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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

And that’s when inspiration toad us to hop to it

  • 20 August 2025
  • and more

It’s like the toad said:


Qwark…

... qwark…?


… uhrrrr...

Qwark!

***Plop!***

Because sometimes you just need to qwark around with your plant material for a bit… and then… all of a sudden… ***plop!*** you notice a little something about your flowers that is worth hopping to it for.

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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
Roll gladiolus leaves into tubes to craft a raft for a toad lily stem
20 August 2025
Roll gladiolus leaves into tubes to craft a raft for a toad lily stem

Pin leaf rolls with sharp thorns to craft a natural raft to display tiny stems of unusual flowers cut from your garden.
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals
8 July 2015
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Skewered Foliage Garland
22 March 2017
Skewered Foliage Garland

Create a garland that dries well with rolled up leaves
Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers
28 June 2017
Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf
Firethorns join two leaves for an edgy support for a tall flower stem
14 August 2024
Firethorns join two leaves for an edgy support for a tall flower stem

Thorns are a great way to spear (and keep) design details into position.
Pin Protea foliage into a curl
22 March 2017
Pin Protea foliage into a curl

The sturdy Protea leaves holds it shape even when dried when pinned into place
Rolling leaf tubes
23 March 2013
Rolling leaf tubes

Roll foliage to create tubes
Folded leaf nest
5 October 2016
Folded leaf nest

Leaf armature made of rolled mini Monstera leaves
Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog
14 October 2015
Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog

Rolled leaves offer support for floral stems
Balancing the curved stems of dried Autumn leaf tubes
11 November 2015
Balancing the curved stems of dried Autumn leaf tubes

Long stemmed autumn leave tubes as a floral armature
Twisted Lily Grass sun hat
20 July 2016
Twisted Lily Grass sun hat

Twist and weave a sun hat from blades of lily grass
Pierce and stack fall leaves to rest on the edge of a container
1 November 2017
Pierce and stack fall leaves to rest on the edge of a container

Use one leaf to keep the next in place
Foliage tube armature for long stemmed freesia buds
27 June 2018
Foliage tube armature for long stemmed freesia buds

Curl and pin a few leaves into a tube to create an armature for those "left over" freesiabuds.
Stack banana leaf rice pockets to float as rosettes
4 September 2019
Stack banana leaf rice pockets to float as rosettes

Fold and peg banana leaves into pockets so that they float freely on water. This is inspired by a traditional banana leaf craft used to cook rice in.
Rolled leaf shelter for a lean-in-closer tiny bud vase design
6 January 2021
Rolled leaf shelter for a lean-in-closer tiny bud vase design

Create a tiny visual tunnel to focus attention.
Two leaf lining your container to shelter your orchids
2 June 2021
Two leaf lining your container to shelter your orchids

Create a shallow puddle in a larger container to keep your flowers in place.
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!
Balloon out grass to craft a framed armature
24 August 2022
Balloon out grass to craft a framed armature

Carefully bubble out a tied bunch of grass to make a cavity to display gorgeous flowers.
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.
Palm and hazel fan together to support perfect to pick Helleborus stems
15 January 2025
Palm and hazel fan together to support perfect to pick Helleborus stems

Winter treasures in a small vase for an uplifting fresh flower display.
Grass Spiral Wind Spinner
2 July 2019
Grass Spiral Wind Spinner

Thread grass into flexi grass to create a spinner that gently turns in the wind.
Nestled grass pebble
8 May 2012
Nestled grass pebble

Weave a grass pebble for flowers to nestle in
Spiked Autumn leaf cauldron
30 October 2013
Spiked Autumn leaf cauldron

Pike a few (hundred!) autumn leaves to build up a hollow leaf armature
Pick up any bits of plant material floating in the water
11 April 2018
Pick up any bits of plant material floating in the water

