Gillis flowers

Origami flowers, decorations, cards, boxes and jewellery

Welcome to Gillis flowers. So to the important questions. What do I create? Why am I here? Who am I? I hope the following will give at least some answers.

I make a range of items with origami and paper folding as a main theme. I make bouquets of flowers, floral spheres as well as the more usual kusudama balls, cards which either feature a folded, origami based construction or origami embellishments, boxes, decorations, fairy lights and hope to start making origami jewellery soon.

I have always enjoyed creating and making things and have done this since childhood although making with selling in mind is new. I love spending time in my craft room, playing with paper, inks, glues ... and having studied art as part of my teaching degree and attending courses more recently in design and the use of colour I try to combine these elements in what I create.

Until a couple of years ago I was a keen patchworker and quilter, had started to sell at local craft fairs, completed some commissions and was working towards my City and Guilds. Unfortunately health problems which have resulted in my becoming disabled meant I had to give this up. Making and creating is important to me and so I spent time experimenting with different crafts until I rediscovered origami from my childhood and realised this was something I could do.

For me being creative is an important part of my identity and I often refer to it as my therapy. I have a demanding job teaching and assessing children with literacy difficulties/dyslexia and have other stresses in my life ( as do so many) but crafting, (along with my grandchildrens hugs ) brings an escape as well as the satisfaction and joy of making and finishing something.

Living in Walthamstow, close to the birthplace of William Morris I think my design and crafting philosophy can be summed up rather appropriately in his famous adage,
Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful

Being creative brings me great pleasure and I hope that the items I make bring pleasure to others.

I use a range of different papers including handmade and Japanese papers as well as ones I decorate myself and I hope that my cards have something unique and different about their design.

I am based in East London, close to the border with Essex and also with easy access to Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.