Start with flowers that are already dry
You can make a pressed-flower bookmark by arranging flat, dried flowers on paper and then attaching them. This guide uses dried flowers you already have; it does not recommend gluing fresh flowers directly or collecting wild plants.
Cut paper to a size that works for your book and check whether the flowers are fragile. Follow the product instructions for scissors and glue, and have an adult help when crafting with children.
Arrange and attach the flowers
Prepare a sturdy piece of paper long enough to peek out of a book.
Place the dried flowers and leaves on the paper without glue. Move them around and photograph a layout you like.
Lift the flowers gently, secure them with a little glue and let it dry according to the glue instructions.
Once the glue is dry, photograph the finished bookmark and note the date and why you chose the layout.
A fictional example
In this editorial example, two small dried flowers sit near the top of a narrow piece of cream paper, with one leaf below. The note beside the photo taken before gluing says, “Flowers grouped at the top, open space below.”
After finishing, add: “November 10 · widened the gap between the flowers a little.” Your arrangement can be different, and you can change the shape of the paper to suit the flowers.
Check the craft before putting it in a book
Dried flowers can crumble or mark paper. Do not put the bookmark in a book while the glue is damp. Before using it in a treasured book, check it between separate sheets of paper. Long-term preservation or color retention cannot be guaranteed.
The Desert Botanical Garden’s bookmark guide also uses flowers that were pressed and dried beforehand and attaches them to paper with a little glue. Follow the instructions for your own materials and glue first.
Keep before-and-after photos as a craft journal
Put a photo of the layout, a photo of the finished bookmark and a line you write yourself in a personal Pogaem calendar. You can find the arrangement again if you want to make another: “Two small flowers · space at the bottom.”
Ask for consent before sharing photos of someone who crafted with you. The aim is to describe the process and finished shape in your own words.
Frequently asked questions
Can I glue fresh flowers straight onto the paper?
This guide uses flowers that are already flat and dry. Drying time varies with the material and environment, so no fixed duration is guaranteed.
Can the bookmark go straight into a book?
First make sure the glue is dry, and check between separate sheets of paper that the flowers do not fall off or leave marks.
Can I try this without flowers?
Yes. Arrange thin paper scraps you already have instead, and note what you used and why.
Sources
- Desert Botanical Garden: Dried Flower Bookmark · Accessed: 2026-11-10