I made a rose from Poplar planing scraps; the arranged, concentric, shavings are tissue-paper thin. I wanted to somehow seal and finish the flower so that it would have some degree of durability, mostly to keep the shaving-petals from cracking and flaking away over time.
I think I should probably use a "softer" finish like Poly to allow some "flex" so that if knocked, it wouldn't chip like varnish. My second idea was simply buying some clear epoxy resin and dipping the whole thing. I've never done an epoxy on anything before, so my concern is that it will turn cloudy (by nature of epoxy) or over time.
I could use some feedback from more experienced wood workers on what might work best. I only have an enthusiast level of experience with wood finishes.
Photo for reference: