My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

It almost happened today!

The sun almost came out.

The icicles almost fell to down below.

The trees and blossoms almost burst into bud.

The birds almost sang.

The bumblebees almost set out to find a new colony.

The squirrels almost found some sap.

… in fact, today was so almost that we can make replacing that mitton we lost next year’s problem!

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Tutorials
Snow puddle armature
6 March 2019
Snow puddle armature

Connect twigs with puddles of artificial snow to craft a winter armature for your flowers.
Harvesting cyclamen flowers and foliage
22 May 2012
Harvesting cyclamen flowers and foliage

Cyclamen stems are so close together that it is easy to damage the plant when cutting stems.
Adding snow to twigs
28 December 2016
Adding snow to twigs

Glue artificial snow to twigs
A Sprouting Spring Twig Heart
8 February 2017
A Sprouting Spring Twig Heart

Carefully glue a twig armature to display the mini-miniature Darling orchids
Popsicle Stick Square Armature
8 June 2016
Popsicle Stick Square Armature

Glue Popsicle sticks to create a double layered, upright armature
Winter White Twig Screen
6 February 2019
Winter White Twig Screen

Glue twigs to screen delicate flowers for a wintry design.
Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath
4 November 2015
Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath

Glue a radiating wreath from bleached Gyp
Disk Twig Armature
29 July 2015
Disk Twig Armature

Glue a few wigs to follow the shape of a glass bowl to create a disk armature
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.
A Muscari cluster frog to display a precious Scilla Siberica on its own dogwood twig
2 April 2025
A Muscari cluster frog to display a precious Scilla Siberica on its own dogwood twig

Crafting a display cluster of plant material is the best way to turn the most delicate of stems into a focal point.
A slow reveal Birch Bark Scroll Nice List
4 December 2024
A slow reveal Birch Bark Scroll Nice List

Soak and roll a sheet of birch bark into a scroll for a woodland inspired Santa's Nice list
Double down on the Fall magic with the earliest hint of bare (but sparkly) Twig Season
13 November 2024
Double down on the Fall magic with the earliest hint of bare (but sparkly) Twig Season

A double vase to keep the bit of sparkle you add to transition a Fall design into Christmas nice and dry... while the fresh plant material remain hydrated.
See through Jasmine Vine tangle support
10 April 2024
See through Jasmine Vine tangle support

This is a great way to explore using vines dried, soon to dry and fresh and hydrated to craft the thinnest possible transparent design.
Tangle a Ceropegia Woodii bud vase nest topper
28 February 2024
Tangle a Ceropegia Woodii bud vase nest topper

Hatching an Oncidium orchid from a succulent vine nest... as one does in early Spring.
Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container
31 January 2024
Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container

Glue glass chips into a half moon to help keep the floral details in place.
Fluffy Seed Snowflake Sparkle
22 November 2023
Fluffy Seed Snowflake Sparkle

A gentle switch between designing for Autumn and Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Water dip Wax to match the flame petals of a Cyclamen flower for a layered Twig and Leaf armature
15 November 2023
Water dip Wax to match the flame petals of a Cyclamen flower for a layered Twig and Leaf armature

Dipping wax in a deep bath of water makes the most beautiful streams of wax that looks just like the petals of a cyclamen flower.
Hover winter twig armature with an acetate platform
8 February 2023
Hover winter twig armature with an acetate platform

Crystal clear floral design for winter styling
Bundled up Rosehip Scatter twigs… for anywhere you need a small frosted winter decorating touch
28 December 2022
Bundled up Rosehip Scatter twigs… for anywhere you need a small frosted winter decorating touch

A delicate winter decoration to add sparkle to those in between Christmas and New Years Eve days.
A berry and kalanchoe sleigh… to carry your twig tree home, of course
7 December 2022
A berry and kalanchoe sleigh… to carry your twig tree home, of course

A snowy Christmas scene crafted from a handful of twigs... and a few kalanchoe flowers.
Fork In the Twig Tree
7 December 2022
Fork In the Twig Tree

Minimal and so easy to do... craft an upside down twig tree.
The coziest Wool, Holly and Kalanchoe Table Top Candy Cane Snowflake
30 November 2022
The coziest Wool, Holly and Kalanchoe Table Top Candy Cane Snowflake

A fuzzy wool and twig snowflake that starts out as a handful of candy canes.
Place delicate stems at an angle in a shallow fiber lined container
23 February 2022
Place delicate stems at an angle in a shallow fiber lined container

Line a shallow container with fiber to create a mat for the flowers to hydrate and stand in the exact way you want to place them.
Double vase Snow Glow Winter Centerpiece
5 January 2022
Double vase Snow Glow Winter Centerpiece

