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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

everything in one

  • 14 August 2024
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Dew-Drop Crystals
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
Firethorns join two leaves for an edgy support for a tall flower stem
14 August 2024
Firethorns join two leaves for an edgy support for a tall flower stem

Thorns are a great way to spear (and keep) design details into position.
Twig Bridal Basket
10 September 2014
Twig Bridal Basket

A slim basket design made from twigs
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.
Use Firethorn spears for a Vine and Orchid twist support
17 July 2024
Use Firethorn spears for a Vine and Orchid twist support

Sharp thorns can be used to keep your floral details in place
Pin Protea foliage into a curl
22 March 2017
Pin Protea foliage into a curl

The sturdy Protea leaves holds it shape even when dried when pinned into place
Use the stem of an Autumn leaf to wrap, pin and secure it in a roll
21 October 2015
Use the stem of an Autumn leaf to wrap, pin and secure it in a roll

A glue-less way of manipulating leaves
A cluster bunch of just enough floral ingredients to spike into a Kenzan for a larger display
31 July 2024
A cluster bunch of just enough floral ingredients to spike into a Kenzan for a larger display

A larger summer display in a Kenzan
Spaced birch bark strip basket
13 March 2024
Spaced birch bark strip basket

Sturdy and easy to make... a small harvest basket ready for all the Spring flowers still to come.
Threaded rosette foliage frog… with a kick
15 May 2024
Threaded rosette foliage frog… with a kick

Threaded Heuchera (Coral Bells) rosette with curved stems to kick against the sides of your container to keep it suspended above water.
Stack banana leaf rice pockets to float as rosettes
4 September 2019
Stack banana leaf rice pockets to float as rosettes

Fold and peg banana leaves into pockets so that they float freely on water. This is inspired by a traditional banana leaf craft used to cook rice in.
Mossy “Moss” Pebble… in the snow
10 January 2024
Mossy “Moss” Pebble… in the snow

Hollow out a faux moss pebble to add... a pebble of moss covered in snowflakes.
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan
6 September 2023
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan

An old trick... but still a great one to support thin stems in the needles of a Kenzan.
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.
Controlled breaking a thin reed to create a grass spiral armature
17 February 2021
Controlled breaking a thin reed to create a grass spiral armature

Carefully break... but don't snap a reed to create a curved base for a fanned out grass armature.
Drying leaves to have the exact same curve
6 November 2019
Drying leaves to have the exact same curve

Threat a stack of leaves to dry so that they shrivel and dry up in a similar way.
Peg and glue a floating Halloween design
31 October 2018
Peg and glue a floating Halloween design

A hovering Halloween design that seems to float.
Spider-mum
31 October 2018
Spider-mum

Craft a spider from twigs and a chrysanthemum
Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers
28 June 2017
Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf
Hop over, skip one and a long jump to the other side twig suspension (with a craftsmanship magic trick in between, of course)
15 April 2026
Hop over, skip one and a long jump to the other side twig suspension (with a craftsmanship magic trick in between, of course)

Use a few spongy stems and a bougainvillea branch with sharp thorns to create an impossibly delicate Spring display that is minimal and luxurious.
Roll gladiolus leaves into tubes to craft a raft for a toad lily stem
20 August 2025
Roll gladiolus leaves into tubes to craft a raft for a toad lily stem

Pin leaf rolls with sharp thorns to craft a natural raft to display tiny stems of unusual flowers cut from your garden.
Related Designs
Creativity will come
10 September 2014
Creativity will come

My Twig Bridal Basket design and Tutorial featured in the Extraordinary Wedding Flowers issue of the New Zealand Floral Design Magazine
Refresh-ing
17 July 2024
Refresh-ing

A tall vase for a short orchid stem summer design
Have a floral adventure, really
31 July 2024
Have a floral adventure, really

Creating a larger sustainable floral design by clustering the floral details into bunches.
In All Ways
13 March 2024
In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the design solution I have been procrasti-crafting on
15 May 2024
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the design solution I have been procrasti-crafting on

Beautiful Bletilla striata (Chinese Ground Orchid) deserves it's own elaborate frilly skirt display.
Gently down the stream
4 September 2019
Gently down the stream

A mindful summer craft using banana leaves to create a floating arrangement.
Taking a Breather
3 July 2019
Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near
6 September 2023
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near

It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!
From here in out
17 February 2021
From here in out

An all natural, zero waste design using only plant material.
Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves
6 November 2019
Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves

A fun and easy contemporary floral design to display foraged autumn leaves and just a touch of flowers that can easily be replaced.
Scary stuff!
31 October 2018
Scary stuff!

My Halloween design... with some scary stuff hidden if you can read between the leaves!
Somewhere in the Middle
28 June 2017
Somewhere in the Middle

Skewer Dracaena leaves into a roll that supports a tiny water source for the Oncidium orchids
A hop, skip, and a jump
15 April 2026
A hop, skip, and a jump

Pierce a bougainvillea stem into a soft twig support for a minimal and clear Spring display.
And that’s when inspiration toad us to hop to it
20 August 2025
And that’s when inspiration toad us to hop to it

Banana shaped rolled foliage Toad lily lookout