My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Courage, now

Courage, now floral art design by Christine de Beer

“My darling girl,

Radiating bunny tail grass for a late summer floral display

when are you going to realize that

Radiating flower arrangement in water without foam for summer grasses

being normal

Apricot lemonade cosmos from my garden

is not necessarily a virtue?

Love in a puff vine with apricot lemonade cosmos and bunny tail grass floral design

It rather denotes

Display grasses in a large container without foam in a sustainable way

a lack of courage.”

quote by Aunt Frances in the film Practical Magic

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

Tutorials

30 August 2023 Radiating bunny tails

Spear bunny tail grasses into a Kenzan to create a cozy space to display apricot lemonade cosmos flowers.

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.

7 January 2015 Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to 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.

6 November 2019 Dancing fall leaves... on a stick

Spike fall leaves and water tubes to create a minimal radiating autumn display

22 September 2012 Stir-stick Sunburst

Glue a radiating armature from stir-sticks.

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.

12 May 2021 A radiating, gradient carnation design in a shallow container

A bit of Kenzan support for a floating shallow container design

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.

29 June 2022 Take your time to craft a Bulrush Dial Armature

Slowly build up a dial armature from dried bulrush

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.

15 November 2017 Kenzan leaf rack

Line and position pretty autumn leaves.

12 July 2017 Twig sparkler

Glue twigs to radiate out from a central point

2 October 2013 Spiny Twig Porcupine Armature

Glue a few twigs to display Autumn flowers and foliage on

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.

Related Designs

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!

19 June 2024 Do you know what the point is?

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

7 August 2019 Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!

Cut stems of Gladiolus to place in a radiating summer design.

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.

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

8 June 2022 Make Believe

Ever seen an eucalyptus flower? This is... and is not one.

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.

20 July 2022 The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.

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.

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

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

15 November 2017 Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan

12 July 2017 Sparkler

A radiating twig design

2 October 2013 Prickly

Build a twig porcupine armature for fall flowers

20 October 2021 Flying Lessons

An easy get ahead with Halloween decoration that will last.