My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

A Candy(cane) Cotton Christmas

Frosted window panes

Candles gleaming inside

Painted candy canes on the tree

Santa's on his way

He's filled his sleigh with things

Things for you and for me...

"The Christmas Waltz" is a Christmas song that was written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne for Frank Sinatra, who recorded it in 1954

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Tutorials
Bark and Cotton Candy Cane
14 December 2016
Bark and Cotton Candy Cane

Cover a cardboard shape in cotton and bark to create a floral armature
Drinking straw "test tubes"
4 January 2011
Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.
Designing with Tillandsia
9 July 2014
Designing with Tillandsia

Air plants need special design consederations
Felt
1 February 2011
Felt

How to tangle wool into felt and make pebbles, felt strips and test tube covers
Wire hooks for baubles
18 December 2012
Wire hooks for baubles

Bend thin decorative wire to create hooks to hang baubles or design details
Bark covered heart
10 July 2012
Bark covered heart

Cover cardboard with bark to create a heart shaped log
Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake
22 January 2013
Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake

Glue a stack of cardboard circles to create a log-like floral cake
Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm
19 August 2015
Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm

Glue bark to a Papier Maché and wire frame to create a pod shaped armature
Papier Mache
2 June 2011
Papier Mache

I save all the thin tissue paper or un-printed newsprint papers that are wrapped around the flowers that are delivered to me to make batches of Papier Mache with. These sheets make fantastic Papier Mache because it is designed to be super absorbent and colour fast.
Taking care of Tillandsia
9 July 2014
Taking care of Tillandsia

Conditioning and growing air plants
Candle in a window pane Christmas glow
25 December 2024
Candle in a window pane Christmas glow

Stack glass containers as your mechanic and frame for a Christmas glow design.
Birch bark ice skates on a glistening kalanchoe and cypress snow pond ice skating rink
18 December 2024
Birch bark ice skates on a glistening kalanchoe and cypress snow pond ice skating rink

A winter wonderland ice pond table top design... with sparkling bark ice skates
Glistening kalanchoe and cypress snow pond ice skating rink
18 December 2024
Glistening kalanchoe and cypress snow pond ice skating rink

Fill an upturned container with a string of fairy lights to look like a glistening snow rink for ice skating.
A slow reveal Birch Bark Scroll Nice List
4 December 2024
A slow reveal Birch Bark Scroll Nice List

Soak and roll a sheet of birch bark into a scroll for a woodland inspired Santa's Nice list
Long lasting floral finial decoration for Christmas
20 November 2024
Long lasting floral finial decoration for Christmas

Make ahead (oversized) bark and kalanchoe Christmas decoration... and best of all it last for weeks!
Sweet pea and Felting Wool Swirl Around a Log
10 July 2024
Sweet pea and Felting Wool Swirl Around a Log

Arrange beautiful King Tut sweet pea vines to swirl around a piece of fire wood... with a bit of help from a felting technique
Velvet Magnolia Leaf Christmas Tree
20 December 2023
Velvet Magnolia Leaf Christmas Tree

Cozy textured tall and luxurious table top tree design.
Starlight Garland
20 December 2023
Starlight Garland

Fold a continues strand of stars on a wire fairy light strand.
Twig and Tinsel Candy Canes
6 December 2023
Twig and Tinsel Candy Canes

Easy... but it takes a bit of resting time. Perfect for having your hot chocolate while waiting...
Winter Solstice Kalanchoe and Berry twig Lantern
21 December 2022
Winter Solstice Kalanchoe and Berry twig Lantern

Soft and minimal glow lantern that you can make ahead of time to last all Festive Season.
The coziest Wool, Holly and Kalanchoe Table Top Candy Cane Snowflake
30 November 2022
The coziest Wool, Holly and Kalanchoe Table Top Candy Cane Snowflake

A fuzzy wool and twig snowflake that starts out as a handful of candy canes.
Suspend design elements around a poinsettia forest floor display
30 December 2020
Suspend design elements around a poinsettia forest floor display

