Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
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- 13 September 2023
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Some design advice....
When
things
fall apart…
pick up those pieces
and use it to make stuff even better.
Not just good design advice... all round good advice, I think.
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Tutorials
Fold a book into a floral armature... with tricks there to keep the floral material hydrated and suspended.
Use all three methods to dry hydrangeas to get three very different textures to use in design work.
Komiwara is a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Glue potting soil to polystyrene to create a natural looking armature
Spike fall leaves and water tubes to create a minimal radiating autumn display
Glued Baby's Breath Wreath, folded in half to create a moon shaped armature
Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.
Willow cutting left in water will root and sprout... perfect for a all natural flower frog to admire as is or to keep long stem flowers upright.
Komiwara is a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Favourite Flowers
Hydrangea, when cultivated as a cut flower rather as a plant it is often revered to as Hortensia
Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts
Related Designs
Design drops of grass to dangle down a hydrangea flower for an effortless summer floral display.
… and why we call this the special craftsmanship edition
The design for the cover of my book, the effortless floral craftsman, crafted from Fiddlehead Fern and Red Lipstick Hanging Heliconia.
In my book I describe “effortless designing” as what happens when we have done our preparations, learned and practiced our techniques and are now crafting our work. We can forget...
A fun and easy contemporary floral design to display foraged autumn leaves and just a touch of flowers that can easily be replaced.
I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.
Snip and grow willow to create a Spring new growth support for your tall flower stems.
Use the petals of your flower to cleverly keep all the other floral details of your design firmly in place.
