Yelp Cleveland’s Paper Floristry 101

This March, Yelp Elites gathered for an intimate paper floristry class with Anji Brooks Barshick, owner of Love, Anji. What better way to ring in the spring months then with flowers? Located in the beautiful and historic 5th Street Arcades, Love, Anji is a trendy boutique specializing in handmade paper flowers, stationery, and other unique gifts.

Love, Anji started its journey five years ago, when owner Anji made the leap from her previous career to become a paper florist. Anji has had a lifelong allergy to flowers, so her work is born from both necessity and passion. Starting as a kiosk in the 5th Street Arcades, Anji’s storefront is in its third location and thriving.

As Elites arrived, they browsed and marveled at the store before the workshop began. In an attached room, the workshop table was set with a host of supplies, color options, and a delicious treat from Chocolate 76, downtown’s favorite chocolatier. As Elites settled into their seats, Anji and her staff walked Elites through the entire process of a paper flower from start to finish.As they cut, rolled and glued their way through the workshop, Yelp Elites quickly learned that paper floristry was much more difficult than it looked. It takes a steady hand, attention to detail and a discerning eye. Hopefully, Yelpers will able to improve their skills with more practice. But if not, they now know where to find Anji! As Ali N. described, “Participating in this event taught me a lot. 1) Crafting is a skill, 2) patience is necessary, and 3) try, try, and try again. I love crafting and trying out different things to make. However, I was not prepared for how difficult it would be to make paper flowers, especially compared to the gorgeous ones made by Love, Anji. In the end this event really showed me how much dedication and care the staff at Love, Anji had for creating each individual flower.”At the end of the evening, the workshop space was a mess…and that’s how you know beautiful things are being made! Elites left with extra supplies so they could continue to practice on their own time. Yelp Elites left feeling inspired to welcome springtime with their handmade bouquets and to visit Anji again soon. Elite Helen S. remarked, “Although my flowers got progressively worse throughout the evening, I got to bond with some Yelp friends I finally met in person! None of us could get over how freaking adorable the inside of the store was, and how much respect we had for Anji for making literal fields of paper flowers.”Check out the 5-star reviews and photos here. For more information about the Yelp Cleveland Elite Squad, visit yelp.com/elite. For more information about Love, Anji, click here.

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Love, Anji • Elizabeth Sturm Photography