My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Do you know what the point is?

I tried to

cut

a corner once…

hated it!

Kept

wondering

what’s the point!?!

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Tutorials
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
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.
Fill hollow bark with test tubes
18 December 2012
Fill hollow bark with test tubes

Glue tiny sections of pipe to the bark to fill as a water source for the fresh flower material
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
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.
Kenzan foliage cover-up
24 August 2018
Kenzan foliage cover-up

Cover your kenzan by wrapping it in a leaf.
Use a glue stick to position a Kenzan… just so… so that you can place the blackest of flowers to be framed by gaps of light
8 May 2024
Use a glue stick to position a Kenzan… just so… so that you can place the blackest of flowers to be framed by gaps of light

Play up contrasts to allow near black flowers to shine.
Slot together Monstera Twin Leaves to create a design gap
24 April 2024
Slot together Monstera Twin Leaves to create a design gap

A small bundle of Spring floral treasures framed with lush monstera foliage.
Kenzan peg bark curls into a hollow and bottomless log vase
11 November 2020
Kenzan peg bark curls into a hollow and bottomless log vase

Craft a bottomless vase out of bark so that the floral stem is supported but can still stand in water to remain hydrated.
Kenzan leaf rack
15 November 2017
Kenzan leaf rack

Line and position pretty autumn leaves.
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design
12 June 2019
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design

A cool and minimal floral design for summer.
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.
Wood chip and sparkle mushroom cornucopia
11 October 2023
Wood chip and sparkle mushroom cornucopia

A horn of plenty... seasonal sparkle.
A birch bark spiral wrap to cradle floral details in a wine glass
17 January 2024
A birch bark spiral wrap to cradle floral details in a wine glass

Spiral birch bark strips into two mirror images to create a wintery wrap for a bud vase.
Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm
19 August 2015
Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm

Glue bark to a Papier Maché and wire frame to create a pod shaped armature
A bark design surface that suspends the first Spring flowers to rest just below the surface.
19 February 2025
A bark design surface that suspends the first Spring flowers to rest just below the surface.

Glue two large bark chips to craft a large design platform to suspend the most delicate of floral details in a "I wish it was Spring already" arrangement.
Sweet pea and Felting Wool Swirl Around a Log
10 July 2024
Sweet pea and Felting Wool Swirl Around a Log

Arrange beautiful King Tut sweet pea vines to swirl around a piece of fire wood... with a bit of help from a felting technique
Related Designs
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.
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.
Hi-Lo
6 June 2018
Hi-Lo

Perfect stems, perfect flowers. Needs nothing more.
The ties that Bind
1 June 2016
The ties that Bind

Bind a lily to create a trumpet shape as it opens
Still
17 September 2014
Still

My bark bowl design and tutorial featured in the Centrepiece Wedding Magazine
FreestyleFreesia
22 August 2018
FreestyleFreesia

Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker, from Flower Factor invited me to participate in a FloraHolland initiative promoting the versatility of Freesias entitled #FreestyleFreesia Here is the extended version of my video.
I mean… did you!?!
8 May 2024
I mean… did you!?!

Playing with shapes to frame the light in a dramatic floral design.
You Just Like You
24 April 2024
You Just Like You

Support a small bundle of spring florals to stand upright in water with two Monstera leaves.
What goes around
11 November 2020
What goes around

Display a single stem flower in an Autumn leaf twirl
Alchemy
15 November 2017
Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan
Almost... all over!
12 June 2019
Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.
Courage, now
30 August 2023
Courage, now

A bit of a rethink as the season is getting ready to change. How can I give my design idea a fresh twist?
Plenty Glow to Harvest
11 October 2023
Plenty Glow to Harvest

Glow and sparkle bark armature to celebrate the first signs of Autumn
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques
22 January 2013
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques

This was my second two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting.
Wave Wrap
17 January 2024
Wave Wrap

Roll birch bark into a double spiral to cradle some perfect flowers to admire all winter.
Growth Medium
19 August 2015
Growth Medium

Design a bark and moss pod for a mushroom mini farm
In All Ways
13 March 2024
In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.
When the Pretty much Pretty flows, it lingers in our hearts
19 February 2025
When the Pretty much Pretty flows, it lingers in our hearts

A bark support to display the most delicate Spring floral treasures.
Still wrapping my head around this one
10 July 2024
Still wrapping my head around this one

Craft a haze of green around a log for a sweet pea swirl effect.
Favourite Flowers
Lathyrus
Lathyrus

This design was entered in the craft section of a show. I grew my bag over 12 weeks. Each day I would guide the tiny fresh growth of the Sweet Pea plants to completely cover the...