My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

How to make a stack of just enough:

How to make a pile of just enough floral art.

You take an average stack...

Cymbidium orchids and Spanish moss

take away those that would be too much...

Cymbidium orchids and Tillandsia Usneoides

take away any that are too many...

Leaf armature

… and if there were none it would be too few

Stack vases

… and too little would also not do

Cordyline armature

… and what you have left is a stack of just enough.

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

Tutorials

24 January 2018 Stack two glass vases to keep a leaf upright in water

Slip a leaf into the gap between two glass containers to keep it upright... and add a plastic lining to support the flowers nestled into it.

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.

29 March 2017 Three Tier Wire Ring Chandelier

Bend and weave three wire wreaths to string up as an air plant chandelier

7 December 2016 Flat wire and grass bridal basket

Wrap grass around a flat wire shape to create a delicate bridal basket design

15 December 2011 Spiral wire support pressed into a candle

The wire spirals are supported on wire sections pressed into the wax

14 October 2013 Paperback Book Pumpkin

Cut and stain paperback books to make a pumpkin armature

7 October 2015 Magnetic grass bubbles to reposition under water

When suspending items under water it is convenient to add a tiny magnet so that you can reposition it if the water distorts the lines of your design

17 July 2012 Prevent scratches, rust and water stains on display surfaces

This is a great, non permanent way to protect surfaces from damage

30 August 2011 Suspending and positioning a Phalaenopsis orchid under water

Flowers naturally float and you will need some kind of sinker to keep them suspended under water.

30 August 2017 Standing a water tube at an angle in lumber

Create a minimal design by placing a single flower on a platform

12 February 2014 Lightly sprinkled foliage frog

Light as air ripped foliage flower frog

10 May 2017 Skewered Eucalyptus leaf line-up armature

Thread leaves through wire

3 January 2011 Syringe with tube

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

4 January 2011 Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

29 January 2011 Melt plastic Soda Bottles into the "water" shapes

Heat makes the plastic distort creating fantastic shapes

Favourite Flowers

Cymbidium

Cymbidium, Boat Orchid

Tillandsia Usneoides

Spanish moss, Florida moss, long moss, or graybeard

Related Designs

11 April 2018 Follow the line

Stack a few glass containers and fill each with water to a different level.

20 February 2019 Inna...

Stack bowls to keep your flower stems in place.

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

12 August 2020 A lesson in letting be

Deceptively simple. A design that relies on you working with not against what is already there.

2 June 2021 Like an open book

Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.

11 August 2021 A bit Special... four dimensional designing

Using that little something that is unusual about your flower to make the design stand out.

5 January 2022 Slow Glow

A slow but glowing start to the New Year and the new design season

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...

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.

3 July 2024 Oh! my word

A perfectly flat leaf to support tiny floral details in the summer heat.

24 July 2024 Just... the Most

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

20 January 2011 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...

14 September 2016 Hang on!

Macrame inspired handing seahorse vases

29 March 2017 A Twirl

Suspend a wire chandelier design to twirl

31 May 2017 Let's hang out

Skewer some Eucalyptus to suspend between the orchids

7 December 2016 Oh! So clever

My article and Bridal basket design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

25 February 2015 Just So

Twirl a few willow twigs to create a balanced armature to display orchids

15 December 2011 Rocking around Three Candle Trees

Wire spirals twisted around candles to make small Christmas trees for the Christmas Eve dinner table

14 October 2013 All To Myself

Cut and stain old books to create a paperback nook pumpkin armature

6 February 2013 Swimmingly

Fold a grass fish for an easy going underwater design detail

7 October 2015 Down-bubble

Add grass "bubbles" that can be repositioned to your design

30 August 2011 Ichi-go, ichi-e

Freely translated it means Each Moment, Only Once. It is a saying associated with Japanese tea ceremonies.

30 August 2017 If

Place a water tube at an angle in lumber so that the Zantedeschia float just above the base to show off the delicate grass snippets scattered up the stem

12 February 2014 Easy does it

Rip foliage to sprinkle as a light as air flower frog

10 May 2017 About a line

Skewer and line up leaves to create an armature

11 May 2016 Pour

Glue a twig vase and melt some plastic to create a tumbling design