A low design that is still light and airy using a lot of convenient prepare ahead of time design elements.
Wired snowball pom pom
23 December 2020
Wired snowball pom pom

Craft an ornamental ball or tuft with wool and cardboard.
Weave a grass Christmas tree
23 December 2020
Weave a grass Christmas tree

Easy armature design that is actually quite relaxing to do... plant meditation!
Contactless gift exchange wreath perfect to double as Santa’s Gift Bag for your front door
25 November 2020
Contactless gift exchange wreath perfect to double as Santa’s Gift Bag for your front door

Craft a small pouch into a half-and-half wreath so that you can leave... and receive tiny gifts and cards in true Christmas 2020 style .
Wire Stars
25 November 2020
Wire Stars

Wrap wire around a cardboard star for a quick three dimensional decoration.
Foam free and flameless cardboard and bark yule log
18 November 2020
Foam free and flameless cardboard and bark yule log

Using all those cardboard boxes to craft a bark covered "log" design for getting a head start on Christmas decorating.
Craft a single legged wire nest to place a flameless candle into your design
18 November 2020
Craft a single legged wire nest to place a flameless candle into your design

Super easy to add into your design and even easier to switch the candle on... and off, without disturbing the design details.
How to dress a shop bought artificial wreath to go from meh to: it looks so real!
13 November 2019
How to dress a shop bought artificial wreath to go from meh to: it looks so real!

Just a few adjustments can transform a boring artificial wreath into a high end looking designer decoration.
How to fake a blizzard in floral designs
13 November 2019
How to fake a blizzard in floral designs

Part of the charm of contemporary designing is adding elements to your work that create a story.
Turn shop bought baubles into designer frosted snowballs
13 November 2019
Turn shop bought baubles into designer frosted snowballs

Brushing a shiny bauble with an almost dry brush with just a bit of paint on turns it into a beautiful almost antique snowball.
A tangle of ribbon instead of a bow for an unusual winter design
13 November 2019
A tangle of ribbon instead of a bow for an unusual winter design

I wanted my design to look more "found this way" than "designed this way" so I strategically tangled the ribbon to dangle down the design rather than tie it in a neat bow.
How to use artificial plants or faux plants to create beautiful and long lasting decorations without it looking tacky or... sad.
13 November 2019
How to use artificial plants or faux plants to create beautiful and long lasting decorations without it looking tacky or... sad.

What if you absolutely HAVE to decorate with faux plants? Here are my guiding rules when it comes to styling with permanent botanicals
Sparkling Eucalyptus Tabletop Christmas tree
19 December 2018
Sparkling Eucalyptus Tabletop Christmas tree

Craft an ethereal Christmas tree from Eucalyptus leaves, twigs and sparkling snow flake crystals.
Long lasting bark and Kalanchoe sleigh
13 December 2017
Long lasting bark and Kalanchoe sleigh

Kalanchoe flowers last weeks without a water source and is the perfect way to dress up a bark and silver bell sleigh
Barely there twig tabletop Christmas tree
6 December 2017
Barely there twig tabletop Christmas tree

Glue curved twig snippets to craft a delicate winter white Christmas tree
Fluffy pillow filler tree skirt
6 December 2017
Fluffy pillow filler tree skirt

The fluffy stuffing found in pillows create beautiful, water repellent tree skirts.
A bark strip and fluffed cotton disk wreath
28 December 2016
A bark strip and fluffed cotton disk wreath

Cover a wreath frame with bark strips and fluffed out cotton
Add a Cotton pod Cuff to the Bark Christmas Stocking Armature
21 December 2016
Add a Cotton pod Cuff to the Bark Christmas Stocking Armature

A fluffy cuff lines the top edge of the bark Christmas Stocking
Related Designs
Sticktoitness
10 July 2012
Sticktoitness

Glue a heart shaped design made from bark and wood.
A Twist on Tradition
12 August 2012
A Twist on Tradition

August is the month for retail florists and wholesalers to start designing, ordering and preparing their product range for the Christmas and Festive Season. This is my article that I wrote for the August 2012 Christmas design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine
Please have snow… and presents under the tree
24 December 2012
Please have snow… and presents under the tree

