The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers: Review

The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers:

a guide to making unbelievably realistic paper blooms

By Livia Cetti

Abrams & Chronicle Books 2014

Paperback £14.99

ISBN 978-1-6179-100-3

Star rating: ****1/2

Yes, here’s another ace paper flower title!

How do you like your paper flowers – realisitic or fun?  If you like your paper flowers to be dead ringers, then this is the book for you. Livia Cetti is a floral artist who works in paper, as opposed to a paper artist who fashions flowers. She is a superstar floral stylist and paper flower artiste based in New York City. She does the flowers for society weddings, magazine photoshoots, and posh shop displays. She has lots of big-name corporate clients. And in this lovely book, she does indeed share her making-up secrets. 

Livia Cetti  had a lightbulb moment when she noticed that a two-sided crepe paper called Doublette could be manipulated to create a realistic hibiscus, complete with fluted ruffled edges. That’s when her  paper flower-making journey began.

Most of the flowers in the book are made of either crepe- or tissue paper. You are taught how to dip-dye the paper using either water or bleach to create subtle gradient effects. The section on painting techniques is especially strong. (Merely wetting the tissue paper strips imparts delicate crinkles.)

You will learn the construction techniques used by florists – use of stem wires and floral tape (didn’t know the latter came in a variety of colours). 

The section on leaves is a revelation. The author says, “... I gently bend – and never crease -  the paper to create the look of veins, and I very rarely bend a vein fold in a straight line, instead opting to meander slightly from center to edge for a more organic shape...”

You are also taught how to make darts in the tissue paper petals, to impart gentle curves.

How-tos are given for 26 flowers, arranged alphabetically. I particularly liked the Night-Blooming Cactus and the towers of Hollyhocks. There are some well-thought-out project ideas at the end of the book. The 3-D Wallpaper – single-stem flowers stuck to a wall with snippets of coloured tape works a treat. The Tuberose Lei is simple but effective.

The photography is beautiful and the step-by-steps are clear and well-explained.

Full size templates are provided at the back of the book (love those ginko leaves!). However – there is no index.  Although the flowers are arranged alphabetically, this does not compensate for the lack of an index. For instance, you might want to look up a particular technique. (Lack of an index is why I gave this title 4-1/2 stars instead of 5.)

This title would be ideal for those who want to create bridal arrangements with keepsake potential. This book is also ideal for papercrafters who want to expand their paper flower-making repertoire with genuine floristry skills. 

Spoiled for choice with paper flower-making titles. How to choose? Watch this space.

Kaleido-Quilling FlowersTutorial

Quilling paper spirals make the flowers pop!

Fiesta colours!

Choice of big spiral flowers or minis.

I call this papercraft "Kaleido-Quilling". It is, of course, a new take on spiral thread-winding. Simply by using 2mm-wide quilling strips (that's the skinny size) instead of thread, the craft takes on a lively and fun appearance. The colour story takes on a new importance.


I've supplied free downloads for you. There are two different sizes of flower: 16-petal or 12-petal. Boths are quick to craft. There's another file with the greeting card "extras" - the leaves, vase, and tags. Here are your files:
Kaleido-QuillingFlowers.svg
Kaleido-QuillingExtras.svg
Kaleido-QuillingFlowers.pdf
Kaleido-QuillingExtras.pdf 

Digital cutters: these are print-and-cut files. I recommend using 160 gsm photocopier card for the flowers.

I have supplied .pdfs as well as cutting files because I always like to remember those of you who are not lucky enough to have a digital cutter (yet). But I have to say that cutting out the multi-petalled flowers would take some time. If cutting by hand, I recommend using a 1/8in circle punch at the base of the petals. 

Kaleido-Quilling How-Tos in a Nutshell:

Use 2mm-wide quilling strips.

Wrap the strip around the flower, advancing by the same number of petals each time you wrap. Go in a clockwise direction. Glue the beginning of the strip onto the flower back. 

If you run out of quilling strip, simply glue on a new piece onto the end of the old one. (Trim the working strip so the join is on the back of the flower.)

Tip: Make sure the quilling strip lies flat, not twisted. Take extra care at the "turns" at each petal base.

Successive rounds of quilled spirals are worked in exactly the same way. Choose a contrasting colour of quilling strip. The top layer must have fewer petals between wraps than the bottom layer. Example: 5-petal wrap, bottom layer. 2-petal wrap, top layer.

And here's your how-to tut:

1. Select the number of petals you wish to wrap and glue the quilling strip end onto the back of the flower. This is a 5-petal wrap.

2. This shows the end of the quilling strip glued onto the flower back. Use tacky glue applied with a cocktail stick.

3. Wrapping advanced by 5 petals. Round and round the quilling strip goes...

4. Wrapping progresses. The spiral pattern emerges!

5. Gluing a splice on the back of the flower. Cut angled ends for a streamlined splice.

6. The splice completed. Now resume wrapping from the front side, as usual.

 

7. Completed Kaleido-Flower. You know that wrapping is complete when there is "V-shape" at the base of each and every petal.

8. Back view of completed flower with quilling strip glued down.

9. You can opt for another layer in a contrasting colour. Make sure that the top layer "wrapping distance" is shorter than that for the bottom layer. Here: bottom layer is of 5-petal wraps. Top layer: 3-petal wraps.

10. Optional finishing touch: add dimension by scoring a centre fold on each petal.

11. Squeeze each petal to fold it. Also bend it upwards at the base.

It is pretty to use flat quilling paper for one layer and pearlescent quilling paper for the other.

All the Kaleido-Quilling flowers are worked the same way, no matter how many petals. 

Tip: you may want to tuck the very last wrap under previous layers for a neater finish. That makes the last wrap, on top, less obvious.

You can, of course, substitute baker's twine or craft thread for the quilling strips if you are a spirella traditionalist!

Make up the cards as you desire. I trimmed the backing paper with a
pinked edge to echo the triangle points of the quilled spirals and the zigzag decorations on the vase.

Stuff I used: 2mm-wide quilling strips from Past Times (on Amazon), patterned backing paper from Craft Creations, coloured cardstock from American Crafts.

Thanks, again, to patient Leah for taking the pics.

It is Mom's Day in America on May 12. This card would make a pretty greeting.