Check
My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Courage, now

  • 30 August 2023
  • and more

“My darling girl,

when are you going to realize that

being normal

is not necessarily a virtue?

It rather denotes

a lack of courage.”

quote by Aunt Frances in the film Practical Magic

Sign up for my weekly newsletter

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

Sign Up Now
Gather what you'll need

This section contains affiliate links. If you choose to explore any of these tools, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Dew-Drop Crystals
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.
Tutorials
Radiating bunny tails
30 August 2023
Radiating bunny tails

Spear bunny tail grasses into a Kenzan to create a cozy space to display apricot lemonade cosmos flowers.
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.
Securing a kenzan
7 January 2015
Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container
7 August 2019
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container

Build up a design in a shallow container by stacking it by threading the plant material into the teeth of a pin cushion in three levels.
Dancing fall leaves... on a stick
6 November 2019
Dancing fall leaves... on a stick

Spike fall leaves and water tubes to create a minimal radiating autumn display
Stir-stick Sunburst
22 September 2012
Stir-stick Sunburst

Glue a radiating armature from stir-sticks.
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.
A radiating, gradient carnation design in a shallow container
12 May 2021
A radiating, gradient carnation design in a shallow container

A bit of Kenzan support for a floating shallow container design
Breezy lily grass ripple
20 July 2022
Breezy lily grass ripple

A radiating design that has the freedom of movement to add a bit of a cooling effect on the warmer days of summer.
Take your time to craft a Bulrush Dial Armature
29 June 2022
Take your time to craft a Bulrush Dial Armature

Slowly build up a dial armature from dried bulrush
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in
22 March 2023
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in

The easiest unfinished nest idea... simply shaped from roots discovered while Spring cleaning and preparing to plant.
Kenzan leaf rack
15 November 2017
Kenzan leaf rack

Line and position pretty autumn leaves.
Twig sparkler
12 July 2017
Twig sparkler

Glue twigs to radiate out from a central point
Spiny Twig Porcupine Armature
2 October 2013
Spiny Twig Porcupine Armature

Glue a few twigs to display Autumn flowers and foliage on
Upright standing besom for the modern witch on the go
20 October 2021
Upright standing besom for the modern witch on the go

Craft a wire tripod to fit into the bristles of a handcrafted broom so that it can stand freely in your display.
Café au Lait Summer Swirl-Twirl
12 August 2026
Café au Lait Summer Swirl-Twirl

Use that good old double vase trick to create a (dry) fairy light swirl for your design base.
Pin pegs for barely there suspended floral details
5 August 2026
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.
Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas
19 June 2024
Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas

Create a natural armature for a summer display
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
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.
Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves
6 November 2019
Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves

A fun and easy contemporary floral design to display foraged autumn leaves and just a touch of flowers that can easily be replaced.
Turning of the leaves
22 September 2012
Turning of the leaves

An Autumn Equinox design that captures the moment before the spectacular colour burst of autumn floats around again
Make Believe
8 June 2022
Make Believe

Ever seen an eucalyptus flower? This is... and is not one.
It’s up there
12 May 2021
It’s up there

Whether it’s a solid foot for floating flowers, the tips of new growth or the curve of a dried twig your design needs help to stay upright.
The tiniest drop
20 July 2022
The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.
But for this… let’s not rush
29 June 2022
But for this… let’s not rush

A take your time and mindfully craft a pretty design to celebrate the summer solstice- it is officially summer here in Canada.
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!
22 March 2023
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!

A spring spiral design... with a hint of a root nest. Easy to do
Making it last
11 September 2013
Making it last

Split and spiral a few gladiolus flowers in a way that the stems remain intact, to spiral in a water filled filled vase for a long lasting composite flower
Alchemy
15 November 2017
Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan
Sparkler
12 July 2017
Sparkler

A radiating twig design
Prickly
2 October 2013
Prickly

Build a twig porcupine armature for fall flowers
Flying Lessons
20 October 2021
Flying Lessons

An easy get ahead with Halloween decoration that will last.
Deeply
12 August 2026
Deeply

Create a double glass layer by setting a (Apothecary Jar) glass lid deeply into a display container.
Sparkle on tiny dew drop crystals!
5 August 2026
Sparkle on tiny dew drop crystals!

Clear sparkling water for a cooling summer display... without any visual distractions.
Do you know what the point is?
19 June 2024
Do you know what the point is?

A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas
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!