How to Revive Moss For Craft Projects
One of the things we use a lot in our craft projects is moss. I love the way it looks. Sadly, all store-bought moss will dry over time, leaving that once lush green creation looking dull, brittle, and yucky. When you buy moss from a craft store, it’s been preserved by moss taxidermists 😉 and it won’t grow again. They inject it with a whole bunch of chemicals to make it look pretty on the shelves. Fortunately, it’s ridiculously easy to freshen up and revive moss for craft projects with a few basic ingredients.
This recipe will work for most craft store moss, including sheet moss, moss clumps, and reindeer moss. It’s not suitable for real, live-growing moss. Mother Nature has her own recipes for keeping them alive 😉
We used reindeer moss when we made this heart last year. You may remember her from our concrete pumpkin planter post. If you’re too busy to click through to that post, this is what she looked like then.
Alas, in a few short months, she started losing her lush green sparkle and was looking rather dull and tired.
But that’s not a problem when you have the right stuff in your craft cupboard, and it only takes a few minutes to restore her to her former bouncy glory.
Right, before we get to the good stuff, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!
What you need to freshen up and revive moss
- Water
- Two small sealable containers
- Sponge or foam brush
- Craft paints
- Glycerin, sometimes referred to as glycerol
The craft paint needs to be water-based, and it provides the color, but it’s the glycerin that gives the moss a new lease on life and makes it soft again 😉
How to revive craft moss
Anyone who’s used craft paint to recolor moss will know that it works. But it goes on thick, making the moss hard and brittle once it dries. One way to get around it is to use an acrylic medium, which dilutes and thins the paint.
Acrylic medium extends the paint’s drying time and makes it flow easier, so it has more chance of absorbing into the moss. But not everyone wants to spend money on an extender, especially if you can use something that’s easy to find and costs way less too. Something like glycerin 😉 You can mix any water-based craft paint with glycerin to revive moss.
Mixing tips
If you’re going to be mixing your colors, be sure to do it in a sealable container to make the next step easier. Once you have the right color, mix the glycerine with water in a separate container before adding it to the craft paint. I usually use about 1 part glycerine to 2 parts water. Glycerin is heavier than water, so it sinks to the bottom. Just shake it for a few seconds until it dissolves completely. Glycerin is both water- and alcohol-soluble, so it mixes pretty easily.
There is no fixed ratio when it comes to using glycerine as a paint extender. Simply thin the paint to the consistency you need. Depending on your project, you might want to make it thicker or thinner. One thing to keep in mind, though; as the paint gets thinner, it becomes less easy to control, and the color may not be as intense as straight out of the tube. It will also take longer to dry.
Applying the glycerin mix
Gently apply the glycerin paint mix to your craft project using a sponge. Don’t overdo it to avoid the paint and glycerin mix soaking into everything else. You can apply multiple layers until the whole mossy craft project is covered.
Once you’re happy with the coverage, leave the project for a few days to absorb the glycerin into the moss. You should notice an immediate difference as the moss revives and bounces back. The picture below was taken about 10 minutes after applying the glycerin and paint mix.
And just in case you need a reminder of what the moss heart looked like before 😉
FAQ
How many applications are needed?
Depending on how dry your moss project is and how much glycerin/water you added, you may have to repeat the process.
I only did one application on the moss heart. I suspect our moss mannequin will need two applications to bring her back to life.
Can the mixture be stored?
The paint and glycerin mix will stay usable for a few months in a sealed container, which means I can freshen up all my other moss projects too 😉
Will I need to reapply the mixture?
It depends. If your craft project gets sun all day, every day, it will fade really quickly, and you will have to give it another glycerine touch-up in a few months. The “revived” moss will look as good as new for years in a protected spot.
Can I water the revived moss?
Please don’t. This method is best suited to reviving moss that’s used in craft projects.
Can I use other colors?
Sure. I’ve used a vibrant blue in this Lorax-inspired fairy scape. For a drastic color change, up the paint ratio in the mixture.
I think that’s about it. If you have any other questions, please pop them in the comments, and I’ll update the post.
If you use a lot of moss in your crafts, don’t forget to pin this handy tutorial to revive moss.
Sharing is caring 😉
How to preserve fresh moss
BTW, if you’re lucky enough to have natural moss growing in your garden and want to preserve it for craft projects, I thought I’d share this easy recipe with you.
Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry, it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you 😉
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And if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then maybe these beauties will appeal.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love. Thank you for popping in for a visit.
Coming late to the party, but have a question & am hopeful you’re still answering. My store-bought moss is already in use covering some of the faerie houses I’ve crafted, but has dried & is brittle. I’d like to try to sell them and am concerned the brittleness would be a turn-off to buyers. I read elsewhere of the glycerin-water-methylated spirits mix. One blog mentioned leaving out the latter. I’ve never worked with glycerin & am curious if I could use it, plus warm water (1:2 ratio), to rejuvenate the springiness. I’m thinking using a spray bottle & moistening the moss since it can’t be submerged. Thoughts on whether that would work are appreciated!
I only use glycerin (no meths) and mix it with craft paint. The glycerin/water mix puts the spring back in the moss and the paint helps with the color. I find dried moss loses some of its color especially when it’s been standing in a sunny spot. Warm water does help with “dissolving” the glycerin. I prefer using a sponge to apply the mixture. The spray is difficult to control and I’d be worried that it would go all over your beautiful fairy homes. I hope I covered everything, but please reach out if you have more questions. I’ll do my best to answer them.
Love your name BTW
Thanks for the reply! This is, by internet standards, an ancient post after all, so I wasn’t expecting it. 😀
And thanks for the compliment. I wasn’t named for a week. I am the fourth & final child & they’d run out of names. Mom was reading the paper about the local theatre’s MacBeth production & thought “Thane” sounded like a good name. I’ll pass the compliment on to her when we FaceTime this weekend.
Be well~
Will this work on a live moss ball with a plant living in it. (Japanese kokedama ) To hydrate you soak the ball in water…. I’d love them to always stay green.
I’m not sure how plants will respond to the acrylic paint in the recipe so I would use green food coloring for your kokedama instead. Just add the coloring to your water when you give her a bath. We have quite a few kokedamas in our house and garden and I found the ones with dried moss aren’t as fussy and easier to keep alive. I suspect living moss competes with the plant for water. You can also rewrap your kokedama with moss every few months to keep it green. Depending on the plant you have they may need to be repotted into a bigger moss ball anyway.
Excellent ideas of bringing live garden in living room. Many thanks and be well.
I’ve been doing this for 5 years, Moss Man of Torry, catch up folks ?
😀 Thanks so much for confirming it works Stephen. And now I’m curious too. I would love to see some of your mossy creations? Do you have a facebook page or blog we could follow?
Thanks so much for the tip. Does the touch-up fade after time as well? Maybe it’s better to touch it up in the beginning to avoid fading altogether?
You’re welcome Pamela and depending on where you put your mossy creation it will also fade over time, but it does take longer. Sadly, since the moss we use in craft projects is basically dead, so it’s been stripped of chlorophyll, which is what gives it that natural green color. One of the best ways to “fake” it is to use glycerine. Most of the more expensive craft moss varieties are “preserved” in a similar way.
I love your moss heart, and it looks even better now that you have brightened it up.
Thank you
Does it work for all types of moss?
I’m no moss expert, but we have tried it on store bought reindeer moss and sphagnum moss (I think that’s what it’s called). I haven’t tried it on Spanish moss, which is technically a bromeliad and not moss ? but I’m assuming it will work.
So in a word you need to use patience when layering the green paint mixed with glycerin. I am loving this hack Michelle, I had not thought of paint extender either, but the glyerin makes perfect sense. What a huge difference.
Yeah, some patience helps, especially if you don’t want your whole craft project to be green ? Using a sponge to dab it on helps a lot and the end result is so worth it.
This is so helpful! Thank you for the tips!
You’re welcome, Marty
Great great tutorial!! I’m so glad you shared your tricks!! Thank you.
I’m glad you like it, Lori. We use the recipe all the time for our moss projects
I had no idea that you could paint and refresh moss, Michelle. Thank you for this
You sure can Deana
I had no idea you could revive moss; this is amazing! I’ve always avoided it because I thought it was so short lived, but now? Moss, here I come!
Yeah, when the moss people package up their moss, they add all kinds of preservatives and colorants to make it look pretty, but it also kills the moss. This is the best way we’ve found to make it soft and bouncy again and give it new color.
This is so clever and very useful. I am doing a moss project and my moss looks boring before I even start. I love the project.
Yay, I’m glad we could help Anita. The glycerin and paint mix has been a lifesaver for so many of our projects