n my two years hosting hundreds of paper flower workshops, this is the question I get the most:
“Where do you get your crepe paper? I’ve never seen anything like it before!”
Truthfully, my first instinct was to guard my answer like a carefully kept secret.
I thought, if I give away my knowledge, I’ll create competition for myself; after all I’m still the only professional Paper Florist in Perth!
But something didn’t feel quite right. I’ve gotten so much joy from paper flower-making, who was I to keep that from the community I say I’m here to serve?
So my friends, here is my no-holds-barred guide to Crepe Paper for Beginners. As a strong believer in community over competition, I hope this inspires you to go on even more creative adventures.
What we use in our Workshops
Ah, those luxe, crisp sheets of crepe paper that stretch beautifully and hold their shape for years!
Unlike regular crepe, Premium Italian Crepe paper is double layered which is what gives it is stiffness while being so malleable. I use the brand Cartotecnica Rossi, made in Italy with the 180g weight as it holds the most structure over time. They also have 90g weights which work for thinner more delicate flowers, and boast an impressive range of metallic and nuanced shades.
Cartotenica Rossi is our preferred brand as they harvest from FSC certified forests, bound by law to using sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices.
If a trip to Italy isn’t quite on your plans, you can find a range of options on Etsy by searching “Premium Italian Crepe Paper”.
However, we have a great relationship with local brand Paper 4 Craft, who stock Cartotecnica Rossi right here in Australia. They’ve given us a special code for 10% off, so email me to join the Jotterbook Flowers family if you’d like one sent to you.
Some things to note are that the dark, bright colours can fade if exposed to bright direct sunlight over time. During workshops and creating paper bouquets, I use Dulux Duramax Clear Coat Spray from Bunnings or any other art sealant to best preserve them in the future.
Although they might initially feel fragile in your hands, trust me when I say that this crepe paper is of the best quality and is extremely strong, so don’t be afraid to mold it into shape and make each petal and leaf sit where you’d like them to go.
Paper Flowers at Home
Aside from the luxe premium crepe, you can also use a variety of readily-found materials to DIY paper flowers:
- Spotlight occasionally sells a range of crepe paper suitable to flower-making, more akin to the 90g weight than the 180g. It’ll do beautifully for small projects, however you may consider a double coat of sealant spray or adding wire supports to the thinner petals if you are making bigger items.
- You can use regular crepe paper but bear in mind that the shapes may droop in humid temperatures after long periods of time.
- Printing or Construction paper can also be used to create flowers, you can even paint or colour in regular white paper to give it some cool shades. Download our free DIY Rose Template and give it a go making your own paper roses at home!
Do you sell crepe paper?
I totally would if I had a space big enough to house enough stock! I do have a Cherry Blossom At-Home Kit however that is filled with Cartotecnica Rossi Crepe Paper in pink, burgundy, white, green, yellow and brown. I’ve also included some floral wire and a 20 minute tutorial where I take you step by step to create your own everlasting Paper Cherry Blossoms.
Our kits tend to sell-out fast so click below to order your own. All you need is glue and scissors to get going, and they ake great gifts!
That’s all from me! I hope you found this guide helpful, please feel free to reach out at hello@jotterbookflowers.com, I’d love to chat and answer any of your questions.