My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

If

… if it had a hole in it, in the shop, I would not have bought the lumber.

… if the lumber did not drop on the way up to my design room the knot would not have popped out.

… if the knot did not pop out I would not have thought of seeing if the water tube fits.

… if the water tube did not fit I wouldn’t have checked if the elegant calla stem would be supported in it.

… if the calla stem was not supported in the water tube I would have had to…

... well… if...

all kinda serendipitous then, if you think

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

Create a minimal design by placing a single flower on a platform
Curving Calla Lilies
30 August 2011
Curving Calla Lilies

Follow the flower's natural curve but you can also curve only sections to create an elegant crescent or a curve at the tip of the stem
Arum lily roll down
17 July 2012
Arum lily roll down

Open an arum lily up by rolling the funnel shaped spathe (petal) over
Wedding welcome and direction sign
15 March 2017
Wedding welcome and direction sign

Hang a twig and wood mobile at your weeding as a direction board
Piled Pine Needle Tabletop Wreath
12 December 2012
Piled Pine Needle Tabletop Wreath

Use wood glue to make a light as air table top wreath from pine needles
Barely there Wreath armature
30 November 2016
Barely there Wreath armature

Glue snippets of Baby's breath and grass into a lace fine wreath shape to showcase the tiny chocolate cosmos buds
Haphazard twig Rectangle
14 August 2013
Haphazard twig Rectangle

Glue a few twigs into a rectangular shape to hang as a space or room devider
Barely there Mad Hatter's Top Hat
28 August 2013
Barely there Mad Hatter's Top Hat

Glue sisal fibers to create a floral top hat
Lightly sprinkled foliage frog
12 February 2014
Lightly sprinkled foliage frog

Light as air ripped foliage flower frog
Scattered grass armature
30 April 2014
Scattered grass armature

An grass armature that looks scattered but is actually very secure
Connect the dot grass Armature
3 February 2016
Connect the dot grass Armature

Connect the ends of grass snippets to create a spherical grass armature
Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature
30 March 2016
Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature

Drill holes in a piece of lumber and insert dowel sticks to create an armature
Use the pull tab of a can to keep your floral details in place
16 August 2023
Use the pull tab of a can to keep your floral details in place

Love anchovies cans. And if you fold over the pull tab just so it is perfect for keeping even longer stem flowers upright.
No Mow May Scattered Grass and Erigeron Meadow design
31 May 2023
No Mow May Scattered Grass and Erigeron Meadow design

Tape a grid to create a barely there scattered grass display for a cooling summer display.
Suspend a tiny flower over a large water filled container in a sandwich knot support
13 July 2022
Suspend a tiny flower over a large water filled container in a sandwich knot support

You don't have to design with a bud vase when you have a bud vase sized flower.
Grass snippet globe with T-connections for a (shaded) second layer
27 April 2022
Grass snippet globe with T-connections for a (shaded) second layer

Craft two snippet half moons to connect... and... then add a second layer of grass snippets here and there to shade the flowers.
Hanging knotted foliage hearts from Quince blossom branches
16 February 2022
Hanging knotted foliage hearts from Quince blossom branches

Add a bit of love to your blossom branches with hanging heart knots.
Wreath-Rim a Vase with sparkling foxtail and twigs
17 November 2021
Wreath-Rim a Vase with sparkling foxtail and twigs

Add a collar around a vase to hint at a wreath for an early Christmas floral design.
Over the edge flower, floral support
29 September 2021
Over the edge flower, floral support

Hook the calla lilies over the edge of a vase to create a support for your taller floral details.
Using the new growth on blossom branches as a base for a woodland design
21 April 2021
Using the new growth on blossom branches as a base for a woodland design

A fun way to use your blossom branches in a design once all the petals fall.
Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in
1 January 2020
Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in

A winter themed centerpiece with a secret water source (without a container or floral foam)
Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve
1 January 2020
Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve

Flexible and unique letter to add into a wither themed design ... this is also a great way to transition a design from Christmas to New Year's eve!
Adding folded grass "jitters" to a Sunflower
31 July 2019
Adding folded grass "jitters" to a Sunflower

Adding tension to a design with a grass frame and collar.
Fill a trumpet shaped flower cup with... more flowers!
8 May 2019
Fill a trumpet shaped flower cup with... more flowers!

A hidden water source small enough to fit into a dainty flower.
An eggshell stack and grass snippet arch with a hidden water source for a Spring or Easter design
27 March 2019
An eggshell stack and grass snippet arch with a hidden water source for a Spring or Easter design

An almost nest like design with a hidden water source.
Eucalyptus tinsel garland
2 January 2019
Eucalyptus tinsel garland

Wire seeded Eucalyptus into a long tinsel garland.
Wrap around grass loop and knot armature
8 August 2018
Wrap around grass loop and knot armature

Connect strips of ripped grass to create a knotted armature for short stemmed flowers
Trailing Ceropegia woodii vines from a Heliconia flower
23 May 2018
Trailing Ceropegia woodii vines from a Heliconia flower

Set the rosary vines into the natural cavity of the flower head.
Tumbling sun-flakes
23 May 2018
Tumbling sun-flakes

Craft radiating sun-flakes from dried petals.
Adjusting the curve in plant material
16 May 2018
Adjusting the curve in plant material

It is possible to curve or adjust a curve in plant material
Rock Rest for a heavy Protea Flower Head
31 January 2018
Rock Rest for a heavy Protea Flower Head

