My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Every. Single. Week.

16 January 2019
click to send Christine a smile

This week, 8 years and 496 designs ago...

…just over 655 Tutorials and Tips ago…

... I added my first design to the My Creative Workbook website!

That means I have added one brand new design… and at least one Tutorial, most times more…

Every. Single. Week...

No excuses, no exceptions, no maybe later's…

for 8 years straight.

Not even one single week missed!!!

Happy anniversary to us. My website started as a place for me to keep all my creative projects to refer back to- I am so happy you found it as well!

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

Tutorials

16 January 2019

Delicate Twig Hammock Armature to keep tulips upright in a shallow container

Craft a suspended armature to create a clear winter design.

28 December 2016

Adding snow to twigs

Glue artificial snow to twigs

22 May 2012

Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.

14 November 2018

Create a break in a willow twig to support a flower stem

Break a willow twig at and angle to support your flowers

24 July 2012

Blow away hot glue strands

When you glue a structure with hot glue there are always a few stray strands of glue stuck all over the design. Blow it away with a hairdryer.

1 April 2015

Hana-kubari Bamboo

Hana-Kubari is an Ikebana flower mechanic. Only natural materials such as pebbles, sticks and branches can be seen to support the flowers. Traditionally no twine or wire, nails, or screws or any other man made materials are used

28 January 2015

Well Rooted Sprouting Willow Weave

Weave a sprouting armature

26 April 2017

Hana-Kubari twig

Slip a twig over the side of a container to keep an elegant flower stem upright

20 April 2016

Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source

Cut a few willow twigs to split to create legs for the armature

18 January 2017

T-connect twigs to shadow a design

Split a twig to create a t connection to hover a twig over the design

23 April 2025

Reflexed petal Tulip… with a surprise Orchid flower buddy

Gently pop the petals of a mature tulip back to open up the flower... to add another flower, of course!

2 April 2025

A Muscari cluster frog to display a precious Scilla Siberica on its own dogwood twig

Crafting a display cluster of plant material is the best way to turn the most delicate of stems into a focal point.

29 January 2025

Straight up and down icicle, clematis vine and huckleberry twig double vase winter display

Give an old mechanic a contemporary twist for creating light and airy flower displays.

8 January 2025

A growing Paperwhite paperweight to secure twirling passion fruit vines under water

This design takes a few weeks to make... but lasts a few weeks longer growing and evolving all on its own.

16 October 2024

Protect your “mercury” glass vases with a reusable lining when using wire as a mechanic

How to protect glass vases from scratching when using wire as a mechanic

10 April 2024

See through Jasmine Vine tangle support

This is a great way to explore using vines dried, soon to dry and fresh and hydrated to craft the thinnest possible transparent design.

7 February 2024

Knot willow twigs around a shallow container to keep tiny orchid stems upright

An all natural flower frog that adds to the design feel.

12 April 2023

Lean along armature for grape Hyacinths

A last lean towards winter as the snow melts and the Spring flowers starts to make an appearance.

8 February 2023

Hover winter twig armature with an acetate platform

Crystal clear floral design for winter styling

4 January 2023

Snow glow fluffy display bed for your design details

A cranberry lantern to cozy up a white winter's evening.

4 January 2023

Cranberry snow glow lantern

Sugar frosted cranberry ball filled with fairy lights.

28 December 2022

Bundled up Rosehip Scatter twigs… for anywhere you need a small frosted winter decorating touch

A delicate winter decoration to add sparkle to those in between Christmas and New Years Eve days.

1 June 2022

A wild "found it this way" thorn and overgrown tulip design with a ribbon tangle instead of a bow.

Glue an overgrown thorn armature to a container to display fully opened tulips

23 March 2022

A Double vase, Sticky tape, Reflexed AND Woven Nestled Grass and Tulip Whirl

so many techniques rolled into one rather pretty tulip nest. Perfect to celebrate new beginnings: Spring and my book birthday... and my online workshop!

