Fabulous Florals
- May 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 9
The tactile pleasure of paper is undeniable, and specialty paper still holds a niche space for those of us who adore lovely stationery. Here's why Flossiphy florals made me break my "use what you have" habit.
Specialty Floral Papers
Most of what I make comes from what's already in the drawer; a stash of half-used sheets that I've collected over the years, pretty wrapping paper, interesting packaging materials. It's the way I prefer to work, because it feels sustainable, and helps with the budget. But every so often a paper turns up that doesn't behave like the rest of them. It has a design, or colours, or a print quality that is hard to resist. These little bird cards were created using such a paper, designed by Paulene Longley from Flossiphy. I wasn't looking for florals that day, but these ones were winking at me. A good paper needs almost nothing; I simply added a pair of googly eyes, a scrap of lace and a floral topknot. Quick and quirky.
From Sketchbook to Stationery
Paulene is a self-taught NZ watercolour artist and surface pattern designer, and she's not on her own out there; there are lots of talented women around New Zealand who've built whole careers this way, turning their creativity into a small business built on a signature style you'd recognise anywhere. I love that a hand-drawn pattern can travel off a page, onto paper, into someone else's hands, and eventually into little cards like these. It perfectly captures the creative journey, from that first connection and quiet rumination, to the playful exploration and final creation.
The pleasure of specialty paper
Finding your Flock
There are dozens of card ideas hiding in a single sheet of good paper, waiting for someone to set them free. Discover more floral paper bird inspiration on Pinterest →
Let your imagination take flight
Discover 100+ Ideas in the Card Couture FlipBook
