DIY Projects & Crafts How to Press Roses and Other Beautiful Flowers This easy technique—which works across multiple flower types—is a wonderful way to preserve the beauty of your blooms. By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 27, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email If you love displaying arrangements of fragrant roses in your home, you're likely curious about ways to extend their lifespan. Instead of regularly changing the water and removing wilted petals, consider preserving a few stems while they are still fresh, instead. There are several ways to do so; some techniques include drying, while others involve coating them in resin. One of our favorite methods, however, is pressing roses (or other flowers). This project, which works across many floral varieties, is so simple—and all you'll need to turn your roses into keepsakes is a heavy book, a weight, parchment paper, and, of course, some fresh flowers. What You'll Need Materials Flowers Large book Weight Parchment paper Instructions For beautiful pressed roses, gather clean flowers free of spots or blemishes. Try collecting them on a sunny day when they are not wet from rain or dew or pull a few out of a new arrangement. Place the flower face down in a heavy book lined with parchment paper. Close the book, weigh it down, and leave it undisturbed for 7 to 10 days. Make sure all the moisture is gone and your flower is papery before you carefully remove it from the book.