Crystallised Flowers for Gift Decoration

Crystallising Flowers for Gifts

Making crystallised flowers are often used to decorate food, such as cake toppings for weddings or christenings, as their colours and forms are more natural than food colouring. However, this organic ornament could be used as a decoration for unique gift packaging for as a romantic gift, birthday present, Mother’s day gift, Father’s day gift, wedding gifts, anniversary gifts or christening gifts. An organic ornament to accompany such a gift will make its bestowal a truly memorable occasion.

Edible flower heads can be used, but if the sender is unsure, it should not be eaten, but the flower will keep for months if properly crystallised.

Decorative Gift Boxes

Freshly picked flowers should always be used for best effect. The following flowers will provide complimentary splashes of colour for gift presentation at different times of the year. Spring time gifts, such as Easter, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day will spoil the sender for choice, as primroses, violets, lilacs, anemones and snowdrops can be used. For summer, try out sweet peas, daisies orchids, lilies, roses or nasturtiums. Autumn and winter offer St John’s Wort, winter honeysuckle, Poinsettia and a host of evergreen flowers.

How to Crystallise Flowers

To crystallise flowers, prepare the following solution first:

• • 50g (2oz) of powdered gum Arabic, available from most supermarkets.

  • 4 teaspoons of rosewater or orange flower water.

  • Freshly picked flowers.

  • A shallow bowl of castor sugar.

• 1. Dissolve the gum Arabic into the chosen scented water and leave overnight.

  2. The flower heads must be thoroughly dry before crystallising. To ensure the flowers have no moisture, place the flowers in a watered vase overnight. This will enable the flower heads to keep fresh and dry to the touch.

  3. Cut neatly on the stem where required using sharp pinchers

  4. With a thin soft sable brush, paint the gum Arabic solution over the flower petals, coating front and back.

  5. Carefully dip the flower heads into castor sugar, again, ensuring both back and front are dusted with sugar.

  6. Leave to dry.

Crystallising Herbal Flowers

For a novel gift presentation idea, why not try out crystallising herbs and their flowers? Borage flowers, mint, angelica and feverfew would make pretty accompaniments to any gift when crystallised, and are edible.

The crystallised flowers can be placed inside the gift box next to a chosen jewellery, picture frame or handmade gift. It can also be affixed to the gift box by a piece of shiny ribbon. The possibilities of using crystallised flowers for decorating a special gift are endless.

View my user friendly gift shop that lists all gifts in categories in sterling and dollars