Meet Hayley Rutford

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayley Rutford.

Hi Hayley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I don’t like to put myself into a box that defines me; however, I like to create beautiful botanical art and florals that make people smile. I grew up in the foothills of Colorado. I now live in Leadville with my husband, two sons, and two dogs. I spent my younger years watching my Mom garden and overcoming the Colorado climate & critter challenges. Although the snow keeps me on my toes while gardening, I love it!

When the seasons allow, many of my flowers come from my personal gardens. I dry the majority of my own flowers. In addition, most of the wood is sourced right from Leadville. Much of the wood holds a story and history from Leadville’s heyday. My main goal is to reuse, repurpose, and minimize waste as much as possible. My tags are handmade from recycled paper and wildflower seeds, so they can be planted and enjoyed as flowers!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I first began drying flowers it was a lot of trial and error on which flowers dried better than others. A lot turned brown, fell apart, or just did not work well. Over time I have figured out how to use different techniques and what flowers dry the best.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of how I am able to minimize waste as much as possible by reusing, upcycling, and foraging for many of my supplies. I am also proud of how unique some of my pieces are such as my floral antlers.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I do think I am a risk-taker. I quit my job as a full-time dental hygienist and now own two of my own businesses. Wallflower is one of them. I think branching out on my own and as my own boss has been one of the scariest things I have done. I would not have done it if it were for the support of my husband. He has been so supportive every step of the way.

Pricing:

• $7-450

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @wallflower_by_hayley

Image Credits
Morgan Moutrie and Photo by Memry