How to Seal Flowers in Resin: Preserved Rose Sphere Tutorial

You need two silicone molds. EllafulDeco uses a 3-inch dome and a 2-inch sphere from AAJ Molds, but any deep-cast silicone mold works. Pair them with a deep-pour casting epoxy like TotalBoat ThickSet Fathom and your dried roses.

Pick a small rose for the sphere so it fits with room to spare on every side. A larger bloom can go in the dome since the dome has a flat back. Have a stir stick, gloves, parchment paper, and a heat gun ready before you crack open the resin.

TotalBoat ThickSet Fathom is a 2:1 epoxy by volume. Combine the resin and hardener in those exact proportions and stir slowly for about three minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the cup so nothing stays unmixed.

Then walk away for two to three hours. The resin thickens slightly and the trapped bubbles rise to the surface on their own. A short rest before the pour is the difference between a clear cast and one full of pinhead bubbles.

Before anything goes in the mold, paint a thin layer of resin onto every petal with a small brush. Dried flowers hold a surprising amount of air, and that air will release as bubbles right in the middle of your finished piece if you skip this.

Coating the petals first seals those pockets. Work the brush into the tight spots near the center of the rose where bubbles love to hide. Dipping the flower in resin also works, but brushing keeps stray bubbles out of your main pour cup.

Pour resin close to the mold wall to keep bubbles down. Fill about a third of the way for the first layer. Lower the coated rose in gently so petals don't snap off when they hit the resin.

Break off any stem bits poking above the rim of the mold. Roses float, so position the bloom where you want it and plan to weight it down in the next step. Hit any surface bubbles with the heat gun in short passes - hold it too long and the silicone mold can warp.

Fill the mold with more resin until you're about half an inch from the top. Move the rose around with a stick to release any bubbles trapped underneath, then hit the surface with the heat gun one more time.

Lay a piece of parchment paper flat across the top of the mold and rest a small weight on it. The parchment stops the flower from floating up while the resin cures. It also blocks dust from settling on what will become the visible side of your piece.

Come back about 24 hours later. The first pour will be tacky but firm enough to hold the flower in place. Peel the parchment off cleanly - the resin won't stick to it.

Pour fresh resin all the way to the top of the mold for the final layer. No parchment needed this time because the flower is locked in place by the first cure. Let the whole thing sit undisturbed for two more days so the cast fully hardens through the center.

Wipe off any drips around the top edge so they don't scratch the inside of the mold on the way out. Flex the silicone gently and push the piece straight up from the bottom.

The sphere takes a little wiggling because of its shape - work it slowly so you don't tear the mold. The dome slides out with much less effort. Hold the finished piece up to a window. The curve of the sphere magnifies the rose inside and shows off the clarity of the cure.