bonfire

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.

A Reflex Rose Rose Hip… Rose

Making a rose even more roselike by enhancing its rosy-ness.

Reflex Tulip Petals

Tulip petals can be opened or reflexed to create a fuller bloom

Glue a grapevine armature shaped like the petals of an open rose

Cut a wreath into sections to glue back together into a beautiful rose petal shape

Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening

Most stems, twigs and even sturdier branches can be bend into shapes. It takes practice and more than a bit of patience. The main idea is to slowly manipulate the branch without breaking it.

Clearly invisible taped Grid

This is the easiest way to keep flower in place

Spiked Autumn leaf cauldron

Pike a few (hundred!) autumn leaves to build up a hollow leaf armature

Autumn leaf Composite Flower

Glue a round Autumn leaf Composite Flower.

Summer harvest Vine Swirl

A great way have your vines root and enjoy them too...

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.

Turning the sellotape over the vase trick up-side-down for a sticky side out frog

Tape a grid over a vase to keep the floral details in place

Dried twig collar in a double vase display for gravity sensitive flowers

Putting the focus on the flowers with an ever changing design.

Tape a grid around the edges of a container for a table top wreath

Suspend flowers with an almost invisible taped grid

Eucalyptus rose

Release the soothing effect of the aroma and vapors from the Eucalyptus leaves my slightly crushing it while making roses

Rolled Autumn leaf and Rose Hip Garland

Weaving a twig wreath

For my design I wanted the wreath to look wind blown so I added a few loosely woven twigs into the weave. I also wanted to emphasize the autumn colours so I added a twirling copper wire into the weave

Weaving and Interweaving for contrast

My block design is shaped around a Styrofoam block. It is bulky but lightweight and a great way to reuse packaging.

Pin pegs for barely there suspended floral details

Glue clear notice board pins onto the side of a container to keep your floral details suspended in the water.

Barely there twig layer support to allow all the autumn colours to shine and glow

Snip Autumn bits from your garden to arrange in and around a glass container for a modern loose, layered display.

Make a Stuck with an Unstick Stick Maple Seed Spring floral frog… but for a grasshopper pair.

Use the sticky side of sticky tape to create the lightest possible floral frog to display your floral details in.

Fluffy Seed Snowflake Sparkle

A gentle switch between designing for Autumn and Thanksgiving and Christmas.

No Mow May Scattered Grass and Erigeron Meadow design

Tape a grid to create a barely there scattered grass display for a cooling summer display.

Heard it through the grapevine?

Have you heard? I have wonderful news this week. Oh! and I also have this pretty grapevine armature shaped like the petals of an open rose to show you. But... Have you heard my wonderful news???

On Pumpkin Coloured Days

Create a besom broom to sweep up those Autumn leaves

As the leaves melt away

Spike a few hundred fall leaves to create a cauldron for Halloween flowers

It all stacks up

Quick and easy: Stack autumn leaves onto a wire for a... tiny table top Christmas tree.

The last Vine Wreath

Every designer knows how to stretch their supplies. We use and re-use our dried plant material until our fellow designers feel like hiding it from us. I formed such an attachment to my vine wreaths. This post features four designs using the same wreaths.

Overgrown S-Autum-mer Swirl

Designing for somewhere not still summer not yet autumn weather...

Perfect!

Tulips are so perfect just as they are all that is needed is to simply drape their graceful leaves around the flowers

A bit Special... four dimensional designing

Using that little something that is unusual about your flower to make the design stand out.

Dream, Job

Create a grid to rest some plant material so that it floats and some with their stems to rest in the water below

It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with weaving techniques

This was the first two designs for my Floral Art and craft demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging club

Sparkle on tiny dew drop crystals!

Clear sparkling water for a cooling summer display... without any visual distractions.

Autumn's Brightest Wanted:

Last call for those Autumn colours that are about to fall...

Sticktoitness that gets you Unstuck

Create a sticky grid for the lightest and dreamiest Spring floral display.

Gentle transition

There's no need to rush the seasons. Take it slow and enjoy the plant material that are still available even if you are excited about what is to come...

Notice That?/!

Light and airy... like a wonderful breeze on a hot summer day grass and erigeron display.

Rosa

My all in the same boat floral art arrangement with roses in an Agave sisalana (sisal) leaf.