Learn how to make a resin pendant with dried flowers using beginner-friendly supplies, safe mixing habits, bubble control, and simple finishing steps.
A handmade resin pendant with dried flowers feels like a tiny garden you can wear. It is glossy, personal, lightweight, and surprisingly beginner-friendly when you work slowly and keep the process simple. This resin pendant with dried flowers tutorial walks you through every step, from choosing flowers to sealing, pouring, curing, sanding, and adding jewelry hardware.
If you are new to epoxy, do not worry. Flower pendants are one of the best small resin projects because they use very little material and let you practice important skills without committing to a large tray or wall piece. For the full foundation on safety, measuring, and workspace setup, start with our [Resin Art for Beginners guide](/articles/resin-art-beginners-guide-2026/). If you already know the basics and want a pretty giftable project, this dried flower pendant is a perfect next pour.
Resin Pendant with Dried Flowers Tutorial: What You Will Make
In this project, you will create a clear or lightly tinted resin pendant with one or more dried flowers suspended inside. The finished piece can become a necklace, keychain charm, bag charm, or small memorial keepsake.
The easiest beginner version uses a silicone pendant mold, clear two-part epoxy resin, one pressed flower, and a jump ring. More advanced versions can include gold leaf, mica shimmer, tiny fern leaves, colored backgrounds, or layered floral arrangements.
Plan for about 30-45 minutes of active work plus curing time. Most epoxy pendants can be demolded after 24-48 hours and reach a full cure around 72 hours, depending on the resin brand and room temperature.
Supplies for a Dried Flower Resin Pendant
You do not need a professional jewelry studio for this project. A small table, careful setup, and the right supplies are enough.
Core Supplies
- Clear two-part epoxy resin: $18-$35 for a 16 oz kit
- Silicone pendant mold: $7-$15
- Dried or pressed flowers: $6-$15 per pack, or free if you press your own
- Graduated mixing cups: $5-$10
- Stir sticks or silicone mixing tools: $3-$8
- Toothpicks for placement and bubble removal: $2-$5
- Fine tweezers: $5-$8
- Nitrile gloves: $8-$12 per box
- Safety glasses: $5-$10
- Organic vapor respirator for indoor work: $25-$40
- Plastic drop cloth, parchment paper, or silicone mat: $5-$15
- Dust cover, such as a clean storage bin or cardboard box: $0-$10
Jewelry Finishing Supplies
- Jump rings: $4-$8
- Necklace chain or cord: $5-$15
- Small hand drill or pin vise: $6-$12, unless your mold includes a hole
- Wet/dry sandpaper, 600 to 3000 grit: $8-$12
- Resin polish or plastic polish: $8-$15
If you are building your resin toolkit from scratch, our [Resin Art Essential Tools](/articles/resin-art-essential-tools/) guide explains which supplies matter most and which upgrades can wait.
Choose the Best Flowers for Resin Pendants
The best flowers for resin pendants are small, flat, fully dry, and naturally colorful. Moisture is the enemy of clear resin. Fresh flowers can brown, rot, release bubbles, or create cloudy patches inside the pendant.
Good beginner choices include:
- Forget-me-nots
- Baby's breath
- Tiny daisies
- Fern tips
- Queen Anne's lace
- Mini rose petals
- Lavender buds
- Pressed pansies cut into small sections
Avoid thick flowers for your first pendant. Whole rosebuds, fresh wildflowers, and bulky blooms usually need special drying methods and deeper molds. A thin pressed flower is much easier to seal, place, and cover evenly.
If you want to preserve meaningful flowers from a wedding, memorial, or bouquet, practice with inexpensive dried florals first. Once you understand the process, read our [How to Preserve Flowers in Resin](/articles/how-to-preserve-flowers-in-resin/) guide before working with sentimental blooms.
Dry and Seal Flowers Before Pouring
Even store-bought dried flowers can trap air between petals. Sealing gives the flower a protective barrier so it does not release bubbles or absorb resin unevenly.
