Thursday, April 28, 2016

Julie's Stunning Christmassy Bridal Bouquet ~*

Julie's stunning bridal bouquet of Phalaenopsis Orchids,
Succulents, Ranunculus, Berries, Eucalyptus, Hydrangea
and Dusty Miller.

Floral Design by: Whim Florals, Dripping Springs, TX
Photography by: Amber Kelley


Julie chose to have her bouquet pressed and presented
on a lapis blue background and in an 11x14" barnwood frame.
Scrapbook Squares are 2" Pressed Flower Art
used for scrapbooking!
 I am absolutely in love with my wedding bouquet artwork 
from the amazing Annie @pressedgarden ! 
I will never have trouble remembering the best day of my life 
but to see my beautiful @whimflorals bouquet 
turned into pretty artwork I can stare at 
every day is so awesome! ~ Julie, Bride 
Julie, It was my pleasure to preserve your beautiful bouquet! ~ Annie, Pressed Garden 
Pressed Flower Art by: Annie Smith, Pressed Garden, Austin, TX 
 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Memories Becoming Treasures ~

Funeral Spray of Roses, Asian Lilies, Stock, Statice, 
Hypericum Berries, Alstromeria and Eucalyptus. 
 
Floral Design by Freytag's Florist of Austin, TX
 
 
Three Pressed Flower Art Pieces made from the funeral spray.
 


 The flowers are pressed and presented on a light gray background
and framed in 8x10 walnut frames

Engraved Plate says, "When someone you love becomes a memory,
those memories become treasures."

Heart-Shaped Beveled Glass Ornaments

Thank you, Dianna, for the pleasure of honoring your friend 
with preserving these beautiful flowers! ~ Annie
 
All Pressed Flower Art by: Annie Smith ~ Pressed Garden, LLC, Austin, TX

 
 


Thursday, April 14, 2016

Catherine's Lovely White Rose Bridal Bouquet ~

Catherine's Bridal Bouquet of White Roses and Hydgrangea
has been pressed and preserved
on a Sunset Clay background and in an 8x10" walnut frame!

Fresh Floral Design by: Dr. Delphinium, Dallas, TX 

 "It’s just BEAUTIFUL!! It turned out so nice. I’m so amazed at how the flowers look! That’s so cool! Thanks it makes such a special memory. I can’t wait to find a place to put it up! You’re awesome! I really appreciate it!" ~ Catherine, Bride

Thank you, Catherine! I loved preserving your flowers! ~ Annie, Pressed Garden

All Pressed Flower Art by Pressed Garden, Annie Fentz Smith, Austin, TX 
 

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Dispelling Floral Preservation Myths!


I recently had a sweet bride drop off her bouquet for preservation. She didn’t know what to do with it and thought the best thing to do would be to place it in the freezer. She was devastated to learn that that was the WORST thing to do. By the time she got them to me, they were beginning to thaw and were a sticky, gloppy, stinky mess. They were ruined. She left in tears and I had a few tears of my own, disappointed for her. Her florist is going to help her re-create the bouquet and I will preserve that into beautiful heirloom art.

 Roses, Orchids and other Flowers, ruined by freezing the bouquet. 
 This bouquet was ruined by placing it in a refrigerator that was too cold.

After a quick combing of the net, I found lots of articles about how to preserve your own bouquet.....and all of them were wrong. One was even titled, “How to Preserve Your Bouquet by Freezing it”. Another was titled, “How To Freeze a Live Flower So You Don’t Have to Keep It In A Vase”. Now really, who would want to keep it in a vase and enjoy it when you could stick it in the freezer? And what happens to your beautiful flower if the electricity fails or you move? I will tell you... your flowers thaw into a glop of goo, hardly the sweet flower you remember.

 Inside a gooey, gloppy mess of a frozen bouquet

Preserving your bouquet, with hair spray is another misnomer. Often, you will see articles about spraying your bouquet with hair spray before hanging it upside down in a closet. There are many flowers that will dry upside down, others that will not. Hair spray can seal the moisture into the flowers, causing them to mold and mildew, turning brown and black. It is not pretty. Also, hair spray is sticky, which becomes a magnet to dust and dirt.

One mother, frantically called me because she tried the “drying upside down” technique while her daughter was on her honeymoon and it molded and turned black and literally began dripping on the floor below. She purchased new flowers and I recreated the bouquet, then pressed and preserved it. And, no, I will not tell who it was! My lips are sealed because somewhere in America, there is a mother breathing a sigh of relief that her daughter never found out that mom ruined her bouquet. (I am a mom, too...so, I am bound by the Mother’s Seal of Honor)

Dipping your flowers in wax is something I came across on Pinterest. There is no follow up video, but I would imagine that the flowers fell off the stems, seeping an icky nastiness. Wax seals in the moisture. If the moisture cannot escape, then the petals begin to mold.
Lastly, pressing your flowers between wax paper. I actually did this craft as a child. We put bits of crayon in there and ironed it, watching the color run everywhere. That’s fine for a child's craft, but for your wedding bouquet, don’t risk it. Wax paper seals in moisture and you want the moisture wicked away, not held there. 

I understand that not everyone can afford to have their flowers preserved professionally. Many flowers will dry nicely when hung upside down. Make sure you separate them and give them time to dry. You can also make potpourri. 

Find Instructions here
 http://pressedgarden.blogspot.com/search?q=potpourri

If you do choose to have Pressed Garden preserve your flowers, bring them to me as fresh as possible. Trim the stems and keep them in clean, fresh water. If you do place them in a refrigerator, keep it away from spots that typically freeze lettuce. Temps around 45 degrees are best. And above all... DO NOT FREEZE THEM!!!
 Fresh Bridal Bouquet of Sunflowers Roses, Veronica, Lisianthis and other Flowers, before preservation.

Same bouquet, after being pressed and preserved by Pressed Garden!

For more Floral Preservation Information, visit Pressed Pressed Garden online at: 
All Floral Preservation by Annie Smith, Pressed Garden, LLC, Austin, TX 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Honoring Mom ~*

Beautiful Funeral Urn Wreath
of Roses, Hydrangea and Greens

 One Daughter chose to have flowers pressed and presented
on a cream background, around a photo, in an 11x14" mahogany frame.

The other daughter chose to have flowers pressed and presented
around a different photo, on an ivory background and in
a black 11x14" frame.



Thank you, Jim, Melanie and Tammy, for trusting Pressed Garden
to honor your mother by preserving her beautiful flowers. ~ Annie, Pressed Garden

All Pressed Flower Art by Annie Smith ~ Pressed Garden, LLC, Austin, TX  

Friday, April 1, 2016

Shelley's New Orleans Elopement Bouquet!

Shelley's Wedding Elopement in New Orleans, LA

 Bridal Bouquet of
Sunflowers, Roses, Lisianthus, Veronica, Hydrangea, 
Dusty Miller and Leucodendron!

 Floral Design by: Harkins, The Florist, New Orleans, LA


Shelley's Bridal Bouquet has been pressed and preserved
on an ivory background and in an 11x14" barnwood frame.
Her husbands boutonniere is in the corner!


I LOVE IT!   It is so unbelievably pretty!   I am so pleased.   
Thank You Thank You Thank You for preserving my flowers!   
I am so happy!   :-)  ~Shelley, Bride
 
Thank YOU,  Shelley!  The pleasure was all mine! 
~ Annie, Pressed Garden

All Pressed Flower Art by Annie Fentz Smith ~ Pressed Garden, LLC ~ Austin, TX