My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Nobody move!

Just a wisp

… a stirring of a draft

.. a floating of a puff

… a flutter of a breath

… a swirl of a gasp

.. and we will have a flurry of fluff!

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Tutorials
A Dandelion Seed Puff that stays just so
17 May 2017
A Dandelion Seed Puff that stays just so

Use a thin wire to puff out dandelion seeds to look like it spilled from a basket
Foliage Weaving
8 June 2011
Foliage Weaving

For this tutorial I focus on a simple weave pattern that does not require you to soften or prepare the leaves to be more durable or flexible. This is the starting point in weaving techniques. You can build on this technique to make floral handbags, gift boxes, and baskets, sew it into a curve or wrap it around a vase or cover a test tube.
Weaving a gift box with a lid from palm leaves
20 December 2011
Weaving a gift box with a lid from palm leaves

A great all natural gift decorating alternative
Messy wire lace
29 November 2011
Messy wire lace

I call this “lace” because I use pins to guide the wire sections together- almost like you do when making lace.
Beaded wire
14 January 2011
Beaded wire

Thread thin wire with tiny beads
Woven lily grass parachute armature
13 July 2016
Woven lily grass parachute armature

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature in a way that you can place the stems in two vases to keep it hydrated.
Weaving a diagonal green grass basket
1 February 2012
Weaving a diagonal green grass basket

Once you figure out how to do the corners weaving a diagonal shape is actually not that hard to do.
Sticky Shooting Star
12 June 2012
Sticky Shooting Star

Glue gypsophila sticks, flowers and dandelion seeds into a star shape
Add plant material and a wire support to sisal armatures
22 March 2017
Add plant material and a wire support to sisal armatures

Customize sisal armatures by adding a wire skeleton and interesting bits of plant material
Weaving a ball shaped Dew-drop Catcher from grass
1 October 2012
Weaving a ball shaped Dew-drop Catcher from grass

Weave a sphere from grass
Twin Leaf Weave
3 April 2013
Twin Leaf Weave

Weave two palm leaves together to create a floral grid
Weaving a Straight Edged Strip
1 May 2013
Weaving a Straight Edged Strip

A beautiful woven strip that is quite easy to make
Weaving a cube foliage ring box
5 June 2013
Weaving a cube foliage ring box

Weave a cube with a ribbon
Weaving a ring basket
4 June 2014
Weaving a ring basket

Create a wire frame and weave ripped foliage around it
Weaving Slippers from Foliage
14 January 2015
Weaving Slippers from Foliage

Weave slip on shoes from palm leaves
Messy edged basket
12 August 2015
Messy edged basket

Weave a loose basket to display flowers
Detailing a messy edged grass basket
25 January 2017
Detailing a messy edged grass basket

Weave a basket from lily grass and then cut and curl the edges
Weaving a Pillbox hat from grass
5 April 2017
Weaving a Pillbox hat from grass

Use the "over and under" weaving pattern to weave a round, upright hat with a flat top and no brim.
Cover a headband with a whole lot of little floral details for a contemporary fascinator
29 May 2024
Cover a headband with a whole lot of little floral details for a contemporary fascinator

Add the tiniest of floral details below calla lilies to craft a dramatic but still easy to wear fascinator.
Gap basket weave for a Spring flower container
1 May 2024
Gap basket weave for a Spring flower container

Fiasco inspired vase cover for a small Spring design
First Frost Sparkle Wire and Twinkle Vine Wreath
8 November 2023
First Frost Sparkle Wire and Twinkle Vine Wreath

An impossibly delicate wreath shape that will last... and last... all Festive Season long.
Half wire half grass tangle to keep stems in place
26 July 2017
Half wire half grass tangle to keep stems in place

Tangle and shape wire to create a half moon for grass and gyp to rest in
Related Designs
Weaving with Flax
7 April 2011
Weaving with Flax

Here are a few more examples of woven flax. I also use Typha, palm, iris leaves, Kyogi paper, boat orchid leaves and aspidistra to weave with.
"On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtle doves"
12 April 2011
"On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtle doves"

Flax Christmas tree "cake" for the Floral Trends Design Group end of the year function.
Our finest gifts we bring,
20 December 2011
Our finest gifts we bring,

A small, all natural gift box woven from palm
Woven
13 July 2016
Woven

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature for orchids to perch on
Skipping stone
8 May 2012
Skipping stone

Weave a grass pebble for the orchid to nestle in.
Wish Upon a Dandelion Star
11 June 2012
Wish Upon a Dandelion Star

A sticky shooting star made with gypsophila stems and fluffy dandelion seeds
So this is Christmas, I hope you had fun…
18 December 2012
So this is Christmas, I hope you had fun…

Capilano Flower Arranging Club Designing for Christmas Workshop: Yule log
How to catch a dew drop:
1 October 2012
How to catch a dew drop:

Weave a sphere from grass to catch a precious and exquisite and perfect glistening early autumn dew drop
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with weaving techniques
14 January 2013
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with weaving techniques

This was the first two designs for my Floral Art and craft demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging club
April showers bring May flowers
3 April 2013
April showers bring May flowers

After a long winter it is always fun to use the first spring bulb flowers!
Just not Flowers!
5 June 2013
Just not Flowers!

My article and woven ring-box design featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine
All white, just not quite
4 June 2014
All white, just not quite

My article and woven ring basket design featured in the summer issue of DIY Weddings Magazine
Unraveling fast
16 July 2014
Unraveling fast

Weaving foliage to create a lush water scene
Take a load off
14 January 2015
Take a load off

Weave slippers from foliage
Bowled Over
15 April 2015
Bowled Over

Weave a sphere armature to complement delicate oncidium orchiods
Catch of the Day
12 August 2015
Catch of the Day

Weave a loose basket to display a single flower... or three
What is in a basket of spectacular?
25 January 2017
What is in a basket of spectacular?

Weave a basket with dangling edges for a single orchid display
Easter Bonnet
5 April 2017
Easter Bonnet

Weave a delicate Pillbox hat
Fascinating!
29 May 2024
Fascinating!

Trendy fascinator design using long lasting (read can be designed ahead of time) floral details.
Favourite Take-Away
1 May 2024
Favourite Take-Away

Basket weave container for some Spring floral treasures.
A warm up
8 November 2023
A warm up

An almost Christmas... Christmas wreath featured in the winter edition of Flora Magazine.
Hat tip
9 August 2017
Hat tip

Tip a mortarboard inspired top at an angle for a glass design
Beat the summer heat
26 July 2017
Beat the summer heat

Tangle some wire to set flowers in water