Easy Pressed Flower Bookmarks

We love working with nature and love revisiting traditional crafts with the kids. Learning how to press flower is definitely one of these. Today, I welcome Mama Smiles, who turns pressed flowers into wonderful little bookmark keepsakes and gifts. These would be perfect Mother’s Day Gifts or maybe Teacher Appreciation gifts, don’t you think? Let’s take a look at these easy pressed flower bookmarks!

Note: affiliate links have been added to this post. Should you choose to purchase via these links, I will earn a small comission that goes towards the upkeep of this website!

DIY Dried Flower Spring Bookmarks: A Touch of Nature Between Your Pages

Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate the season than by preserving its beauty in a bookmark? These laminated dried flower bookmarks save your place in your favorite reads while bringing a touch of nature to your reading experience. Are you looking for more spring crafts? Try using recycled materials to create a container garden. Or, paint some terra cotta pots and plant your favorite flowers in them!

About Mama Smiles

MaryAnne lives in California with her family. She enjoys traveling with her family, and anything creative – but especially sewing, music, and photography.

Why Dried Flower Bookmarks?

I love a good book, and so do my kids. There’s something magical about pressing the delicate blossoms of spring between the pages of a book and then turning those same blossoms into a bookmark. These bookmarks are simple to make, and they will last for years.

Supplies Needed for your bookmarks

Flowers to press. Ours are from my cousin’s wedding – using “meaningful” flowers and plants makes this an extra special craft! Wedding flowers, birthday flowers or maybe meadow flowers from a holiday are all perfect!
Heavy books for pressing (alternatively a flowerpress is lovely, but not needed)
Parchment or wax paper (newspapers also work!)
Cardstock or thick watercolor paper
Laminating pouches OR clear contact paper/ sticky backed plastic if you don’t have a laminator
Laminator
Scissors
Optional: pressed flower tweezers for delicate placement; ribbon and a hole punch if you want to add a ribbon to your bookmark.

How to make press flower bookmarks as gifts

Visit Contempfleury for a great list of flowers to press!

First, Collect and Press Your Flowers

You can look at our detailed how to press flower post here (includes a microwave option – to speed things up) or simply follow these simple steps

Carefully place your flowers between two sheets of parchment paper or wax paper.
Insert the parchment paper with your flowers into a heavy book, then stack more books on top.
Leave the books undisturbed for 2-3 weeks in a dry place.

Next, Arrange and Secure Your Flowers

This is where the magic happens:

Carefully remove your pressed flowers from the books.

2. Experiment with different arrangements on your bookmark base before committing. We made one bookmark with a cardstock background, as is traditional. For the second one, we simply arranged the rose petals in our laminating sleeve.

Finally, Laminate Your Creation

To protect your bookmark so that it lasts for years:

LAMINATOR ALTERNATIVE : instead of a laminator, you can place your cardstock and flowers between two sheets of contact paper – the laminator method is easier, as it is easier to avoid any wrinkling or air bubbles. But both work!

put the dried flowers in a laminating pouch

Carefully place your dried flower bookmark inside a laminating pouch, leaving space around all edges. You’ll have to do this carefully so that the flowers don’t shift out of place.

The great thing is, that you can just laminate the flowers too! No need for cardstock if you don’t wish to use it!

run the flower bookmark throufh the laminator

Run the pouch through a pre-heated laminator according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Allow the laminated sheet to cool completely (about 1-2 minutes).

Carefully trim around your bookmark, leaving a 1/8″ to 1/4″ border of laminate to ensure the seal remains intact.

If you like, you can punch a hole at the top center of your bookmark (through the laminated area), then thread ribbon or embroidery floss through the hole and tie a decorative knot.

If you don’t own a laminator, many office supply stores, libraries, and print shops offer lamination services for a small fee. You can also laminate by hand using contact paper, or, in a pinch, packing paper.

These bookmarks pair perfectly with a good book, either to give as a gift or for you to enjoy at home.

Have you tried making pressed flower crafts before? I’d love to see your creations if you give these bookmarks a try!

Happy crafting and happy reading!