Finding the first few Wishful Thinkings under a tree

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.

Late summer’s crispy twig curls as a mechanic and accessory

Humble and even unwanted heat shriveled stems become precious design elements because they add a unique quality to your design.

Weaving a twig wreath

For my design I wanted the wreath to look wind blown so I added a few loosely woven twigs into the weave. I also wanted to emphasize the autumn colours so I added a twirling copper wire into the weave

Weave a burst of overgrown wildness wreath

This wreath is perfectly imperfect. Perfect for using those first few autumn (or preserved from last autumn) leaves.

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.

Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

Loosened Wreath Armature

Snip a dried twig wreath to undo the spirals to hang around a glass container

Clematis Vine Swing

Weave a delicate nest for a small spring design.

Overgrown vine tangle to suspend flowers in a clear vase

A zero waste and sustainable floral design solution to keep your flowers exactly where you want them without using floral foam.

Submerged vine wreath armature to beat the summer heat

Water... lots of water- that is the answer to designing flower arrangements that survive the summer heat.

Wisteria Wreath Vine

Weave tiny vine wreaths on the leave stems of a stripped Wisteria vine

Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin

Copper Pepper Berry Wreath

Wire pepper berries to a wreath

Get a head start with a long lasting shallow vine basket and succulent table top Spring display

Long, long, long lasting display that will even root in place with a few adjustments.

Four wreath harvest basket that looks like it grew that way… because now some of it still is!

Harvest some cuttings to root in a wild and overgrown floral design.

Overgrown Willow web inspired by a traditional Dream-catcher

I wanted my willow armature to hint of a web-like dreamcatcher that grows in the wild rather than being a precise replica of the traditional craft technique. But I did weave it in a similar way.

Chain link wreath weaving

Weave a few small wreaths to connect

Weaving Willow spheres

I build up the spheres by weaving willow wreaths and then use those to shape the ball

Willow Parasol

Weave willow stems into a decorative parasol

Hanging Willow Nest

Bend and weave a nest shape from fresh willow stems

Willow flower crown

Loosely weave willow tips to create an ethereal crown

Crescent willow moon

Craft a crescent shaped willow armature

Weave a small wreath in the side twig of a willow branch to keep a flower in place in your design

This is both a decorative and functional design solution. But most importantly, I think, there is absolutely zero waste.

Willow and Vine tiny stem Gathering Basket

Tiny stems are often also delicate stems... place your cut flowers directly in a small glass of water. A perfect fit for this basket.

Thread your wreaths in a row to show off your "it could (almost) be mistaken for Spring sprouts"

Late winter flowering irises in a wreath armature

Ring-a-round

Open a vine wreath to create a spiral twig armature around a glass container

Swing Vine

Weave a delicate vine swing to nestle a small vase with spring flowers in

All Out

An all out effective way of keeping a flower stem in the exact spot you want it to be in a clear water vase design.

Over Easy

A cooling design to celebrate the summer solstice.

Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines

As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin

Coppepeppepepper wreath

Wire dried pepper berries to a wreath with super fancy flat wire (okay... it's the humble wire from a copper pot scrubber but it still looks fancy!)

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.

Haerfest

Rooting clematis cuttings in a harvest wreath basket

The last Vine Wreath

Every designer knows how to stretch their supplies. We use and re-use our dried plant material until our fellow designers feel like hiding it from us. I formed such an attachment to my vine wreaths. This post features four designs using the same wreaths.

Harnessing the Wind

How To Catch A Dream

Take inspiration from a traditional Dream-catcher design to create a floral armature

Creative Expectations

My article and a floral parasol design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

Practice

Weave a willow bird nest

Veiled Sunshine:50th Anniversary of the South African Orchid Society at the Cape Town Convention Centre.

Bright and sunny cymbidium orchids and roses, lilies, lisianthus and pincushions

Strangeness

Weave a wreath to display air plants on

You are all invited!

My article and Willow Crown design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

Old, new trends

My article and willow birdcage design for wedding rings featured in DIY Weddings Magazine.

Rules!

The first design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing.

Transition into Fall

A sustainable, absolutely no waste floral design using willow to suspend your flower head in your arrangement.

It’s a sugar rush!

A perfectly imperfect wild willow wreath to display the first Autumn treasures of the year.

Short Cut

A tiny carry basket to gather the shortest stems from your cutting garden... with a place for water and your cutters.

Gratitude

A minimal Thanks Giving design that is a modern take on a wreath

“Ha ha ha weeeeee!"

Beautiful iris wreath kebab to chase away the winter blues