CLASSES

Learn To Create A Masterpiece

Pressed Flower Course !

Thanks for your interest in our pressed flower course. I have been pressing full time for 30 years and teaching for nearly 20 years, and I still love passing on my knowledge. The class is taught year-round here in Crystal River, Fl, a great little town known for its manatees, found on the Nature Coast. I am usually available on whatever dates the student likes as well as weekends and most holidays. I do need 2 weeks’ notice as I need to purchase flowers and supplies.

We normally start with a large vase filled with many types of flowers. My goal is to teach you the various blooms and how to do each kind. We place these in a foam press (which you get to keep) and when the press is filled, we move onto the dehydrator and how to load the machine, and how to time the flowers for drying. Next, we start working with flowers that have already been pressed for you. (another reason I need 2 weeks) I will teach you how to glue onto paper and use the sepals to create roses that we cut out. This is the fundamental technique for your designs since most wedding bouquets have roses. I like to spend a few hours until I feel the student is proficient at this. Once you know how to cut the roses, I will provide paper backed roses that have been pre-prepped for you. I then will demonstrate how to design a bridal bouquet. We will spend the next few days making designs that you will go home with.

I provide glass, frames, mat boards, backings for 6 framed pieces. One is an 8 by 10 and the rest are 11 by 14s. The frames are high quality frames in various colors. You will have a wonderful variety for your portfolio. At some point I will have you spend 3 to 4 hours learning to frame your designs from my partner who does all my framing. You will do a few frames with his help, but he will frame up your designs to look professional and have them ready for transport. You will be ready to take your framed pieces into flower shops or bridal shows as your signature pieces!

Included in the class are all your flowers, a foam press, special tweezers, and scissors. I will also provide you with a list of my suppliers to save you from having to find them on your own.

In addition to this, we go into some marketing ideas and I can provide help with your advertising.

The class starts at 8:30 the first morning as we have coffee and a few minutes to get acquainted and to discuss your personal goals. We stop around 5:30. Healthy snacks and drinks are provided each day and we order our lunch daily from different restaurants in our area. Special needs should be brought up prior to the class (For example, any allergies you may have)

Tuition is tax deductible providing you have a business license.

The cost of the class is 3,500. A 500.00 nonrefundable deposit is required 2 weeks prior which allows me to order all equipment and frames that are needed. If two students come together the 2nd tuition is discounted by 50%. Most students split the savings. I do have a list of interested people who are looking to share the class. Please let me know what times work best for you and I can place you on a list. If you want to attend solo, please advise as to when you might like to attend. I cannot guarantee each individual’s proficiency but if you work fast, I allow you to make as many unframed pieces as time allows and we will help you pack those well for transport. Those pieces can be framed when you’re back at your home. The class is serious, yet fun, and since it is a financial commitment by you, I strive to make it memorable and for you to be able to jump right into preserving wedding and funeral flowers. Funeral work is in fact more lucrative than weddings, since most families buy something for each member of their family.

Payment for the class will be made on the morning of the first day and we can accept money order, cashier’s checks, or personal checks. If you plan on using a credit card, please let us know in advance, as we do charge 3.5 percent which is the fee the credit card company charges us. A receipt will be provided. For me the best part of this class is the enduring friendships I have developed, and I hope you will be included in those!

-Barbara

PLEASE NOTE We are now offering a pro-rated 2 day course which offers the same as the 3 day course.

The cost is
1st person = $2,320.00
2nd person = $1,160.00
Each person = $1,740.00
Total =$3,480.00

HOW I GOT STARTED

My name is Barbara Gaffney, and I have owned and operated my business since 1994. Until that time I had been pressing flowers as a hobby and had many friends and family members ask me to press some of their special blooms. One day while shopping in a boutique I saw a framed wedding invitation with pressed flowers and called the lady who made it. We shared ideas and our passion for pressed flowers and from there a business was born. I began simply by having some basic business cards made and giving them to local florists who then in turn told their customers about my services. The first year I did 4 wedding bouquets and the drying process was 6 weeks long, done in old phone books with weights on top. By my 2nd year, I did 54 weddings and had some funeral customers as well. Each year progressed as it should until in 2007 when I did 230 orders from all over the country. My methods have changed drastically and now I can get a bouquet in and have it dried, sealed, and framed in a few days’ time… from start to finish.

START YOUR OWN BUSINESS

It is with pleasure that I hope to teach all the newest methods I have learned and developed so that my student does not have to muddle through making mistakes with their customers special, once in a lifetime bouquets. My 3 day class prepares you to instantly go home and start advertising your offerings. In most cases, you very well may be the ONLY person or business offering this service in your area. I also offer follow up care. Once you are done with the class, you may call or email me questions at any time. I am proud to say I have remained in contact with many of my students from the past. Naturally, I cannot guarantee the success of any one individual but I will attest that it is a fun class and you as a student will go home knowing all the special techniques I use on a daily basis. This craft has allowed me to work from home, set my own hours, and make people happy on a daily basis. I love what I do and love to teach others so they can develop the same love I have for this art form.

HOW & WHY?

Please keep in mind often this expense including travel is a total tax write off for those in business or starting a new business. If you have looked into franchise costs, you can see how much you are getting here for your investment. Unlike franchises, you are not required to purchase supplies from us. You also receive a list of all our favorite suppliers.
Our average sale is $400.00 so as you can see, you will recoup your investment quickly. Not only do we teach you how to press wedding flowers, keep in mind that funeral flowers are an even better way to make money as families tend to order multiple pieces. We spend a lot of time discussing marketing, what works, what doesn’t, where to show your product etc. You will have our access to our Facebook group discussions. Your drive and our support is a recipe for success. The bottom line is this is a fantastic obvious add-on for any flower shop or florist working from home and many florists find this is a great segue into semi-retirement, as it is not quite as demanding as many retail businesses!

Gift Certificates Available!

At Everlastings we have invested in Japanese flower presses that will help the flowers dry with a high degree of color and delicacy.