Sculptures may be regularly dusted with a soft cloth or brush to avoid a buildup of particles settling on the surface. For smaller crevices, a small paintbrush may be used, though take care to not dislodge any affixed decorative elements with excessive force. Do not use any abrasive materials as they can damage the top layer of paint or even scratch into the plaster itself.

The most important thing to remember is that these pieces absorb moisture, so any liquids that come into contact with the plaster may stain the surface. It is also for this reason that we strongly suggest keeping these pieces for indoor use only.

Since all Sleepy Gorgon sculptures are cast in plaster, it is strongly recommended to not keep them outdoors as they will break down and wear away with water, moisture, and exposure to the elements.

If you have a request for a custom color for a sculpture that's in our shop, please send us a message or include a note in your order! We will work with you and may ask you questions for further information. Regarding individual custom-sculpted pieces, we are currently not accepting individual commissions for one-off custom sculpted pieces at this time. However, if you have an idea that you'd like to see sculpted and offered for sale in our shop, we'd love to hear it! Click here to go to our Contact page to submit a sculpture or series idea, or tag or message us on any of our social media platforms!

Completed orders ready to be shipped are taken to the post office every weekday afternoon or evening, Monday through Friday. If you receive a notification that your order has been shipped, you can expect that the package will be or already has been delivered to the post office that same day. From that point forward, it's in the hands of the USPS, and the tracking information connected to your order will automatically update accordingly.

Plaques and sculptures that are made to order require a minimum of 8 days before being shipped due to the drying time of the plaster. Since the water in freshly-cast pieces takes a few days to fully evaporate, the packaging around the item would get soggy if sent any sooner. This could jeopardize the packaging's ability to do its job protecting the item during transit -- we don't want you to receive a broken sculpture!

Items already made will have a quicker turnaround time (approximately 1-3 days) since they only need to be prepared for shipping and have already undergone the drying period.

Check an item's description to see whether it is listed as "made to order," as that will indicate a loose timeline for casting, painting (if applicable), and shipping. Descriptions that lack the "made to order" wording have already been cast and are ready for packaging and shipping.

Recycle the box, compost the rest! The packaging used for Sleepy Gorgon is as eco-friendly as it gets.

And we LOVE our packaging.

We order our shipping materials from Eco Enclose, a company whose aim is to make the shipping industry as sustainable as possible by using recycled materials to manufacture supplies. These items can then further be reused, composted or recycled once more after they serve their purpose of safely getting our sculptures to you!

The Sleepy Gorgon packaging you receive in the mail is 100% recyclable. That includes the box, tape, shipping label, and paper padding used on the inside of the parcel.

In addition, the box, tape, and paper padding are all naturally biodegradable. If the shipping label is removed (and then recycled!), the rest of the package can be composted normally.

We are aiming for packaging that is both 100% recyclable and 100% naturally biodegradable so that shoppers can have either option when it comes time for disposal. At this time, we have been unable to find shipping labels that easily compost -- but we're almost there! As technology and popularity for sustainability improves, we hope to be able to offer this in the future.

TL;DR: All of the packaging used for Sleepy Gorgon is 100% compostable or recyclable, and comes from an awesome, sustainable source.

Here are the top 3 things to do to make sure seed paper grows for you:

1. Plant it under a very thin dusting of soil. (Only 1/8 of an inch.)
2. Keep it moist during germination and ensure there is good drainage. Don’t let the water pool.
3. Make sure it gets plenty of sunlight! Wildflowers love the sun.

See full instructions below:

https://botanicalpaperworks.com/how-plantable-paper-works/