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SEEKONK -- Intricately rolled paper, tautly curled, fashioned into a flower. The ancient art of paper quilling can involve various-sized strips of paper, cut as small as 1/16th of an inch.

Denise Shay picked up the hobby about two years ago, teaching herself and turning out delicate paper flowers decorating anything from doll house-sized vases to greeting cards and shadow box motifs.

She also teaches the process to others in classes held at assisted living centers and libraries, and her students have ranged in age from 9 to 87, she said.

Shay recently taught a class at Seekonk Public Library that ran for four hours over two Saturdays. The class made paper-quilled greeting cards and two different flowers, which Shay described as fringe and mini-pom designs.

"Greeting cards are hot right now," she said. "You can put them in photo frames or shadow boxes." People have also commissioned her to accent baby and bridal albums with her paper quill designs, and the art form has also grown with the rise of scrapbooking in recent years.

"It's a relaxing craft and you can pick it up or put it down," Shay said. And as long as you have good eyesight and dexterity in your hands, you can do it.

Susan LaHoud can be reached at 508-236-0398 or slahoud@thesunchronicle.com