How Does It Work?
The process of a custom floral preservation:
Filling out a Custom Order Form provides me with some important details needed to create your custom piece, including materials, expectations, color palette, and pricing. Depending on the size and time needed to complete a custom request, I may be willing to purchase additional materials to bring your vision to life.
If you are not local to the STL area, you will need to OVERNIGHT your FRESH florals/bouquet to my home studio (this is not necessary if your bouquet is already dried or if the flowers are artificial). While overnight shipping can be somewhat costly, it’s important to remember that this is an investment and fresher flowers equals better preservation results! I recommend packing your own bouquet and shipping via your preferred shipper, but do not use “You Pack & Ship” stores - these will cost you much more in the long run!
PACKING TIPS: When shipping flowers, you want to preserve their freshness as much as possible. To do this, be sure to include a frozen coolant block (freeze at least 8 hrs) or create your own by filling a zip lock with ice and wrapping it with paper towels. Tape your coolant block or zip lock/paper towels to the bottom of the empty shipping box, then carefully nest your bouquet/flowers on top of coolant. You’ll want to pack around the bouquet with crumpled newspaper, packing peanuts, or other shipping material. Keeping your flowers in the fridge until you are ready to pack and ship will help your blooms stay fresher, longer. Regardless of pre-dried or fresh, you want your bouquet/flowers to move as little as possible during shipping to prevent damage. It’s also helpful to create a DIY packing slip that contains a list of any items you have included in your box - this way I know what to look for once it arrives.PREPARATION: Once your order arrives, the prep process begins! I will first rehydrate your flowers to ensure they look their best. Any pre-wilting or browning will impact the end result, so this is a very important step. Once re-hydrated, I will begin deconstructing your bouquet/flowers to prepare for preservation. Floral preservation is a process that extracts moisture from the flowers and maintains the dehydrated state. This can be a very lengthy process, ranging from 2-6 weeks on average, depending on the types of flowers. Each flower is then sealed & UV protected to protect their natural shape and color (colors can change in resin over time & with heavy UV exposure). Please keep in mind that darker, colorful flowers will deepen in resin and white/light colors will have more of an ivory tint when preserved. Additionally, lighter flowers can sometimes appear transparent in spots where a petal may have been damaged by handling or shipping. This is normal! Pressed floral designs will have a similar process and timeframe, however the natural shape of the flower is not preserved and no silica beads are used in the drying process. When flowers are pressed, each petal is removed and dried, then reconstructed to re-create the flower again.
DESIGN: After your flowers have been carefully dried and preserved, the design process begins! I will begin piecing together arrangements of your dried florals in the mold, tray, or medium of your selecting. Pressed designs require extra time to glue dried petals back together, forming a pressed but familiar aesthetic of the flower in nature. Once the design is created, you will receive a “proof” of each design for approval. With your approval, I move to the next step - preservation with resin!
POURING: Depending on the depth of your custom request, resin pouring can take several days or weeks. Deep pours are accomplished with several thin layers to ensure quality is maintained. Additionally, resin requires a specific curing time between each pour to achieve optimal results. After a 24-96 hour curing window (will vary by depth of project), each piece is carefully hand-sanded to buff out any imperfections on the surface. Once sanding process is completed, a final glossy top coat is added to your piece. Though I do take extra time to ensure your piece is as close to perfection as possible, it’s important to remember that these are handmade items & will have some level of imperfection inherently.
FINISHED PRODUCT: Once your piece is completely cured, I will photograph the item and begin packing for shipment! Shipping times will vary based on time of year & location.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Finished pieces will have an additional week of proper cure time to ensure quality is met and material will not be sensitive to external temperatures & elements. Fully cured resin is generally scratch resistant and food safe. UV resin has a heat resistance of up to 120 degrees F & epoxy resin up to 190 degrees F. Do not leave your resin pieces in a hot car during summer! All resin does eventually yellow slowly over time, but this process can be prolonged with proper care. Never leave a resin piece in direct sunlight!REVIEW: Once you receive your finished piece, please come back to leave a review! I am a single person running my resin business and really appreciate your positive reviews and spreading the word of my services. If you experience any issues with your order upon receipt, please send me an email so I have an opportunity to resolve your concern :). As always, I really appreciate your business & support!