My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

By the cone full

Here is a cone full of thank you’s

To all of you

Who take out time in your day

To say hi back to me every Wednesday

Thank you’s… by the cone full!

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Tutorials
Craft a padded wooden Dowel to position a leaf cone into the sharp teeth of a Kenzan
10 May 2023
Craft a padded wooden Dowel to position a leaf cone into the sharp teeth of a Kenzan

Prevent a leaf from ripping or bruising when positioning it in your design.
Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them
7 August 2019
Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them

The teeth of a Kenzan (or pin cushion) is rather sharp. Here is a pain free way of pushing down the plant material into the teeth to keep it securely in place.
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design
12 June 2019
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design

A cool and minimal floral design for summer.
Grass tunnel that stays just so
12 March 2014
Grass tunnel that stays just so

Snip, roll and glue a few blades of grass to create a design feature
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.
Shelter grass veil for a round container
16 June 2021
Shelter grass veil for a round container

A single lily flower design dressed up with a grass veil.
Securing a kenzan
7 January 2015
Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.
Eucalyptus leaf and twig blossoms in a radiating puddle of stems
8 June 2022
Eucalyptus leaf and twig blossoms in a radiating puddle of stems

Just look at that puddle! This design is all about the fresh eucalyptus... but in a cooling down for summer kind of way.
Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole
25 May 2022
Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole

Flair open a leathery leaf to craft a frame a single bleeding heart flower on its long stem.
Kenzan leaf rack
15 November 2017
Kenzan leaf rack

Line and position pretty autumn leaves.
Floral Ice Cream Cones
14 January 2013
Floral Ice Cream Cones

Weave a few cones and add orchids to make the floral ice cream cones
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.
Use the stem of an Autumn leaf to wrap, pin and secure it in a roll
21 October 2015
Use the stem of an Autumn leaf to wrap, pin and secure it in a roll

A glue-less way of manipulating leaves
Fold over a tropical leaf cocoon
4 February 2015
Fold over a tropical leaf cocoon

Fold and glue a Monstera deliciosa (delicious monster) leaf
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.
Rolling leaf tubes
23 March 2013
Rolling leaf tubes

Roll foliage to create tubes
Narrow twin leaf spacer for keeping a tiny stem bouquet upright
12 June 2024
Narrow twin leaf spacer for keeping a tiny stem bouquet upright

A pretty way of taming wonderfully wild thin stemmed floral details... without loosing the light and airy feel.
Slot together Monstera Twin Leaves to create a design gap
24 April 2024
Slot together Monstera Twin Leaves to create a design gap

A small bundle of Spring floral treasures framed with lush monstera foliage.
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan
6 September 2023
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan

An old trick... but still a great one to support thin stems in the needles of a Kenzan.
Related Designs
Almost... all over!
12 June 2019
Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.
Petrichor
12 March 2014
Petrichor

A minimalist design in a shallow tray
Dream Rescue
16 June 2021
Dream Rescue

Weave the most delicate grass shelter veil for a gorgeous lily.
Make Believe
8 June 2022
Make Believe

Ever seen an eucalyptus flower? This is... and is not one.
Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!
7 August 2019
Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!

Cut stems of Gladiolus to place in a radiating summer design.
Grateful Heart
25 May 2022
Grateful Heart

Frame a single perfect Bleeding heart flower in a leaf dot.
Alchemy
15 November 2017
Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan
Cone of Gratitude
30 March 2022
Cone of Gratitude

Sweet spring design to hold some buds
A scoop of pretty
17 March 2021
A scoop of pretty

A tiny budvase design that rearranges basic ingredients, such as a single leaf and an orchid to create a new design concept.
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.
Look deep
27 June 2018
Look deep

Curl foliage to use as a natural armature for delicate buds.
Is this new…?
11 May 2022
Is this new…?

Giving old ideas a new twist to refresh it for Spring
Just about enough space
12 June 2024
Just about enough space

Create a little bit of space to keep a few thin stemmed floral treasures upright in your design
You Just Like You
24 April 2024
You Just Like You

Support a small bundle of spring florals to stand upright in water with two Monstera leaves.
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near
6 September 2023
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near

It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!