My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Pouring

"When life gets rough, I like to hold on to my dream

Of relaxing in the summer sun, just lettin' off steam

Oh, the sky will be blue,

and you guys'll be there too

When I finally do what frozen things do in summer"

Quote by Olaf from Frozen

Sign up for my weekly newsletter

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

Sign Up Now
Tutorials
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.
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.
Syringe with tube
3 January 2011
Syringe with tube

Easy way to fill test tubes and easiest way to remove water from a vase
Adding snow to twigs
28 December 2016
Adding snow to twigs

Glue artificial snow to twigs
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals
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.
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
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.
Stacked Table-Top Twig Heart
31 December 2014
Stacked Table-Top Twig Heart

Stack and glue moss covered twigs into a heart shape
Free Standing Twig and Wire Heart Armature
10 February 2016
Free Standing Twig and Wire Heart Armature

Bend wires and fill in the gabs with Stillingia twigs to make a delicate heart armature
A Sprouting Spring Twig Heart
8 February 2017
A Sprouting Spring Twig Heart

Carefully glue a twig armature to display the mini-miniature Darling orchids
Overgrown Willow web inspired by a traditional Dream-catcher
8 July 2015
Overgrown Willow web inspired by a traditional Dream-catcher

I wanted my willow armature to hint of a web-like dreamcatcher that grows in the wild rather than being a precise replica of the traditional craft technique. But I did weave it in a similar way.
Twig snippet vase armature
11 May 2016
Twig snippet vase armature

Glue twig snippets to closely follow the shape of a glass vase
Twig collar
6 September 2011
Twig collar

Create a light and transparent collar-base for the large composite flower to nestle into.
Winter White Twig Screen
6 February 2019
Winter White Twig Screen

Glue twigs to screen delicate flowers for a wintry design.
A Muscari cluster frog to display a precious Scilla Siberica on its own dogwood twig
2 April 2025
A Muscari cluster frog to display a precious Scilla Siberica on its own dogwood twig

Crafting a display cluster of plant material is the best way to turn the most delicate of stems into a focal point.
Double down on the Fall magic with the earliest hint of bare (but sparkly) Twig Season
13 November 2024
Double down on the Fall magic with the earliest hint of bare (but sparkly) Twig Season

A double vase to keep the bit of sparkle you add to transition a Fall design into Christmas nice and dry... while the fresh plant material remain hydrated.
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.
Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container
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.
Lean along armature for grape Hyacinths
12 April 2023
Lean along armature for grape Hyacinths

A last lean towards winter as the snow melts and the Spring flowers starts to make an appearance.
Blossom craving solutions: Forcing and Coaxing and crafting flowering branches
8 March 2023
Blossom craving solutions: Forcing and Coaxing and crafting flowering branches

Early spring floral styling with some magic
Hover winter twig armature with an acetate platform
8 February 2023
Hover winter twig armature with an acetate platform

Crystal clear floral design for winter styling
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.
Bundled up Rosehip Scatter twigs… for anywhere you need a small frosted winter decorating touch
28 December 2022
Bundled up Rosehip Scatter twigs… for anywhere you need a small frosted winter decorating touch

A delicate winter decoration to add sparkle to those in between Christmas and New Years Eve days.
The coziest Wool, Holly and Kalanchoe Table Top Candy Cane Snowflake
30 November 2022
The coziest Wool, Holly and Kalanchoe Table Top Candy Cane Snowflake

A fuzzy wool and twig snowflake that starts out as a handful of candy canes.
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
Lily grid for cradling the first spring sprigs in a small vase
9 March 2022
Lily grid for cradling the first spring sprigs in a small vase

Place a fully opened lily over the opening of your vase to help support more delicate stems
Place delicate stems at an angle in a shallow fiber lined container
23 February 2022
Place delicate stems at an angle in a shallow fiber lined container

Line a shallow container with fiber to create a mat for the flowers to hydrate and stand in the exact way you want to place them.
Related Designs
Pour
11 May 2016
Pour

Glue a twig vase and melt some plastic to create a tumbling design
A little bit of Art and Soul
24 July 2012
A little bit of Art and Soul

A twig structure with roses
The sound of a kiss
31 December 2014
The sound of a kiss

Stack and glue twigs into a table top heart
Be My Twig-Heart
10 February 2016
Be My Twig-Heart

Glue an upright twig heart for a freestanding Valentine's display
It could hold
8 February 2017
It could hold

A fragile looking heart made from twigs that can hold a lot of orchids
A gift for gifting
25 December 2013
A gift for gifting

Christmas gift design
How To Catch A Dream
8 July 2015
How To Catch A Dream

Take inspiration from a traditional Dream-catcher design to create a floral armature
When Autumn Fall
6 September 2011
When Autumn Fall

Autumn leaf composite flower
there’s a feeling
20 November 2012
there’s a feeling

Glue snippets of dried green stems and Green Trick Carnation to make tiny floral wings for Christmas
Tread softly on winter
6 February 2019
Tread softly on winter

A delicate winter twig armature to show off the delicate beauty of these early spring coloured tulips.
Love that a whole bunch!
2 April 2025
Love that a whole bunch!

Loved this delicate Scilla Siberica so much I got it its own bunch of Grape Hyacinths.
Fall-a-la-lah!
13 November 2024
Fall-a-la-lah!

Transitioning into the Christmas season... gently
(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.
Surround and Sound
31 January 2024
Surround and Sound

Half moon frosted glass chip edge for a winter themed design.
The word we are looking for is… fun
12 April 2023
The word we are looking for is… fun

A leaning twig armature with both the first signs of Spring and the last signs of winter.
And now we wait
8 March 2023
And now we wait

A bit of flower magic to get a few early blossoms to enjoy inside.
Snow… drops
8 February 2023
Snow… drops

A late winter design for minimal floral styling.
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.
Giving a nod
28 December 2022
Giving a nod

A scattering of winter decorating for wherever you might need it.
Take a bough… it’s Christmas time!
30 November 2022
Take a bough… it’s Christmas time!

A wool and twig snowflake design (made from candy canes!) that will last the entire Festive Season.
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.
…. Aaaaaand tick!
9 March 2022
…. Aaaaaand tick!

Ever wonder how I decide what I share with you? A fun design ticking all the boxes.
Plan Together
23 February 2022
Plan Together

Leaning Muscari flowers in a snow covered twig armature.
Favourite Flowers
Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum

Detail of my Christmas design: Floral wings with Chincherinchees, passion fruit tendrils, jasmine foliage and string of pearls succulents