My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Dream, Job

Some days it is all dream, dream ,dream and very little job gets done.

And that is ok.

Some days it is all job, job, job and but some dream also gets done.

And that is ok.

But most days it is all in there together, dream and job, and they look a bit the same... and the real work gets done.

And that is ok.

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Tutorials
Turning the sellotape over the vase trick up-side-down for a sticky side out frog
2 April 2014
Turning the sellotape over the vase trick up-side-down for a sticky side out frog

Tape a grid over a vase to keep the floral details in place
Clearly invisible taped Grid
2 July 2014
Clearly invisible taped Grid

This is the easiest way to keep flower in place
Placing orchids in test tubes
25 August 2011
Placing orchids in test tubes

Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.
Coil wire and grass to create a spring frog
1 February 2017
Coil wire and grass to create a spring frog

Twirl and wrap wire and lily grass around a dowel stick to create a spring frog
Zig-Zag leaf flower frog
27 November 2013
Zig-Zag leaf flower frog

Wire and fold a flat leaf to create a support to rest flowers on in a flat container
Spiral twig frog
22 May 2012
Spiral twig frog

Multiple tiny twigs create a flower frog to keep the delicate buds and leaves in the exact spot you want.
Bubble raft to float flowers
3 January 2012
Bubble raft to float flowers

Flowers naturally float in water. They just don’t always naturally float on water. For that they sometimes need a bit of help.
Cellophane wrap cracked ice
3 January 2012
Cellophane wrap cracked ice

Cellophane and plastic wrap in a clear vase, filled with water, creates a cracked ice effect
Make a Stuck with an Unstick Stick Maple Seed Spring floral frog… but for a grasshopper pair.
21 May 2025
Make a Stuck with an Unstick Stick Maple Seed Spring floral frog… but for a grasshopper pair.

Use the sticky side of sticky tape to create the lightest possible floral frog to display your floral details in.
Fluffy Seed Snowflake Sparkle
22 November 2023
Fluffy Seed Snowflake Sparkle

A gentle switch between designing for Autumn and Thanksgiving and Christmas.
No Mow May Scattered Grass and Erigeron Meadow design
31 May 2023
No Mow May Scattered Grass and Erigeron Meadow design

Tape a grid to create a barely there scattered grass display for a cooling summer display.
A Reflex Rose Rose Hip… Rose
2 November 2022
A Reflex Rose Rose Hip… Rose

Making a rose even more roselike by enhancing its rosy-ness.
Knot a wool grid for a cozy Tulip and twig armature design
19 January 2022
Knot a wool grid for a cozy Tulip and twig armature design

Bring in some warmth with a tulip design that still hints at winter
Sink a carnation composite flower flat top platform into a vase
24 February 2021
Sink a carnation composite flower flat top platform into a vase

The trick of this Tutorial is to create a flat top platform to display Spring blossom twigs- the way it would look on moss in a forest.
Weave a Ceropegia Woodii Vine grid to catch your flowers
3 February 2021
Weave a Ceropegia Woodii Vine grid to catch your flowers

Suspend flowers over a water filled container by weaving a natural grid.
Mesh bag net armature to keep your flowers in place
30 September 2020
Mesh bag net armature to keep your flowers in place

Instead of vegetable net bags becoming trash wrap it around your container for an instant armature. It even looks a bit like a spider web- perfect for a long lasting design as we count down to Halloween.
A Sticky-tape way to keep blossom petals from dropping
15 April 2020
A Sticky-tape way to keep blossom petals from dropping

Capture Spring for just a little bit longer by sticking blossoms down, in place.
An almost not even there grass grid
1 May 2019
An almost not even there grass grid

... with the help of an old staple technique.
Tape a grid around the edges of a container for a table top wreath
13 September 2017
Tape a grid around the edges of a container for a table top wreath

Suspend flowers with an almost invisible taped grid
Related Designs
Apricity
2 April 2014
Apricity

Turning a stand-by floral technique sticky side out
Take it for a Spin
6 April 2016
Take it for a Spin

Make a clear grid to suspend plant material on
Clearly contained
2 July 2014
Clearly contained

Clear containers need clear grids to keep the flowers in place
Summer
20 August 2014
Summer

A quick and easy design for summer
On Pumpkin Coloured Days
28 October 2015
On Pumpkin Coloured Days

Create a besom broom to sweep up those Autumn leaves
Perfect!
22 February 2017
Perfect!

Tulips are so perfect just as they are all that is needed is to simply drape their graceful leaves around the flowers
'Twas right before Christmas
27 November 2013
'Twas right before Christmas

Fold leaves to create a support to float orchids on
Going Cold Twinkle Turkey
3 January 2012
Going Cold Twinkle Turkey

Is it better to go Cold Twinkle Turkey and embrace the minimalist living room or rather ease into it?
One of one of everyone
19 March 2014
One of one of everyone

Float flowers using a bubble wrap raft
Sticktoitness that gets you Unstuck
21 May 2025
Sticktoitness that gets you Unstuck

Create a sticky grid for the lightest and dreamiest Spring floral display.
Gentle transition
22 November 2023
Gentle transition

There's no need to rush the seasons. Take it slow and enjoy the plant material that are still available even if you are excited about what is to come...
Notice That?/!
31 May 2023
Notice That?/!

Light and airy... like a wonderful breeze on a hot summer day grass and erigeron display.
bonfire
2 November 2022
bonfire

A final rosy burst of fiery autumn colour.
Thaw
19 January 2022
Thaw

It's Tulip Season! Perfect for that "it's still winter ... but is that something green I see...?" mood designs.
Into a Puddle!
30 June 2021
Into a Puddle!

Heat proof floral design for summer.
Into a Puddle!
30 June 2021
Into a Puddle!

Heat proof floral design for summer.
Picked up some proper Pruning
24 February 2021
Picked up some proper Pruning

An early Spring design with a twist on using an old favourite: composite flowers.
here’s the catch
3 February 2021
here’s the catch

Weave an all natural net to place over a vase to keep your flowers above water.
This season all the stylish pumpkins will be wearing them!
30 September 2020
This season all the stylish pumpkins will be wearing them!

A simple way to keep the plastic mesh the pumpkins are sold in from becoming trash: wrap it around the container as an armature for a quick Fall design. Replace the flowers as they fade and top up the water as needed.
Helping Spring Stick Around
15 April 2020
Helping Spring Stick Around

Blossom petals drop so quickly! Here's a way to make them last just that little bit longer.
Can you see the tiny hint of Sunshine on the tips of the grass?
1 May 2019
Can you see the tiny hint of Sunshine on the tips of the grass?

I left the grass to mature so that the tips mirror the sun bleached yellow of the orchids.
Around again
13 September 2017
Around again

Tape a grid at the edge of a container
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design