I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS PRESSED FLOWER ARTIST'S WORK

 Once in a while I come across someone's work I just can't get enough of. I'd love you to meet Anastasya, from Etsy shop Goodthings88 :
(http://www.etsy.com/people/Goodthings88)

Hello, My name is Anastasiya and I'm the owner of "Goodthings" shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/Goodthings88. I make vintage style jewelry inspired by nature. I use floral patterns, vintage clip art images, my own photographs, wildlife scenes - everything nature-related and pressed flowers are not an exception.

How did you get started with resin and pressed flowers?

I remember myself always picking up fall leaves and sandwiching them between book sheets until they're dry and flat. But they all started withering and crumbling with time and I wasn't able to preserve them properly. So I thought why not embed them in resin, which I'm using  for coating my jewelry pieces. I used to sculpt a lot from polymer clay and resin adds this shiny finishing that makes everything look more winning and attractive. I really liked the result and that is how it turned into a big passion. I started watching tutorials, making my own molds and experimenting with a dyes. Since then I have always carried a little box with me to put some flowers in and looked out for some beautiful plants around my neighborhood. I guess I just have always loved plants and everything designed by nature.

What are your favorite flowers to work with?

I'd love to work with every flower as I believe all of them are beautiful. But, alas, my herbarium collection is not that big and I don't have access to many types. I really like tiny Baby Breath flowers, Hydrangeas, different foliage and sprigs. I don't usually combine flowers as i think they're pretty self-sufficient and represent themselves. So my design is pretty simple and minimalistic. I emphasize flowers with colored backgrounds or beautiful cameo frames to make them stand out.
    
What resin challenges have you encountered and how have you overcome some?

I'm pretty experienced working with epoxy resin. I've tried many brands and techniques so I developed my own creating process that allows me to avoid difficulties. I like this medium because of it durability, glossiness and complete transparency. But at the beginning I've learned my lesson about stickiness and bubbles as well. I don't have any of those right now because I learned how to mix everything very gently and always heat my resin until slightly warm and very liquid. First, I was trying to sink a flower into the mold full of resin but it messed up easily by toothpick and always kept bobbing up. So I thought it would be easier to make everything in several steps : first pour just a few drops to fix flower's position, wait until cured and only then add more resin. I always sand and polish my pieces, so there are no rough edges and imperfections. It takes time and involves a lot of meticulous work but it's definitely worth it.

What are your plans for the future?

I'd like to grow my own garden full of beautiful plants on the back yard and be able to enjoy their blooming all summer long! I'd like to stop by every morning to smell them and pick some to share with friend and, of course, preserve their beauty. 

Thank you so very much.

Tip of the day:   Use a bit of turtle wax inside jewelry molds, applied on a paper towel; let it dry then wipe the mold out with a dry paper towel. It works better than the spray resin release.

I always appreciate your comments. Thanks, Chris