My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

From A... for Acer to Z… for Zantedeschia

Last week I showed you a design from closer to the beginning of my book, The Effortless Floral Craftsman , this week it is a design closer to the end: the flower guide.

I have included a bucket load of flowers in the book- enough to craft 140 designs and close to three times that many “how to” tutorials. That is a lot of gorgeous flowers!

Alphabetically listed, all the way from a… to z…

From A... for Acer to Z… for Zantedeschia floral art design

In the flower guide Chapter I also tell you the story of how plants get their names, both Latin and those quant names you or you might hear your grandmother use.

Cymbidium flower arrangement

...and why we struggle with pronunciations…

Cymbidium floral design

… then there’s also a bit about apples, you know... really being roses,

Minimalist cymbidium orchid flower arrangement

and how modern garden roses are still modern roses even though modern garden roses are nowhere close to being “modern”…

Three Cymbidium orchids flower arrangement

oh and about roses that are not even roses or not even roses if you are not from where they are called roses…

 well.. I explain everything on page 402 to 403

well.. I explain everything on page 402 to 403

The really great book news: As a result of the wonderful response from all my flower friends, I will receive a much larger number of advance copies of the book than I expected! Thank you so, so much everyone. If you have ordered your copy in the last two weeks… I am all prepared and ready to sign, pack and start to send them out the moment they arrive.

If you still want to order a copy of the effortless floral craftsman, a floral crafter’s guide to crafting with nature, before the release date in November visit my online shop

… I have a few books left of this shipment and can send out your copy as quickly as I can sign, gift wrap and run to the post office!

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

Tutorials

10 October 2018 Single blade wrap armature

Fold a single blade of grass or slender leaf around a small container to stand your flower in position

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.

16 August 2011 Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections

Orchids grow in long flower spikes. It is great to use the entire stem but sometimes you need shorter section. There is a trick to cutting the stems without leaving a visible...

30 August 2011 Removing Oasis Floral Adhesive glue spills

The finish of every design should be flawless. Make sure there are no bits of glue visible in your design by carefully removing all traces of spills.

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,...

28 March 2018 Stacked eggshell containers that won't topple over.

Balance a stack of eggshells with a magnet for a tiny Easter design

28 June 2017 Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf

22 April 2015 Dowel ring flower holder for the most delicate of stems

The most delicate of stems often disappear in a design. this is an easy way to display really delicate flowering stems without overwhelming them

Favourite Flowers

Cymbidium

Cymbidium, Boat Orchid

Related Designs

24 April 2019 Put aside

Urgh… my glass cake stand broke leaving me with a still beautiful, but now mismatched and extremely inspirational lid...

8 January 2020 Rest a bit here

Gently curve a shallow area with a leaf to showcase a gorgeous flower with a short stem in a water filled vase

7 June 2023 Be excited

Oh my! Picked from my balcony garden... after I thought I completely missed it blooming.

5 July 2023 The Wiggle Is Part Of The Plan

A easy going summer design that makes full use of the imperfections you harvest from your cut garden.

30 July 2014 See you around

Weave a few spheres to create a simple design

1 April 2015 The Space Between

Traditional Hana-Kubari flower mechanic

28 March 2018 Walking on eggshells

Fill eggshells with moss to create an upright container... with a surprising balancing trick.

28 June 2017 Somewhere in the Middle

Skewer Dracaena leaves into a roll that supports a tiny water source for the Oncidium orchids

22 April 2015 Toiling

Convert a dowel stick into a container for delicate flower stems