In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Floyd, Virginia, gratitude doesn't come once a year—it moves through everyday life. It shows up in the way neighbors pause in the grocery store to ask how your family is doing, in the soft glow of handmade goods passed between friends, and in the creative heartbeat of artisans who pour themselves into their craft. For us at R & D Floral, gratitude is the foundation of everything we create.
As we reflect on this season of thankfulness, we feel deeply moved by the community that continues to uplift our small business and the values we hold dear: family, connection, and the beauty of nature preserved in art.
Rooted in Family, Growing Through Community
R & D Floral began with a simple belief—that nature’s smallest moments deserve to be preserved and shared. Every bloom captured in resin, every handcrafted drawer knob, and every pendant and pair of earrings begins as a moment of wonder: sunlight on petals, a blossom after rain, or a flower gathered during a family walk.
Our family-centered approach mirrors the way Floyd itself moves: slow enough to savor, intentional enough to matter, and always gently tied to the rhythm of the seasons.
And this community—your community, our community—has been at the heart of our growth. From local artisans offering advice and encouragement, to customers who chose to support small instead of big-box, to families who cherish pieces of our work in their homes… this support is more than business. It’s partnership. It’s belonging.
We are thankful every day for the people of Floyd who believe in the magic of handcrafted goods and the importance of keeping creativity alive.
Family and Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time that we all sit back and think of what we are grateful for. We enjoy the good news of babies being born, graduations and upcoming weddings and sometimes we take for granted all we have. Dulaney and I both have found that this year our Thanksgiving tables became a little smaller as we have both lost loved ones. With these losses we find we want to hold onto a little piece of them to cherish forever. We have also found that Thanksgiving brings hope as we hear of family members planning weddings or welcoming new little bundles of joy into the world!
We began doing commission pieces not only for joyous occasions like weddings, births, and graduations but also as an opportunity to encase a little piece of a loved one who has moved on from this world, or a piece of a homeplace that you only visit at holidays. While you visit with Grandma on her porch, keep your eyes open for the small blooms and plants she cherishes. As you and your sister stroll through mom’s old garden and notice a rose bush still blooming or a pretty leaf from the tree Grandpa used to sit under to tell stories, pick a few blooms or leaves. While memories fade, we can make them last!
Fresh flower and foliage provide us the greatest opportunity to create a variety of optional keepsakes. But, if you have a flower that is already dried from a previous event, we maybe be able to use this as well. You can find our commission form on our website that will assist us in creating the perfect keepsake for you!
A Heartfelt Thank You from R & D Floral
As we look toward a season of reflection and gathering, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to the community that has helped shape R & D Floral into what it is today. Your support—and the support of fellow artisans—fuels our passion and strengthens our purpose. As a small business, we don’t take a single kind word or order for granted. Every in-person conversation, online message, or visit to our booth reminds us how supportive, creative, and generous the people of Floyd truly are.
Thank you for believing in handcrafted work.
Thank you for choosing to shop small.
Thank you for welcoming our art into your homes and families.
For all of this support, we are endlessly thankful.
From our studio in Floyd, VA to your homes around the country, we are honored to create pieces that reflect the gratitude we feel every day.
With warm hearts and deep appreciation,
R & D Floral