My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Pour

Tip the twig jug,

let it flow real slow,

just a splash,

a spill,

run over

decant at a slant.

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Tutorials
Twig snippet vase armature
11 May 2016
Twig snippet vase armature

Glue twig snippets to closely follow the shape of a glass vase
Drinking straw "test tubes"
4 January 2011
Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.
Melt plastic Soda Bottles into the "water" shapes
29 January 2011
Melt plastic Soda Bottles into the "water" shapes

Heat makes the plastic distort creating fantastic shapes
Twig collar
6 September 2011
Twig collar

Create a light and transparent collar-base for the large composite flower to nestle into.
T-Wiring
6 September 2011
T-Wiring

A t-wire create a stem to insert grass or twigs to shadow a design without laying flat
T- Pin blades of grass
18 September 2012
T- Pin blades of grass

Make a small grass "propeller" by pinning blades of grass into the design
Square Twig Cube
21 May 2014
Square Twig Cube

Glue twigs together to create a cube armature
Blow away hot glue strands
24 July 2012
Blow away hot glue strands

When you glue a structure with hot glue there are always a few stray strands of glue stuck all over the design. Blow it away with a hairdryer.
See through Jasmine Vine tangle support
10 April 2024
See through Jasmine Vine tangle support

This is a great way to explore using vines dried, soon to dry and fresh and hydrated to craft the thinnest possible transparent design.
Standing flower stems upright In Perlite
3 May 2023
Standing flower stems upright In Perlite

I use perlite to root my cuttings... and to support flower stems in an upright position in designs without using floral foam.
Snowy twig band armature for a ever changing winter display
18 January 2023
Snowy twig band armature for a ever changing winter display

A well made snow covered twig band armature will last all winter so that you can display even the most delicate winter treasures.
Dendrobium orchid and grass snippet cone around a glass container
27 July 2022
Dendrobium orchid and grass snippet cone around a glass container

Craft a grass armature to suspend the orchids in deep water from around the outside of your container.
Tilt container with a spilling twigs armature
9 February 2022
Tilt container with a spilling twigs armature

Perfect design for a warmer than usual winter design that hints at thawing.
Hovering golden wheat Ghost Ship armature
27 October 2021
Hovering golden wheat Ghost Ship armature

Using dry and fresh floral material in one design without the dry becoming soggy and the fresh drying out.
Scattered dried grass with raindrop crystals
4 August 2021
Scattered dried grass with raindrop crystals

Craft a light and airy grass halo to suspend tiny drop crystals around gorgeous roses.
Baby’s Breath Wave Cascade
9 June 2021
Baby’s Breath Wave Cascade

Easy and quick arrangement to do for summer in a vase... with just enough complexity to make you feel real good about yourself.
All dried Autumn hemisphere design that will outlast even the falling leaves outside
23 September 2020
All dried Autumn hemisphere design that will outlast even the falling leaves outside

Preserve some floral material to design with when it is but not quite Autumn outside.
Stack two glass vases to keep a leaf upright in water
24 January 2018
Stack two glass vases to keep a leaf upright in water

Slip a leaf into the gap between two glass containers to keep it upright... and add a plastic lining to support the flowers nestled into it.
Shaping Thanks with wire that has a bit of give
11 October 2017
Shaping Thanks with wire that has a bit of give

Shape the letters out of wire and then decorate with autumn design elements.
Contained rose twig stack
6 September 2017
Contained rose twig stack

Glue the twigs in a container to easily follow the round shape
Floral Monogram Seating Plan
6 July 2016
Floral Monogram Seating Plan

Wrap Spanish moss around a monogram wire frame to create a creative seating plan
Related Designs
Ground Breaking
29 January 2011
Ground Breaking

Water stream breaking through ground in an autumn forest.
When Autumn Fall
6 September 2011
When Autumn Fall

Autumn leaf composite flower
Pick-Up Sticks
29 September 2011
Pick-Up Sticks

A twig and stick design with sweet dumpling pumpkins and rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii). I also made a cherry twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect
Earthly Angel
23 November 2011
Earthly Angel

Christmas Flower Trends 2011 starts with a Floral Craft Assignment from the Floral Trends Design Group to make an Earthly Angel garden decoration.
Forest Filigree Christmas Wreath
7 December 2011
Forest Filigree Christmas Wreath

I wanted my Hazel twig wreath to look like forest filigree: mysteriously overgrown, tangled with age and dappled with moss and lichen. The wreath is also dressed with fresh and dried flower bud clusters and operculum of Eucalyptus.
The Beauty in the Sleeping Woods
30 May 2012
The Beauty in the Sleeping Woods

As a floral artist I am inspired by the endurance of nature and my work is still re-creating the Sleeping Beauty Castle of my imagination.
Round and Round
6 March 2012
Round and Round

Instead of weaving a platter try stacking the twigs from large to tiny small
Twig-a-tude
3 July 2012
Twig-a-tude

Stack and wire twigs to create a twig mushroom with attitude for summer
Grown Glamour
31 July 2012
Grown Glamour

Delicate cherry twig, rosary vine and oncidium orchid enchanted forest masquerade masque.
Bright, brighter… brightest!
16 October 2012
Bright, brighter… brightest!

Celebrate the bright colours of autumn with lilies and Chinese lanterns
Square
21 May 2014
Square

Glue a stick cube to fit a cube vase
On a Grand Scale
9 December 2015
On a Grand Scale

My article and a floral panel design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
(if only) I can see you
10 April 2024
(if only) I can see you

Tangle jasmine vines outside a vase for a transparent screen to display floral details on and around a sea horse vase to display floral details in.
Spring Row
3 May 2023
Spring Row

Viola and chives cleverly dancing upright in a row.
Getting the Band Back Together Again
18 January 2023
Getting the Band Back Together Again

Glue a band of snow dusted twigs to create a delicate armature for winter treasures.
Wrong on the right, for a right
27 July 2022
Wrong on the right, for a right

A glued snipped to create a cooling cone for dangling orchids
Pouring
9 February 2022
Pouring

Place a small fishbowl vase at an angle to look like it is pouring out flowers and twigs.
Ship Shape
27 October 2021
Ship Shape

The dry wheat stems are suspended from the outside of the container so that they remain dry and the flower stems can gently rest inside to remain hydrated.
Counting Raindrops
4 August 2021
Counting Raindrops

Grass crisscross that makes you want to lean in closer to count the late summer raindrops around these gorgeous roses.
Making Waves
9 June 2021
Making Waves

A quick and easy to do cascade design for summer.
Getting a head start on all that Fall-ing
23 September 2020
Getting a head start on all that Fall-ing

Floral styling using mostly dried material that will last the entire Autumn.
How to make a stack of just enough:
24 January 2018
How to make a stack of just enough:

Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright
giving a thanks
11 October 2017
giving a thanks

A wire and acorn thanks
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
Details
24 August 2016
Details

Glue twigs to create a vase shaped armature
The oh no factor
6 July 2016
The oh no factor

My article and Floral Monogram Seating Plan designs featured in DIY Weddings Magazine