You have three beginner-friendly sealing options:
For most beginners, clear acrylic spray is the simplest. Apply two light coats instead of one heavy coat. Heavy sealer can leave cloudy edges or make delicate petals curl. Let sealed flowers dry in a dust-free area before using them.
Prepare Your Workspace and Mold
Before mixing resin, set up everything you will need. Once resin and hardener are combined, you are working against the pot life of the resin. Rushing is when mistakes happen.
Choose a well-ventilated room around 70-75°F. Cover your table, put on gloves and safety glasses, and place the pendant mold on a rigid tray or board. A movable tray helps you carry the mold to a curing spot without flexing it.
Inspect the mold for dust, lint, or leftover resin bits. Wipe it gently with a lint-free cloth. Do not use oily cleaners, because residue can create fish eyes or dull spots in the cured pendant.
Lay out your dried flowers, tweezers, toothpicks, pigments, and dust cover before opening the resin bottles. This small prep step makes the whole project calmer.
Mix Resin Slowly for a Clear Pendant
Clear pendants reveal everything, including tiny bubbles and unmixed streaks. Slow, careful mixing is the secret.
Follow your resin manufacturer's ratio exactly. Many beginner art resins use a 1:1 ratio by volume, but some use different ratios by weight or volume. Measure accurately in graduated cups.
A reliable mixing method:
Avoid whipping or lifting the stir stick repeatedly. Think of folding honey rather than beating eggs. If your resin bottles are cold, place the closed bottles in warm water for 10-15 minutes before mixing, then dry them completely. Warm resin flows better and releases bubbles more easily.
Pour the Pendant in Thin Layers
Layering keeps the flower from floating, sinking, or trapping a large air pocket underneath. For a simple pendant, two pours are usually enough.
First Layer: Clear Base
Pour a thin layer of clear resin into the mold, just enough to cover the bottom. Use a toothpick to guide resin into the corners. Pop surface bubbles with a toothpick or one quick pass of a heat gun held several inches away.
Let this layer thicken slightly. Depending on your resin, this may take 30-90 minutes, or longer if the room is cool. You want it tacky enough to hold the flower in place but not fully cured.
Place the Dried Flower
Use tweezers to place the flower face-down if the front of the pendant will be against the bottom of the mold. This detail matters because many silicone molds produce the glossiest finish on the side touching the mold.
Press gently with a toothpick to remove trapped air. Do not shove the flower hard into the resin; delicate petals can tear. If a bubble appears under a petal, tease it toward the edge with the toothpick.
Second Layer: Cover and Dome
Pour more resin slowly until the flower is covered and the mold is nearly full. Stop just below the rim if you plan to sand and polish. For a domed look, add a tiny bit more resin after the first fill settles, but do not overfill.
If you want color, use a very light tint in the second layer. Transparent amber, pale pink, soft blue, or champagne mica can look beautiful without hiding the flower. Too much pigment will obscure the botanical detail.
Add Gold Leaf, Mica, or Color Without Overcrowding
A dried flower pendant looks best when the design has breathing room. Add-ons should frame the flower, not bury it.
Try one of these beginner combinations:
- One pressed flower plus two tiny flakes of gold leaf
- Clear resin with a dusting of pearl mica around the edge
- Pale transparent pink resin with baby's breath
- Fern tip with a small crescent of bronze foil
- Lavender buds with a soft smoky purple tint
Use a toothpick for placement. Gold leaf and mica are lightweight and can move around when resin is fresh. Place them slowly, then give the mold a minute to settle before making final adjustments.
If you enjoy jewelry-scale resin work, our [Resin Jewelry Making for Beginners](/articles/resin-jewelry-making-how-to/) guide covers pendants, earrings, rings, and selling basics in more detail.
Cure, Demold, and Check the Finish
Cover the mold with a clean box or plastic container as soon as you finish pouring. Dust, pet hair, and lint are very visible on glossy resin. Move the covered tray to a safe, level curing spot where it will not be bumped.
