“Flowers are the music of the ground, from Earth’s lips spoken without sound.”
— Edwin Curran
Hi there! I’m Erin.
Flowers are the stuff of my heart! I feel lucky to use these ethereal pops of perfection as a creative medium.
I developed a deep appreciation for nature while growing up in the mountains of Eagle, Colorado. I believe plants and flowers bring us healing and give joy. They are sweet relief in our unpredictable lives, reminding us that life is a beautiful yet fleeting experience to be cherished.
I enjoy my work for the flowers, but also the creative liberty, and nature is my source of inspiration. I love experimenting with all the different colors, shapes and textures in organic materials to create designs that are as unique and vibrant as the world around us. I have a design studio located just outside of Eagle before Costco where I have plenty of space for floral projects of all kinds.
My passion for plants and flowers does not stop in the artistic world; I’m also a certified Colorado Master Gardener, avid house plant collector, and essential oil enthusiast. When seasons allow, I grow some of my own product. I have a micro flower farm at my home where I grow a small collection of fresh cut flowers all started from seed, perennials and native plants.
Sustainability
For a profession that celebrates nature, florists can be quite wasteful. However, nature-adoring artists like me are trying to change that mentality.
Free Spirit is a proud member of the Sustainable Floristry Network. Through this education I have obtained the knowledge and methods necessary to design flowers while keeping the planet in mind.
Although not always possible nor realistic, I try to avoid out-of-season blooms.
I refrain from using toxic floral foam, which has been a staple in floral design for decades but is harmful to our health and our planet. I do not work with flowers that have been bleached or dyed.
I avoid any single-use mechanics or vessels and encourage flower recipients to return vases they do not wish to keep to Free Spirit so they may be reused.
Never foraging for any product; precious wildflowers should never be removed from the wild for any reason. If I wish to use a particular flower that cannot be responsibly sourced from a wholesaler, I grow them myself in my micro flower farm.
I never let any flowers go to waste! Any product that cannot be sold is repurposed to be enjoyed as long as possible rather than tossed in the trash; I break down all my own events to ensure products and materials are properly reused or recycled. I love donating the flowers left over from weddings or events to art programs at schools and retirement homes or to my family and friends. Even flowers with 1-2 days of life left still end up displayed in my studio or home for one last hoorah.
Meet the Cooler
Although florists create with an inevitably perishable medium, the way designers care for their flowers will influence their vase life and overall quality immensely.
At Free Spirit, proper processing and storage of flowers is one of my greatest values. It is why I invested in a walk-in cooler specifically designed for plant life. Stored at 99% humidity and an optimal temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit with plenty of room for air circulation, my flowers stay fresh and fragrant until show time to ensure clients and recipients can enjoy them for as long as possible. I also maintain a spotless design studio and sanitize all clippers, knives, and buckets after each use to provide a fresh, clean environment for my product.
Vase-life aside, I see flowers as a miracle! They were planted and nurtured from a small seed, spent months growing, and then remained strong and resilient after being plucked from their life source. After all that, don’t you think they deserve the upmost care and respect?