FEATURELOOK
Gretta Cobb
By Maria Veres
Lorraine’s Collection All her life, Greta Cobb has loved flowers and bright, cheerful colors. Now she’s sharing that joy with others in a big way. Through her business, Lorraine’s Collection, she hand-crafts colossal flowers to brighten up events and indoor spaces. Creativity in Bloom To get a better idea of what Greta creates, picture the largest sunflower you’ve ever seen, then imagine the blossom at twice the size. Many of Greta’s designs are a full two feet in diameter. She uses several materials for the flowers, including tulle, foam, crepe paper, and even tissue paper. “Each one is a little bit different,” she says. Greta’s unique business was born during the stay-at-home orders of Spring 2020. “I was thumbing through social media,” she recalls, “and these gigantic flowers kept catching my eye. I thought, ‘I want to make those!’” She shared her vision with an event planner she works with. Her colleague asked, “What’s stopping you?” and Greta knew the answer—nothing. When lockdown ended, she purchased bright red foam to create flowers and got to work. “I didn’t like the first one,” she admits. As she made more,
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she realized she needed patterns, so she started making those, too. Once she had a variety of designs, she set up a photo shoot to showcase what she could offer. “It was magical,” she recalls. Living a Dream Before founding Lorraine’s Collection, Greta didn’t think of herself as an artist. Her only formal training was a college class she took as an elective. She surprised herself by making an A in the course, and creating a project her teacher loved—a paper-mache basketball. But in the years that followed, work and family didn’t leave her much time to pursue creative projects. A mother of three and grandmother of two, Greta still leads a busy life. When she’s not working, helping family members with their businesses, or caring for her grandbaby, she’s chauffeuring her youngest son to high school activities. “Creating these flowers is my therapy,” she says. “I converted one of our bedrooms into an office, and I just go in there and lose myself.” The business’s branding reflects the delight Greta takes in her work. The name comes from Greta’s middle name, Lorraine, which she has always loved. The company’s logo uses her favorite colors, pink and purple. Greta can custom craft colossal flowers for weddings, parties, dances, and other events. Her designs also make stunning additions to home or office decor. Whatever the project, she loves brightening clients’ lives and embracing her own inner artist. “I do have a creative side,” she says. “I’m just now discovering what it is.” To learn more, go to www.lorrainescollection.com
