Check
My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

A scoop of pretty

  • 17 March 2021
  • and more

To fill a cone

with

defrosted

Spring flavoured

day...

... dreams

Sign up for my weekly newsletter

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Sign Up Now
Gather what you'll need

This section contains affiliate links. If you choose to explore any of these tools, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Dew-Drop Crystals
Dew-Drop Crystals

I created the Tutorial for how I add these crystals to my floral designs 11 years ago! Since then I have tried, tested and searched for the perfect crystals that would go from studio‑table picture perfect to show‑day‑dependable and I always come back to these. They remain the absolute best. They’re inexpensive yet have a refined, high‑quality crystal brilliance; they don’t tarnish and their adhesive backing stays reliably tacky even after they were exposed to water.
Tutorials
Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower
17 March 2021
Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower

Take all the usual ingredients for a budvase design- a flower, a leafy green something and roll it into something unusual to display.
Placing orchids in test tubes
25 August 2011
Placing orchids in test tubes

Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.
Criss-cross Monstera lace-up
16 August 2017
Criss-cross Monstera lace-up

Glue short sections of rosary vine into the natural gaps in the Monstera deliciosa leaf
Flower catcher
23 April 2014
Flower catcher

Keep a flower suspended just above water with palm leaves
Magnetic Twig Bundle Boutonniere
3 December 2014
Magnetic Twig Bundle Boutonniere

Glue a few twigs into a bundle to hide a corsage magnet
Fold a Grass Disk
16 September 2015
Fold a Grass Disk

Fold and wrap blades of grass around a disk to create a natural armature
Stacked Grass Pyramid Armature
13 January 2016
Stacked Grass Pyramid Armature

Stack snippets of grass on a wire frame to make a floating pyramid armature
Woven lily grass parachute armature
13 July 2016
Woven lily grass parachute armature

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature in a way that you can place the stems in two vases to keep it hydrated.
Bundle Support
4 July 2018
Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.
Foliage that sits under water (gasp, right!?!) to create a frilly design gap in bud vases
15 July 2026
Foliage that sits under water (gasp, right!?!) to create a frilly design gap in bud vases

A ruffled blossom rosette from delicate chocolate mint coleus becomes a flower frog for long stem chocolate cosmos buds.
Roll a leaf blade shade shelter for a crystal puddle… frog
22 April 2026
Roll a leaf blade shade shelter for a crystal puddle… frog

Create a delicate but glamorous shelter Spring design to show off delicate shade loving flowers.
Threaded rosette foliage frog… with a kick
15 May 2024
Threaded rosette foliage frog… with a kick

Threaded Heuchera (Coral Bells) rosette with curved stems to kick against the sides of your container to keep it suspended above water.
Use a glue stick to position a Kenzan… just so… so that you can place the blackest of flowers to be framed by gaps of light
8 May 2024
Use a glue stick to position a Kenzan… just so… so that you can place the blackest of flowers to be framed by gaps of light

Play up contrasts to allow near black flowers to shine.
Knot a dragonfly
19 July 2023
Knot a dragonfly

The easiest critter ever. All you need to do is make a few knots...
Craft a padded wooden Dowel to position a leaf cone into the sharp teeth of a Kenzan
10 May 2023
Craft a padded wooden Dowel to position a leaf cone into the sharp teeth of a Kenzan

Prevent a leaf from ripping or bruising when positioning it in your design.
Unfurl winter’s potential in a snow filled monstera leaf shelter
11 January 2023
Unfurl winter’s potential in a snow filled monstera leaf shelter

Capture a bit of winter magic by placing delicate flower buds in the middle of two large leaves.
A new twist on the cellophane in a submerged design trick to make space for a stem
11 May 2022
A new twist on the cellophane in a submerged design trick to make space for a stem

Create an invisible "stay under water" for blooms that still leaves space for longer stems in a vase.
How to position the tiniest Spring stems using the hole in the side of a beaker wall vase
20 April 2022
How to position the tiniest Spring stems using the hole in the side of a beaker wall vase

The tiny stems tend to flop about making it difficult to place your design... just so. This is such a great solution!
Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design
6 April 2022
Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design

Adding design details to create tiny gaps for more design details.
Double water source to keep Carnations hydrated in foliage cones
30 March 2022
Double water source to keep Carnations hydrated in foliage cones

Quick and easy design... perfect for something tiny to celebrate spring.... everywhere!
Related Designs
Making Ends Meet
16 August 2017
Making Ends Meet

Criss-cross corset style connect the gaps in a Monstera deliciosa leaf
Bound to Keep
23 April 2014
Bound to Keep

Weave and tie a decorative catcher to suspend flowers
Finding Common Ground
3 December 2014
Finding Common Ground

My article and twig boutonniere design featured in the Winter issue of DIY Weddings Magazine
Pointing In
16 September 2015
Pointing In

wrap and glue a ring armature to create a decorative wreath
Once Upon A Time
13 January 2016
Once Upon A Time

Stack and glue a Grass Pyramid Armature
Woven
13 July 2016
Woven

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature for orchids to perch on
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
31 July 2013
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

A tiny orchid stem ladder keeps the orchid suspended just above the water line
Wonder
4 July 2018
Wonder

Tie a bundle of grass to support your floral details
Putting your own spin on it
22 May 2019
Putting your own spin on it

I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.
Turns Out
29 July 2026
Turns Out

Turn a handful of gladiolus foliage into a flower frog.
Hey look… it totally worked!
15 July 2026
Hey look… it totally worked!

Create tiny gaps to keep tall floral details upright.
Shade-Seeking Style Choices Confirmed by “Sources” who know all about shade seeking style choices
22 April 2026
Shade-Seeking Style Choices Confirmed by “Sources” who know all about shade seeking style choices

Loop and weigh down a leaf to support delicate flower stems in a warmer weather design.
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the design solution I have been procrasti-crafting on
15 May 2024
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the design solution I have been procrasti-crafting on

Beautiful Bletilla striata (Chinese Ground Orchid) deserves it's own elaborate frilly skirt display.
I mean… did you!?!
8 May 2024
I mean… did you!?!

Playing with shapes to frame the light in a dramatic floral design.
… And his little flower
19 July 2023
… And his little flower

Easy support for a single flower... and knot a special secret admirer just to keep it company.
By the cone full
10 May 2023
By the cone full

A small design to display those last Spring snippets from your garden...
Maybe Still Maybe
11 January 2023
Maybe Still Maybe

... a something to look forward to design that makes you lean in closer to see what might still be.
Is this new…?
11 May 2022
Is this new…?

Giving old ideas a new twist to refresh it for Spring
Oh this? Yes! it is new
20 April 2022
Oh this? Yes! it is new

New growth... too cute to resist!
Gaps between those in-between Spring days
6 April 2022
Gaps between those in-between Spring days

Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.
Cone of Gratitude
30 March 2022
Cone of Gratitude

Sweet spring design to hold some buds
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design
Ceropegia woodii
Ceropegia woodii

Pompon Chrysanthemum pom-poms and strands of Rosary vine for my floral lariat necklace in the Canadian Florist Magazine