My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Shade-Seeking Style Choices Confirmed by “Sources” who know all about shade seeking style choices

22 April 2026
and more

White bleeding hearts open the Spring/Summer 2026 show, swaying pearl‑strung hearts that glimmer as it searches for the soothing understory light.

Ferns twirl in next, all sculptural fronds dappled in quiet moving light, the season’s masterclass in effortless drape of a right on trend cape.

A hush falls as the sheltering foliage loops…

broad, protective, and comfortably layered to create the unique, soft lighting environment filled with shimmer-in-low-light-toned colours…

oh yes…

the true luxury of shade.

A ripple moves through the runway for the grand finale...

as dramatic dew‑drop crystals pool and splashes, a cooling oasis in the sheltering foliage.

… come to think of it, this is pretty much my style inspiration for the warmer season as well!

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Tutorials

22 April 2026

Roll a leaf blade shade shelter for a crystal puddle… frog

Create a delicate but glamorous shelter Spring design to show off delicate shade loving flowers.

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.

4 June 2025

Tiny wreath to balance a water tube… with a twist

Weave small wreath as a support for water tubes.

19 March 2025

Suspend flowers above water on two wires covered with ringlet "happy birthday streamers" made from grass

Create a wire platform to rest the fresh flowers on so that they are hydrated but not submerged in the water below the grass dome.

1 May 2024

Gap basket weave for a Spring flower container

Fiasco inspired vase cover for a small Spring design

26 July 2023

A woven grass grid cage for flying Column and Augmented petal Phalaenopsis orchids

Pick away the petals from a few Phalaenopsis orchids to display in a summer grass tunnel design.

19 July 2023

Knot a dragonfly

The easiest critter ever. All you need to do is make a few knots...

24 August 2022

Balloon out grass to craft a framed armature

Carefully bubble out a tied bunch of grass to make a cavity to display gorgeous flowers.

6 July 2022

Weave a grass sphere to keep the long flower stems neatly in place on a bud vase

Both pretty and pretty effective. Keep the flowers exactly where you want them by weaving a stopper for your bud vase.

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.

17 March 2021

Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower

Take all the usual ingredients for a budvase design- a flower, a leafy green something and roll it into something unusual to display.

24 March 2021

A Spring Sprout Wreath Flower Frog

Craft an everything is still growing spring design to celebrate... what we love!

6 January 2021

Rolled leaf shelter for a lean-in-closer tiny bud vase design

Create a tiny visual tunnel to focus attention.

26 February 2020

Weave a grass Platform for an opening Tulip bud

Tulips continue to grow as they open. This means you not only have to be mindful of their proportions as they are now... but also as they will be once open.

22 May 2019

Gently peel leaves from the stalk to create a twisted stem end

Roll leaves to create a stopper to keep flowers in place in a bud vase

24 July 2019

Grass Twirling Up to Dress a Stem of Lilies

A single stem of lilies turned into a celebration just by twirling a handful of lily grass around it.

30 January 2019

A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase

Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.

10 October 2018

Single blade wrap armature

Fold a single blade of grass or slender leaf around a small container to stand your flower in position

24 July 2018

Lemon Aid Container Stopper

Keep flowers in place by placing a lemon on the narrow rim of the container.

27 June 2018

Foliage tube armature for long stemmed freesia buds

Curl and pin a few leaves into a tube to create an armature for those "left over" freesiabuds.

4 July 2018

Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.

28 June 2017

Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf

26 July 2017

Half wire half grass tangle to keep stems in place

Tangle and shape wire to create a half moon for grass and gyp to rest in

7 December 2016

Flat wire and grass bridal basket

Wrap grass around a flat wire shape to create a delicate bridal basket design

13 July 2016

Woven lily grass parachute armature

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature in a way that you can place the stems in two vases to keep it hydrated.

22 June 2016

Lily grass spiral in a vase

Twist lily grass slightly to create a spiral for the orchids to nestle in

13 January 2016

Stacked Grass Pyramid Armature

Stack snippets of grass on a wire frame to make a floating pyramid armature

4 February 2015

Fold over a tropical leaf cocoon

Fold and glue a Monstera deliciosa (delicious monster) leaf

31 July 2013

Roll small leaf circles

Add a bit of interest in a minimal design with tiny Jasmine foliage

Related Designs

4 June 2025

Tiny bit Grand

Even the tiniest bits of plant material can be turned into something grand

6 July 2022

Let’s play ball

Weave a spherical support to place long stemmed flowers into a bud vase.

19 March 2025

Let’s

... take a moment of reflection as we celebrate 5 years! Happy 5th birthday to my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman

1 May 2024

Favourite Take-Away

Basket weave container for some Spring floral treasures.

26 July 2023

Column… try it flower buddies

A bottom to the top... top to the bottom support to help keep your summer flowers hydrated.

19 July 2023

… And his little flower

Easy support for a single flower... and knot a special secret admirer just to keep it company.

24 August 2022

Hot air balloon

A grass bubble to frame two of the most beautiful calla lilies.

20 July 2022

The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.

17 March 2021

A scoop of pretty

A tiny budvase design that rearranges basic ingredients, such as a single leaf and an orchid to create a new design concept.

24 March 2021

To two too!

A Spring Tulip celebration design... with a special message

6 January 2021

I tip my (flower) cap!

An enclosed design that invites the onlooker to lean in closer to explore the pretty orchid.

26 February 2020

To top it all off

This is a great "space-keeper" design. The tulip will continue to grow into the vase height as they open... but until then the grass platform part of the design diverts your attention to fix any issues you might experience with the proportions right now.