If you can catch me at an art show or similar event, I like to demonstrate the durability factor. I wack an open rose necklace or bolito rather hard with my hand. Most customers appear rather surprised, sometimes startled. Yes, the roses do look delicate. But that's exactly what you want: a beautiful, dainty flower that will hold up in the face of minor jewelry abuse. Remember, once treated, the fragile, paper-like petals have the strength of ceramic or porcelain. So, just use a little logic. Avoid walking on your pieces. Do not drop them onto concrete flooring. And never, ever give them to your new puppy for playtime. I will recommend you keep your rose jewelry in a separate box. And if you live in a humid state (like Florida), please request my low humidity storage bag. It's free for the asking. If you should have the misfortune of spilling a food-related liquid on your jewelry while dining, head for the nearest water souce. Just rinse your rose. It should come right off. Allow to drip dry upside down on a paper towel. My own experience was with spaghetti sauce. My bolo was fine; my blouse, however, did not survive the incident.

Regretfully no. Rose leaves do not dry as beautifully as rose blossoms. In fact, they are just plain UGLY! So I have elected to use fabric rose and ivy leaves when needed to support and flatter the flower. Like the roses, I treat the leaves so they will will match texturally. That way both the roses and the leaves are water repellant.

Unfortunately no. Once the roses are dried and treated for hardening, there is no lingering fragrance. And many individuals thank me. They have allergies. But if you, like me, find the essence of roses alluring beyond belief, do one of two things. Lightly spritz your rose with an alcohol based cologne. Or simply order my delightful tea rose fragrance. Do not use it on the rose itself. It is oil-based and will merely make your rose look and feel gummy. However, if you put a drop on your skin, for example, a little behind your ears if you are wearing earrings, no one will be the wiser and your skin will hold the fragrance more than 8 hours.

Yes, but, my favorite garden varieties won't work in my jewelry. For my fleur-to-wear, I prefer to use commercially grown varieties. That way, I can produce product year round. And since I can go through 16,000 roses per year, time prevents me from maintaining a green house as well.

Yes, brides often wear my open rose necklaces; and they purchase bud chokers for attendants. Not only is this a lovely accessory piece with their gowns; but the necklaces make great thank-you gifts. You might also want to consider corsage pins for the moms.

This a request I hate to turn down; but I have learned through negative experience, that this is a service I cannot offer. It is asbsolutely necessary that the roses be certain varieties and dried under very specific conditions. When I have attempted to do other people's selections, the roses have fallen apart during the treatment process.