Meet Fabiane

The hands, heart and curious mind behind Petal Possum.

Hello, I’m Fabiane — although most people call me Fabi.

I’m the founder of Petal Possum, a qualified florist, designer, botanical creative and educator with a lifelong curiosity for plants, flowers, colour and making things with my hands.

My story didn’t begin in a flower shop. It has taken me across countries, creative disciplines and many different paths before they all somehow found their way here.

A life shaped by creativity

I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and creativity has always been part of my world.

My background spans graphic and surface design, fashion styling, visual communication and event coordination. I hold postgraduate qualifications in graphic and surface design and a Master’s in Fashion Styling, and my creative career has given me a strong foundation in colour, composition, texture, styling and the thoughtful details that bring an idea to life.

For close to two decades, I have also taught design in Brazil, London and Australia. Teaching has become an important part of who I am. I love sharing knowledge, encouraging curiosity and creating an environment where people feel comfortable experimenting, learning and discovering their own creativity.

Always drawn to nature

Alongside design, there has always been another constant in my life: plants.

My botanical journey has included working with terrariums, bromeliads and orchids, as well as learning and training in botanical garden environments in Rio de Janeiro, New York and Cape Town, where I also volunteered.

Living in different parts of the world has shaped the way I see plants and design and strengthened my fascination with native flora and the relationship between people and the natural world.

Today, on the Sunshine Coast, that curiosity continues as I discover and learn more about Australian native flowers and foliage — their textures, unusual forms, resilience and connection to the landscape.

Finding floristry

Floristry brought so many pieces of my life together.

Becoming a qualified florist gave me a new medium through which colour, composition, texture, design, nature and emotion could coexist. But it also taught me that floral design is about much more than making something beautiful.

Flowers communicate.

They celebrate birthdays and milestones. They say thank you, I love you and I’m thinking of you. They can transform a table, mark an important occasion or make an ordinary day feel special.

And during some of life’s most difficult moments, flowers can express love, comfort and remembrance when finding the right words feels impossible.

That emotional connection is one of the reasons I feel drawn to creating flowers for both joyful celebrations and botanical farewells.

Creating and teaching

Petal Possum is where all these different parts of my story finally come together — design, floristry, plants, teaching, making and curiosity.

My experience as both a designer and educator has shaped the way I approach our workshops. I believe creative learning should feel welcoming, engaging and enjoyable. You don’t need to think of yourself as “creative” to experience the satisfaction of making something beautiful with your own hands.

I want Petal Possum workshops to be places where people can slow down, experiment, ask questions, learn something new and connect with nature and with each other — leaving not only with something they have created, but with a memory of the experience.

And then came Petal Possum…

Petal Possum gives me a place to continue learning while sharing what I know; to create thoughtful botanical gifts and floral designs; and to welcome people into the studio to experience the joy of creating with nature.

I don’t want Petal Possum to be simply somewhere you buy flowers.

I want it to be a place that encourages curiosity about the natural world, celebrates creativity, spreads gratitude and joy, and helps people connect — with nature, with one another and with the moments in life worth remembering.

There is still so much I want to learn, explore and create, and perhaps that is my favourite part of this journey.

I would love to share that journey with you.

If something about Petal Possum resonates with you — whether it’s a love of flowers and nature, the joy of creating, an event, a project, a new idea, or simply a belief in making life’s moments a little more meaningful — I would love to hear from you.

Fabi x