About us
We think up, design and produce paper products which make us smile. If we like the idea, and we think others will too, then we give it a go!
My first Rosie Flo book evolved 15 years ago as a result of drawing and colouring with our own young children. Steve Kamlish, my husband and graphic designer partner, and I decided to print a small quantity (really just to get it out of my system) and before we knew it we were selling, reprinting and building up a small publishing business.
The Rosie Flo and Johnny Joe books are generally a collection of drawn outfits, all of them lacking the head, legs and arms required to give a drawn character a personality. Children draw in the body parts themselves and then colour the rest.
I paid attention to what publishers at the time hadn’t considered important. Seen as strictly low cost and disposable they didn’t believe people would want to spend money on colouring books. But clearly they did.
It was important that the paper quality was thick enough to avoid showing through or damaging the picture on the next page; sturdy enough to withstand a few journeys without falling apart and small enough to fit in a day bag. The lines are intentionally thin, making them look like they’re not only for preschool children, the prolonged age range stretches from 4 to around 12.
With 13 colouring books in the range, all on different themes and some with unusual paper stock, we’ve also introduced other colouring products such as posters, tree decorations and colouring concertinas.
Our more ambitious Rosie Flo’s Fashion Show and Rosie Flo’s Pool Party, both award winning activity gift sets, are now joined by Rosie Flo’s colouring Art Gallery. While remaining true to the initial interest in the encouragement of drawing and colouring, with the activity sets we also like to encourage construction and play.
As our kids have grown up and their interest in colouring has lessened (slightly), their teenage years inspired us to bring out a collection of quirky card Pop Up Pets. Constructing your own pugs, cats and guinea pigs struck a chord and we find that adults are attracted to them too, perhaps more so.
Going off to Uni is the most recent phase and with that comes an interest in power and politics. Our new Pop Up Idols appeal to those who know someone who loves (or hates) one of these characters. We have started this range with contrasting idols – The Queen and Jeremy Corbyn; Trump and Jane Austen.
Roz Streeten