Floral Preservation
Turning your natural floral designs ~ into a preserved pocket of sunshine.
Do you have flowers and greenery from a special occasion that you'd like to keep forever?
These could be from weddings, funerals, anniversaries, or just because!
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Florals could be fresh & crisp, only days old -- or dried & aged 10+ years...
Regardless, I am happy to work with what you've got!
What's Been Done Before
Mr. & Mrs. blocks and Ring Holder
These examples fall within the Newly Married Bundle
Variety of Earring designs
Including studs, dangle, open bezel, etc. in both silver and gold options (~$15 - $20)
Box or Bookmark
Lidded box dimensions 5"x4" (~$45) or bookmark options (~$7)
Home plaque & Tealight Candles
These examples fall within the New Home Bundle
Moon Phase Hanging Display
(~$45)
Wine Toppers
Square or round bottle toppers, ~$15
Jewelry Tray
Example shown incorporating the lace wrap from the wedding bouquet (~$40) - trays are about 6" and there are rounded options as well as rectangular
Mobile or Wall Hanging
Variety of sizes (oval or square center piece) ; prices range from ~$25 for small, ~$45 medium, ~$65 large ; (prayer cards can be included for memorial preservation)
Jewelry or Coin Dish
Variety of shapes and designs; square, round, faceted (~$25)
Note: Some dishes have grooved edges, doubling as an ashtray; please specify if you have a shape/design preference
Charcuterie Spinner
Lazy Susan style spinner tray - 13" diameter or 8"
(~$35 for 8" and ~$55 for 13"; while supplies last)
Next Steps:
How to Initiate a Floral Preservation Request
Step 1: Fresh Florals or Dried?
The state of your flowers will somewhat determine what can be done with them. If they are fresh, the options are near-endless!
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If we communicate about your request timely, I will take care of the drying and preservation, so fresh flowers can be brought to me.
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If you are later in the custom request queue and I am not taking your fresh flowers right away, here are my suggestions to keep them hearty and mold-free;
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Either allow them to stand and dry naturally upright in a cup/vase or laying flat on a paper towel or paper bag, giving each flower its own room and space to breathe! Avoid storing flowers in plastic, especially plastic bags!
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With dense or multilayered flowers, gently loosen the petals from one another, so more air can access the flower's inner parts and begin to dry, instead of fostering a damp and dark space. What we want to avoid is moisture build-up, that leads to mildew and thus, rot.
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If you'd like, you can surround your flowers in silica beads to absorb additional moisture until I receive them.
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If your flowers are already dried (naturally or pressed flat), there are some limits to what can be done with them. I chat individually with clients, per request, so we can determine what is best, given the unique conditions of working with natural materials.
Step 2: Figure out what you would like to have made!
The examples above feature things I have made in the past (many items elsewhere on my website typically can be customized) and I am happy to try new things if they fall within my capabilities, so if you have reference pictures, or inspiration from elsewhere, share these with me so I can get a full picture of what you are hoping for.
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I am transparent with clients if a request is outside of my ability, budget, or requires materials that are not available.
Step 3: Get in contact with me!
I am typically flexible with the projects and requests I take on, and I try to accept as many commissions as my schedule allows. If you are thinking ahead, definitely let me know about your floral preservation ideas ahead of time, so I can guarantee you a spot on my running request list! [** PLEASE NOTE: September through mid June, I work as a high school English teacher, so I ask that you consider this reality when working with me. I am a one-woman show with a full time job aside from Pocket of Sunshine, so please bear with me if communication is sparse :) **]
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If you are requesting a custom project last minute (as in: you already have the flowers but are not yet on my list in queue) I can see what my schedule allows and let you know if I can take on the request.
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Once the flowers are dried, the "time crunch" no longer applies, so I am happy to take florals and get them dried, to work with later when availability opens up.
Step 4: Getting the flowers to me
Local Drop Off:
I am located in Taunton, MA and have a drop off spot on the front steps/side porch of my home for schedule convenience and ease of access. Determine a time with me to drop florals off (so I can bring them inside soon-after), and I will begin the preservation process from there.
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Mailing Florals:
It is extremely important that florals are packaged carefully when sent through the mail, as there are endless uncontrolled factors involved in shipping. If flowers are fresh, be sure to include plenty of paper towels to help absorb moisture and prevent molding/decay/increased humidity. If petals are loose, I suggest sandwiching them between paper towel & cardboard, to keep them pressed flat during shipment.
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It is NOT advised to include any kind of plastic bag in the shipment of flowers, as plastic holds moisture and more easily breeds fungus in natural materials. Paper is best!
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I also suggest paying to "overnight" ship the petals, for best results.
Unfortunately I can not take responsibility for flowers that are damaged in transit/ arrive unusable when sent via mail.
Step 5: Payment and Retrieval
I accept payment upon completion of the request, via cash, personal check, or online pay.
Due to the unique nature of custom requests, prices will be determined on an individual basis.
I typically offer "bundle prices" so the more items you get, the more money you save! Prices on my website can be used as budget reference, but I can always offer a price estimate once we have chatted about your ideas & determined what you'd like made in total.
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Artist Note: Please take care to peruse the visual examples that I offer in my particular style of floral preservation. In my craft, I value natural looking elements, and I do not utilize any dyes, preservatives, or chemical coloring enhancements during the preservation process. With that said, please be aware that your blooms WILL fade overtime, because it is only natural! At Pocket of Sunshine, we treasure the way light and Mother Nature artfully touch each piece - the preservation process ensures that natural deterioration is halted (there will be NO mildew, mold or decay!) but an organic and gradual achromatization is expected to occur, especially with florals that were not cast in resin. To compliment this natural approach, I will often design with 3D elements, flowers that rise from the face of the items for a more textured, immersive visual effect, except for pieces that require flat surfaces (like for coasters or trays). Pocket of Sunshine artistic style is not to be compared to other businesses or creators, as each piece I make is uniquely designed. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the products you receive, please contact me upon receipt and we can work together to reach a satisfactory resolution!
