This Local Artist is Creating the Most Beautiful Paper Flowers We’ve Ever Seen


That's one gorgeous bouquet.

Tina can mix real greenery into her paper bouquets, too. All photos by Lauren Gibson Photography.

We don’t throw around the word “obsessed” all too often here on the blog, but every once in a while we find a product/service/person that is totally worthy—that’s the case with our newest discovery, Dear Paperie. It took PW editor Carrie and I all of two minutes yesterday to officially declare Dear Paperie—a custom paper floristry based here in Philly—our latest obsession, and we just couldn’t wait to share it with you.

See that stunning arrangement pictured above? That’s the work of Dear Paperie’s Tina Libby, a local artist who began crafting paper bouquets and flower crowns back in October. “I’ve always made little replications from scrap paper, just for myself, but decided, almost on a whim, to create a ‘bouquet bar’ for an event and the response was incredible,” she tells us. Crafted from Italian crepe paper that she hand dyes and paints, the flowers are remarkably lifelike, and she’ll even add real greenery into the mix to pull the whole arrangement together. (We’d venture to guess that if you walked down the aisle with that baby in your hands, your guests wouldn’t have a clue that those aren’t real flowers.)

Every piece that comes out of Tina’s Phoenixville studio is made-to-order and custom designed just for you based on your style and the look of your event. She’s all about originality, and wants the final product to be a real collaborative effort. “I find that I am most inspired when I create something personal,” she says. “The process takes a great deal of time, so I use that to my advantage and really try to hone in on the client’s vision. I use HoneyBook, an account management program, to help me with this—my clients are able to upload any inspirational images that strike them, similar to Pinterest, and leave me notes and comments that are all organized together.”

Tina’s online shop allows clients to peruse examples of her work and get a feel for the options that are available. For weddings, Tina often emails back and forth with the couple to ask questions and check in, though ideally she meets with them in person at least once. (“I want to imbue my work with their energy and spirit, and I’m really sensitive to that in person,” she says.)

Sounds amazing, right? If you’re as intrigued as we are, take note of this: Tina is hosting a Galentine’s Day Workshop where you can meet her and learn how to make your own paper bouquet or flower crown. She’ll be joined by Emily Watson of the food blog Nourishing Matters (she’s going to show you how to make truffles!) and photographer Ann Marie Blake, who will be taking professional portraits of everyone with their flower creations. It’s all going down on February 13th, from 2-6pm, at Soiree Philadelphia in Old City. Get your tickets here.

Want to see more of Tina’s work? Here’s a peek:

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