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I'm Raluca Dumitran

I am an artisan artist ... I love flowers madly but above all I love to create… and I have been creating good crepe paper flowers for several years that steal the smiles of those who receive them as gifts

“Professional dreamer” as my husband calls me, I turned my passion into a full-time job and today I am financially independent, doing only what I like. I create with great passion personalized decorations for various events and I am very happy and fulfilled because through my work and with the help of paper flowers I am with dozens of brides, on the happiest day of their lives.

But it took some time for the first rose to really bloom in my workshop ...

I wasted nights, consumed a lot of material and watched hundreds of videos looking for something to help me evolve faster. I followed dozens of tutorials at night, and then in the morning I put into practice what I found out. But the information I found on the internet, which excited me in the first phase, turned out to be incomplete and did not clarify all the question marks I had:

• how to make the flower look as natural as possible?
• what paper should I work with?
• where do I buy the necessary materials?
• how to get a natural color for my flowers?
• how do i make my templates
• how do I actually start building the flower to look real?

The questions that tormented me for months would be answered in my own study.

I armed myself with patience and calm and I started to “open” the rose with my mind's eye, and then to do the same with other flowers ...

… "Ok I see how it is built" ...

Eam I was thinking, what about the paper? What should I make them look like a natural petal?

How many roses ended up in the trash…?

Many… roses that seemed perfect to my loved ones, but I had worked with natural flowers and knew them well and knew what my rose should look like.

During all this time I was trying my best to make a flower, made of crepe paper, as realistic as possible, my husband didn't really understand me and he didn't agree with my decision to quit his job. I would have preferred to be employed and have a secure and steady income. She was afraid I would be stuck in the house.

But I did not want to give up my dream. I was very close to achieving the much desired flower and I continued to study until, one day, I succeeded. That's when I actually realized what the secret is… you have to be patient and persevere.

The day came when the first roses that fully satisfied me bloomed in my workshop. I posed for them from all possible angles, I admired them for a long time ... I was very happy. My dream was beginning to take shape.

Now I had to repeat the process until I had enough flowers to create my first bridal bouquet. This happened more than 5 years ago.

Today, when I write these lines for you, I am professionally fulfilled. I have collaborated with dozens of brides who have happily turned to my services, delighted with the idea that they can keep their bridal bouquet for life. Some of them were so pleasantly surprised by the art of paper flowers that they also wanted to learn how to create these wonderful eternal flowers.

... I understood that the mind needs peace and the heart needs joy

It's been years since I created paper flowers. These opened new horizons for me, helped me to overcome myself and become a better person.

My study and work were recognized by other dreamers who wanted to learn to make flowers through my technique.

That's how I started the first physical course in Romania and I became a mentor to over a hundred beauty lovers who learned to make realistic paper flowers. With the flowers worked in class, under my guidance, they built wonderful bridal bouquets.

Many of them are thinking of retraining professionally, some have already organized the first events of their recent career.

I have to be honest with you and I want you to know from the beginning that the speed with which some of the aspirants in this field managed to materialize the proposed projects depended on several aspects:

• your own skill - If you've never workedwith your hands it is normal to put more effort into the learning process

• perseverance - I advise you to work daily and be self-critical to evolve. You need to set goals and not get lost in the details or get distracted. Make a work schedule and follow it as if you were at work.

• availability - If you have a service it will be harder for you to mobilize and finish the projects started, but it is not impossible. There are many girls who practice this job on weekends and cope successfully.

• will - Set a goal and start acting to accomplish it. If you can't mobilize, write on paper everything you have to do and start checking the tasks one by one.

• and the most important aspect in my opinion is MOTIVATION

The art of paper flowers was the most beautiful thing I have ever discovered. I rediscovered myself and at the same time I managed to overcome myself emotionally and socially.

If you are motivated enough to follow this path, you will surely achieve what you set out to do. All you have to do is look inside yourself for something that motivates you enough.

Lately I get more and more questions about how I make paper flowers, what materials do I use? Where do I buy everything I need to make paper flowers? What paper dyeing techniques do I use? but the most common question is how do I shape the paper to give my flowers a natural look.

Because I can't reach all the cities of the country to take physical courses, I created the Paper Flowers Academy https://ralucadumitran.ro/ , a complex guide to help you make realistic paper flowers.

In the next period I will create more materials to answer your questions, and for that I need your help. Can you write me what are your curiosities about creating paper flowers and what new flowers would you like to learn?

Either we will see each other at physical classes in the country or you will follow me online, I wish you sunny days, full of inspiration and good luck.

With great pleasure Raluca Dumitran