One unique idea of bringing Mother Nature into your home by way of a drink coaster is by picking some flowers in your garden and drying them to use for your project. It won’t cost you any money and you can have a wide variety of coasters to use for different occasions. They will also make the perfect gift to give to your family and friends. Since flowers can take as long as three weeks to dry, you can pick a selection of them and then choose the ones you want to use for making the coasters.

You will need to have a thick book in which you press the flowers you are going to use for each drink coaster. Use tissue paper for spreading the flowers on, but don’t let the flowers touch each other. Cover the flowers with more tissue, newspaper and cardboard that you have cut in the same size as that of the book you intend to use. Lay the book on top of the flowers and let sit for two or three weeks. If you don’t grow your own flowers you can bypass this step in by purchasing dried flowers at a craft store or by purchasing flowers from a garden center that you can dry.

Once the flowers are dry, you are ready to proceed to the next step of making your own beverage coasters. You do need to purchase panes of glass that measure 4 inches by 4 inches because this is the standard size of a drink coaster. You will also need to have clear glue and heavy aluminum foil tape. Use regular glass cleaner to clean the panes of glass and the edges. Arrange the flowers in whatever way you wish and lay them on one pane of glass and cover the flowers with another. Apply the glue to all four edges of the coaster.

Take strips of the aluminum foil tape and carefully apply this along the glued edges. Make sure you cover the four edges of the drink coaster and cut off any extra edges to give you a smooth finish. When the glue dries, you can remove the tape to have glorious dried flower coasters. The glass will not harm your furniture unless you drop it, in which case it will shatter. You can leave the coaster as it is so that either side can be placed under a glass or you can apply a cork or rubber backing to one of the sides as a way of protecting the surface of the table. In any case, you will have coasters that guests will admire and ask you where you managed to find such masterpieces. No doubt you will have plenty of orders to fill.

First, remove the flowers from the packaging, hold the stems underwater, and cut the stem at a 45-degree angle using a sharp knife. Cutting the flower stem at this angle allows the stem to have a greater surface area for water consumption. Do not use scissors to cut the stems and do not crush the stems either; this will damage the tips and block the flower’s water intake.

Next, prepare the vase and the water. Kill any bacteria or algae that formed in the vase by cleaning the inside with bleach. If your florist does not include preservatives with the flower delivery, fill the vase with lukewarm water and add a floral preservative. You can either buy preservatives from your florist or make on your own. To make your own preservatives, mix lemon with a very small amount of bleach, or a teaspoon of sugar with a few drops of bleach. Take note that using homemade concoctions might not be as effective as professional cut flower food because they don’t contain the complex mixture of preservatives and nutrients flowers need to survive.

Once you’re satisfied with your floral arrangement, keep the vase in a cool spot away from direct sunlight to avoid rapid respiration. Respiration is the process wherein living organisms age. It is helpful to note that flowers generally have a higher respiration rate than most agricultural crop. The lower the temperature of the room they are placed in, the longer the flowers will last. However, if the flowers are subjected to temperatures below four degrees, their internal cells can get easily damaged and dry out the flowers. If you want your bouquet to decorate an air-conditioned room, make sure the temperature is not too cold.

Finally, take care of your flowers every day and remove wilted flowers so they do not contaminate the rest. It is recommended that you change the water daily but if you are too busy to do so, replacing the water every two or three days is fine. Make sure you add the preservative each time you change the water. You can also re-cut the stem for improved water absorption.