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You spent a lot of time and money making sure the flowers on your big day were just perfect. Why not preserve some of those blooms to create lasting memories for both the couple and guests.
Here is a great method for preserving some of the gorgeous flowers from your reception and bouquets along with a creative project that adds a personalized touch to your thank you cards. The first project we are going to do is press some of the flowers from your reception, centerpieces or bridal bouquet. PRESSING YOUR BLOOMS 1. Inspect flowers and leaves and remove damaged or brown parts. Cut or pinch off flower heads that you want to press. You can also choose to include part of the stem and leaves in which case cut the stem to the desired length. Many flowers can be pressed successfully but some are not as well suited. 2. Place double sheets of blotting paper between two pages of a thick book (or use a flower press if you have one.) Position flowers face down. Place blooms with similar thicknesses on the same page. 3. Close the book, securing it with two wide rubber bands. Leave for four weeks unopened. After such time you can open the book and remove your pressed flowers. Certain flowers such as: calla lilies, dahlias, roses, lilies, white lisianthus, mums, chrysanthemums, anthurium, tulips, white orchids, tropical varieties, will not press well. Essentially the more “juicy” the flower, the harder it is to press. THE PROJECT: Using the flowers from your recent pressing adventures create one-of-a-kind thank you cards to send to your guests! Supplies: Pressed flowers Tweezers Blank greeting cards and envelopes (you can find packs at Michaels Craft Stores or online. Choose white, cream or a fun color) Spray adhesive ( I prefer Krylon Clear Acid-Free Spray Adhesive) Vinyl or latex gloves Newspaper Clean, ventilated work surface 1. In a well ventilated space lay down newspaper or other disposable table covering (spray adhesive is sticky!) 2. Put on protective gloves (for the same reason listed above.) 3. Lay out your pressed flowers and cards to the side. 4. Take blank card and lay flat on table. You will be sticking the flower to the right panel of the card so that when you close the card it opens properly. 5. Using tweezers, hold flower over newspaper and away from blank card. Lightly spray with adhesive. Then quickly press the flower sticky side down onto your card. Press flower down lightly with the palm of your hand. You can have a single bloom on each card or get creative using multiple flowers. 6. Allow cards to dry 24 hours 7. Hand write your thank you notes with a little piece of wedding history. Be sure to inscribe on the back of the card that these flowers are from the wedding (maybe even name the flower variety if your are feeling a little extra. )Your guests will appreciate the time and effort you took to thank them for attending your special day. Plus they have a gorgeous piece of art that they can frame. 8. To get even fancier consider layering handmade paper, rice paper or textured paper onto the greeting card and spraying down with adhesive before adding blooms. . Happy Crafting!
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 Leah recently had an interview with Subkit.com. Read the entire text of the article here
 What a Year!
I just completed my January ritual of recording all my professional accomplishments over the past year in my business bullet journal. I love this process because as a busy artist and entrepreneur it is easy to forget just how much you have achieved. Making this list gives me a chance to step back, take a breath and stand in all the wonderful things that i've experienced, big and small. Because I am a list lover here are some of the very neat things Sweet Sprig has accomplished this past year. I want to share them with you because you made them possible. My most kind and generous Soapsters, I appreciated every sale, compliment, conversation and sweet word. You are truly patrons of my art and for that I am grateful. Well, back to that list I promised you :)
This year I worked with two of my Downtown Schenectady friends and neighbors to create some delightful limited edition Sweet Sprig products. Working with David at True Juice cafe to design his Sweet Snap candle was so much fun. Sweet Snap, a blend of fresh pineapple and real lemon essential oil is inspired by the cafe's popular cold-press juice by the same name. This candle was formulated to create a cheerful, fresh scent that will brighten up any space. I have personally been loving burning it in my home. Only available at True Juice Cafe,www.truejuicecafe.com 251 State St, Schenectady NY (free parking lot in the rear off of Liberty St.) Be sure to stop-in to get yours soon. The second collab I worked on this year was on a limited line of soaps with Haley for Arthur's Market. When we first started working together on designing a line of soaps inspired by Arthur's menu it was evident our two businesses were a perfect fit for one another. Rosemary Lemon is an elegant blend of savory and sweet with a delicate sprig adorning the center of each bar. Mocha Latte, infused with No. Six Depot Coffee Roasters ground coffee smells like a strong cup of coffee with a hint of hazelnut, cream, and vanilla. Both limited edition soaps are only available at Arthur's Market, 35 North Ferry St, Schenectady NY.  2021 Shipping Deadlines
First-Class Mail (packages less than 1 pound)-December 17 Priority Mail-December 18 To get your package in the mail on-time holiday orders need to be placed no later than Dec 16 in order for packages to arrive on time. While we pack and ship orders quickly due to postal service delays we cannot guarantee that packages will arrive on time.  Click here to read our small biz spotlight by local business hype woman Michella Hand
 I was recently contacted by a staff member at Redfin.com. They asked me to contribute some tips on creating a dedicated soap making space inside your home. Redfin was putting together a blog post on the topic for their popular real estate website. Over the past 24 years my soap space has evolved. I’ve become an expert in utilizing every inch of space available to me.
Here was my practical tidbits of advise I submitted to Ryan, the blogs author. It can be applied to other handicrafts as well like jewelry making, sewing, painting, etc. Instead of trying to hide your supplies away recognize their beauty and display them in a tidy and organized way! [Read the full Redfin.com blog post] If you don’t have a room in your home to dedicate to soap making, find an area that is currently being underutilized. Maybe you have a nook in your living room, a pantry filled with gadgets you don’t really use or a wall of an office that you can take over. Integrate your soap workshop into the design of the rest of your space.
Last year I created bespoke gift boxes with mom in mind and I nearly sold out! This year I have designed some truly special one-of-a-kind gift boxes with real sentiments attached. Each box will include a card with a unique message such as "You've taught me so much" and "You are more than just a mom to me." After the year we have all had I found myself wanting to create gifts that held all the thoughts and feelings of gratitude I have been feeling. Take a look through the assortment of boxes and sentiments I have curated for you to find the one that uniquely describes your own mom or special lady in your life.  I am so excited to be a featured artist in the April 2021 issue of 518 Profiles. This complementary arts magazine is one of my favorites of its kind. The feature articles and exceptional photography really help this publication stand out. Read all about how I got my start in soap making, quit my job a a librarian and the attention to detail that goes into each Sweet Sprig product. Read the article here.
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May 2022
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