Wire a Tiny Twig Treasure Trunk for small Christmas gifts
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques
22 January 2013
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques

This was my second two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting.
Getting into the competitive spirit of things
24 July 2013
Getting into the competitive spirit of things

Retail florists and wholesalers are already designing, ordering and preparing their product range for Christmas. This is my article that I wrote for the Christmas Design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine
Growth Medium
19 August 2015
Growth Medium

Design a bark and moss pod for a mushroom mini farm
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop… ‘tis Christmas Day!
25 December 2024
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop… ‘tis Christmas Day!

A sweet through-the-window candle glowing kind of design to celebrate Christmas.
A Very Merry… All Elf gliding along pass all the way from Santa’s workshop!
18 December 2024
A Very Merry… All Elf gliding along pass all the way from Santa’s workshop!

Bark ice skates on a snow covered pond... perfect for capturing Christmas memories!
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop, department for checking it twice
4 December 2024
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop, department for checking it twice

A frozen in a moment bark scroll with silver leaf letters that was about to reveal Santa's Nice list!
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop!
20 November 2024
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop!

A light... and slight start to designing for Christmas... an oversized Finial
Still wrapping my head around this one
10 July 2024
Still wrapping my head around this one

Craft a haze of green around a log for a sweet pea swirl effect.
A Very Merry Dark chocolate Velvet Texture of Yore, Tall and Trendy Christmas Cheer
20 December 2023
A Very Merry Dark chocolate Velvet Texture of Yore, Tall and Trendy Christmas Cheer

Tall and velvety Christmas tree... with a starlight garland
A Very Merry Dark and Moody and bring it in from the Woods Trendy Christmas Cheer
6 December 2023
A Very Merry Dark and Moody and bring it in from the Woods Trendy Christmas Cheer

From now to a bit after New Year's Eve I will show you my take on the trends for Christmas 2023. This week I start with natural styling with a handcrafted twig candy cane.
Let it
21 December 2022
Let it

A happy December Solstice or the Winter Solstice lantern.
Take a bough… it’s Christmas time!
30 November 2022
Take a bough… it’s Christmas time!

A wool and twig snowflake design (made from candy canes!) that will last the entire Festive Season.
All is Calm, All is Bright
30 December 2020
All is Calm, All is Bright

An easy to do ahead of time winter wonderland themed design for the calm days just after Christmas but before New Years Eve.
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: wired snowball pom pom for a woven grass Christmas tree
23 December 2020
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: wired snowball pom pom for a woven grass Christmas tree

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. Some cardboard to wrap the string around… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being delivered. This week I am making loads of snowball pom poms.
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Santa’s gift bag wreath
25 November 2020
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Santa’s gift bag wreath

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box gift bag wreath… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being delivered.
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Yule log
18 November 2020
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Yule log

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box Yule log… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being delivered.
It’s unreal!
13 November 2019
It’s unreal!

Design 1 of my three week pre-Christmas designing series looking at How to style with artificial plants and branches using quality faux plants and stems. This week: a wreath
Oh Florist-tree
19 December 2018
Oh Florist-tree

Craft an Eucalyptus Christmas tree
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling
13 December 2017
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling

Craft a bark sleigh that will last for weeks.
While I sing of beauty's treasure
6 December 2017
While I sing of beauty's treasure

Glue the most delicate twig table top Christmas tree
A Jingle Cotton Christmas
28 December 2016
A Jingle Cotton Christmas

Cover a wreath frame with bark and cotton for a textured Christmas wreath design
A Gleaming Cotton Christmas
21 December 2016
A Gleaming Cotton Christmas

Glue bark to a wire frame to create a Christmas stocking armature
Favourite Flowers
Rosa
Rosa

My all in the same boat floral art arrangement with roses in an Agave sisalana (sisal) leaf.
Tillandsia
Tillandsia

Succulent and Air Plant Boutonniere design for my video:Getting Creative with Boutstix Magnet Stix: Succulent and Air Plant Boutonniere