Book Page + Pressed Flowers Oval Resin Tray

I started experimenting with resin during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and now I’m here to spread some knowledge about the wonder that is epoxy resin.

In this instructable I’ll describe how to seal a paper book page and pressed flowers in epoxy resin to make a tray. These trays are great for jewelry, trinkets, rolling blunts, whatever! I use mine while I’m putting on make up to keep my powder foundation from getting all over the bathroom counter.

Before you attempt to do this yourself, make sure you have the proper PPE like a respirator mask and gloves. If you have any pets, place them in another room away from curing resin and mica powder.

• Amazing Clear Cast epoxy resin
• Aleene’s Acrylic Sealer in Gloss Finish or Pearlescent Finish
• Silicone mold
• Dried and pressed flowers
• A page from a book
• Metallic leaf (optional)
• Cup with measurements for mixing
• Stick for mixing
• Butane torch for bubbles
• PPE

First you need to prepare your book page by spraying it with an acrylic sealer spray. I used Aleene’s Acrylic Sealer in pearlescent finish for mine.

Sealing the book page makes sure the paper won’t get all wet and see-through in the resin. Apply 2–3 coats front and back, allowing the page to dry for a few minutes in between coats.

Depending on what mold you’re using, you may also need to cut the book page to fit into the mold. I did this with mine by placing the mold on the page and tracing it with a pencil, then cutting it out along the traced line.

Before you start mixing the resin, you should get an idea of how you want to arrange your preserved flowers. Once you mix the resin, you’ll only have about 30 minutes to arrange your flowers before the resin begins to harden. It’s less time than it seems!

SLOWLY mix equal parts of your resin and hardener, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom, for at least 3–5 minutes. Try not to lift the stick up and down too much while mixing to avoid bubbles.

Once the resin is completely transparent, add any glitter or metallic leaf you want. NEVER pour resin that still looks cloudy or has streaks in it. This means it isn’t mixed all the way and won’t cure properly.

Then, pour about 3/4 of the resin into the empty mold, leaving about an ounce leftover to pour on top of the book page. Use a butane torch or heat gun to get rid of any surface bubbles.

If you see any larger bubbles underneath the surface of the resin, you can use a toothpick to gently remove them. Be careful not to get too close to the resin with the torch or you could melt your mold or scorch the metallic leaf!

Once you’ve removed all the bubbles you can, place your preserved flowers in the resin face down.

Remember the bottom of the mold will actually be the top of the finished piece. Then use your stick to carefully poke the flowers underneath the resin so they’re laying flat on the mold, making sure there are no air bubbles.

Once the flowers are all pressed underneath the resin, place your book sheet on the resin face down.

Use a stick to smooth down the page by lightly poking it repeatedly all over the surface. Then, use your remaining ounce of epoxy resin to pour over top of the page. Make sure all of the page is covered in resin and there are no air bubbles in between layers.

You can use your torch again to remove any surface bubbles but be EXTREMELY careful not to get closer than about six inches or you will burn the paper.

Place the tray on a level surface somewhere safe, away from dust and animals. Wait at least 12 hours for the resin to fully cure, then carefully demold and enjoy your new tray!