Garden Keepsakes

Garden Keepsakes grew from different parts of my life that all taught me the same lesson: the smallest details can make someone feel deeply cared for. Before starting this business, I spent 11 years as an emergency room nurse, caring for people during some of the worst moments of their lives. Nursing taught me to listen without judgment, remain calm, and treat every person with compassion, patience, and understanding. My sisters’ weddings showed me how those same qualities could bring meaning to life’s happiest moments. After my older sister carefully chose personalized bottle openers as favors, I saw many of them left behind at the venue. It made me realize that a wedding favor should be more than a decoration—it should be something guests truly value. Later, while helping plan my younger sister’s wedding, I loved doing everything possible to make her day feel beautiful, personal, and unforgettable. At the beginning of 2026, that desire to care for others became deeply personal when my mom became sick. Drawing on my nursing experience, I looked for a creative way to support her mental health and give her something positive to focus on. She loved painting, I loved plants, so I bought ceramic planters for her to paint while I filled them with succulents. What began as a comforting activity became a small side business that could give her purpose and extra income. My mom named it Garden Keepsakes. After losing her at the end of March, grief made it difficult to continue. Eventually, I realized that Garden Keepsakes was more than a business—it was a way to honor her creativity and keep something we built together alive. Today, every favor is created with the compassion I learned through nursing, the love I discovered while helping with my sisters’ weddings, and the creativity my mom left with me. The end result is a beautiful, living keepsake that guests will genuinely want to take home and continue growing long after the celebration.