Discover the art of paper flower making with my new blog series: Back to the Basics. Over the past eight years, I've immersed myself in the world of paper flowers, exploring various techniques and materials. From mastering the manipulation of different types of crepe papers to achieving lifelike colors through coloring mediums, I've experienced the trials and errors firsthand. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be sharing my valuable insights and knowledge to help you embark on your own paper flower journey. Join me as we delve into the enchanting world of paper flowers and unlock the secrets of this beautiful craft.

As part of my Back to the Basics focus, I’m delving into the medium that I create my paper flowers with, which is crepe paper. We’re kicking things off with one of my favorite staples: Cartotecnica Rossi Italian crepe paper. 

One of the best things about Italian crepe paper is the wide range of colors and weights that are available. The paper comes in a...

Drum roll please! I’m so excited to announce that Cartotenica Rossi in collaboration with Kate Alarcon of The Cobra Lily has released a new 90 gsm color collection entailing five new greens, two mauves, two blues, and three new pinks. 

The greens are just beautiful. Kate was so brilliant at filling in the wanted missing greens that we artists have been hoping for. They are perfect for creating those bracts, sepals, leaves, and so much more!

Here’s the new line-up of crepe paper colors:

I was fortunate enough to receive a very large box of all these new colors in the 90 gsm. In the coming months, I will share my tips and tricks plus new tutorials on how to use this new weight with you.

I’ll be doing a fun giveaway with this paper soon, but I need to know if you would rather have a large sample of the new colors or a crepe paper sample book like the one you would find at the paint chip store. Comment down below to let me know your preference, and I’ll put...

Once you’ve fallen in love with paper flower making, learning how to arrange flowers is a natural next step. You want to display those beautiful blooms in a way that showcases your creations and catches the attention of viewers.

Here’s a peek at what I’ve been working on lately. I’ve been taking a needed summer break and making flowers here and there to complete a large wedding order in the fall. There are some ranunculus, Italian butterfly ranunculus, anemones, garden roses, scabiosa, and seeded eucalyptus in this photo. I’m adding more varieties of blooms and need to make dozens and dozens of more flowers, including more varieties of garden roses and some fillers.

So how do you start putting all of these flowers together in a cohesive way? How do you figure out what’s missing from an arrangement, what could improve it?

My advice is to create a pocket of air around each of your blooms. Give them space to be recognized. Similarly, create smaller...

You need paper flowers. Be it for a wedding or a gift, you’ve decided that paper flowers are the right choice for you. 

(Great choice, by the way. I wholeheartedly agree!)

Now you just have to place an order. If you’re purchasing a piece that’s already made and listed online, then all you have to do is pull out your credit card and put in your shipping info. 

But that’s not how most paper flower orders work. Let’s talk about commissions and what you need to do before contacting a paper florist.

What Is a Commission?

Due to the handmade and creative nature of our craft, paper florists typically don’t have a lot of inventory on hand. Some might have blooms ready to ship that are listed on their Etsy page or personal website, but the selection will be limited to what can be produced by one person and what they find sells. 

Your tastes differ from the next customer’s, and that’s great! Especially for a...

On June 3, 2021, six paper florists walked into a brand new museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When we finished our work, we’d compiled lilies from more than fifty people around the world into an art installation to honor those who died a century ago in a hateful, racist massacre. 

How did this commemoration endeavor come about?   

It all started when Jessie Chui and I were approached by Amy McGee of Botanical Brouhaha and Sue McLeary of @passionflowersue via the Palmers sisters of The Wild Mother from Oklahoma City. They asked if we wanted to be involved in the centennial commemoration of the Greenwood Massacre that happened in my hometown of Tulsa. 

Why did I say yes? I grew up in Tulsa and was never taught this important history. Only in the past year and a half did I learn about this sad event that occurred 100 years ago. I asked my high school friends, and we all agreed that we were never taught about it at all. It was upsetting that a huge piece of...

 I’m so excited to share this colorful and happy crepe paper wreath! Whether you’re an experienced paper florist or a newcomer to crepe paper, you’ll have fun making this tutorial your own.

When Aleene’s Glues approached me to try out their Tulip Tie-Dye Kit, I had to say yes. I’m a big fan of their products, and I knew that it would be fun to try something new. This rainbow wreath was the result of my experimentation with their kit. Though you only get five colors (red, orange, green, blue, and purple), the resulting color combinations are endless. If you know your color wheel, you can achieve some really amazing results. 

You can also experiment with wire gauge and the wreath base. I made my own base using Kraft-covered wire, but feel free to use a preformed one. 

Also be careful not to stretch out the paper as it dries—you’ll need that stretch later on—and make sure to wear the gloves provided in the kit to protect...

Paper florists all over the world will inevitably run into the same problem: what to do with all of those crepe paper scraps? You paid for that lovely crepe, and throwing it out feels wrong. But you’re swimming in the scraps, and your home can’t take anymore leftover crepe crammed into nooks and crannies. 

I faced this same problem early on as a paper florist. Dealing with scraps is actually how The Posey Box got its start! While lamenting to a friend about all of the crepe bits I didn’t want to throw out, the idea formed to box the scraps and sell them as mystery boxes. Those first ten boxes sold out so quickly! From there, it was a hop, skip, and a jump to coupling boxes of crepe with tutorials and officially starting The Posey Box.

While The Posey Box features new supplies, those little crepe scraps still accumulate like dust bunnies under a couch. What should you do with them? Here are some of my favorite ideas.

Make New Paper

This is a great option for...