My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Hi-Lo

6 June 2018
and more

“Think left and think right

and

think low and think high.

Oh, the thinks you can think up

if only you try!”

Quote by Dr Seuss

Sign up for my weekly newsletter

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

Tutorials

7 January 2015

Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.

7 January 2015

So many ways to use a Kenzan to hold floral materials

How to place various sizes of plant material in a Kenzan

14 January 2011

Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips

2 January 2011

Lilies

How to keep Lilies in bud for longer. Removing the pollen. Stringing a Lily Garland.

14 February 2018

Wire two Equisetum shoots into a heart

A wire in the hollow cavity inside a shoot of equisetum makes it easy to manipulate into a heart

1 January 2011

Equisetum

Create a natural flower "test tube" or a light with Equisetum

30 July 2025

Grass and orchid octopus for a beachy summer display

A spotted Phaleoctopi (not true) in a pebble beach design mechanic (absolutely true) summer display.

25 June 2025

A rock solid support for long stemmed Lupine foliage, an absolutely not So-so Bletilla orchid and jasmine vine

Minimal but oh so remarkable! Easy way to support long thin stems exactly how you want them to create a tropical looking summer design.

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

19 June 2024

Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas

Create a natural armature for a summer display

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.

20 July 2022

Breezy lily grass ripple

A radiating design that has the freedom of movement to add a bit of a cooling effect on the warmer days of summer.

25 May 2022

Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole

Flair open a leathery leaf to craft a frame a single bleeding heart flower on its long stem.

11 November 2020

Kenzan peg bark curls into a hollow and bottomless log vase

Craft a bottomless vase out of bark so that the floral stem is supported but can still stand in water to remain hydrated.

1 July 2020

Crafting a Hornet of Tranquility (you know… the one with the sparkle butt)

Let me explain myself: it’s got a blue sparkle stinger… or you wouldn’t have noticed the little wasp.

10 June 2020

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.

7 August 2019

Where to cut Gladiolus spikes shorter

Gladiolus stems can be cut into sections so that it appears natural and well groomed.

7 August 2019

Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them

The teeth of a Kenzan (or pin cushion) is rather sharp. Here is a pain free way of pushing down the plant material into the teeth to keep it securely in place.

7 August 2019

A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container

Build up a design in a shallow container by stacking it by threading the plant material into the teeth of a pin cushion in three levels.

12 June 2019

Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design

A cool and minimal floral design for summer.

5 June 2019

Stack a Stack of Stems to create a sturdy grid Armature... with some height

Stack green lily stems to create an upright mechanic to keep shorter stems in place.

17 April 2019

Cross cut Spring Twig Armature

Give a sturdy twig a cut to stay put in your Spring design.

Related Designs

15 November 2017

Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan

7 January 2015

Any Which Way

Using a traditional Ikabana Kenzan to place flowers in a shallow container

1 June 2016

The ties that Bind

Bind a lily to create a trumpet shape as it opens

21 June 2017

Playing Favourites

A quick and easy Kenzan design

25 February 2011

A Rock by any other Name...

It's not really what we call things that matter but what they are made of- in this design, it's made of all three types of Oasis and wool.

8 August 2012

Stringing in the rain

A veil of green wool, Spanish moss and dried hydrangeas hang over white lilies

3 April 2011

One Singular Sensation

Three Lilies plaited to create a sensational, singular flower "growing" out of a Equisetum dome filled with Rainbow Oasis pebbles.

10 June 2015

Gotcha!

Hana Kubari lily stems

14 February 2018

Two Are

Equisetum Valentine's hearts

30 July 2025

Staycation

Oh yes, here it is the warmest days of summer... water... pebbles and a few pretty flowers.

25 June 2025

So not so So-so after all

An island holiday (with a beach umbrella, don't you think?) floral display that celebrate a clutter free summer.

31 July 2024

Have a floral adventure, really

Creating a larger sustainable floral design by clustering the floral details into bunches.

19 June 2024

Do you know what the point is?

A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas

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!