My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

In no time at all

You see… what you do is...

Snip

snip,snip

snip

split

slip

Splash!

... snip and slip.

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Tutorials
Hana-Kubari twig
26 April 2017
Hana-Kubari twig

Slip a twig over the side of a container to keep an elegant flower stem upright
Bite and snap a sturdy twig
22 May 2012
Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.
Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source
20 April 2016
Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source

Cut a few willow twigs to split to create legs for the armature
Hana-kubari Bamboo
1 April 2015
Hana-kubari Bamboo

Hana-Kubari is an Ikebana flower mechanic. Only natural materials such as pebbles, sticks and branches can be seen to support the flowers. Traditionally no twine or wire, nails, or screws or any other man made materials are used
Hana-Kubari Bamboo Stilts with a Hidden Water Source
2 September 2015
Hana-Kubari Bamboo Stilts with a Hidden Water Source

Split bamboo stems to create a water source for dancing orchids
Hana-Kubari chopsticks
19 October 2011
Hana-Kubari chopsticks

Splitting the chopsticks or a wooden branch, such as a willow twig creates a natural (and glue-less!) clamp.
T-connect twigs to shadow a design
18 January 2017
T-connect twigs to shadow a design

Split a twig to create a t connection to hover a twig over the design
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.
Using your seriously cool hot glue skills to glue a wire support for a tulip stem
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.
Levitating Halloween tree with roots
30 October 2019
Levitating Halloween tree with roots

Cut a slit in the branches, at the root side to suspend it over the vases rather than in the vases.
Bat Skeleton crafted from twigs
30 October 2019
Bat Skeleton crafted from twigs

Eerie! Because you use what is there already in the twigs this skeleton looks rather... realistic!
Delicate Twig Hammock Armature to keep tulips upright in a shallow container
16 January 2019
Delicate Twig Hammock Armature to keep tulips upright in a shallow container

Craft a suspended armature to create a clear winter design.
Incise waxy Gardenia foliage to decorate the edge of a container
9 May 2018
Incise waxy Gardenia foliage to decorate the edge of a container

Cut a small wedge out of a stack of waxy leaves to keep the flower and twig in place.
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
Bits of snipped grass glued to create a net
5 July 2017
Bits of snipped grass glued to create a net

Glue a fragile sheltering net to soften the look of a summer design
Related Designs
That Will Be
20 April 2016
That Will Be

Freestanding willow twig armature design
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.
Pick-Up Sticks
29 September 2011
Pick-Up Sticks

A twig and stick design with sweet dumpling pumpkins and rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii). I also made a cherry twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect
Designing Your Way to Profits
5 January 2012
Designing Your Way to Profits

Floral Craftsmanship Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine
Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Just Right!
5 September 2012
Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Just Right!

My third design in my demonstration at the BC Floral Art Society meeting
Fine Tune
25 June 2014
Fine Tune

Thread cane through sticks to make a music inspired armature
The Space Between
1 April 2015
The Space Between

Traditional Hana-Kubari flower mechanic
Well, I'll be
27 January 2016
Well, I'll be

Manipulate fresh willow stems to create a sprouting armature for long tulip stems
All A-flutter
21 April 2021
All A-flutter

Adding a few fluttering petals to a design.
Hang in there!
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.
There once was a bat called Tequila, a Halloween story
30 October 2019
There once was a bat called Tequila, a Halloween story

An all plant zero waste, levitating, twig (with just a splatter of autumn leaves, a breath of spiderweb and float of roots) Halloween decoration with an eerie bat skeleton made from twigs lurking just over there.
Every. Single. Week.
16 January 2019
Every. Single. Week.

Stand tulips upright in a shallow container with a suspended twig armature.
What is the meaning of this?
9 May 2018
What is the meaning of this?

Create a minimal design with a few leaves to keep is all 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.
Just A Bit
5 July 2017
Just A Bit

Glue a bit of grass snippets to suspend over the design
Favourite Flowers
Lathyrus
Lathyrus

This design was entered in the craft section of a show. I grew my bag over 12 weeks. Each day I would guide the tiny fresh growth of the Sweet Pea plants to completely cover the...