​Alchemist Designs
General FAQ's 

Please make sure to thoroughly read this page before placing your order. 
Absolute no responsibility will be undertaken by me or Alchemist Designs if any piece is mishandled. Please contact me if your question is not covered. 
Can I send my flowers to you after the occasion?
As of June 2022, all bookings must be made at least 8 weeks in advance. 
Do contact me here if you have a questions. If I can fulfil your order, an Express Fee may apply. 

Do you ship to UK, US, Canada, outside the EU? 
Currently this is not a service I provide. I am looking in to it  at the moment and plan to have a system in place to fulfil export orders in the future. 

Do you need a deposit for advance bookings?
Yes, I take a 25% non refundable booking fee for any bookings. If more than 4 weeks away I require a 50% non refundable booking fee of the total amount. For flowers coming to me within 4 weeks or less, full total payment amount is required up front before receiving your flowers and order form. A deposit is a booking fee which is non-refundable. If applicable, all booking fees and stage payments collected are deducted from the final bill.
 
How do I order? 
Simply fill in the form on the page you wish to purchase or order. If you have any questions, add those details in the comment box. I will contact you either via email or phone so please ensure your details are correct.
This is for both customers with flowers ready to send, or to book in for a wedding or occasion. You can get in touch with me if you need any help with it, but please read the FAQ here first as your question may already be answered. 
 
How long will it take to complete my order? 
Due to the nature of working with flowers and resin, I am unable to give an accurate time scale. Please allow up to 12 weeks at least as guidance. You are welcome to check in if you haven't heard from me after 8 weeks and I will be happy to let you know how I am getting on. 
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Are there any flowers you can’t use?
Every flower has its own history and of course are each made differently by Mother Nature herself. Flowers are dried before going in the resin so some can be more challenging than others. Fleshy flowers such as Lillie’s, Tulips and Orchids for example tend to be quite temperamental but I’m always happy to try. Berries aren't the best thing to preserve but again I can always try them, most turn dark but still look pretty. Wax flowers sometimes close up completely during the drying process but again are still lovely. 
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What if I am getting married abroad and want to bring flowers home for preserving?
You have about 5-7 days to send most flowers before they start to go, I recommend trimming the stems and placing in water, and ideally keep them cool until you fly home. Or you can always allocate a family member to bring them home for you. Flat pack a box in your suitcase before you fly out and after the wedding trim them down to transport them home. Even a large lunchbox would prevent them getting squashed in a hold bag! There is the alternative of hanging them to dry while you enjoy the rest of your stay! Hang upside down in small bunches in a dry place.  
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Can you provide flowers?
Yes, provided they are in season/ I have some already dried!

Do you make shot glasses, ashtrays or other food related items? 
I am currently avoiding creating food and heat related items until I am fully sure the resin product is 100% non-toxic. From what I have researched, there are food grade resin on the market but precautions must be taken. Likewise with items such as ashtrays, coasters, t-lights, majority of cured resin is not suitable for this kind of use. See more details below. With all resin products made by me, they are art pieces, handmade, for novelty use and not for everyday use. Download my care instructions here for more information.
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What are the spec's on the resin you use? 
This is really important. Like all plastic, heat, light and way of usage is very important and the pieces I make are not suitable for everyday purpose. 

I use up to 3 types of GlassCast resin to complete a project. Using each of these resins requires mixing, pouring, curing and degassing stages, so each project cannot be rushed through as they are handmade and do require a lot of time for each stage to be suitable for consumer handling. The degassing stage takes the longest.  
How does GlassCast 50 hold up against discoloration with exposure to UV over time?

Very well. GlassCast was designed from the beginning to be an epoxy with the best possible UV stability. Much like the paint on your car, nothing is completely invulnerable to the effects of prolonged UV exposure but, by epoxy standards, GlassCast 50 is about as good as it gets. We have done lots of accelerated UV testing (leaving samples in intense UV exposure units) which are far stronger than normal sunlight and in months of this testing we can barely detect any discolouration.
GlassCast 50 has not really been developed for outdoor use and so we would not recommend it for this purpose, particularly if this would be 365 days per year in the more extreme conditions of snow/ice through to lots of exposure to strong sun. For more occasional use there would be no problem but as a permanent outdoor installation we wouldn't recommend it.
How does GlassCast hold up against with heat exposure?

...I'm looking to use your coasters which can hold hot plate or mug.
My coasters are only suitable for cool items so I do not recommend placing hot or even warm cup, mug, glass or any other heated object on the resin piece unless otherwise stated. The piece would need to be heat treated which is another stage in the process. 
The maximum working temperature for GlassCast is 55°C. GlassCast could be marked by hot objects such as very hot drinks (think fresh black coffee, no saucer) or will warp if left near a candle / t-light or any other heat source such as a window or fireplace.
Terms and Conditions
  • No responsibility will be held for damaged flowers advised and sent within a reasonable time scale. No refunds are given for flowers arriving damaged having not been sent according to instructions. I also am unable to offer a refund for any packages lost by An Post or other courier, please ensure the insurance offered by them covers your order amount and you obtain a reference number. It is also your responsibility to keep an eye on tracking to ensure the parcel containing your flowers has reached its destination as although I try to, I cannot always contact you to confirm receipt.
 
  • Deposits are non-refundable with no negotiation’s. For wedding bookings, in the unlikely event that your wedding is cancelled, I am unable to offer a refund on deposits aka booking fee, so please ensure that your wedding insurance will cover your flower preservation booking. For any weddings postponed in relation to COVID-19, you can move your deposit over to a new date, simply keep me informed. Please note updated pricing may be applied to any bookings moved to 2021 and beyond to account for inflation in costs of materials and other overheads. 
 
  • I cannot chase up flower arrivals, it is very important that you put your name on the inside of the box, clearly and easily obtainable.
 
  • Please ensure your address details are correct as this is the address your finished order will be sent to. I do not accept notes inside flower boxes with addresses on as I cannot retain them. I cannot accept any responsibility for orders lost by An Post, Couriers etc, or due to the address being incorrect.
 
  • IMPORTANT. I cannot stress it enough that your flowers are not guaranteed to look the same in the resin as they do fresh. Flowers need to be dried to be placed in resin, sometimes this can change the colour of your flowers. Some flowers/foliage are also unsuitable for the preservation process, for example Lillie’s and berries so they may be left out of your order. Some flowers/foliage can look quite different when dried, but still very beautiful! Just remember, this process is a form of art whereby I Vanessa will work with nature and my skills to preserve the beauty of each flower; however, Mother Nature allows. Please note also that white flowers dry cream/yellowy 95% of the time. If you are concerned please just ask! I will always try to keep you informed where possible of any flowers which cannot be used.
 
  • The letters do stand-up but you may need something adhesive to assist in making them free standing, alongside the silicone feet provided. The letter L has a short “foot” - please check my photos.
 
  • My shapes can contain bubbles, small holes and slight bulges/ indents- this is due to the nature of working with real flowers and soft moulds. It all adds to the charm of buying a handmade item! The backs are not designed to be seen- I sometimes have to sand off and where needed, recoat sharp edges of flowers which poke out.
 
  • It is not possible to send leftover flowers back so if you’d like to keep any please separate them before sending.
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  • Customers sending flowers to me from overseas will be responsible for any customs charges. I am unable to advise on estimated costs, and it is not something I am able to control. Some couriers will require payment before delivery is permitted. Please ensure you do the relevant research before booking with me.

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