How to Make Pressed Flower Bookmarks

Make a simple and beautiful pressed flower bookmark using pressed flowers with this frugal and easy project! 

This is a great way to use up any pressed flowers you lovingly created while also having a practical way to display and use them in your daily life. They also make delightful gifts for all the book lovers in your life. 

These can be as simple or fancy as you like and it is easy to create a large number of flower bookmarks in a short period of time.

The Bookmark Base

You can absolutely cut cardstock or other thick paper into a bookmark shape and use that as the base for applying your flower art.

Craft stores and online supply places also sell blank bookmark forms that are usually a medium weight cardstock that can be purchased for ease and making lots of bookmarks.

Pressed Flowers and Leaves

If you’ve got floral items in your flower press this is the perfect time to gather them up and put them to use.

If you’re new to flower pressing be sure to check out The Herbal Academy’s Workshop on Pressing Flowers for very detailed instruction (I took and loved the course!)

Because bookmarks tend to be small surfaces, you’ll want to pick small florals and leaves that will easily fit on your bookmark base. There’s no right or wrong here – use your own flowers in whatever way feels most beautiful to you.

Glue

You’ll need something to adhere the dried flowers to the bookmark base. If you have something like a lamination machine, feel free to use that. However, standard glue that dries clear will work perfectly. 

I’ve seen some folks use clear contact paper, which could obviously work but isn’t something I normally have on hand and I like to keep it easy and frugal – so glue. Use matte or glossy or anything you prefer (and easily have on hand).

Making the Bookmark

Simply brush the piece of paper with glue, place a flower or make floral arrangements on the paper and press flowers gently to hold it onto the glue.

Again, there’s no right or wrong way to arrange the flowers and leaves on the paper – follow what feels and looks best to you. 

Brush more glue over the flower and let sit overnight to dry completely.

If the corners of the bookmarks have curled up because of the glue – once completely dry, place the bookmarks in between the pages of a heavy book for another day or so to flatten out.

Optional Additional Touches

Once the bookmark has dried, you can consider the project done, if desired.

However, if you’d like to give it some more special touches, you sure could.

Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark and add some yarn or other strings for a tail. Leave the tail as strings or braid for a fun touch. Add beads or other charms to the yarn as desired.

You could write a message or quote on the bookmark to match a special occasion or let the recipient know what the flower is on their bookmark. 

Again, let your own creativity be your guide. 

A Great Homemade Gift

Once you’ve created your bookmarks, tuck them away in a safe place and then use them as needed as gifts.

Give bookmarks with new or used books to any avid reader in your life. 

Bookmarks without yarn or beads can usually be mailed for just 1 stamp, so tuck them into mother’s day cards, birthday cards, and general letters to penpals for a lovely and budget friendly touch. 

Create a basket or package with several books, your pressed flower bookmark, a sewn corner bookmark and some tea for an over-the-top gift your reading friends and family will love!