Drying and epoxying slippers - any advice?

[silence882]

Hi all,

I'm planning on making some pendants of a small Phrag. I have watched many YouTube videos on this, but does anyone have advice they can share?

I've bought this silica gel to dry the blooms:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WGK2KCW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I'm doing it in silica gel in the hopes of keeping as much color in the bloom as possible. If anyone has done this, how long did you leave the flowers in it? I've heard 7-10 days should work nicely.

I've bought this epoxy (based on a YouTube video):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFXK4JY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I plan to paint several coats onto the blooms over several days. I plan to put the pendant loops in the back center of the dorsal sepal so they're hidden.

Thanks!
--Stephen

 

[DirGo]

Interesting topic... it would be nice to learn how it went.
I could imagine the inside of the pouch could be a bit tricky to cover with epoxy

 

[littlefrog]

I spent a few weeks trying this with zero success. So if you figure it out, I'll love to hear about it.

 

[Djthomp28]

My husband does this with some of my flowers. He said 7-10 days would likely be too long for the phrags because they dry out quickly and become brittle. Try 3-5 days to start. I will ask him more questions later regarding the type of silica and epoxy he uses.

I watch him do the epoxy coating, and it takes a lot of patience. A lesson learned from my perspective is to dry extra flowers when possible because there will likely be some accidents

 

[Djthomp28]

I don't have pictures of the jewelry. He gives them away as gifts and does not take enough pictures.

Here are some of his first attempts at drying and epoxy coating. These are at least 4 years old. Ignore the droopy middle left phrag. It was dried but not coated. Then it was forgotten. one of the major challenges is retaining the color over the years.



Here is one he painted silver then coated. Also 4 years ago.

 

[silence882]

Thanks for all the tips! I'll let everyone know how it goes.

 

[southernbelle]

I might suggest looking up info on drying hydrangea flowers, which is done a lot. I have one book which gives detailed info on when to cut them, drying with silica and even using Design Master ‘Just for Flowers’ translucent floral spray to achieve the best color effect. It’s a book put out by Joan Harrison the founding president of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Soc. called Heavenly Hydrangeas a practical guide…. and I think avail on Amazon. Not all info will apply, but some I think would be helpful. And if you love hydrangeas it’s probably the best book out there.

 

[Ernesto]

I don't have pictures of the jewelry. He gives them away as gifts and does not take enough pictures.

Here are some of his first attempts at drying and epoxy coating. These are at least 4 years old. Ignore the droopy middle left phrag. It was dried but not coated. Then it was forgotten. one of the major challenges is retaining the color over the years.

View attachment 42378

Here is one he painted silver then coated. Also 4 years ago.
View attachment 42379

could one coat with epoxy, paint to match the color as it was in real life, then epoxy again? i would be so worried painting a dried flower and breaking off a petal. was hoping that first layer of epoxy would give it some structural integrity