My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Let’s circle around to this one

7 October 2020
and more

Well… it’s kinda like a...

canary-ish halo bed for a pumpkin

or an in water buttery wheel around but keeping it above...

or more a pollen coloured wreath stem… stand-a-thing

or maybe a ducky yellow guard circlet

or maybe an egg yolk-ish-ly coloured ring suspend-a-squash.

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Gather what you'll need

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Dew-Drop Crystals

I created the Tutorial for how I add these crystals to my floral designs 11 years ago! Since then I have tried, tested and searched for the perfect crystals that would go from studio‑table picture perfect to show‑day‑dependable and I always come back to these. They remain the absolute best. They’re inexpensive yet have a refined, high‑quality crystal brilliance; they don’t tarnish and their adhesive backing stays reliably tacky even after they were exposed to water.

Tutorials

7 October 2020

Floral wreath ring stem armature for a cute pumpkin patch in a stem vase design

Use a wreath to keep flower and a heavy little ghost pumpkin in place in a small vase.

1 November 2011

Weaving a twig wreath

For my design I wanted the wreath to look wind blown so I added a few loosely woven twigs into the weave. I also wanted to emphasize the autumn colours so I added a twirling copper wire into the weave

4 October 2017

Display wreath that hover around a big shiny pumpkin

For this design I wanted my wreath to be light and airy so that it just whips around the solid pumpkin like a breeze.

27 September 2017

Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin

21 October 2015

Rolled up Autumn leaf wreath

Create a textured wreath with Chrysanthemums and rolled up Autumn leaves

26 August 2015

Sun baked Sweetpea vine wreath

A perfect way to use a Lathyrus vine after all it flowered

26 October 2016

Folded Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath Armature

Glued Baby's Breath Wreath, folded in half to create a moon shaped armature

1 November 2017

Pierce and stack fall leaves to rest on the edge of a container

Use one leaf to keep the next in place

11 February 2015

Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

23 October 2019

Floating Filigree Pumpkin Patch

String up pumpkins and glass seahorse vases to craft an autumn mobile design.

6 November 2013

Leaf Swirls

Cut fall leaves to create continuous swirls

2 September 2015

Hana-Kubari Bamboo Stilts with a Hidden Water Source

Split bamboo stems to create a water source for dancing orchids

28 October 2015

Besom Broom

The word ‘Besom’ derives from the old English ‘besma’ meaning ‘bundle of twigs’.

21 January 2026

Close an open pinecone to use as a flower frog

Use the natural way pinecones close their scales when wet or cold to protect the little seeds from moisture and damage to display your winter flowers in a small container.

1 October 2025

Turning a pumpkin to hover for a sway in the lightest autumn breeze display

A pretty pumpkin deserves some fancy mechanics to create an impossibly ethereal display.

13 August 2025

Canna seed “pumpkins" nestled on a bed of cafe au lait dahlias

Lovely canna seedpods that blush just slightly darker than the dusty pink in the dahlias... a perfect match!

9 July 2025

Add lemony summer balance to wild “just picked these” design elements to avoid overcrowding your container.

Balance a few lemons to craft a light as a summer's breeze mechanic for bobbing and breezy flowers.

9 October 2024

Making light of a heavy, heavy pumpkin in double low containers for a zero waste kitchen pumpkin display… a few days before Thanksgiving

A great way to show off your Thanksgiving pumpkin before cooking it… keeping the pumpkin well above and out of the water so that it will not rot and you can easily remove it from the design when you are ready.

12 October 2022

Corn-o’leaf mummy-o'lantern

Wrap and tie a fishbowl vase with corn foliage to craft a lantern for autumn... almost... Halloween.

14 September 2022

Summer harvest Vine Swirl

A great way have your vines root and enjoy them too...

13 October 2021

Weave a willow wreath around a minimal pumpkin display

It’s amazing how we sometimes try to complicate a design. I tried adding calla lilies… took them out and loved the willow. Added gerberas. Took them out and loved the willow. Added orchids. Took them out and loved the willow. Added Dahlias… and yes, took them out and loved the willow. So finally I just thought- I really do love the willow.