Carmen Sánchez Ledesma

This is Carmen Sánchez, I am paper and textile flower artisan in Castilla y León (Spain). My small atelier began to be created in 2018, but it was in 2021 when it began to be a business. It is based in Tudela de Duero (Valladolid).

I have been a sculpture restorer for many years, and came to paper and fabric flowers at first as a hobby. My training has been a self-taught part and another part with courses with different professionals.

I design and create realistic pieces, versions in my own style and invented flora. Flowers and plants are combined in compositions for decoration, letters, paintings, collaborations for shop windows and professional bouquets and wedding accessories.

My business objectives are:

Bringing the beauty of the countryside to the city in the form of vegetable sculptures on paper (at home, in work spaces, public spaces). With my pieces, I take my gaze to the plants to love them and respect their environment.

My learnings from the Crafting Business Programme:

I am encouraged and confident to continue with my project. All the resources, tools, and experiences. I have learned to see it from another perspective. It is enriching to the classmates, teachers and other craftsmen. A realistic view of the financial part. My atelier is a business that has to be viable, otherwise, it is a hobby.

A look at the sustainability and traceability of all phases. The importance of having an objective and being persistent. It is very important how you communicate
your project. The importance of having a support network of other artisans and professionals.

My 5 top tips that I have learnt on this journey:

1. Be honest with yourself and be clear about what you want to achieve with the project.
2. It is important to see the project with a realistic financial vision so that it can be a company.
3. All the parts that make up the project must transmit the same values and quality so that it is a coherent and consistent brand.
4. Have very clear objectives and persevere.
5. You have to go step by step, taking the necessary time for each phase.