My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Design.

15 October 2025
and more

you design your layer

then design

design

… design until one day you amaze yourself,

then design on your new even more amazing layer

…and then… (read from the top…)

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Gather what you'll need

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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

15 October 2025

Hydrangea pomander with just a hint of pumpkin in its ribbon layered to hide a secret (refillable) water source

A floral sphere, or kissing ball, a pomander is designed to be hung or carried as decorations for weddings and holidays... especially festive if you can skip the floral foam, right?

12 September 2012

Wrap a gift test tube with ribbon

Use this technique to gift ribbon wrap a single stem or cover the stems of a bouquet with ribbon

2 December 2015

Silver bell Christmas Greenery kissing ball

Use delicate sprigs of cypress or juniper, fir, pine, eucalyptus, ivy or a combination of them all to create a winter themed kissing bough

23 November 2022

Snowy Pinecone with green tomato berries and Kalanchoe flowers

A snowflake covered design that will hang on to well past Christmas.

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 August 2024

Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support

A quick craft with quaking grass to turn it into dangling droplets.

15 June 2022

Swing ripped foliage over a mop-head of hydrangeas to follow the natural curve

Gently curve ripped foliage over flowers to add a cooling movement to a minimal summer design.

11 September 2013

Longer lasting Gladiolus Composite Flower

Split (but don't cut) a few gladiolus flowers to spiral in a vase

5 November 2014

Acorn inspired Autumn leaf armature

Dry fall leaves to create a ball shape structure

13 August 2025

Canna seed “pumpkins" nestled on a bed of cafe au lait dahlias

Lovely canna seedpods that blush just slightly darker than the dusty pink in the dahlias... a perfect match!

30 January 2019

A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase

Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.

2 August 2017

Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.

1 January 2025

Twirling New Year’s wish upon a sparkle star

Craft a birch bark star mobile to celebrate the sparkling New Year

2 July 2019

Grass Spiral Wind Spinner

Thread grass into flexi grass to create a spinner that gently turns in the wind.

3 July 2024

Creating a perfectly flat leafy surface... with a few gaps to fit some flowers

Shady leaf fenestration raft for easy summer designing

27 November 2012

Winter Woodland Chandelier

Wrap vines and twigs around a wire frame to create a decorative woodland chandelier

11 June 2025

Bark squares, wire and water tubes dangling dangler

A mobile design that is crafted around your plant material.

6 August 2025

A grand kale to spark that almost end of summer colour

A slight tweak turn a ornamental kale into a ornamental mechanic.

27 September 2023

Turn some gladiolus leaves into a pumpkin vase collar

A collar for a vase that you can use throughout the season... simply replace the water and the flowers inside the vase.

28 December 2011

Macramé inspired hanging test tubes

When I hang these delicate glass bubbles I want to make sure they are really secure. By slipping them into Macramé inspired knots they are not only hanging securely but the fishing line knots at the sides also protect them against bumps

9 November 2011

Gypsophila snowball posy

A Posy made of Gypsophila flowers can look flat. I use a dried Hydrangea or Agapanthus flower head as a flower frog to puff it out

25 January 2012

Weaving Willow spheres

I build up the spheres by weaving willow wreaths and then use those to shape the ball

Related Designs

2 December 2015

Stacking the odds in your favour

Cover a wire frame for a winter kissing bough.

23 November 2022

Ways to Merry a Christmas

A little bit of effort... that will last for weeks design to hang about the whole Festive Season.

23 March 2016

Celebrate!

A closer look at my design at the 20th anniversary of Canada Blooms and The Toronto Flower Show

3 July 2019

Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind

7 August 2024

Bring in some of the magic of summer rain

Design drops of grass to dangle down a hydrangea flower for an effortless summer floral display.

15 June 2022

Take a swing at it

A cooling design for early summer days with swinging ripped grass and more than enough water for thirsty hydrangeas.

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

5 November 2014

All In One

dry autumn leaves into an acorn shape

13 August 2025

Canna cafe au lait dahlia be any more hold-your-breath magnificent?

A low and soft late summer display... with just a creative hint of autumn.

30 January 2019

Around Here

Wind lily leaves to spiral around in a water filled container.

4 December 2012

'Tis the Season

My article looking at contrasts and 6 winter lantern designs featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine

21 February 2024

I'll Go First

My Spring/Easter design and the introduction article about my floral journey written by the editor, Nina Tucknott in the latest issue of Flora Magazine.

2 August 2017

Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own

1 January 2025

The year is so new it… sparkles!

A sparkling star design to celebrate the New Year

16 April 2025

I Break For Beauty

A cracked Easter Egg willow armature for hiding some treats...

3 July 2024

Oh! my word

A perfectly flat leaf to support tiny floral details in the summer heat.

27 November 2012

The glories of Christmases long, long ago…

Weave a wire and twig Christmas chandelier

11 June 2025

Dangling

Cut flowers arranged as an airy and breezy mobile.

6 August 2025

Your brain rewards curiosity on a grand…. kale

Growing plant material for floral design requires an unique spark of creativity.

27 September 2023

this NEEDS to be at the top of my (our?) to-do list

Autumn bud vase collar made from gladiolus foliage.

28 December 2011

Bubbly New Year’s Sparklers

Delicate glass bubbles filled with the midnight blue African violet flowers, purple ornamental capsicum and spilling down the design are a few stems of rosary vine

6 November 2012

Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off

An easy going design of ripped grass and calla lilies. But look a bit closer. See if you can find Mr. Stalk relaxing somewhere between the blades of grass.

9 November 2011

A snowball’s chance

I designed my posy to be light and feathery but also earthly, like a fresh snowball gathered from a forest floor.

31 January 2018

Rock, don't Roll

Balance the heavy Protea flower head to lean against a rock.

28 November 2018

Crafting

The second design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing.

25 January 2012

Three Drops of Floral Chocolate

The design drips down in three tiers each celebrating life, love and connection.