My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques

This was my second two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting

I demonstrated three floral craft cake designs and three matching floral art designs using the same design techniques and I incorporated my three techniques, where possible, in the other designs just to show how versatile they are.

Designing in a veneer construction

A veneer refers to a thin layer of flat sheets or chips or chopped up hard and dry material that is glued onto panels or shapes to give it an altered appearance, added strength, makes it light weight or adds an appearance of greater value.

My Floral Craft design: Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake

Floral craft bark veneer cake

For my bark veneer cardboard cake design I demonstrated how to layer cardboard and cover it with bark using wood glue, giving the stack the appearance of a log or chocolate cake.

The wood glue also seals the cardboard and adds strength to the design.

The wood glue also seals the cardboard and adds strength to the design.

Cardboard and bark floral craft cake

Reindeer moss, Hellebore flowers, Lichen covered twigs, Rosary vine and dried mushrooms decorate the cake

My Floral Art Design: Sharp Edged Arc Armature

Sharp edged arc armature for a floral art design

I then showed how the same veneer technique can be used to create a sharp-edged arc armature for a floral art design.

Again Reindeer moss, Hellebore flowers, Lichen covered twigs, Rosary vine and dried mushrooms decorate the design

Again I dressed the design with Reindeer moss, Hellebore flowers, Lichen covered twigs, Rosary vine and dried mushrooms.

Every flower gets its own tiny test tube

Every flower nestles in its own tiny test tube so that it can stay fresh for as long as possible

Thin wire tendrils and whisper butterflies add sparkle to the design

Thin wire tendrils and whisper butterflies add sparkle to the design

A bark chip veneer is a great way to create a precise shape that looks natural but can't be found in nature.

Bark chip veneer is a great way to create precise shapes that looks natural but can't be found in nature.

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

22 January 2013 Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake

Glue a stack of cardboard circles to create a log-like floral cake

13 April 2012 Drying Mushrooms for Floral Art

I use edible mushrooms in my designs. To preserve them I press a tiny stake into the base and let them air-dry.

10 July 2012 Whisper butterflies

Acetate is the clear plastic mostly used for packaging design. It is thicker than cellophane and holds its shape much better.

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

22 January 2013 Bark Veneer Cardboard Cake stands

A quick and easy way to make a cardboard cake stand

22 January 2013 Sharp Edged Arc Armature

A bark chip veneer is a great way to create a precise shape that looks natural but can't be found in nature.

Related Designs

14 January 2013 It is High Time for Tea. Floral Craft and Art demonstration at the The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting

This is an overview of the Floral Art and Craft Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club. I demonstrated three floral craft cake designs and three matching floral art...

14 December 2016 A Candy(cane) Cotton Christmas

A floral cotton candy cane

21 December 2016 A Gleaming Cotton Christmas

Glue bark to a wire frame to create a Christmas stocking armature

11 January 2017 As special as an almost never find

Sometimes you find such a beautiful plant that you just can't bring yourself to cut it. This design explores using the entire plant, pot and all, in a design

15 March 2017 Wedding Welcome

My article and wedding direction board design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

13 December 2017 Just hear those sleigh bells jingling

Craft a bark sleigh that will last for weeks.

15 July 2020 Pass it on

A cascade of orchids growing over a slice of wood. Easy to design... and even easier to maintain!

29 July 2020 Tail end of the story

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

25 November 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Santa’s gift bag wreath

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box gift bag wreath… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes...

25 August 2021 Doing a loop tangle twist

oh yes, a light an airy design showing off those very first autumn leaves.

22 September 2021 Kinda Corny

Crafting with corn to make... well... corn, really.

10 November 2021 … any day now

Using dried floral material is so trendy right now. But the longer lasting the design elements the more effort you have to put in to stop it from looking lifeless.

9 November 2022 All Pumpkind Out

A physalis husk pumpkin to celebrate the last bright rays of Autumn.

11 October 2023 Plenty Glow to Harvest

Glow and sparkle bark armature to celebrate the first signs of Autumn

29 November 2023 Fall into Christmas

Want to make your Christmas greenery last... this is perfect!

20 December 2023 A Very Merry Dark chocolate Velvet Texture of Yore, Tall and Trendy Christmas Cheer

Tall and velvety Christmas tree... with a starlight garland

10 January 2024 Snow Glitters and Mossy Glimmers

A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger... a little uplift. For this design I am lifting up my happiness by starting a tiny mossarium... but enjoying it as a design while it is in...

17 January 2024 Wave Wrap

Roll birch bark into a double spiral to cradle some perfect flowers to admire all winter.

19 June 2024 Do you know what the point is?

A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas

10 March 2012 To have your centerpiece... and eat it too

This was my design for The Capilano Flower Arranging Club workshop. We were exploring designs using all things edible: fruit, vegetables and a bit of herbs.