Most pendants need 24-48 hours before demolding. If the resin feels flexible, tacky, or smells strongly, give it more time. Full cure often takes up to 72 hours.
To demold, gently flex the silicone around the pendant and push from the back. Do not pull from one corner. If the pendant resists, wait longer or flex the mold evenly around the edges.
Once removed, inspect the pendant. A few tiny edge bubbles are normal for early projects. Cloudiness, sticky patches, or bendy resin usually means the resin was under-mixed, measured incorrectly, or cured too cold. Our [Resin Art Troubleshooting Guide](/articles/resin-art-troubleshooting-guide/) can help diagnose those issues.
Sand, Polish, and Add Necklace Hardware
If your mold has a built-in hole, you can add a jump ring once the pendant is fully cured. If not, drill a small hole near the top with a hand drill or pin vise. Work slowly and drill away from your fingers.
For rough edges, wet-sand the pendant:
Attach a jump ring, then add a chain, cord, or keychain finding. Most handmade resin pendants sell or gift nicely on an 18-inch chain, adjustable cord, or simple organza gift bag.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers contain moisture. They often turn brown or cloudy inside resin. Always dry and seal flowers first.
Pouring Too Fast
Fast pouring traps bubbles around petals and mold edges. Pour slowly in thin layers.
Adding Too Much Pigment
Heavy color hides the flower and can interfere with curing if overused. Keep tints light.
Demolding Too Early
A pendant may look hard before it is fully cured. Early demolding can bend the piece or leave fingerprints.
Skipping Safety Gear
Uncured epoxy can irritate skin and lungs. Wear nitrile gloves, protect your eyes, and work with ventilation every time.
Product Recommendations for Beginners
If you are shopping for this project, keep it simple:
- Beginner epoxy resin kit: Look for a 1:1 clear art resin with 30-45 minute working time, $18-$35.
- Pendant mold set: Choose simple circles, ovals, rectangles, or teardrops, $7-$15.
- Pressed flower pack: Pick small flat flowers rather than bulky mixed botanicals, $6-$15.
- Jewelry findings kit: Jump rings, chains, bails, and hooks, $8-$18.
- Safety starter set: Nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and respirator for regular indoor work, $35-$60 total.
A focused setup costs about $75-$140 if you are starting from nothing, but the resin, molds, and findings will make many pendants. If you already own basic resin supplies, you may only need flowers and necklace hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put dried flowers directly into resin?
Yes, but it is better to seal them first. Dried flowers can still trap air in petals and stems. A light coat of clear acrylic spray, Mod Podge, or resin helps prevent bubbles and discoloration.
Why did my flowers turn brown in resin?
Flowers usually turn brown because they were not fully dry, were too thick, or reacted with moisture during curing. Press flowers until completely dry and seal them before embedding. For sentimental flowers, practice with test petals first.
What resin is best for flower pendants?
A clear two-part epoxy resin with a 1:1 mix ratio, UV resistance, and 30-45 minute working time is best for beginners. Avoid fast-curing resin for your first pendant because it gives bubbles less time to rise.
How do you stop bubbles around dried flowers?
Seal the flowers, pour in thin layers, press gently with a toothpick, and let bubbles escape before adding the final resin layer. Warm resin and slow mixing also help create a clearer pendant.
Can I sell resin pendants with dried flowers?
Yes, handmade dried flower resin pendants are popular at craft fairs, Etsy shops, and local boutiques. Price beginner pendants around $12-$30 depending on size, hardware quality, design complexity, and packaging.
Final Thoughts on Making a Resin Pendant with Dried Flowers
This resin pendant with dried flowers tutorial is all about patience: dry the flowers fully, seal them lightly, mix slowly, pour thin layers, and let the pendant cure before finishing. Those simple habits create clearer, stronger, more professional-looking jewelry.
Start with one small pressed flower and clear resin. Once you are comfortable, try gold leaf, soft tints, layered petals, or matching earring sets. A tiny pendant is a low-pressure way to build resin confidence, and each finished piece feels personal enough to gift, wear, or sell. Happy crafting!