We’re so excited to welcome Mike Benson as a guest contributor to The Posey Box blog! He is the founder of Carte Fini, my absolute favorite place to buy Italian crepe paper. Without further ado, Mike Benson: 

“So what do you do?".... if you’re like me, and you live in America (fun fact; citizens of other countries seem confounded by this obligatory party-query. LOL), the people we meet for the first time invariably ask you this question. For me, I answer with a certain pride while I steady myself for their all-too common “huh?”...“I import crepe paper from Italy and sell through my online store, Carte Fini” ... “ohh-kayyy???”

And so it goes, but I understand. For the uninitiated, the term “crepe paper” is not in their vernacular. My explanation for them begins with attempting to describe the basic product as they may have encountered it as a child in school. “That stretchy paper used for crafts”, I...

Crepe is the base of our craft. You can’t make paper flowers without the paper! Now, you’re clicking around this blog, so you probably already know that crepe comes in a wide array of weights, ranging from extremely delicate to fairly sturdy. But whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or expert paper florist, understanding the differences in paper helps you know which paper to use for which project. So today, we’re diving into Italian 180 gsm crepe paper.

Italian crepe comes in different weights, and 180 gsm is referred to as “heavy weight” for a reason. As the thickest crepe, it’s sturdy and will hold its final shape very well. Just try to tear it. You’ll have to use some muscle! It can be stretched much farther than more delicate crepes, meaning you can deeply cup petals—an important trait to achieving a realistic look for certain kinds of flowers. 

That durability does come with some drawbacks, of course. You...