Wedding Bouquets Recreated in Paper

I had two commissions to re-create a wedding bouquet in paper last week and they couldn’t be more different.

The first was from a tropical island ceremony almost 10 years ago. While the bouquet itself was quite simple—about 20 tightly-packed calla lilies with just a few large leaves—each bloom needed to be hand-colored and blended to mimic the original bouquet. I’m just in love with how they turned out, and so was the client!

 The second project was inspired by a more traditional bridal bouquet featuring white, cream and very pale blush with dark foliage. The variety of flowers, along with the pop of pale mint and lavender imbue the classic arrangement with a bit of whimsy and wildness.

While the original bouquet was quite large, including more than 20 blooms along with the lush foliage, the client decided a smaller version would be better for her home.

My favorite blooms are these sweet ombré roses, with a cream base and hand-colored yellow glow at the center, fading to blush pink toward the outer edges.

Want a forever version of your own bouquet? Send me a photo for a quote!

Happy 2017!

You guys, I’m such a bad blogger! Between holiday travels and some big exciting projects, I haven’t had much time to write, but this rainy morning seems the perfect opportunity.

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First things first, if you’re here trying to find out more about the Kindness is Everything, I’ve licensed the design to the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health and you can shop for signs, shirts and more here. Follow our Kindness is Everything facebook page for updates and to connect with people across the nation that identified with the movement that began as a simple sign.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about above, check out my original post for the back story. Hundreds of emails and thousands of orders later, we’ve raised more than $7,000 for the ACLU with our Midwest sign distribution, and dozens of other groups across the country have raised even more! There were three of us managing all the requests and etsy page (completely pro bono of course) and it just got to be too much, so we started seeking a nonprofit with the capability to sell branded merchandise. Two of us had worked with WAWH previously, were familiar the good work the organization was doing in Wisconsin and nationally and thought it was the perfect fit (plus we knew the executive director would make the most of the opportunity!). It’s been really exciting to have something I made “go viral” and more importantly, to be able to connect with like-minded people across the world.

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I also took a step toward expanding the flower arm of 622 press in December. I offered my first flower making class in December! We ended up having to cancel it, but now that I’ve got the instruction booklets and material kits made—I even hosted a practice class with friends!—I’ve totally got the bug. I’m talking with a few venues in different cities about 2017 classes, so stay tuned! (And if you’re interested in having me teach a class in your area, get in touch, I’m available to travel!)

Speaking of flowers, I felt like they were starting to take over my Instagram feed, so I started a second account completely devoted to paper flowers. Follow here!

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I also had quite a few engaged couples get in touch before the holidays for save the dates and invitations. I can’t share any of those until after the big day of course, but here’s a lovely piece I received in late fall—nothing better than getting your own work in the mail! I’m so excited to work on more wedding invitations in 2017—get in touch if you’re planning your nuptials!

Bouquets and Bunches

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Is there anything better than an armful of colorful blooms? I don’t think so, especially when they are lovingly handmade and last forever. So when I got together with Adi of Ballyknock Photo, I brought a bunch of bouquets along with the crowns from my last post. white_arrangement_5r0a7572

This monochromatic arrangement was actually a commission for a wedding show and was shipped out the day after it was photographed. Since the blooms were all whites and creams, I wanted to create interest with a variety of flower types and textures, especially in the foliage by incorporating paper evergreens, succulents and branches berries in with my hand-dyed leaves.white_arrangement_5r0a7606

burgundy_bouquet_5r0a7372 When I was home this fall, I splurged on a super fancy Italian crepe paper in a gorgeous merlot color. It looks so beautiful with reds, fuchsias, purples… pretty much everything. I love this bouquet! bike_5r0a7851I wanted to try a few shots with my scooter, and they turned out even better than I imagined! My model thought I was crazy, but I just love these funky boots with her beautiful lace tea-length gown. bike_5r0a7796

While I love color, I really enjoyed putting together this more traditional bridal bouquet of whites and pinks. Shop all flowers here!

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A Poppy by Any Name…

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A few weeks ago, my sister asked me to teach her how to make a few paper flowers. I gladly obliged and have been on a flower kick ever since! I’ve improved quite a lot since I first started making paper flowers, so I’ve been slowly working on updating my templates and photos in my etsy shop, as well as adding new blooms.

As my flowers become truer to life, I find I want to be more specific about which variety the paper bloom is modeled after, especially for poppies. The Icelandic and Oriental versions are so different, so now they’re available as separate options in my shop!

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Oriental poppies are similar to my original design, with their black centers and stamen, but I’ve updated the petal texture and added another piece to their centers to create that signature starburst look. The biggest change to these beauties is that I now offer hand-colored petals, which really makes them come alive!

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My new obsession is definitely the Icelandic variety! Their ruffled centers are crazy putzy, but the results are irresistibly beautiful. I made myself an entire bouquet to replace some older poppies I wasn’t a fan of any more, plus some extras… because I’m obsessed! Want to order a single bloom or a big bouquet? Check out the flower section of my etsy shop!

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Red Wedding Flowers

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Sorry for the radio silence, friends, I’ve been super busy playing catch up from being away and working on some really exciting new projects!

The day before we left for Chile, a big order for paper flowers came in, and I was so excited because it was my first full wedding order, and so disappointed because I figured I’d have to refund it, as I wouldn’t be able to work on it for nearly two weeks. Lucky for me, this bride was planning ahead, and we had plenty of time before her big day!

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So the day after we got home, I got to work on this gorgeous flower crown and a large bouquet for the bride, along with a smaller bouquet (pictured) and boutonnieres! 5R0A0910 5R0A0925 5R0A0950

I tried some new techniques with my poppies and I’m absolutely loving how they’ve turned out! One of the things I love most about making paper flowers is the problem solving, always striving to make them more realistic and more beautiful. 5R0A0971

A special thanks to Adrian Cunningham of Ballyknock Photography for taking a few quick snaps before I sent them off to Australia!