Create a contrasting base to lift the heavy flower-head to design in
Stack two glass vases to keep a leaf upright in water
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.
Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place
3 January 2018
Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place

A easy to use Hana Kubari technique
Related Designs
One Singular Sensation
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.
Ichi-go, ichi-e
30 August 2011
Ichi-go, ichi-e

Freely translated it means Each Moment, Only Once. It is a saying associated with Japanese tea ceremonies.
Direct Contrasts
13 October 2011
Direct Contrasts

I have always been fascinated, as a designer, by the idea that there is a point when extremes or direct contrasts flip into its opposite.
So far so green
17 July 2012
So far so green

The only thing I needed to make these avocado green arums perfect was a small admirer...
Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off
6 November 2012
Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off

An easy going design of ripped grass and calla lilies. But look a bit closer. See if you can find Mr. Stalk relaxing somewhere between the blades of grass.
Something Like This
14 August 2013
Something Like This

Stack and glue a large twig rectangle to hang as room divider
Their work well done
23 October 2013
Their work well done

String Autumn leaves to fall down in a design
See you around
30 July 2014
See you around

Weave a few spheres to create a simple design
What a find!
14 October 2015
What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright
New Year's Wreath
4 January 2017
New Year's Wreath

Decorate an artificial wreath with fresh flowers and frosted twigs
Wedding Welcome
15 March 2017
Wedding Welcome

My article and wedding direction board design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
Designing with Mother Nature
20 February 2013
Designing with Mother Nature

Retail florists and wholesalers are already designing, ordering and preparing their product range for Mother's Day. This is my article that I wrote for the Mother's Day Design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine
On The Street Where You Live
1 November 2011
On The Street Where You Live

A floral design snapshot of what it looks like when walking down the streets of Vancouver this week.
Tying the knot
10 September 2012
Tying the knot

Gypsophilla design with Celtic love knots featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine
Tying the knot and loosening those curls
18 September 2012
Tying the knot and loosening those curls

Romantic rose centerpiece with just a bit of an edge featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine
It's a swell time…
12 December 2012
It's a swell time…

An exceptional moment frozen in time… 12:12:12 12/12/12
All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate): Worth a second look
30 November 2016
All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate): Worth a second look

This was the fourth (and last) design I did in my "All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate)" floral art demonstration
Losing some of that Muchness
28 August 2013
Losing some of that Muchness

A barely there sisal Mad Hatter's floral hat
Easy does it
12 February 2014
Easy does it

Rip foliage to sprinkle as a light as air flower frog
Scattered
30 April 2014
Scattered

Scatter some dried grass to make a floral armature
Connect the dot
3 February 2016
Connect the dot

Connect snippets of grass to create a shelter for your flowers
Step Along
15 February 2017
Step Along

Create twig steps to display the orchids
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking
5 June 2024
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking

Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design
Canned right after harvest
16 August 2023
Canned right after harvest

Pull tab support for "canned" Calla lilies and bunny-tail grass.
Notice That?/!
31 May 2023
Notice That?/!

Light and airy... like a wonderful breeze on a hot summer day grass and erigeron display.
Blue…
13 July 2022
Blue…

The tiniest flower adds some much needed coolness to a summer floral design.
Shine Shade
27 April 2022
Shine Shade

Glue snippets of grass into a double layer sphere to create a sheltered floral globe.
Hang on, love
16 February 2022
Hang on, love

A hanging heart design to celebrate love this Valentine's Day.
Ringing in A Very Merry Traditional Christmas… Tradition
17 November 2021
Ringing in A Very Merry Traditional Christmas… Tradition

A more than just a hint of Christmas tradition design... in a pre-Christmas design.
Creative Direction
29 September 2021
Creative Direction

Hang the arum lilies from the edge of a container to support all the other floral details.
All A-flutter
21 April 2021
All A-flutter

Adding a few fluttering petals to a design.
How to freeze a wow moment
1 January 2020
How to freeze a wow moment

Create a long lasting winter inspired floral design that looks like it is frozen in time.
Jitters!
31 July 2019
Jitters!

Zig-zag grass details add a bit of tension to the design
It takes more than one person to invent a trumpet!
8 May 2019
It takes more than one person to invent a trumpet!

Filling a trumpet flower cup... with more flowers!
Put aside
24 April 2019
Put aside

Urgh… my glass cake stand broke leaving me with a still beautiful, but now mismatched and extremely inspirational lid...
Like trying to find a water tube in a eggshell stack
27 March 2019
Like trying to find a water tube in a eggshell stack

A fun Spring and Easter design with stacked eggshells.
One New Year’s Wish
2 January 2019
One New Year’s Wish

Wire a sparkling tinsel garland to dress up a single, elegant Arum lily.
In Summer!
23 May 2018
In Summer!

A contemporary cascade of rosary vine and dried petals.
It goes like this...
16 May 2018
It goes like this...

Gently curve plant material.
Rock, don't Roll
31 January 2018
Rock, don't Roll

Balance the heavy Protea flower head to lean against a rock.
How to make a stack of just enough:
24 January 2018
How to make a stack of just enough:

Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright
Happy Coincidence!
3 January 2018
Happy Coincidence!

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny vase for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little twig with a fork in it. Add a ranunculus with a ridiculously gorgeous curve in it's stem... done.
Favourite Flowers
Zantedeschia
Zantedeschia

Calla lilies in my Direct Contrast design for the Floral Trends Design Group