven to be just as beautiful.
The Vibe
The Winter Collection
The Winter Collection of florals include: Wax flowers, baby’s breath, and curly willow draped over fuzzy sweaters, a blazer in perfect coordination with blue sea holly, and lush greens bringing out hues in jacquard and plaid patterns.
This has inspired me to create dried floral collections using flowers that are currently in-season. Love that journey for me. Stay tuned for a spring, summer, and fall collection, mixed with fresh cut flowers from my garden.
Arranging Dried Flowers
Air drying is quite simple: hang fresh cut flowers upside down with a pant hanger and place in a low light room with good ventilation. After about one-two weeks, your air-dried flowers should be ready to use. Spray with a non-scented hair spray for preservation longevity.
Gradient vase from Anthropologie
I arranged my stems in clusters for a fuller, more bouquet feel, but I also love the look of two sea holly stems; the periwinkle blue complements the vase nicely. I’ve been switching out the flowers every few days, just for fun! I still can’t believe the sea holly kept its color after drying.
Tip: Air dried flowers are very fragile, especially ones with tiny stems or buds, and will crumble if handled too much. I like to place the frail stems in the vase last, to avoid continuous friction from other stems while arranging.