Use a wet brush to lift any tiny bits of plant material floating on and in the water to keep your container clear.
A roll-and-tuck to stay hydrated leaf armature that gives those tendrils time to grow into the design
24 June 2026
A roll-and-tuck to stay hydrated leaf armature that gives those tendrils time to grow into the design

Roll foliage into tubes to tuck in as a floral mechanic.
Just sparkly enough (for January) frosted twig frog to balance your anthurium stems just so
7 January 2026
Just sparkly enough (for January) frosted twig frog to balance your anthurium stems just so

A winter twig that looks like it is barely hanging on in the blizzard to recreate the sparkle of winter.
Related Designs
FreestyleFreesia
22 August 2018
FreestyleFreesia

Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker, from Flower Factor invited me to participate in a FloraHolland initiative promoting the versatility of Freesias entitled #FreestyleFreesia Here is the extended version of my video.
Blue Harlequin
15 February 2012
Blue Harlequin

A small hand held design as an alternative to a corsage.
Let's hang out
31 May 2017
Let's hang out

Skewer some Eucalyptus to suspend between the orchids
Somewhere in the Middle
28 June 2017
Somewhere in the Middle

Skewer Dracaena leaves into a roll that supports a tiny water source for the Oncidium orchids
everything in one
14 August 2024
everything in one

Connect a unit of leaves... and a pretty floppy stem with thorns.
I found it this way: Leaf nest design
5 October 2016
I found it this way: Leaf nest design

This was the third design I did in my "I found it this way" floral art demonstration
What a find!
14 October 2015
What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright
Balancing Act
11 November 2015
Balancing Act

Bend dried fall leaves to balance on the edge of a glass container
A Shade of Summer
20 July 2016
A Shade of Summer

Twist and weave a lily grass summer hat
A Round
1 November 2017
A Round

Create a delicate design that rests lightly on the edge of a container
Look deep
27 June 2018
Look deep

Curl foliage to use as a natural armature for delicate buds.
Intimate Dinner For Two- Table Setting Competition Class
12 April 2011
Intimate Dinner For Two- Table Setting Competition Class

Floral Sushi Dinner, for two
It all stacks up
24 October 2018
It all stacks up

Quick and easy: Stack autumn leaves onto a wire for a... tiny table top Christmas tree.
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.
Gently down the stream
4 September 2019
Gently down the stream

A mindful summer craft using banana leaves to create a floating arrangement.
I tip my (flower) cap!
6 January 2021
I tip my (flower) cap!

An enclosed design that invites the onlooker to lean in closer to explore the pretty orchid.
Like an open book
2 June 2021
Like an open book

Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.
Cone of Gratitude
30 March 2022
Cone of Gratitude

Sweet spring design to hold some buds
Hot air balloon
24 August 2022
Hot air balloon

A grass bubble to frame two of the most beautiful calla lilies.
Bud… bud… bud… they were feeling so… very blue
31 August 2022
Bud… bud… bud… they were feeling so… very blue

When life hands you dyed flowers you make... well creatively speaking it turned out to be not such a bad thing after all!
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.
What’s that word for it again?
15 January 2025
What’s that word for it again?

A fun way to fan out palm leaves to display some winter pickings
Taking a Breather
3 July 2019
Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind
Let’s
19 March 2025
Let’s

... take a moment of reflection as we celebrate 5 years! Happy 5th birthday to my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman
Skipping stone
8 May 2012
Skipping stone

Weave a grass pebble for the orchid to nestle in.
As the leaves melt away
30 October 2013
As the leaves melt away

Spike a few hundred fall leaves to create a cauldron for Halloween flowers
Turns Out
29 July 2026
Turns Out

Turn a handful of gladiolus foliage into a flower frog.
Why make an effort?
24 June 2026
Why make an effort?

A tiny extra bit of effort to secure the roll and the foliage can remain hydrated even on a warm day in summer.
And so
7 January 2026
And so

Add some quick winter sparkle to enjoy after all the Christmas sparkle is packed away.