My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Overgrown S-Autum-mer Swirl

14 September 2022
and more

To Do:

cut back those vines,

Harvest the harvest

mulch

clean and store garden tools

… and scrub those pots but mostly remember to daydream of what is still left to look forward to…

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Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

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

14 September 2022

Summer harvest Vine Swirl

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

2 July 2014

Clearly invisible taped Grid

This is the easiest way to keep flower in place

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

30 May 2012

Drying Hydrangeas: Fast, Flat or Natural

Use all three methods to dry hydrangeas to get three very different textures to use in design work.

8 July 2015

Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.

15 May 2019

Glue a grapevine armature shaped like the petals of an open rose

Cut a wreath into sections to glue back together into a beautiful rose petal shape

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.

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.

28 October 2020

Vase topped with a Hollow Wreath for Halloween

Create a dimensional wreath by assembling wreath vine to hug around an oblong container.

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 2017

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

Use one leaf to keep the next in place

13 September 2017

Tape a grid around the edges of a container for a table top wreath

Suspend flowers with an almost invisible taped grid

5 August 2026

Pin pegs for barely there suspended floral details

Glue clear notice board pins onto the side of a container to keep your floral details suspended in the water.

10 September 2025

Hug winding wreaths over a glass container for a jaunty gerbera, caladium and chilly almost autumn display

Using handmade wreaths as mechanics that gives that cozy early autumn vibrance.

8 January 2025

A growing Paperwhite paperweight to secure twirling passion fruit vines under water

This design takes a few weeks to make... but lasts a few weeks longer growing and evolving all on its own.

17 April 2024

Tendril support to anchor a floating vase (and its ginormous bubble) in place

Trap a bubble between two shallow containers to float clematis flowers for Spring.

31 January 2024

Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container

Glue glass chips into a half moon to help keep the floral details in place.

31 May 2023

No Mow May Scattered Grass and Erigeron Meadow design

Tape a grid to create a barely there scattered grass display for a cooling summer display.

2 November 2022

A Reflex Rose Rose Hip… Rose

Making a rose even more roselike by enhancing its rosy-ness.

Related Designs

20 January 2011

The last Vine Wreath

Every designer knows how to stretch their supplies. We use and re-use our dried plant material until our fellow designers feel like hiding it from us. I formed such an attachment to my vine wreaths. This post features four designs using the same wreaths.

27 September 2017

As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin

15 May 2019

Heard it through the grapevine?

Have you heard? I have wonderful news this week. Oh! and I also have this pretty grapevine armature shaped like the petals of an open rose to show you. But... Have you heard my wonderful news???