9 March 2022

Lily grid for cradling the first spring sprigs in a small vase

Place a fully opened lily over the opening of your vase to help support more delicate stems

23 February 2022

Place delicate stems at an angle in a shallow fiber lined container

Line a shallow container with fiber to create a mat for the flowers to hydrate and stand in the exact way you want to place them.

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

29 December 2021

Party popper inspired Copper curls for a New Year’s Eve double vase orchid heart centerpiece

A design that is aged to ring in the new. Perfect for the a New Year's celebration.

4 August 2021

Scattered dried grass with raindrop crystals

Craft a light and airy grass halo to suspend tiny drop crystals around gorgeous roses.

28 April 2021

A contained design for watching those pretty twigs get their leaves

Careful manipulation of twigs in a shallow container. With a special note on how to use new growth.

24 March 2021

A Spring Sprout Wreath Flower Frog

Craft an everything is still growing spring design to celebrate... what we love!

1 April 2020

Using your seriously cool hot glue skills to glue a wire support for a tulip stem

A clever almost concealed wire support to keep a single tulip flower upright in a minimal bud design.

1 January 2020

Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in

A winter themed centerpiece with a secret water source (without a container or floral foam)

1 January 2020

Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve

Flexible and unique letter to add into a wither themed design ... this is also a great way to transition a design from Christmas to New Year's eve!

17 July 2019

Twig Dome Armature

Crafted from a hand full of twigs to give you a large design... even though you add only two stems of sweet peas.

6 March 2019

Snow puddle armature

Connect twigs with puddles of artificial snow to craft a winter armature for your flowers.

Related Designs

14 November 2018

For just this moment… let’s take a break

Simplicity to showcase the perfection of the Lisianthus buds

26 April 2017

In no time at all

Hana-Kubari twig armature

5 July 2017

Just A Bit

Glue a bit of grass snippets to suspend over the design

25 June 2014

Fine Tune

Thread cane through sticks to make a music inspired armature

1 April 2015

The Space Between

Traditional Hana-Kubari flower mechanic

23 April 2025

A Buzzin’

Just like a buzzing bee... give a mature Tulip a Phalaenopsis orchid buddy to keep it company.

2 April 2025

Love that a whole bunch!

Loved this delicate Scilla Siberica so much I got it its own bunch of Grape Hyacinths.

29 January 2025

Alrighty then

A fragrant spring display... but make it still look like winter

8 January 2025

this IS new

Growing a design... all new... and fresh and blooming well into New Year.

16 October 2024

And there you glow

A glowing autumn display of vases to scatter around every here and there.

10 April 2024

(if only) I can see you

Tangle jasmine vines outside a vase for a transparent screen to display floral details on and around a sea horse vase to display floral details in.

7 February 2024

Knot... that easy

An all natural shallow container design solution...

12 April 2023

The word we are looking for is… fun

A leaning twig armature with both the first signs of Spring and the last signs of winter.

8 February 2023

Snow… drops

A late winter design for minimal floral styling.

4 January 2023

Around and about the new year

A glowing cranberry ball for frosty evening decorating.

28 December 2022

Giving a nod

A scattering of winter decorating for wherever you might need it.

1 June 2022

Found it!

A very secure thorn branch armature to hold overgrown Tulips in place

23 March 2022

Chockablock!

Luxuriously filled design... filled with flowers... filled with grass. But most fun, for us as designers filled with hidden techniques

9 March 2022

…. Aaaaaand tick!

Ever wonder how I decide what I share with you? A fun design ticking all the boxes.

23 February 2022

Plan Together

Leaning Muscari flowers in a snow covered twig armature.

19 January 2022

Thaw

It's Tulip Season! Perfect for that "it's still winter ... but is that something green I see...?" mood designs.

29 December 2021

It’s the most… it’s the most... Toast-iest Patina Christmas of all!

This is the sixth of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. This week I will show you how to go overboard on almost everything... and still get a pretty patina on your copper design details.