Add warmth to a space with a softly glowing winter white arrangement
Party popper inspired Copper curls for a New Year’s Eve double vase orchid heart centerpiece
29 December 2021
Party popper inspired Copper curls for a New Year’s Eve double vase orchid heart centerpiece

A design that is aged to ring in the new. Perfect for the a New Year's celebration.
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.
Weave a Ceropegia Woodii Vine grid to catch your flowers
3 February 2021
Weave a Ceropegia Woodii Vine grid to catch your flowers

Suspend flowers over a water filled container by weaving a natural grid.
Ice skating pond inspired grid for a winter floral design
2 December 2020
Ice skating pond inspired grid for a winter floral design

Turn the tried and trusted tape over the vase grid idea sticky side out... and adding artificial snow for a Christmas in Winter design solution.
Lost and found snow mittens
2 December 2020
Lost and found snow mittens

Artificial snow covered cardboard mittens to add to a winter themed design.
Foxtail in a bud vase forest floor
29 July 2020
Foxtail in a bud vase forest floor

Create a sturdy platform from bark to design an entire forest floor on a single foxtail fern frond
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!
Related Designs
It could hold
8 February 2017
It could hold

A fragile looking heart made from twigs that can hold a lot of orchids
When the wind whisper
8 June 2016
When the wind whisper

Glue a fantasy forest from Popsicle sticks, grape vine tendrils and willow tips
Tread softly on winter
6 February 2019
Tread softly on winter

A delicate winter twig armature to show off the delicate beauty of these early spring coloured tulips.
Delicate
4 November 2015
Delicate

Bleached Gypsophila wreath with delicate autumn touches
Beautiful Things
29 July 2015
Beautiful Things

Glue a few twigs into a disk armature
Every. Single. Week.
16 January 2019
Every. Single. Week.

Stand tulips upright in a shallow container with a suspended twig armature.
Love that a whole bunch!
2 April 2025
Love that a whole bunch!

Loved this delicate Scilla Siberica so much I got it its own bunch of Grape Hyacinths.
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop, department for checking it twice
4 December 2024
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop, department for checking it twice

A frozen in a moment bark scroll with silver leaf letters that was about to reveal Santa's Nice list!
Fall-a-la-lah!
13 November 2024
Fall-a-la-lah!

Transitioning into the Christmas season... gently
(if only) I can see you
10 April 2024
(if only) I can see you

Tangle jasmine vines outside a vase for a transparent screen to display floral details on and around a sea horse vase to display floral details in.
When the Super-duper is taking it Easy-peasy
28 February 2024
When the Super-duper is taking it Easy-peasy

Easy does it design that hints at but is not yet as intensive as the fun basket weaving and crafting that comes with Spring designing.
Surround and Sound
31 January 2024
Surround and Sound

Half moon frosted glass chip edge for a winter themed design.
Gentle transition
22 November 2023
Gentle transition

There's no need to rush the seasons. Take it slow and enjoy the plant material that are still available even if you are excited about what is to come...
Freeze… just for a moment!
15 November 2023
Freeze… just for a moment!

Not quite winter but also a bit late for autumn design that is somewhere between sparkle and flying leaves.
Snow… drops
8 February 2023
Snow… drops

A late winter design for minimal floral styling.
Giving a nod
28 December 2022
Giving a nod

A scattering of winter decorating for wherever you might need it.
Making spirits bright
7 December 2022
Making spirits bright

A twig sleigh... to collect your twig Christmas tree, of course!
Take a bough… it’s Christmas time!
30 November 2022
Take a bough… it’s Christmas time!

A wool and twig snowflake design (made from candy canes!) that will last the entire Festive Season.
Plan Together
23 February 2022
Plan Together

Leaning Muscari flowers in a snow covered twig armature.
Slow Glow
5 January 2022
Slow Glow

A slow but glowing start to the New Year and the new design season
It’s the most… it’s the most... Toast-iest Patina Christmas of all!
29 December 2021
It’s the most… it’s the most... Toast-iest Patina Christmas of all!

This is the sixth of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. This week I will show you how to go overboard on almost everything... and still get a pretty patina on your copper design details.
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.
here’s the catch
3 February 2021
here’s the catch

Weave an all natural net to place over a vase to keep your flowers above water.
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Lost and Found Snow Mittens
2 December 2020
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Lost and Found Snow Mittens

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box snow mittens… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being delivered.
Tail end of the story
29 July 2020
Tail end of the story

Craft a bark platform to design on in a foxtail fern frond.
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.
Favourite Flowers
Cyclamen
Cyclamen

Cyclamen flower bud and leaf in my Lean design
Ceropegia woodii
Ceropegia woodii

Pompon Chrysanthemum pom-poms and strands of Rosary vine for my floral lariat necklace in the Canadian Florist Magazine