Publish date: December 15, 2011 12:54 pm | Tags: Clear, coat, float, Flower, Fresh, Liquid, months, need, Several, Water
We’re trying to figure out how to preserve the color/integrity of a fresh cut wildflower for a period of several months in a small liquid-filled vial. We’d like to use a non-toxic liquid (water, mineral oil, etc) but it needs to be clear- as does the sealant used on the flower. Any ideas? Lacquer/varnish is too heavy for the petals, and turns white after being in the water for a short period of time, and wax hasn’t worked, either. HELP!
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December 15th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Hmmmm. If you were open to it, I would suggest resin. It won’t be liquid, but it’ll cure and harden to the appearance of liquid and you can color it as well!
Coat the petals as thinly as you can with a sealant (I actually would suggest Mod-Podge, if it seems too thick, water it down a little) and mix your resin. You can get polyresin at Michael’s, it’s usually the Easy-Cast brand that I use.
Remember to mix equal parts of resin and hardener (included in the pack) and follow the directions EXACTLY. Botching the mixing process could result in resin that doesn’t cure, or is tacky and soupy.
Once your flower is prepared (and this is crucial because if it isn’t coated with something, the resin MAY make the petals transparent), pour the resin and wait a little while for it to cure. I generally suggest about an two hours to three, but check every half hour or so because resin cures differently depending on climate and even the weather. Test it with a toothpick – if it seems gummy and has the consistency of very thick syrup, now is time to suspend your flower. Very gently insert the flower and check to make sure it stays in place. If it floats to the top, the resin hasn’t cured long enough. If it remains in place, the resin is the right consistency. You may want to check now and then to be sure that it hasn’t floated to the top, which is easily fixed by pushing it gently back into the resin with a toothpick or Popsicle stick.
Resin generally takes a day to cure and harden, but when it does your flower will be perfectly preserved forever :3
December 15th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Glycerin generally works for this type of thing. Assuming your flower is to be submerged in the liquid, just put your flower in a vile and fill it with pure glycerin.