Upon finding a good stopping place (a ‘Kushti Atchin Tan’) on the outskirts of a village, Romanies (or Gypsies) would often make these flowers and — along with other hand made items such as clothes pegs, kipsie baskets and lavender bundles — sell them to villagers and passers-by. Hedgerow Elder was typically used to make the flower, while privet made an ideal leafy stem. Romanies also dyed some of their flowers to create colourful blooms. I use a ‘boot’ knife and the traditional method of whittling known as ‘off the knee’ to carve the flowers (as the Romanies themselves would have done). Upon request, using beetroot and turmeric, the flowers can also be dyed to create different shades of red and yellow. While the flowers should last indefinitely, living stems, should you decide to use them, will need replacing every few weeks. Hazel, willow or privet is ideal. Simply find and cut your stem of choice and push it gently into the pith of the flower. Standing in water will increase the lifespan of the stalk. Once you’ve decided how many flowers you’d like, and of which size, I’ll send you a photo so you can pick which ones you’d like to receive. Flowers are available in 3 (approx.) sizes, and are priced accordingly — Small - (4 - 7cm) — £2 Medium - (8 - 11cm) — £4 Large - (12cm +) — £8 Thanks for visiting!