Paper Flowers - How I Got Started

(This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a very small commission for purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you.)  

Hello!

I want to take a trip down memory lane with you, to tell you how I got started with paper flowers.

In various forms, my handmade business has been around since my early school days. Back when I was about 9 years old, I was obsessed with making 3D Decoupage greetings cards. I had all the papers, and sticky foam pads coming out of my ears! I'm pretty sure my mum used to hide the paper catalogues too so I couldn't beg her to buy me any more paper! Not the sort of hobby you'd expect most 9 year olds to be into, but what can I say, I've always been a stationery geek! And nothing has changed 25 years later. I’m still obsessed with ALL THE PAPER!

As you've probably guessed by now, my designs have become a little more 'refined' since those days. Over the years I’ve studied lots of different forms of art and design for my diploma, and I went on to get a degree in interior design too.

My very first paper flower was a peony made from the only crepe paper I could find! At the time I was living in Dubai and art materials were extremely hard to come by, crepe paper even more so. The only crepe I could find was closer to a party streamer than the heavyweight specialty crepe I use today, but it was a good place to start! 

After making that very first peony, I was hooked. 

I remember later that night my husband coming home from a night out, and being so in awe that I had created something so beautiful just from paper, when all he’d done was get drunk! Infact, thanks to Instagram I have the exact conversation! 

I’m so glad I took a photo of it back then, so I have something to look back on now and see how far I’ve come since. I’m pretty sure it was just the alcohol in him talking, but either way it was enough to spur me on to make more flowers, and so begun my paper flower journey.

I was immediately obsessed, and wanted to learn everything about making paper flowers. 

A few months later during a trip home to the UK, I stocked up on “Proper” crepe paper, and spent the next few years practicing and perfecting my flowers before we moved from Dubai to Canada, where I made this my full time business.

Many flowers later, I still love getting new paper, colouring it to make it the perfect shade, and experimenting with new techniques to constantly improve each bloom.

I remember when another paper florist said you need to make at least 10 of the same flower to perfect it. And that it is so true. With each and every flower I make my skills improve a little bit more.

MY FIRST TWO CREPE PAPER PEONIES (2017)

(You can even see an improvement between the first one - lying down - and the second one - in the vase!)

MY LATEST CREPE PAPER PEONY (2020)

And now after learning what makes paper flowers truly incredible and better than other faux flowers, or even the real thing, I can’t wait to pass that knowledge on to you.

I also worked as an interior designer for over 15 years, so I’m excited to share some of my design knowledge with you to help style your paper blooms around your home, show you how to choose colour palettes, and how you can create incredible works of art for every occasion.

Not only that, if you’re here for advice about creating blooms for your wedding or a big event, I’ve done that too! I planned and DIY’d almost all of my own wedding back in 2016, and more recently I made all of the bridesmaids bouquets for my friends wedding in Spain. So if there’s any wedding related flower questions, comment below this video and let me know.

I just cant wait to show you how to turn all that design knowledge, into stunning paper blooms of your own.

So, I want to know, where are you in your paper flower journey? And which blooms do you want to learn how to make? I’d love to be able to help answer your questions, so let me know in the comments below, so I can make sure future videos give you all the right tricks to create your own paper blooms.

And while you’re there, don’t forget to like and subscribe our YouTube channel, it really helps me out, and means I can bring more paper flower advice your way!

Ta muchly for being a part of this journey with me.

Michelle x