My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

As special as an almost never find

11 January 2017
click to send Christine a smile
and more

Rarely sometimes but

never often

incomparably uncommon

But on an unexpected blissful occasion

occurring more or less almost never

can you root out,

simply track down

such a rare find

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

Tutorials

11 January 2017

Potted bark pod for a flowering plant

Cover a Styrofoam shape with bark to create a bowl for a potted design

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.

4 January 2011

Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

10 July 2012

Bark covered heart

Cover cardboard with bark to create a heart shaped log

17 September 2014

Bark Bowl

Glue bark onto a bowl to create a dome shape

21 December 2016

Bark Christmas Stocking

Cover a wire frame to create a Christmas stocking armature

22 January 2013

Bark Veneer Cardboard Cake stands

A quick and easy way to make a cardboard cake stand

14 January 2013

Bark and paper covered Styrofoam stand for ice cream cones

Press a wooden skewer into the Styrofoam to help the cones stand upright when displayed

22 January 2013

Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake

Glue a stack of cardboard circles to create a log-like floral cake

5 February 2014

Bark Gift Bag

Cut and glue bark into a gift bag

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

7 April 2012

Just Hatched Papier Mache Easter Eggs

Glue newsprint paper to balloons to make large egg shaped containers to design in

19 February 2025

A bark design surface that suspends the first Spring flowers to rest just below the surface.

Glue two large bark chips to craft a large design platform to suspend the most delicate of floral details in a "I wish it was Spring already" arrangement.

5 February 2025

Delicate snow willow twirl around a growing Slipper orchid plant display

Arrange sprouting willow twigs to twirl and frame a beautiful Paphiopedilum (slipper) orchid

8 January 2025

A growing Paperwhite paperweight to secure twirling passion fruit vines under water

This design takes a few weeks to make... but lasts a few weeks longer growing and evolving all on its own.

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.

13 March 2024

Spaced birch bark strip basket

Sturdy and easy to make... a small harvest basket ready for all the Spring flowers still to come.

17 January 2024

A birch bark spiral wrap to cradle floral details in a wine glass

Spiral birch bark strips into two mirror images to create a wintery wrap for a bud vase.

11 October 2023

Wood chip and sparkle mushroom cornucopia

A horn of plenty... seasonal sparkle.

25 January 2023

Snowy Magnolia forest floor armature

An armature to display a lovely surprise orchid that developed on the long spike just after the other flowers started to fade.

9 November 2022

Roof-tile pumpkin from dried physalis pods

Carefully stack dried physalis berry husks to craft a long lasting pumpkin that you can refresh with fresh flowers and vines.

10 November 2021

Two layer table top forest floor armature that Transition from Autumn to Christmas

Don’t you just hate short cuts?<br> ... because the longer your design elements will last the more effort it will take for you to make them look vibrant again.

22 September 2021

Crafting a Corny Corn Husk Corn Armature

Four ears of corn, corn husk wire armature with a hidden water source for the fresh flowers.

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.

15 July 2020

Phalaenopsis orchid cascade over a log slice display

Add the design details to the wood... and not to the orchid plant so that it can easily be removed to soak for a long lasting still growing display.

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

18 October 2017

Muted Side Up Autumn Leaf Pod

Turn the leaf so that the muted underside faces outward to create a more understated Autumn colour scheme .

18 October 2017

Papier Mache pumpkin half

Glue thin tissue paper layers to a pumpkin to create a shape to design with

15 March 2017

Wedding welcome and direction sign

Hang a twig and wood mobile at your weeding as a direction board

Related Designs

5 January 2011

Protea Composite

To create this huge Protea I took apart nine Protea flower heads and glued the tepals and bracts back on to a polystyrene ball to create a large Protea composite flower that is similar in shape to an African clay vase used in wedding ceremonies.

10 July 2012

Sticktoitness

Glue a heart shaped design made from bark and wood.

17 September 2014

Still

My bark bowl design and tutorial featured in the Centrepiece Wedding Magazine

19 August 2015

Growth Medium

Design a bark and moss pod for a mushroom mini farm

7 April 2012

Spring Clean

A clean Easter design. The tiny blossoms are Kalanchoe 'Calandiva Pink'. Tucked low in the paper eggs are a few Cymbidium orchids and the twigs are contorted hazel. The feathers are made from Kyogi or shaved wood.

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.

19 February 2025

When the Pretty much Pretty flows, it lingers in our hearts

A bark support to display the most delicate Spring floral treasures.

5 February 2025

Snow to report!

A snowy lady slipper plant displayed to enjoy for as long as possible.

8 January 2025

this IS new

Growing a design... all new... and fresh and blooming well into New Year.

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.

13 March 2024

In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.

17 January 2024

Wave Wrap

Roll birch bark into a double spiral to cradle some perfect flowers to admire all winter.

11 October 2023

Plenty Glow to Harvest

Glow and sparkle bark armature to celebrate the first signs of Autumn

25 January 2023

Even More

This orchid developed at the very end of a long stem... right as the rest of the flowers started to die back so I made a special armature to display the cut stem.

9 November 2022

All Pumpkind Out

A physalis husk pumpkin to celebrate the last bright rays of Autumn.

10 November 2021

… any day now

Using dried floral material is so trendy right now. But the longer lasting the design elements the more effort you have to put in to stop it from looking lifeless.

22 September 2021

Kinda Corny

Crafting with corn to make... well... corn, really.

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.