We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Crystal L’Bussey-Dutton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Crystal , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My mission comes from always wanting to help others and to share what knowledge and experience I have gained over the years. I have always been one that enjoys being creative, learning something new, and trying to better myself and helping others when I am able. I had a rough up bringing and what got me through was immersing myself in crafts and later in gardening which not only became a coping mechanism through difficult times but also became my own form of meditation. Due to my past mental health was always a problem but by learning herbalism and holistic healing I found new ways to release the negative and begin to feel the positive sides of most any situation. I found solace in gardening, aromatherapy, herbalism, and crafting.
So I decided that not only did I want to share my knowledge with others but I would offer the items that I have made that can help to aid in healing, be uplifting gift items, or plant starts to help others get their gardens started. By reconnecting with the land it helps one to ground themselves and become better in-tune with what they need or want for that matter. But it is also a reminder that some of the simpler things in life can be the most rewarding. From growing your own food, to smelling the uplifting rose, to drinking that calming chamomile tea, or taking some time for other self-care methods. All of which have been known to help others in time of stress, grief, and even in some cases sickness. Now I’m not a doctor nor have I ever claimed to be one but I do like to help others understand that there are ways to help boost your immune system or suggest things that could help relieve those terrible migraines.
I’m not here to change the world but I am here to share my journey, my knowledge, and experiences. With the world full of negativity and struggles sometimes we need to be reminded there is always a brighter side but it is up to ourselves to take that step to heal from the negative and push to a brighter future. Even if you want to give up you’ve got to keep going. Its like my mom always told me “where there is a will, there is a way”
Crystal , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My company Crystal’s garden and Gifts was started because of a few reasons such as a love for gardening and a love for crafting items like jewelry and dreamcatchers and a way to be at home with my children. I wanted to be able to have a place where you could find plants that have a culinary, medicinal, or pollinator purpose. I also, wanted to provide gift items that are handmade or that can aid in holistic healing methods and help in ones overall well-being. All while being home with my children because they grow fast and I didn’t want to miss out on time with them. But starting Crystal’s Garden and Gifts also gave me the opportunity to work with my kids and teach them about plants and the care they needed.
Over the years I have found that things like gardening and self-care can help to keep you balanced and grounded which in turn can assist in times of stress and other difficult times in life. Growing up with a bit of a rough up-bringing all I have ever wanted to do was help others and find a way to help make the world a better place and this is my way of doing so. It has given me the opportunity to share my plant knowledge and provide items that can be given as a gift on a special occasion or be bought for yourself on a difficult day. Some of our gift items may be a dreamcatcher for those who are having a hard time with dreams at night, or smudge sticks for someone who is wanting to cleanse their space of negative energy, wellness baskets for someone who is grieving and could use a little pick me up, or jewelry for a special occasion.
Crystal’s Garden and Gifts is a home based business so that I can be there for my kids and family when they need me. Our products can be found at the farmers markets we attend during the warmer months and online through our website. We do not ship plants during the cold months. But our website is where you can find all over our updated information from our farmer’s markets that we are attending, workshops we will be hosting in-person and online, and also where you can find plant information. You will also be able to follow our blog for gardening tips & tricks, recipes, self-care ideas, and craft tutorials.
Currently, I am studying herbalism through Herbal Academy so I can further my knowledge and eventually become a clinical herbalist. For now I am working to incorporate my cosmetology education with my herbalism education to have my own all natural skin care line and other beauty products. All products and plants are made and have been chosen to have a positive effect on the body, mind, and spirit. As, well as to help our land and pollinators.
If I had to choose one thing to be proud of it would be my children because not only are the strong willed, self-sufficient but they are smart, caring, and compassionate which can me hard to find in this world sometimes. And I just hope that they can see what I am trying to do with my company not only for myself but for others.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Though some have had it worst than I did growing up my resilience still comes from the rough up bringing I had as a child. I was raised my a single mother that suffered from drug addiction and alcoholism. I was the youngest of 2 children though mentally I was the oldest as my brother had a stroke at 4 1/2 months old. Growing up I was expected to take care of more than I should have and felt responsible for the world. I was expected to keep the house clean, make sure my older brother had eaten and gotten off to school in time, some mornings i even had to pull my mother out of bed, all while maintaining honor roll at school. I would play sports simply so I had an out let and thankfully I had my grandparents at times for support. But that did not make life easy and eventually I myself fell into the world my mother couldn’t pull herself from. However I did not like that life for myself and I lost quite a bit while I struggled with my own addictions and realized I did not want that for myself anymore. I swore that would not be the life I would lead anymore and that my children would never know that life because of me and I looked for new ways to cope with the hard times in life and better ways to help my mental health. I swore my kids would never have to take care of me like I had to take care of my mother that it wasn’t right for the child to raise the parent. Ever since then I have found herbalism, holistic healing, nature, creativity, and new found beauty to life. There is always a brighter side sometimes you just have to look for it a little more but that you can never give up. Sure life can get rough but if you give up and give in then you’ll never know what could of been.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I have had to unlearn would be that nothing is set in stone. Growing up I always believed that once you are on a certain path in life then that is the chosen path for the rest of your life. But I have come to realize that is not the case. Life changes and sometimes with it you change. Friends come and go, plants grow and die, light dawns and sets. It is our cycle and it has been a cycle ever. Sometimes when you grow up thinking your going to become this amazing cosmetologist that works with the celebrities but then life happens and your will changes you may decide you want to become a form of healer and just want share what you have learned.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crystalsgardenandgifts.com
- Instagram: @Crystalsgardenandgifts
- Facebook: facebook.com/Crystalsgardenandgifts
Image Credits
Crystal L’Bussey-Dutton