Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
It’s unreal!
- 13 November 2019
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Design 1 of my three week pre-Christmas designing series looking at How to style with artificial plants and branches using quality faux plants and stems.
It’s not yet Christmas… but what if it was?
Not yet time for frosted everything… but it could be
No snowflakes… but maybe if you keep watching...
No presents and jingle bells and candy canes… just yet
No tangle of ribbon on a snowy night… no baubles and snowballs
nor…Twinkly glitter things in soft light… well… well okay then
let’s just faux it… for real.
Turn to chapter 273 of my book where I talk about how to craft a floral illusion for loads of tips. I also have an exclusive subscribers only tip this week about placing decorations. Sign up below for the once a week newsletter to receive early access to the new design and the bonus tip.
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Tutorials
Just a few adjustments can transform a boring artificial wreath into a high end looking designer decoration.
Part of the charm of contemporary designing is adding elements to your work that create a story.
Brushing a shiny bauble with an almost dry brush with just a bit of paint on turns it into a beautiful almost antique snowball.
What if you absolutely HAVE to decorate with faux plants? Here are my guiding rules when it comes to styling with permanent botanicals
You can use any type of paper to make flowers. I use tissue paper, Crêpe paper, cardboard, newsprint and coffee filters (new and used) to make sweet peas, carnations, paper...
I wanted my design to look more "found this way" than "designed this way" so I strategically tangled the ribbon to dangle down the design rather than tie it in a neat bow.
Use delicate sprigs of cypress or juniper, fir, pine, eucalyptus, ivy or a combination of them all to create a winter themed kissing bough
Cover a cardboard shape in cotton and bark to create a floral armature
When you glue a structure with hot glue there are always a few stray strands of glue stuck all over the design. Blow it away with a hairdryer.
Cotton balls can be unrolled and fluffed to create long garlands of "snow"
Artificial snow can be very "chemical" and flowers deteriorate quickly when exposed to it. It also dissolves in water. I use candle wax as "snow"
With just a bit of extra effort you can give an artificial plant a bit of personality
Related Designs
Design 2 of my three week pre-Christmas designing series looking at How to style with artificial plants and branches using quality faux plants and stems. This week: wired branches
Design 3 looking at How to style with artificial plants and branches using quality faux plants and stems. This week: mistletoe! And also .. give your faux a reason for being...
Cover a wreath frame with bark and cotton for a textured Christmas wreath design
Wire a sparkling tinsel garland to dress up a single, elegant Arum lily.