Opening the door and being greeted by your local florist with a beautiful bouquet of flowers never gets old. Flowers are always appreciated, but unfortunately, they don't last forever. Learning creative ways to preserve the flowers you receive can help you prolong the joy of a gift of flowers.

Make potpourri

Remove flowers from stems and use petals or entire flower heads to create a wonderful potpourri for scenting your home. There's no right or wrong way to make potpourri. Mix flowers with citrus fruit peels and herbs, such as mint or thyme, to up the aroma factor.

Simply place a small amount of the mixture in a pan of water or a potpourri warmer to simmer and you will have a natural air freshener to keep your home smelling sweet all day long. Change up the scents to match the seasons. For instance, add cinnamon or nutmeg to your potpourri in the fall to enjoy a spicy autumn aroma.

Create bookmarks, cards, or a picture

Dried and pressed flowers make great additions to homemade greeting cards and bookmarks. They also make lovely framed art pieces. You can purchase a flower drier in most craft stores or use the old-fashioned method and place flowers between the pages of a heavy book for a few days to flatten them.

Once flattened and dried, you can glue flowers to cards or bookmarks and give to friends or keep for your personal use. If you want to preserve a sentimental bouquet of flowers, consider drying the flowers on the stems and having them framed in a shadowbox style frame to preserve your memories.

Use them in dried arrangements

Dried flowers are often found in interior design in many style homes, and they work especially well in cottage or vintage style homes. A vase of dried flowers makes a romantic accent piece on a bedroom nightstand. They also look charming as a centerpiece on a cottage or country dining room table.

Mix dried flowers with silk grasses and greenery to create an eclectic arrangement to use in modern or contemporary style home. If desired, you can purchase dried flower preserving spray to help protect your flowers from dust.

Knowing you don't have to part with your beautiful flowers when they fade will help you appreciate them even more. Whether you turn them into a sweet-scented potpourri or dry them to use in a card, flowers are the gift that keeps on giving long after they fade.