When I, Doro, was growing up in East Germany, my Oma Annelie’s bookstore was my favorite place, brimming with old and new books, stationary and school supplies. In summer I would often accompany Oma foraging for wildflowers and carefully placing them into old books to press and preserve their fragile beauty. As the seasons shifted, I sat at her crafting table, selecting these same flowers and leaves to create lovely greeting cards, which she sold in her store. The fall of the Berlin Wall brought change, reuniting Germany; the book was sold, and Oma entered her well-deserved retirement. In the hustle and bustle of life, I, too, moved on, and the memory of Oma’s cards faded into the past. It wasn’t until I found myself in a new home on the untamed Olympic Peninsula that I realized I had chosen a place teeming with familiar flowers and grasses. The moment I crafted my very first card from flowers I had gathered and pressed myself I felt closer to my late Oma Annelie than I had in years. Her spirit, creativity, and the enduring love for these little floral works of art had been rekindled. Today, I live with my family on a small homestead just outside the village of Joyce. I take pleasure in gardening and herbal medicine, relishing the beauty of the peninsula while mindfully embracing a lifestyle attuned to the changing seasons. I once again find joy in the simple act of gathering flowers, grasses and leaves, watching them transform ordinary paper into little worlds of sunshine. I invite you to join me on this beautiful journey - handmade with love and nature.
