Best Dried Flowers

Last Updated: Oct 20, 2021 @ 7:37 pm.

The Secrets To Great Popcorn

Here at the home office, we take our popcorn seriously.

We’ve tried all the standard ways of making popcorn—stovetop, air-popped, microwave and more. 

Along the way, we’ve learned these key secrets to amazing popcorn:

• Toppings are essential. The butter toppings reviewed below are essential for great air-popcorn . . . that’s because salt won’t stick as well.

• Not any salt will do. The best popcorn salt is FINELY ground. Forget Kosher salt or other coarsely ground salt—it won’t stick. Later in this article, we’ll recommend a salt plus topping combo that is a fave.

• Topping or popping? All the top popcorn butters in this article can either be used topping or popping—that is, oil to pop kernels!

Here are our top popcorn butter options:

Best Dried Flowers: Tips & Advice

Let’s talk dried flowers!

Yes, dried flowers are popular to use in resin-based jewelry, candle making and scrapbooking as well as soap and bath bombs.

While you can dry your own flowers, it’s quicker to buy ready-made sets of dried flowers. Here are some tips and advice:

• Consider sealing flowers before casting them in resin. Sometimes the chemicals in resin can change the colors of dried flowers—by sealing them first, you prevent this.

• Secret to sealing dried flowers: hairspray! Yes, this works well—or you can use any lacquer spray. However, flowers can be very fragile, so be careful with handling.

• Simple dried flower craft projects include framed pressed flower initials. Or tie dried flowers with a string and branch—voila! Instant farmhouse decor.

After trying out several brands, here are the dried flower sets we’d recommend:

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!