My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Column… try it flower buddies

Read from the bottom to the top

(... or from the top to the bottom if you prefer to read it in Yoda speak)

... to get our creativity going.

... what we need...

... just...

... can be...

... from routine...

A break...

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Tutorials
A woven grass grid cage for flying Column and Augmented petal Phalaenopsis orchids
26 July 2023
A woven grass grid cage for flying Column and Augmented petal Phalaenopsis orchids

Pick away the petals from a few Phalaenopsis orchids to display in a summer grass tunnel design.
Foliage Weaving
8 June 2011
Foliage Weaving

For this tutorial I focus on a simple weave pattern that does not require you to soften or prepare the leaves to be more durable or flexible. This is the starting point in weaving techniques. You can build on this technique to make floral handbags, gift boxes, and baskets, sew it into a curve or wrap it around a vase or cover a test tube.
Flower catcher
23 April 2014
Flower catcher

Keep a flower suspended just above water with palm leaves
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
Flat wire and grass bridal basket
7 December 2016
Flat wire and grass bridal basket

Wrap grass around a flat wire shape to create a delicate bridal basket design
Weave a trendy oversized clutch purse with a hidden magnetic closure
22 April 2020
Weave a trendy oversized clutch purse with a hidden magnetic closure

A three in one Tutorial to show you how to weave a clutch purse, how to add a magnetic closure AND how to incorporate a ribbon into a weaved design.
Weave a long lasting (without using floral foam) in a vase floral design basket
29 January 2020
Weave a long lasting (without using floral foam) in a vase floral design basket

Give your woven grass a water source by designing the basket in a vase rather than placing the vase in a basket
Connect bud vases with a fresh foliage open weave
2 February 2022
Connect bud vases with a fresh foliage open weave

Craft two woven panels to place front and back of a couple of bud vases to create a unit.
Twin Leaf Weave
3 April 2013
Twin Leaf Weave

Weave two palm leaves together to create a floral grid
Weaving and Interweaving for contrast
29 May 2019
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.
Long lasting Lily and lily grass ball
14 August 2019
Long lasting Lily and lily grass ball

Keep all the fresh flower material hydrated in water by weaving the stems from one side of the vase to the other.
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.
Weave a floral trap
27 February 2019
Weave a floral trap

Keep your flowers in place with an all natural woven trap.
Half wire half grass tangle to keep stems in place
26 July 2017
Half wire half grass tangle to keep stems in place

Tangle and shape wire to create a half moon for grass and gyp to rest in
Stacked Grass Pyramid Armature
13 January 2016
Stacked Grass Pyramid Armature

Stack snippets of grass on a wire frame to make a floating pyramid armature
Woven lily grass parachute armature
13 July 2016
Woven lily grass parachute armature

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature in a way that you can place the stems in two vases to keep it hydrated.
Related Designs
Petrichor
12 March 2014
Petrichor

A minimalist design in a shallow tray
Almost... all over!
12 June 2019
Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.
Oh! So clever
7 December 2016
Oh! So clever

My article and Bridal basket design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
Yes… but what would she put in it?
22 April 2020
Yes… but what would she put in it?

Some floral fashion inspiration: weave a pretty clutch purse
Peekaboo
29 January 2020
Peekaboo

A light and airy (no floral foam but still long lasting) floral design for those days that you are really, really looking for signs of Spring.
Putting my feelers out
2 February 2022
Putting my feelers out

Adding just a little something to a bud vase design to connect them... and make it special.
April showers bring May flowers
3 April 2013
April showers bring May flowers

After a long winter it is always fun to use the first spring bulb flowers!
Creative Competition
29 May 2019
Creative Competition

This week I am so excited to share my article and design that was published in the recent issue of the Floral Art Society of New Zealand's Academy Magazine for NZ qualified teachers, judges and demonstrators. It's all about good competition.
Bursting with excitement
15 August 2018
Bursting with excitement

Loosely weave grass to create a decorative grid keeping flowers in place over a square container.
For a longer lasting Summer
14 August 2019
For a longer lasting Summer

A creative way to keep foliage hydrated for a cool, water filled summer design.
It’s a trap!
27 February 2019
It’s a trap!

Weave a trap to keep your floral details suspended in a square container.
Beat the summer heat
26 July 2017
Beat the summer heat

Tangle some wire to set flowers in water
Once Upon A Time
13 January 2016
Once Upon A Time

Stack and glue a Grass Pyramid Armature
Bound to Keep
23 April 2014
Bound to Keep

Weave and tie a decorative catcher to suspend flowers
Woven
13 July 2016
Woven

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature for orchids to perch on
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design