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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Design.

  • 15 October 2025
  • and more

you design your layer

then design

design

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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Tutorials
Hydrangea pomander with just a hint of pumpkin in its ribbon layered to hide a secret (refillable) water source
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?
Wrap a gift test tube with ribbon
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
Silver bell Christmas Greenery kissing ball
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
Snowy Pinecone with green tomato berries and Kalanchoe flowers
23 November 2022
Snowy Pinecone with green tomato berries and Kalanchoe flowers

A snowflake covered design that will hang on to well past Christmas.
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.
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support
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.
Swing ripped foliage over a mop-head of hydrangeas to follow the natural curve
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.
Longer lasting Gladiolus Composite Flower
11 September 2013
Longer lasting Gladiolus Composite Flower

Split (but don't cut) a few gladiolus flowers to spiral in a vase
Acorn inspired Autumn leaf armature
5 November 2014
Acorn inspired Autumn leaf armature

Dry fall leaves to create a ball shape structure
Canna seed “pumpkins" nestled on a bed of cafe au lait dahlias
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!
A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase
30 January 2019
A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase

Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets
2 August 2017
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Twirling New Year’s wish upon a sparkle star
1 January 2025
Twirling New Year’s wish upon a sparkle star

Craft a birch bark star mobile to celebrate the sparkling New Year
Grass Spiral Wind Spinner
2 July 2019
Grass Spiral Wind Spinner

Thread grass into flexi grass to create a spinner that gently turns in the wind.
Creating a perfectly flat leafy surface... with a few gaps to fit some flowers
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
Winter Woodland Chandelier
27 November 2012
Winter Woodland Chandelier

Wrap vines and twigs around a wire frame to create a decorative woodland chandelier
Bark squares, wire and water tubes dangling dangler
11 June 2025
Bark squares, wire and water tubes dangling dangler

A mobile design that is crafted around your plant material.
A grand kale to spark that almost end of summer colour
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.
Turn some gladiolus leaves into a pumpkin vase collar
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.
Macramé inspired hanging test tubes
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
Gypsophila snowball posy
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
Weaving Willow spheres
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
Stacking the odds in your favour
2 December 2015
Stacking the odds in your favour

Cover a wire frame for a winter kissing bough.
Ways to Merry a Christmas
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.
Celebrate!
23 March 2016
Celebrate!

A closer look at my design at the 20th anniversary of Canada Blooms and The Toronto Flower Show
Taking a Breather
3 July 2019
Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain
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.
Take a swing at it
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.
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
All In One
5 November 2014
All In One

dry autumn leaves into an acorn shape
Canna cafe au lait dahlia be any more hold-your-breath magnificent?
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.
Around Here
30 January 2019
Around Here

Wind lily leaves to spiral around in a water filled container.
'Tis the Season
4 December 2012
'Tis the Season

My article looking at contrasts and 6 winter lantern designs featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine
I'll Go First
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.
Grace
2 August 2017
Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own
The year is so new it… sparkles!
1 January 2025
The year is so new it… sparkles!

A sparkling star design to celebrate the New Year
I Break For Beauty
16 April 2025
I Break For Beauty

A cracked Easter Egg willow armature for hiding some treats...
Oh! my word
3 July 2024
Oh! my word

A perfectly flat leaf to support tiny floral details in the summer heat.
The glories of Christmases long, long ago…
27 November 2012
The glories of Christmases long, long ago…

Weave a wire and twig Christmas chandelier
Dangling
11 June 2025
Dangling

Cut flowers arranged as an airy and breezy mobile.
Your brain rewards curiosity on a grand…. kale
6 August 2025
Your brain rewards curiosity on a grand…. kale

Growing plant material for floral design requires an unique spark of creativity.
this NEEDS to be at the top of my (our?) to-do list
27 September 2023
this NEEDS to be at the top of my (our?) to-do list

Autumn bud vase collar made from gladiolus foliage.
Bubbly New Year’s Sparklers
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
Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off
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.
A snowball’s chance
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.
Rock, don't Roll
31 January 2018
Rock, don't Roll

Balance the heavy Protea flower head to lean against a rock.
Crafting
28 November 2018
Crafting

The second design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing.
Three Drops of Floral Chocolate
25 January 2012
Three Drops of Floral Chocolate

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