My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Hope Bubble

20 January 2021
click to send Christine a smile
and more

Whatever

you

are

making-

make

hopeful

(we need hopeful)

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

Tutorials

20 January 2021

Trapped Bubble Double Shallow Vase Design

Trap air between two vases to create a third circle... and frame for a small feather hint to a hopeful Spring

20 January 2021

Curve a feather

A small adjustment to the shape of the feather creates a more whimsical look.

3 January 2011

Syringe with tube

Easy way to fill test tubes and easiest way to remove water from a vase

19 February 2013

Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening

Most stems, twigs and even sturdier branches can be bend into shapes. It takes practice and more than a bit of patience. The main idea is to slowly manipulate the branch without breaking it.

28 December 2016

Adding snow to twigs

Glue artificial snow to twigs

4 December 2013

Large wax snowflakes

Artificial snow can be very "chemical" and flowers deteriorate quickly when exposed to it. It also dissolves in water. I use candle wax as "snow"

3 January 2012

Bubble raft to float flowers

Flowers naturally float in water. They just don’t always naturally float on water. For that they sometimes need a bit of help.

21 March 2012

Where to cut Tulips to condition

Here is a trick to make sure your tulips will condition thoroughly

21 January 2015

Braiding three Tulip stems

Plait Tulip stems

11 May 2011

Slow down tulip growth, after the stems have been severed from the bulbs

Tulips continue to grow after being cut. Sometimes when you make a very small design or for competition or bridal work you want to minimize growth. The best way to do this is to divert their energy.

4 April 2018

Tap in a Twig Support

Wedge snipped twigs into a glass vase to act as a support for your flowers

1 April 2020

Using your seriously cool hot glue skills to glue a wire support for a tulip stem

A clever almost concealed wire support to keep a single tulip flower upright in a minimal bud design.

29 January 2025

Straight up and down icicle, clematis vine and huckleberry twig double vase winter display

Give an old mechanic a contemporary twist for creating light and airy flower displays.

23 July 2024

Pinching vines in place with almost alike but perfectly unique double vases and twig peg

The tiniest twig peg keep the vines from spilling out of the minimal double vase display.

17 April 2024

Tendril support to anchor a floating vase (and its ginormous bubble) in place

Trap a bubble between two shallow containers to float clematis flowers for Spring.

7 February 2024

Knot willow twigs around a shallow container to keep tiny orchid stems upright

An all natural flower frog that adds to the design feel.

14 June 2023

Fold a crab from grass

A fun coastal touch for your design... a woven crab.

1 February 2023

Spiked Tulip Fan

Fanned out Tulips for a snowy winter display... that stays just so.

1 June 2022

A wild "found it this way" thorn and overgrown tulip design with a ribbon tangle instead of a bow.

Glue an overgrown thorn armature to a container to display fully opened tulips

23 March 2022

A Double vase, Sticky tape, Reflexed AND Woven Nestled Grass and Tulip Whirl

so many techniques rolled into one rather pretty tulip nest. Perfect to celebrate new beginnings: Spring and my book birthday... and my online workshop!

9 March 2022

Lily grid for cradling the first spring sprigs in a small vase

Place a fully opened lily over the opening of your vase to help support more delicate stems

19 January 2022

Knot a wool grid for a cozy Tulip and twig armature design

Bring in some warmth with a tulip design that still hints at winter

5 January 2022

Double vase Snow Glow Winter Centerpiece

Add warmth to a space with a softly glowing winter white arrangement

11 August 2021

Dried twig collar in a double vase display for gravity sensitive flowers

Putting the focus on the flowers with an ever changing design.

Related Designs

3 January 2012

Going Cold Twinkle Turkey

Is it better to go Cold Twinkle Turkey and embrace the minimalist living room or rather ease into it?

1 March 2017

Gumusservi

To celebrate the 6th year anniversary of My Creative Workbook I am looking at the most popular Tutorial I have done to date:

21 January 2015

Tiptoe through the Tulips

Braid Tulip stems to set in water

27 January 2016

Well, I'll be

Manipulate fresh willow stems to create a sprouting armature for long tulip stems

22 February 2017

Perfect!

Tulips are so perfect just as they are all that is needed is to simply drape their graceful leaves around the flowers

4 April 2018

Grow on it

Wedge twigs into a vase to create a grid.

1 April 2020

Hang in there!

Keeping this tulip upright requires less magic and more hot glue skills... but it looks magical never the less.

29 January 2025

Alrighty then

A fragrant spring display... but make it still look like winter

24 July 2024

Just... the Most

Perfect for summer designing with some space for the vines to continue to grow in your design.

17 April 2024

In The Time it Takes To Listen To Learn

Ideal design for those flowers that needs a deep soak to remain hydrated.

7 February 2024

Knot... that easy

An all natural shallow container design solution...

14 June 2023

Because I am beautiful!

It deserves a bowl all of it's own... right? I am (of course!) talking about these spectacular little sweet peas called King Tut. Not much else is needed. But add a cute little crab and you have a bowl filled with summer.