Tiffanie Turner uses crepe paper and straw to make flowers that are pure magic.
One of my main takeaways from years of watching Nate Berkus on TV was to never EVER use fake flowers in your home. Either spring for the real thing or go without. But I disagree, just a wee bit. Yes, those silk stems that you find at craft stores tend to look tacky. But you can still go faux if you don’t want the upkeep of real botanicals or are allergic. Just choose flowers that aren’t supposed to look real, like these magnificent paper blooms by Tiffanie Turner. The San Francisco-based fine artist uses crepe paper and straw to make dahlias, poppies, roses, and more that are super detailed and very life-like. But — and this is key — they never try to fool you into believing that they are real. If you are in the San Fran area, Tiffanie teaches classes. Or, your can pre-order her upcoming book, The Fine Art of Paper Flowers: A Guide to Making Beautiful and Lifelike Botanicals which is packed with instructions and beautiful photos to teach you the tricks of her trade.