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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Over the rainbow

  • 2 May 2018
  • and more

Somewhere over the rainbow,

way up high

And the dream that you dare to

Why,

oh why...

... can't I?

Lyrics from the song "Over The Rainbow" & "What A Wonderful World" Medley (1993) by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

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Tutorials
Radiating rainbow vine armature
2 May 2018
Radiating rainbow vine armature

Design an armature that is light enough to be carried by two flower stems to create a radiating frame.
Twig collar
6 September 2011
Twig collar

Create a light and transparent collar-base for the large composite flower to nestle into.
Autumn Screen
29 November 2017
Autumn Screen

Craft a hanging twig and autumn leaf design
Contained rose twig stack
6 September 2017
Contained rose twig stack

Glue the twigs in a container to easily follow the round shape
Popsicle Stick Square Armature
8 June 2016
Popsicle Stick Square Armature

Glue Popsicle sticks to create a double layered, upright armature
Scalable twig and Phalaenopsis orchid winterscape panel
9 December 2015
Scalable twig and Phalaenopsis orchid winterscape panel

This design can easily scale up or down by using larger or smaller pieces of wood to create a larger wall panel or make a few of these panels to stack as tiles to create a more easily manageable composite
Twig Cell phone Charging Station Centrepiece
24 June 2015
Twig Cell phone Charging Station Centrepiece

Create an arched design to hide the electrical outlet for a cell phone charging station
Twig Tumbler
8 January 2014
Twig Tumbler

Wire and glue a stack of sticks into a cylindrical or tube shape
Twig sparkler
12 July 2017
Twig sparkler

Glue twigs to radiate out from a central point
Barely there twig layer support to allow all the autumn colours to shine and glow
5 November 2025
Barely there twig layer support to allow all the autumn colours to shine and glow

Snip Autumn bits from your garden to arrange in and around a glass container for a modern loose, layered display.
Delicate snow willow twirl around a growing Slipper orchid plant display
5 February 2025
Delicate snow willow twirl around a growing Slipper orchid plant display

Arrange sprouting willow twigs to twirl and frame a beautiful Paphiopedilum (slipper) orchid
U shape stems to anchor Fuchsia drops and Maple leaf Falls in a bud vase
18 October 2023
U shape stems to anchor Fuchsia drops and Maple leaf Falls in a bud vase

Bend pliable stems to kick against the side to anchor design details exactly in place in a small vase.
A contained design for watching those pretty twigs get their leaves
28 April 2021
A contained design for watching those pretty twigs get their leaves

Careful manipulation of twigs in a shallow container. With a special note on how to use new growth.
Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in
1 January 2020
Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in

A winter themed centerpiece with a secret water source (without a container or floral foam)
Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve
1 January 2020
Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve

Flexible and unique letter to add into a wither themed design ... this is also a great way to transition a design from Christmas to New Year's eve!
Levitating Halloween tree with roots
30 October 2019
Levitating Halloween tree with roots

Cut a slit in the branches, at the root side to suspend it over the vases rather than in the vases.
Beaded wire Leaf
25 September 2019
Beaded wire Leaf

This week I show you the Tutorial for the wire leaf shown in my book on page 14 ... this time in copper.
Spin a tiny glue bead around a thin stem to secure it at an angle in a design
25 September 2019
Spin a tiny glue bead around a thin stem to secure it at an angle in a design

This is a trick for attaching fine details at exactly the right angle.
Related Designs
When Autumn Fall
6 September 2011
When Autumn Fall

Autumn leaf composite flower
Marcescent
29 November 2017
Marcescent

Glue a delicate autumn room devider
One of those difficult questions
6 September 2017
One of those difficult questions

Glue a bunch of twigs inside a container to create a round stack
When the wind whisper
8 June 2016
When the wind whisper

Glue a fantasy forest from Popsicle sticks, grape vine tendrils and willow tips
On a Grand Scale
9 December 2015
On a Grand Scale

My article and a floral panel design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
Staying connected
24 June 2015
Staying connected

My article and a floral cell phone re-charge station design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
It's stick season!
8 January 2014
It's stick season!

Snap and stack an glue a few twigs to create a lace like armature
Sparkler
12 July 2017
Sparkler

A radiating twig design
Autumn's Brightest Wanted:
5 November 2025
Autumn's Brightest Wanted:

Last call for those Autumn colours that are about to fall...
How to stack a heap of little by little
18 June 2025
How to stack a heap of little by little

Stack the most delicate blades of grass to dance in the slightest summer breeze.
Snow to report!
5 February 2025
Snow to report!

A snowy lady slipper plant displayed to enjoy for as long as possible.
Drops do that!
18 October 2023
Drops do that!

Collecting drops of autumn that makes me smile back.
Here comes the sun...
28 April 2021
Here comes the sun...

A minimal design celebrating the new growth on twigs
How to freeze a wow moment
1 January 2020
How to freeze a wow moment

Create a long lasting winter inspired floral design that looks like it is frozen in time.
There once was a bat called Tequila, a Halloween story
30 October 2019
There once was a bat called Tequila, a Halloween story

An all plant zero waste, levitating, twig (with just a splatter of autumn leaves, a breath of spiderweb and float of roots) Halloween decoration with an eerie bat skeleton made from twigs lurking just over there.
It’s one and a half to two times... but to the side
25 September 2019
It’s one and a half to two times... but to the side

Soft minimal... this is exactly the kind of design I place in our apartment. Use a few fall treasures picked up on a walk and add a copper leaf to up the effort and love you add into your designs.
Favourite Flowers
Paphiopedilum
Paphiopedilum

Green Lady Slipper Orchid in the middle of my Perfection design