Favorite PAPER FLOWER TOOLS & Resources

Dec 8

*The Flowering Table - Crepe Paper Flower Tool and Resource Guide*

Over time, I’ve tried countless products and tools that help me create with less mess, frustration and maintain the high quality standard I have for the end products I bring to life. There’s nothing more sad then spending hours on something only to have a product or tool fail you.

Whether you’re new to the world of working with crepe and other papers, a master maker or somewhere in between, I hope you’ll discover something new that will make your life and practice even better! Below I have curated a list of some of my favorite crepe paper tools in one place. All of these are things I have tried, use and, most importantly, love!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Here we go!

I’ve categorized them to make it easier to peruse. I believe it’s important to note that you don’t need all of these products to make beautiful creations. These are things I have found along my journey that I want to share in case they can make your own experience and practice more efficient and joyful as well!

GLUE / Glue RELATED Tools

Silicone Glue Pod and 3 Micro Glue Brushes — Your lamination BFF. I used to go through dixie cups and paint brushes like they were going out of style but with this silicone pod and brushes, I can easily close up the pod so the glue doesn’t dry and soak and wash the silicone micro brushes. Everything, glue pod included, cleans up like a dream. The other perk is that I never get paint brush fibers on my crepe when I’m using glue to laminate layers (this is such a big win when working with lighter color crepes when that little fiber will show through). Another cool built in functionality is that the lid has built in grooves which perfectly hold the brushes. Seriously. This product has made laminating paper SO. MUCH. EASIER. AND. FASTER. Big fan over here.

Silicone Brush — I use this silicone brush for most lamination jobs because the size is just right. I use in combination with the silicone glue pod. Cleans up beautifully. If any glue gives you a hard time, just soak it in some warm soapy water.

Easy Refillable Glue Container — Okay, this is another random product I stumbled upon but it has been a game changer. So much so that I have THREE of these since I have a few favorite glues I use on the regular (see below for those). Why do I love it so much? You don’t have to tip it upside down to get the glue. Hold it upright and give it a squeeze. HALLELUAH! Second, to refill this container, all you do is screw off the top lid and there’s enough space for you to fill it up (so now I can save money by buying gallons of glue and not procrastinate refilling). And last, I love that the tip is able to be cut to the proper hole dispensing size (depending on glue thickness and amount needed) and there’s an attached cap that can easily be taken on and off. I will say, the cap and swing around so I usually hold it while gripping the container but the other conveniences of this little container outweigh that minor annoyance.

Glue All — I love using this glue for anything where I don’t want the glue to be too thick and still need a strong hold. This glue dries up so it is stiff but still relatively workable. Dries clear. This is my go-to glue for laminating! I usually buy this size for refilling bottles and the container listed above.

Tacky Glue — My favorite tacky glue! Thick and dries fast. I like to use this for attaching center fringe and petals the most. Dries clear (as long as you don’t have large globs). This is generally a fan favorite for those in the paper flower community for it’s dependable and strong hold! Here’s the big size I buy.

Clear Glue — I use this glue (mixed with some water) when sculpting crepe petals. I also love that it gives a nice satin-like finish.

Glue Stand - This little glue holding lounge is a great tool when I’m using a tube of glue as it keeps the glue always at the top without making a mess everywhere. Way less mess and time saving!

embossing / Folding / Curling

Embossing Styluses — These little tools don’t look like much but they pack a lot of use in them! They’re great for embossing flower or leaf veins and even curling down/up the edges of your flowers or leaves. Very handy tools!

Curling Petal / Leaves Tool — This tool is really helpful when curling the ends of petals. It can quickly help you curl down the crepe to give a beautiful flower petal shape.

CREpe PAPER

Lia Griffith Extra Fine Crepe Paper — These packs are a great way to have stash of numerous colors to get started or if you want a color palette that has already been curated. German crepe made by Werola in collaboration with Lia Griffith.

Lia Griffith Heavy Crepe Paper — As indicated above, these little packs really are great to have a nice little stash of different colors. I’ve bought just about all of the packs and I have used them for numerous projects. German crepe made by Werola in collaboration with Lia Griffith.

Cartotecnica Rossi Italian Crepe Paper — One of my favorite crepes to use is Italian crepe! Depending on where you live, you will have differing sourcing options. In the United States, I order from Carte Fini which has a massive selection as well as Petals & Pearls Design For those outside of the United States, you could try going directly to Cartotecnica Rossi. My favorite crepe weights are 60gsm, 90gsm, 180gsm.

Werola German Crepe Paper — My other favorite crepes come from Germany! I thoroughly enjoy using doublette (two pieces of fine crepe laminated together — so you don’t have to!), extra fine (31 gsm) and heavy (160 gsm) crepe. I purchase my Werola crepe from Petals & Pearls Design and Rose Mille.

WIRE & Cotton Balls

18 and 24 Gauge Wire — The most common gauge wire I use are 18 and 24 but certainly use plenty of others as well. Another place I will order my wire from is Paper Mart or, if you have a business license, you can purchase wire at Floral Supply Syndicate.

Cotton Spun Paper Balls — These aren’t your average cotton balls you can find in the beauty department. The cotton balls I am referencing are compacted cotton and have a hole (generally) in them so you can insert wire into it. I prefer cotton over foam balls as glue adheres better from my experience.

Mediums

Liquitex Professional Acrylic Medium in Matte, Satin and Gloss are my favorites for adding (or cutting) shine mainly because the smell is a little less pungent but these Mod Podge in Matte, Satin and Gloss will also work well.

Dr. PH Martin’s Hydrus Watercolor Sets are my go to when dyeing paper or adding color to other mediums and glue as they are archival quality. Here’s the sets I have - set 1, set 2, set 3. Also, this is my go-to green that I use all the time.

Pan Pastels are a wonderful way to bring subtle color in a controlled and precise way

Don’t forget to spray your pieces with a setting spray. I use this matte one and this one for a gloss finish.

Liquitex Acrylic Paint - I have this set and it’s a great way to start with a variety of colors.

Scissors

KAI Scissors — My go-to scissors are all KAI scissors! They cut beautifully and are very sharp. My favorite pair for the majority of my cutting needs are these. My favorite for fringing and cutting smaller pieces are these. For small curved petals, this scissor comes in for the win as it allows for cutting curves easily.

Pinking Shears and these scalloped scissors in various sizes.