My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Hide-and-go-peek

A peek,

a glance,

a glimpse,

a glimmer

of a flickering glow…

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Tutorials
Skeleton Leaves
22 September 2012
Skeleton Leaves

Remove the pulp from leaves so that only the vain framework remain
Skeleton Leaf Flameless Candle Cocoon
17 April 2013
Skeleton Leaf Flameless Candle Cocoon

Cover a balloon with skeleton leaves to create a cocoon
A Neighbor friendly way to deflate a balloon
7 April 2012
A Neighbor friendly way to deflate a balloon

Apart from avoiding the noise popping a balloon makes this is also a less violent way to deflate a balloon when you make Papier Mache items
Slip-slit tapped in stems to keep vines upright in a muted autumn display
25 September 2024
Slip-slit tapped in stems to keep vines upright in a muted autumn display

A tiny adjustment in a stem wedged into a vase mechanic to give you even more control over the placement of design details.
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
Tap in support for horizontal placement of your top heavy flowers
9 August 2023
Tap in support for horizontal placement of your top heavy flowers

Placing gladiolus stems horizontally so that the stems... disappear.
Snow glow fluffy display bed for your design details
4 January 2023
Snow glow fluffy display bed for your design details

A cranberry lantern to cozy up a white winter's evening.
Cranberry snow glow lantern
4 January 2023
Cranberry snow glow lantern

Sugar frosted cranberry ball filled with fairy lights.
Corn-o’leaf mummy-o'lantern
12 October 2022
Corn-o’leaf mummy-o'lantern

Wrap and tie a fishbowl vase with corn foliage to craft a lantern for autumn... almost... Halloween.
Feather and Twig Wreath to frame a Handcrafted Copper Lantern
24 November 2021
Feather and Twig Wreath to frame a Handcrafted Copper Lantern

Cover a basic wreath with a layer of feathers for a soft and comforting winter wreath
Flameless Patina Copper Lantern
24 November 2021
Flameless Patina Copper Lantern

This is the easiest battery operated votive candle lantern to hand craft from a copper sheet... ever! As always with my Tutorials you will not need any special tools or workshop space. Just a bit of extra ventilation for the step where we chemically patina the copper.
Twig float for a single lemon blossom
5 August 2020
Twig float for a single lemon blossom

This design is all about that line there where the water meets the lemon blossom stem...
Designing with refraction
11 April 2018
Designing with refraction

Only a few stems create an impressive display if you allow the water to design with you.
Pick up any bits of plant material floating in the water
11 April 2018
Pick up any bits of plant material floating in the water

Use a wet brush to lift any tiny bits of plant material floating on and in the water to keep your container clear.
Tap in a Twig Support
4 April 2018
Tap in a Twig Support

Wedge snipped twigs into a glass vase to act as a support for your flowers
Hanging Bamboo Lantern
14 June 2017
Hanging Bamboo Lantern

This is a perfect do-ahead-of-time hanging design for a summer wedding. Craft one or three or a whole lot of the lanterns and add some orchids at the last moment to finish the design.
Winter Woodland Chandelier
27 November 2012
Winter Woodland Chandelier

Wrap vines and twigs around a wire frame to create a decorative woodland chandelier
Related Designs
Toning down the summer up into the earliest autumn
25 September 2024
Toning down the summer up into the earliest autumn

Using summery floral details in a way that it gives you all the autumn feelings... when autumn details are not yet out.
Refresh-ing
17 July 2024
Refresh-ing

A tall vase for a short orchid stem summer design
Look at me… doing math!
9 August 2023
Look at me… doing math!

Adding our own "bit" to our floral design work.
Around and about the new year
4 January 2023
Around and about the new year

A glowing cranberry ball for frosty evening decorating.
Ahead
12 October 2022
Ahead

Oh my... a corn leaf mummy head for autumn... looking ahead to Halloween styling.
It’s the most… it’s the most... Glowing-est Patina Christmas of all!
24 November 2021
It’s the most… it’s the most... Glowing-est Patina Christmas of all!

This is the first of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. We will explore how to patina Copper and use it to craft beautiful Festive floral accessories.
Spare a Moment
5 August 2020
Spare a Moment

A tranquil design that just takes a moment to do... when you need to take a moment to... breathe.
Availability of plant material shows in your design style
12 December 2018
Availability of plant material shows in your design style

The last design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing... this week: often when we see a design element reappear in a designer's work it might simply be because they have it readily available.
Follow the line
11 April 2018
Follow the line

Stack a few glass containers and fill each with water to a different level.
Grow on it
4 April 2018
Grow on it

Wedge twigs into a vase to create a grid.
When the pretty eyeballs you back!
25 October 2017
When the pretty eyeballs you back!

Barely there skeleton blossoms with Eucalyptus eyes for my Halloween design... Oh! and a Willow Paddle, which probably should have been the main Tutorial... but... well...
Things are looking up!
14 June 2017
Things are looking up!

My article and Bamboo Lantern design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
Connect the dot
3 February 2016
Connect the dot

Connect snippets of grass to create a shelter for your flowers
Dear Santa,
23 December 2015
Dear Santa,

Gift boxes from skeleton leaves
Favourite Flowers
Cymbidium
Cymbidium

Cymbidium orchids for my Designing your way to profits article that was featured in the Canadian Florist Magazine