My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

It’s the most… it’s the most… wonderful Patina Copper Spiral Bauble Christmas of all!

This is the fifth of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. We will explore how to patina Copper and use it to craft beautiful Festive floral accessories. Follow along each week leading up to Christmas to complete the entire mini workshop just before the start of 2022.

Have a Merry Christmas, flower buddies. This week I will show you how to add a mostly blue patina to pinecone shaped spiral baubles. Every good wish, enjoy!

"... And tales

of the

glories

of

Christmases… "

… well… mostly let’s enjoy this one.

Hope you have something to look forward to, hear something that makes you smile and create a memory that makes this year something special.

Inspired by the carol It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year by Songwriters Eddie Pola and George Wyle

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Tutorials
Patina Copper Spiral Bauble and Pinecone Cascade
22 December 2021
Patina Copper Spiral Bauble and Pinecone Cascade

A beautiful pinecone dressed up for Christmas.
Spiral Wire Cages
13 October 2011
Spiral Wire Cages

The cage spirals to form a basket that wrap around the plump ripe berries (or you can slip in a flower) to hang as connections between the twigs.
Patina Copper
24 November 2021
Patina Copper

The colour and the effect will vary due to application, temperature and humidity.
Drinking straw "test tubes"
4 January 2011
Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.
Adding snow to twigs
28 December 2016
Adding snow to twigs

Glue artificial snow to twigs
Pinecone and delphinium table top tree
24 July 2013
Pinecone and delphinium table top tree

Small tree with fresh flowers
Peel a Pine cone
14 August 2012
Peel a Pine cone

It is easier to peel a pine cone from the flat side than to try and break the scales from the top
Pine Cone Roses
24 December 2012
Pine Cone Roses

Cut pine cones smaller to look like roses
Pine scale wreath
14 August 2012
Pine scale wreath

Break pine scales from the cone and glue on a wreath frame to create a continuous pine scale wreath
Long lasting bark and Kalanchoe sleigh
13 December 2017
Long lasting bark and Kalanchoe sleigh

Kalanchoe flowers last weeks without a water source and is the perfect way to dress up a bark and silver bell sleigh
Wired dangling Jingle bells
24 July 2013
Wired dangling Jingle bells

Wire the tiny little bells so that they dangle loosely and will jingle with the slightest breeze
Syringe with tube
3 January 2011
Syringe with tube

Easy way to fill test tubes and easiest way to remove water from a vase
A birch bark spiral wrap to cradle floral details in a wine glass
17 January 2024
A birch bark spiral wrap to cradle floral details in a wine glass

Spiral birch bark strips into two mirror images to create a wintery wrap for a bud vase.
Snowy Pinecone with green tomato berries and Kalanchoe flowers
23 November 2022
Snowy Pinecone with green tomato berries and Kalanchoe flowers

A snowflake covered design that will hang on to well past Christmas.
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.
Related Designs
It’s the most… it’s the most... Hap-Hapiest Patina Christmas of all!
1 December 2021
It’s the most… it’s the most... Hap-Hapiest Patina Christmas of all!

This is the second of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. Craft a three twig sphere snow man to proudly display a festive green garland.
It’s the most… it’s the most… wonderful Patina Copper Christmas Tree of all!
15 December 2021
It’s the most… it’s the most… wonderful Patina Copper Christmas Tree of all!

This is the fourth of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. Paint copper to add a beautiful patina to a half and half Christmas tree.
It’s the most… it’s the most... Jingle Patina Christmas of all!
8 December 2021
It’s the most… it’s the most... Jingle Patina Christmas of all!

This is the third of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. Craft the easiest copper bells to hang in a Christmas star wreath.
It’s the most… it’s the most... Glowing-est Patina Christmas of all!
24 November 2021
It’s the most… it’s the most... Glowing-est Patina Christmas of all!

This is the first of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. We will explore how to patina Copper and use it to craft beautiful Festive floral accessories.
Getting into the competitive spirit of things
24 July 2013
Getting into the competitive spirit of things

Retail florists and wholesalers are already designing, ordering and preparing their product range for Christmas. This is my article that I wrote for the Christmas Design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine
Stacking the odds in your favour
2 December 2015
Stacking the odds in your favour

Cover a wire frame for a winter kissing bough.
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling
13 December 2017
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling

Craft a bark sleigh that will last for weeks.
Please have snow… and presents under the tree
24 December 2012
Please have snow… and presents under the tree

Wire a Tiny Twig Treasure Trunk for small Christmas gifts
Forest Filigree Christmas Wreath
7 December 2011
Forest Filigree Christmas Wreath

I wanted my Hazel twig wreath to look like forest filigree: mysteriously overgrown, tangled with age and dappled with moss and lichen. The wreath is also dressed with fresh and dried flower bud clusters and operculum of Eucalyptus.
Star of Wonder
17 December 2014
Star of Wonder

Glue pine needles into star shapes
Jingle Belling
18 December 2013
Jingle Belling

Glue a stacked twig round-about to use as a Christmas table top wreath
Diamond Jubilee Waterfall
26 June 2012
Diamond Jubilee Waterfall

To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Government House Gardens Society a Horticultural event was hosted in the gardens and Great Hall of Government House in Victoria, Canada entitled British Columbia Blooms.
Wave Wrap
17 January 2024
Wave Wrap

Roll birch bark into a double spiral to cradle some perfect flowers to admire all winter.
Ways to Merry a Christmas
23 November 2022
Ways to Merry a Christmas

A little bit of effort... that will last for weeks design to hang about the whole Festive 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.
Favourite Flowers
Ceropegia woodii
Ceropegia woodii

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