How to Save Old Roses for a Shadow Box

Dried roses will add charm to your shadow box.

Saving old roses for crafts is a wonderful way to commemorate a special event in your life, such as the birth of a child or a special anniversary. Roses preserve beautifully and will last for many years. You can use them in various crafts, such as gluing them into a shadow box or making a dried flower arrangement out of them. It is best to use rosebuds or roses that are not fully open for drying purposes.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber band, twist tie, pipe cleaner or any device you can use to hang roses

Instructions

1. Pull the leaves off any roses you wish to preserve, as suggested by the North Dakota State Agriculture and University Extension. Air-drying is the best and most efficient way to preserve flowers.

2. Combine your roses into small bunches. This will allow the air to circulate around them and to dry them effectively.

3. Wrap a rubber band, a twist tie or a pipe cleaner around the stem tightly and hang them onto a nail on a wall. It is best to hang them in a warm, dark and dry closet, pantry or even an attic. Avoid places such as basements, porches or garages where the air may be humid and moist. This might result in moldy flowers.

4. Leave a loop on the end of the rubber band or other hanging device. Unfold a paper clip and use it to hang the roses.

5. Allow the roses to air-dry for approximately two weeks before using them in your shadow box. The roses will no longer be supple and pliant when they are thoroughly dry and the color will have faded somewhat. Handle the roses gently, as they are fragile when dried.

References

• North Dakota State University Agriculture and University Extension: Methods of Preserving Flowers

Resources

• Home Museum: Shadow Boxes and Display Cabinets