My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

As light as a super thankful pumpkin

…well… it is Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. And here it is: my absolute favourite meal (too good not to share!) with all the flavours of Thanksgiving for a rainy autumn night pizza:

leftover Turkey

Cranberry and port sauce (a dollop here and there)

Pear

Walnuts

Red onion (chopped)

Brie cheese

Mozzarella cheese

cut all the toppings into small chunks for a taste of each flavour in each bite to arrange on your pizza base. Have a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend, flower buddies and thank you for all the beauty you create.

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Tutorials
Making light of a heavy, heavy pumpkin in double low containers for a zero waste kitchen pumpkin display… a few days before Thanksgiving
9 October 2024
Making light of a heavy, heavy pumpkin in double low containers for a zero waste kitchen pumpkin display… a few days before Thanksgiving

A great way to show off your Thanksgiving pumpkin before cooking it… keeping the pumpkin well above and out of the water so that it will not rot and you can easily remove it from the design when you are ready.
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.
Stripping foliage from weaving stems
11 February 2015
Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with
Stretching leaves and foliage into a ringlet curl
15 April 2015
Stretching leaves and foliage into a ringlet curl

Most leaves and foliage can be slightly manipulated to curve or curl.
Floral wreath ring stem armature for a cute pumpkin patch in a stem vase design
7 October 2020
Floral wreath ring stem armature for a cute pumpkin patch in a stem vase design

Use a wreath to keep flower and a heavy little ghost pumpkin in place in a small vase.
Midelino Harvest Moon Basket
30 October 2012
Midelino Harvest Moon Basket

This is a great flat and open basket to take outside when “harvesting” your fall leaves, pods and flowers. Who knows, you might even find a ghost pumpkin or three…
Folded Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath Armature
26 October 2016
Folded Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath Armature

Glued Baby's Breath Wreath, folded in half to create a moon shaped armature
Display wreath that hover around a big shiny pumpkin
4 October 2017
Display wreath that hover around a big shiny pumpkin

For this design I wanted my wreath to be light and airy so that it just whips around the solid pumpkin like a breeze.
Besom Broom
28 October 2015
Besom Broom

The word ‘Besom’ derives from the old English ‘besma’ meaning ‘bundle of twigs’.
Above and below eucalyptus curve butternut cradle
1 September 2021
Above and below eucalyptus curve butternut cradle

Suspend a heavy butternut over water in an early Autumn design.
Rolled up Autumn leaf wreath
21 October 2015
Rolled up Autumn leaf wreath

Create a textured wreath with Chrysanthemums and rolled up Autumn leaves
Corn-o’leaf mummy-o'lantern
12 October 2022
Corn-o’leaf mummy-o'lantern

Wrap and tie a fishbowl vase with corn foliage to craft a lantern for autumn... almost... Halloween.
Skeleton eyeball blossoms
25 October 2017
Skeleton eyeball blossoms

Hydrangea skeleton blossoms with Eucalyptus eyeballs
Willow Paddle
25 October 2017
Willow Paddle

Weave willow between the fork in a twig to create a paddle like armature
Twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect
29 September 2011
Twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect

Made from dried cherry twigs and a skeleton leaf.
Weave a willow wreath around a minimal pumpkin display
13 October 2021
Weave a willow wreath around a minimal pumpkin display

It’s amazing how we sometimes try to complicate a design. I tried adding calla lilies… took them out and loved the willow. Added gerberas. Took them out and loved the willow. Added orchids. Took them out and loved the willow. Added Dahlias… and yes, took them out and loved the willow. So finally I just thought- I really do love the willow.
Peg and glue a floating Halloween design
31 October 2018
Peg and glue a floating Halloween design

A hovering Halloween design that seems to float.
Mesh bag net armature to keep your flowers in place
30 September 2020
Mesh bag net armature to keep your flowers in place

Instead of vegetable net bags becoming trash wrap it around your container for an instant armature. It even looks a bit like a spider web- perfect for a long lasting design as we count down to Halloween.
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin
27 September 2017
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin
Coil wire and grass to create a spring frog
1 February 2017
Coil wire and grass to create a spring frog

Twirl and wrap wire and lily grass around a dowel stick to create a spring frog
Double down on the Fall magic with the earliest hint of bare (but sparkly) Twig Season
13 November 2024
Double down on the Fall magic with the earliest hint of bare (but sparkly) Twig Season

A double vase to keep the bit of sparkle you add to transition a Fall design into Christmas nice and dry... while the fresh plant material remain hydrated.
Related Designs
Let’s circle around to this one
7 October 2020
Let’s circle around to this one

Create a floral circlet to rest the little pumpkin on... but above the water line.
Whipped up in the autumn breeze
4 October 2017
Whipped up in the autumn breeze

Give a loosely woven wreath legs to stand on to hover lightly around a pumpkin
Pretty Spicy!
23 September 2015
Pretty Spicy!

Hang fruity wire garlands to display Gerbera daisies
On Pumpkin Coloured Days
28 October 2015
On Pumpkin Coloured Days

Create a besom broom to sweep up those Autumn leaves
Thanksgiving Harvest
7 October 2011
Thanksgiving Harvest

Thanksgiving pumpkin with Chinese lanterns and spiral blossoms
It’s butter… nuts!
1 September 2021
It’s butter… nuts!

An it's not too early to decorate for Autumn, Autumn design
A little bit of Art and Soul
24 July 2012
A little bit of Art and Soul

A twig structure with roses
Watch the leaves turn
21 October 2015
Watch the leaves turn

Roll autumn leaves to create a wreath
Ahead
12 October 2022
Ahead

Oh my... a corn leaf mummy head for autumn... looking ahead to Halloween styling.
When the pretty eyeballs you back!
25 October 2017
When the pretty eyeballs you back!

Barely there skeleton blossoms with Eucalyptus eyes for my Halloween design... Oh! and a Willow Paddle, which probably should have been the main Tutorial... but... well...
Pick-Up Sticks
29 September 2011
Pick-Up Sticks

A twig and stick design with sweet dumpling pumpkins and rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii). I also made a cherry twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect
Go on Autumn… glow!
25 October 2023
Go on Autumn… glow!

Mixing permanent and fresh design ingredients to celebrate just how clever the glow of Autumn is.
Gratitude
13 October 2021
Gratitude

A minimal Thanks Giving design that is a modern take on a wreath
Scary stuff!
31 October 2018
Scary stuff!

My Halloween design... with some scary stuff hidden if you can read between the leaves!
This season all the stylish pumpkins will be wearing them!
30 September 2020
This season all the stylish pumpkins will be wearing them!

A simple way to keep the plastic mesh the pumpkins are sold in from becoming trash: wrap it around the container as an armature for a quick Fall design. Replace the flowers as they fade and top up the water as needed.
As tendrils tend to do
27 September 2017
As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin
Not yet Spring, Spring but a spring
1 February 2017
Not yet Spring, Spring but a spring

Coil wire and grass to create a spring
Fall-a-la-lah!
13 November 2024
Fall-a-la-lah!

Transitioning into the Christmas season... gently
Favourite Flowers
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum Design: the Floral Hour glass was made as part of my wax series