Custom Preservation Projects We Said “Yes” To

Summary: Some of our biggest growth moments didn’t come from a trend forecast or a product brainstorm. They came from a customer asking, “Could you make something like this?” Custom requests have pushed us to invent, expand our mold library, and build a process for bringing one-of-one ideas to life. Here are a few recent custom projects we’ve brought to life (or are actively building), and what they say about what’s possible in modern preservation.

Why customers come to us for custom work

Custom projects usually fall into one of these categories:

·       The item is an unusual shape or size

·       The materials require special handling (wood, metal, fabric, grass, paper)

·       The client needs branding, consistency, or volume production

·       The design needs to be functional, not just decorative

Project 1: A Lord of the Rings Sword… no, really!!

This one started with a bride who carried her bouquet in a sword handle on her wedding day. Her vision was incredible: create a resin sword blade with her bouquet flowers preserved inside, so the finished blade could slide right back into the original handle.

Shown: Rendering of final sword using the approved floral design and the handle carried on wedding day.

How we’re making it happen:

·       We started by sketching the blade shape to match her handle and overall vision

·       Then we designed the flower layout and sent it for approval (so she could see the look before we ever poured resin)

·       Next, we’re using 3D printing to turn our drawing into a custom mold

·       Finally, we’ll build the blade in resin inside that mold so the finished piece fits her wedding-day handle

A key detail: this is designed to be displayed on the wall, so the floral design is one-sided. It’s not a usable or sharp blade, it’s functional wall art.

Project 2: Preserving field grass from the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship

Not every memory is floral.

An Indiana fan brought in something we’d never seen before: two hexagon-shaped cuts of field turf from the winning side of the field goal. These weren’t thin “souvenir” pieces, they were thick cakes of dirt with fresh painted grass on top... plus they are from a legendary game for Indiana! 

Even more meaningful: the cuts were taken from the landing spot where the winning touchdown play happened.

Shown: Design stage mockup version 2 presented to our client.  The base of this project is our black 12x16 tray; however, we will not be installing handles, and the tray will be filled to the top. 

What made it challenging:

·       The pieces were heavy, thick, and layered (soil + roots + painted grass)

·       The grass color and paint are time-sensitive and can shift quickly

·       The final piece has to look intentional and display-worthy, not like a scrapbook

How we solved it:

·       We treated it like true preservation: stabilize first, then design

·       We focused on keeping the edges clean and the “moment in time” feel intact

Project 3: 175 branded 4x4 awards with pressed California poppy + premium packaging

This one was a full production sprint: 175 matching corporate awards, each featuring a pressed California poppy and a company logo, packaged in custom silk-lined, engraved award boxes

Shown: Wild Coast Team laying pressed California poppy flowers in resin 4x4 square awards blocks 

What made it challenging:

·       Volume plus consistency (every piece must match)

·       Branding requirements (logo clarity, placement, alignment)

·       A very tight timeline: two months from start to finish

·       Packaging needed to feel premium and gift-ready

How we solved it:

·       We sourced pre-pressed flowers to meet the timeline without sacrificing the look

·       We worked with our mold supplier to create new molds quickly

·       We ran multiple resin tests to dial in consistency (because resin isn’t a perfectly repeatable material)

·       We planned production so the awards could be made in the same window, helping them share the same overall tone and finish

·       We treated the packaging as part of the product experience, not an afterthought

Why the California poppy: it was chosen intentionally because the company is based in California.

Project 4: A 30x80 live edge sliding door with a wedding bouquet preserved down the center (proposal stage)

This project is in the proposal stage, but it’s very likely to move forward.

The concept: a 30x80 live edge wood sliding door with the couple’s wedding bouquet preserved down the center. It’s functional, architectural, and deeply personal.

What makes it exciting: the couple is thrilled to have found a company willing (and able) to create a lifelong decor piece for their home.

Shown: Rendering of Red Cedar Sliding Door with inlaid riverbed of wedding bouquet flowers

Likely materials for this project:

·       The wedding bouquet

·       A few centerpieces (to give us enough florals for the full-length design)

What made it challenging:

·       Scale (this is not tabletop decor)

·       Wood movement and long-term durability considerations

·       The bouquet needs to be the focal point without compromising function

How we’re approaching it:

·       We’re planning the design around real-life use, not just aesthetics

·       We’re developing a clean center-channel concept so the flowers feel integrated into the door, not simply placed on top

What these projects have in common

Even though these projects are wildly different, they all come from the same place: someone has a story they don’t want to lose.

A wedding bouquet that deserves more than a box in the closet. A once-in-a-lifetime sports moment you can’t recreate. A company milestone that needs to feel personal, not generic. A home built around a memory, not just a trend.

And while the materials change (flowers, grass, wood, paper, branding), the heart of the work stays the same.

Every one of these projects is preserving an idea or a special memory. They’re thoughtful builds rooted in nature, made to hold meaning and keep a moment close — not just for now, but for years.

Have a custom idea you’ve been told is “too hard”?

If you have something meaningful you want preserved and you’re not seeing it offered anywhere else, reach out.

We’ll ask the right questions, talk through what’s realistic, and if it’s a fit, we’ll design a custom solution that’s worthy of the story you’re trying to keep.