My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!

Spread... out

Fan... out

Branch... out

Middle… out

Center... out

Radiate... out

Inside… out

From this point… out

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Tutorials
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container
7 August 2019
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container

Build up a design in a shallow container by stacking it by threading the plant material into the teeth of a pin cushion in three levels.
Where to cut Gladiolus spikes shorter
7 August 2019
Where to cut Gladiolus spikes shorter

Gladiolus stems can be cut into sections so that it appears natural and well groomed.
Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them
7 August 2019
Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them

The teeth of a Kenzan (or pin cushion) is rather sharp. Here is a pain free way of pushing down the plant material into the teeth to keep it securely in place.
Securing a kenzan
7 January 2015
Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.
So many ways to use a Kenzan to hold floral materials
7 January 2015
So many ways to use a Kenzan to hold floral materials

How to place various sizes of plant material in a Kenzan
Gladiolus Composite
15 February 2012
Gladiolus Composite

This looks spectacular but it is the easiest composite flower to make
Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections
16 August 2011
Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections

Orchids grow in long flower spikes. It is great to use the entire stem but sometimes you need shorter section. There is a trick to cutting the stems without leaving a visible blunt stem.
Flatten a Spring for a disk grid
5 March 2025
Flatten a Spring for a disk grid

Aluminum wire grid to support the stems and flowers above the water.
Light as air puffy grass and elegantly curved gladiolus summer display that hints at all things pumpkin
21 August 2024
Light as air puffy grass and elegantly curved gladiolus summer display that hints at all things pumpkin

Create two separate containers to minimize clutter in a light and airy floral display.
Curve fountain grass... a bit... or a lot... and how to choose grass that is straight for more height
21 August 2024
Curve fountain grass... a bit... or a lot... and how to choose grass that is straight for more height

Curving long and elegantly sweeping purple fountain grass
Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas
19 June 2024
Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas

Create a natural armature for a summer display
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan
6 September 2023
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan

An old trick... but still a great one to support thin stems in the needles of a Kenzan.
Craft a padded wooden Dowel to position a leaf cone into the sharp teeth of a Kenzan
10 May 2023
Craft a padded wooden Dowel to position a leaf cone into the sharp teeth of a Kenzan

Prevent a leaf from ripping or bruising when positioning it in your design.
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in
22 March 2023
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in

The easiest unfinished nest idea... simply shaped from roots discovered while Spring cleaning and preparing to plant.
Breezy lily grass ripple
20 July 2022
Breezy lily grass ripple

A radiating design that has the freedom of movement to add a bit of a cooling effect on the warmer days of summer.
Take your time to craft a Bulrush Dial Armature
29 June 2022
Take your time to craft a Bulrush Dial Armature

Slowly build up a dial armature from dried bulrush
Eucalyptus leaf and twig blossoms in a radiating puddle of stems
8 June 2022
Eucalyptus leaf and twig blossoms in a radiating puddle of stems

Just look at that puddle! This design is all about the fresh eucalyptus... but in a cooling down for summer kind of way.
Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole
25 May 2022
Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole

Flair open a leathery leaf to craft a frame a single bleeding heart flower on its long stem.
A flower, flower frog to keep your design details perfectly put
19 May 2021
A flower, flower frog to keep your design details perfectly put

Use the firm petals of a flower to keep your design details upright
Fuzzy Willow Caterpillar in a buttercup and jasmine vine swirl
14 April 2021
Fuzzy Willow Caterpillar in a buttercup and jasmine vine swirl

As in… Pussy willow catkins caterpillar… that is super fuzzy.
Sink a carnation composite flower flat top platform into a vase
24 February 2021
Sink a carnation composite flower flat top platform into a vase

The trick of this Tutorial is to create a flat top platform to display Spring blossom twigs- the way it would look on moss in a forest.
Dancing fall leaves... on a stick
6 November 2019
Dancing fall leaves... on a stick

Spike fall leaves and water tubes to create a minimal radiating autumn display
Drying leaves to have the exact same curve
6 November 2019
Drying leaves to have the exact same curve

Threat a stack of leaves to dry so that they shrivel and dry up in a similar way.
Related Designs
Making it last
11 September 2013
Making it last

Split and spiral a few gladiolus flowers in a way that the stems remain intact, to spiral in a water filled filled vase for a long lasting composite flower
Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Own It!
7 September 2012
Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Own It!

My fourth design in my demonstration at the BC Floral Art Society meeting
Alchemy
15 November 2017
Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan
Hi-Lo
6 June 2018
Hi-Lo

Perfect stems, perfect flowers. Needs nothing more.
Sparkler
12 July 2017
Sparkler

A radiating twig design
Prickly
2 October 2013
Prickly

Build a twig porcupine armature for fall flowers
Around about Springtime
5 March 2025
Around about Springtime

Spiral cyclamen foliage around to create a composite flower to showcase the petal-like anthurium flowers.
And what are you supposed to be?
21 August 2024
And what are you supposed to be?

... a hint of a pumpkin late summer floral display to show off the elegant curve of a gladiolus flower stem.
Do you know what the point is?
19 June 2024
Do you know what the point is?

A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near
6 September 2023
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near

It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!
Courage, now
30 August 2023
Courage, now

A bit of a rethink as the season is getting ready to change. How can I give my design idea a fresh twist?
By the cone full
10 May 2023
By the cone full

A small design to display those last Spring snippets from your garden...
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!
22 March 2023
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!

A spring spiral design... with a hint of a root nest. Easy to do
The tiniest drop
20 July 2022
The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.
But for this… let’s not rush
29 June 2022
But for this… let’s not rush

A take your time and mindfully craft a pretty design to celebrate the summer solstice- it is officially summer here in Canada.
Make Believe
8 June 2022
Make Believe

Ever seen an eucalyptus flower? This is... and is not one.
Grateful Heart
25 May 2022
Grateful Heart

Frame a single perfect Bleeding heart flower in a leaf dot.
In the little gap
19 May 2021
In the little gap

Use the petals of your flower to cleverly keep all the other floral details of your design firmly in place.
a Yay! You
14 April 2021
a Yay! You

A tiny Spring detail to add to a cute little floral design.
Picked up some proper Pruning
24 February 2021
Picked up some proper Pruning

An early Spring design with a twist on using an old favourite: composite flowers.
Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves
6 November 2019
Dance lessons from the Autumn leaves

A fun and easy contemporary floral design to display foraged autumn leaves and just a touch of flowers that can easily be replaced.
Favourite Flowers
Gladiolus
Gladiolus

Detail of my Blue Harlequin design. An ink blue Gladiolus composite flower nestles snugly between two lily grass cones that curve nimbly into a crescent shape.