My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

It takes more than one person to invent a trumpet!

8 May 2019
click to send Christine a smile

Each with a bit to contribute...

… a petal or two to add

… a brilliant idea to share

… a bendy twig to have a hand in

… a bunch to be part of

We are all in this together

Note: it really did take more than one person to invent the trumpet!

In 1788 Charles Clagget almost, almost created the perfect valve mechanism which Heinrich Stoelzel and Friedrich Bluhmel then reworked in 1818 to create the box tubular valve giving us the trumpet we know today.

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Tutorials

8 May 2019

Fill a trumpet shaped flower cup with... more flowers!

A hidden water source small enough to fit into a dainty flower.

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.

4 January 2011

Drinking straw "test tubes"

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

2 January 2011

Lilies

How to keep Lilies in bud for longer. Removing the pollen. Stringing a Lily Garland.

3 January 2011

Syringe with tube

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

31 January 2018

Rock Rest for a heavy Protea Flower Head

Create a contrasting base to lift the heavy flower-head to design in

5 November 2014

Acorn inspired Autumn leaf armature

Dry fall leaves to create a ball shape structure

23 May 2018

Trailing Ceropegia woodii vines from a Heliconia flower

Set the rosary vines into the natural cavity of the flower head.

26 July 2011

Wire Tendrils

Curl the wire at irregular intervals to create a natural wire tendril similar to that of a passion fruit plant

23 April 2025

Reflexed petal Tulip… with a surprise Orchid flower buddy

Gently pop the petals of a mature tulip back to open up the flower... to add another flower, of course!

11 September 2024

Palm twirl with a hidden double knot grid support that hold even heavier flowers in place

Knot horizontal palm fronts in place to create a support for heavy flowers.

19 May 2021

A flower, flower frog to keep your design details perfectly put

Use the firm petals of a flower to keep your design details upright

13 January 2021

Tri-petal (with vines to fill in the gaps) lily flower wand

Pick away petals from a lily to create space for delicate vines to really shine.

21 October 2020

Sunflower heart autumn display

Pick away the ray floret so that the disk floret of a sunflower can be used as a flat surface to display your design on.

9 September 2020

Weave a daffodil corona inspired sweater for a lily

Knit a corona (as in that inside skirt like part of a daffodil) by weaving a Ceropegia woodii vine around the stamen filament of a lily.

10 June 2020

Overgrown vine tangle to suspend flowers in a clear vase

A zero waste and sustainable floral design solution to keep your flowers exactly where you want them without using floral foam.

31 July 2019

Adding folded grass "jitters" to a Sunflower

Adding tension to a design with a grass frame and collar.

Related Designs

19 September 2018

Before I show you my book- let me show you my book

… and why we call this the special craftsmanship edition

31 January 2018

Rock, don't Roll

Balance the heavy Protea flower head to lean against a rock.

22 November 2017

How do squirrels Cache a tree?

Hoard a few acorns in the fork of a twig to show off a single oncidium orchid.

5 November 2014

All In One

dry autumn leaves into an acorn shape

23 May 2018

In Summer!

A contemporary cascade of rosary vine and dried petals.

26 September 2018

Cover Story

The design for the cover of my book, the effortless floral craftsman, crafted from Fiddlehead Fern and Red Lipstick Hanging Heliconia.

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