The little story behind my paper flowers

The little story behind my paper flowers 🌺

I vividly remember the day I decided to make my first paper flower. I was in my apartment, surrounded by brushes, paint pots, and sheets of colored paper. At the time, I was already painting on porcelain and doing illustration, which I loved. I had a part-time job and couldn't afford to buy bouquets of flowers regularly. But that day, I wanted to try something new...

It was about ten years ago (already!), and without really knowing where it would lead me, I took a sheet of paper and started cutting out petals, thinking about how to assemble them.

I wanted to draw inspiration from reality, but not too much. I didn't want to reproduce flowers that were perfectly identical to those found in nature. No, what attracted me was playing with colors, mixing shapes, and especially adding bright colors and neon!

The first flowers I made were far from perfect… and I still sometimes smile when I think about them. My technique was rudimentary, and I had to do a lot of experimenting before I got something I was really happy with. I used wooden skewers (the kind for barbecue skewers). Every now and then, once the flower was finished, the skewer would break. My grumbling level reached an all-time high!

Over time, my technique has evolved. I've learned to work the paper with more finesse, to give relief to the petals, to choose the paper carefully (especially the weight) and to play with colors to make my flowers even more unique.

But it wasn't always easy! There were times when I had to start all over again, when I grumbled when I saw that I didn't have enough paper, or that my petals were badly cut. And I can't count the number of times I burned myself with hot glue... The joys of the job, as they say!

🪷 Ecology plays an essential role in my work. I try to use raw materials made in France as much as possible to reduce the environmental impact of my creations. When I go to fine art stores, it's always a moment of exploration! I love wandering through the aisles looking for new colors. To avoid getting lost in the infinite choice of shades, I always bring my homemade color chart , which I made: it includes samples of all the solid colors I have in the studio.

The different thicknesses of paper also inspire me. Each texture brings a new dynamic to the flowers: some thicknesses cut with ease, while others require more precision. It changes the way I fold, glue, and assemble each petal… And that's part of the fun of the process!

🪷 Touches of neon: my colorful signature ✨
I like to add vibrant details that add a touch of zest to my flowers. I often add neon to give them a special glow. I find these little bright touches make all the difference.

I'm also always looking for original papers, especially double-sided origami papers... and there, I admit, I'm quite picky. 😅 One of my dreams would be to create my own paper patterns, but it's still a pending project on my (very very long) to-do list!

🪷 Every flower I make is entirely cut and assembled by hand . It requires a lot of precision, a good dose of patience, and above all, passion! Choosing the perfect paper, cutting out each petal with my little scissors, assembling the heart of the flower, and seeing the result come to life between my fingers...

✂️ Cutting the petals is a key moment. What takes me the most time is the heart of the flower: it's the smallest part, but also the one I prefer. It requires concentration and attention to detail (sometimes it's really tiny!). This work becomes a moment of meditation for me. While I'm creating, I like to imagine the places where the flowers will end up: on a wedding table, in a pretty vase at someone's house, or given as a special gift.

🪷Making a flower takes time! Today, I've improved my technique and work in batches to save time. Instead of making one flower after another, I make the stems, bulbs, and then the petals in batches.

Out of curiosity, I timed the making of 25 flowers. I followed each step precisely: preparing the 25 stems, cutting the 25 hearts, assembling the petals...

Result? It took me 19 hours to create 25 flowers, or about 45 minutes per flower!

That's when I realized I'm a super-fast crafter... in a parallel world where time doesn't really matter. But beyond the stopwatch, what really matters is the joy I feel every time I finish a new creation.

🌸 Behind every flower, there's a story, an idea, and above all, a lot of passion. So, if you're looking for a little lasting poetry for your home or as a gift, my flowers are just waiting to bloom in your home!

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