Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
A snowball’s chance
- 9 November 2011
- click to send Christine a smile
We had our first dusting of snow on Grouse Mountain here in Vancouver. The snow did not stand much of a chance and it soon turned to rain. Most of it melted away. But we have had a taste of the beauty, winter promises to bring.
![Gypsophila forest floor snowball posy Gypsophila forest floor snowball posy](/images/2011/11/gypsophila-forest-floor-snowball-posy-l.jpg?inside=600x600)
I designed my posy to be light and feathery but also earthly, like a fresh snowball gathered from a forest floor.
![Forest floor snowball hand tied arrangement Forest floor snowball hand tied arrangement](/images/2011/11/forest-floor-snowball-hand-tied-arrangement-p.jpg?inside=600x600)
All twigs and sticks but at the same time also incredibly soft and ethereal
![Sparkling beads in a Gypsophila posy Sparkling beads in a Gypsophila posy](/images/2011/11/sparkling-beads-in-a-gypsophila-posy-l.jpg?inside=600x600)
As a focal point I grouped two rosary vine ( Ceropegia woodii ) hearts with two sparkling beads nestled softly in a bed of Gypsophila
![Alstroemeria flowers nestled between the twigs Alstroemeria flowers nestled between the twigs](/images/2011/11/alstroemeria-flowers-nestled-between-the-twigs-p.jpg?inside=600x600)
Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily or Inca Lily) flowers curl softly around the design
![Gypsophila stems tied together Gypsophila stems tied together](/images/2011/11/gypsophila-stems-tied-together-l.jpg?inside=600x600)
A posy of Gypsophila (baby's breath) can be tricky to tie- it often looks rather flat. I puff the flowers out by using the dried twigs of a ball of hydrangeas, almost as a flower frog. See the tutorial below to follow what I mean.
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Tutorials
A Posy made of Gypsophila flowers can look flat. I use a dried Hydrangea or Agapanthus flower head as a flower frog to puff it out
Gently bend and secure the Alstroemeria flower head into the twig design
I wanted my beads to softly float above my snowball posy. If I glued the beads to some of the flowers it would just disappear in the mass of twigs and flowers.
Favourite Flowers
Hydrangea, when cultivated as a cut flower rather as a plant it is often revered to as Hortensia
Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts
Baby’s breath, soap wort, Gyp, Gypsophila
African Lilies, African blue lily and Lilies-of-the-Nile