Hi. I make table centre-pieces. They have a wood base decorated with pyrographic illustrations. Dried flowers are then attached to create a unique design. Some of them have hand illustrations added, some have objects added and some are just dried flowers. I would like to open a new Folksy shop just for these table centre-pieces but I have a problem. How can I be confident that once posted they will reach the customer intact?
Any advice, please!
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Could you package them in a fairly solid box/ tube and fix the base to the base of the box with wire around the wooden block so even if turned upside down/sideways it stays put and there is always air around the delicate part. Difficult to try and explain what I can visualise - thats the best I can do!
You have got me thinking now. That sounds promising. Many thanks.
Many years ago I worked for Wedgwood. This type of item would be packed in a box with foam, or sometimes a piece of foam on the bottom, then polystyrene nuggets around it, then a piece of foam on top. This box would then be put in a second box if it was being delivered, that was a good 4-6 inches bigger than the first, with more polystyrene chips all around, filling the box.
I am afraid that the dried flowers are so delicate that if they touch anything they could bend or break. That is where the problem lies, but many thanks for your input.
Whatever you come up with I think I would mail one to yourself and see how it fairs!
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Nice thinking. Many thanks.
Like Roz says, the trick is to start with attaching to the base. Have you seen the things that live plants are posted in? They are sort of hourglass-shaped plastic, with the bottom part holding the pot (wooden base in your case) and the top part with a space all around the flowers. This whole contraption then goes into a box with shredded paper or nuggets or whatever to keep it still.
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Inspired. Will try that. Best of good fortune for 2016.
A cheap option would be to make a cardboard sleeve and then put in into a cardboard tube. I make delicate thread bowls and I use a cardboard sleeve and then a box and all have arrived safely. Good luck.
With the polystyrene nuggets, there is an environmentally friendly alternative out there made from maize cellulose. The only reason I know is that I got a box from Lush Cosmetics (who are environmentally friendly, vegan, etc, etc,) and it was filled with them. I went on the website immediately because I was surprised they were using the dreaded polystyrene and found out that it was this maize stuff. Apparently you can compost it when you’ve finished with it too!
Sam x
You can also give maize nuggets to children with a saucer of water and they stick them together into shapes!
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The uses are endless!!!
Sam x