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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Shine Shade

  • 27 April 2022
  • and more

“Spring

is the time

of year,

when it is

summer in the sun

and

winter in the shade”

Quote by Charles Dickens

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Dew-Drop Crystals
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
Grass snippet globe with T-connections for a (shaded) second layer
27 April 2022
Grass snippet globe with T-connections for a (shaded) second layer

Craft two snippet half moons to connect... and... then add a second layer of grass snippets here and there to shade the flowers.
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.
Spinning a Hot Glue Spider Web or silk for a Floral Cocoon
28 March 2011
Spinning a Hot Glue Spider Web or silk for a Floral Cocoon

How to spin (and remove) hot glue spider web or floral cocoon
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.
T-connect twigs to shadow a design
18 January 2017
T-connect twigs to shadow a design

Split a twig to create a t connection to hover a twig over the design
Creating a secure grass snippet here and there grid
19 June 2019
Creating a secure grass snippet here and there grid

This grid helps secure flowers in place... and add visual interest by being over rather than under the flowers.
Connect the dot grass Armature
3 February 2016
Connect the dot grass Armature

Connect the ends of grass snippets to create a spherical grass armature
Snippet grid
30 May 2018
Snippet grid

Glue grass stem snippets to create a natural grid over a shallow container
Scattered grass armature
30 April 2014
Scattered grass armature

An grass armature that looks scattered but is actually very secure
Standing a water tube at an angle in lumber
30 August 2017
Standing a water tube at an angle in lumber

Create a minimal design by placing a single flower on a platform
Haphazard twig Rectangle
14 August 2013
Haphazard twig Rectangle

Glue a few twigs into a rectangular shape to hang as a space or room devider
Barely there Mad Hatter's Top Hat
28 August 2013
Barely there Mad Hatter's Top Hat

Glue sisal fibers to create a floral top hat
Layered sisal and twig armature
9 September 2015
Layered sisal and twig armature

small sisal fibers create a mat like armature
An eggshell stack and grass snippet arch with a hidden water source for a Spring or Easter design
27 March 2019
An eggshell stack and grass snippet arch with a hidden water source for a Spring or Easter design

An almost nest like design with a hidden water source.
Taco-shaped twig armature
16 October 2012
Taco-shaped twig armature

Make a half-moon shaped armature to fill with flowers
Popsicle Stick Square Armature
8 June 2016
Popsicle Stick Square Armature

Glue Popsicle sticks to create a double layered, upright armature
Adjustable nested grass Wood Wide Web shelter for tiny snow drops
14 January 2026
Adjustable nested grass Wood Wide Web shelter for tiny snow drops

Craft a grass shelter with hollow grass that can be retracted and extended to adjust the length in height where needed.
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support
7 August 2024
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support

A quick craft with quaking grass to turn it into dangling droplets.
Snowy Magnolia forest floor armature
25 January 2023
Snowy Magnolia forest floor armature

An armature to display a lovely surprise orchid that developed on the long spike just after the other flowers started to fade.
Snow glow fluffy display bed for your design details
4 January 2023
Snow glow fluffy display bed for your design details

A cranberry lantern to cozy up a white winter's evening.
Cranberry snow glow lantern
4 January 2023
Cranberry snow glow lantern

Sugar frosted cranberry ball filled with fairy lights.
Related Designs
Connect the dot
3 February 2016
Connect the dot

Connect snippets of grass to create a shelter for your flowers
You see... here is the Thing:
30 May 2018
You see... here is the Thing:

Glue a grass snippet grid for shallow container design
Scattered
30 April 2014
Scattered

Scatter some dried grass to make a floral armature
If
30 August 2017
If

Place a water tube at an angle in lumber so that the Zantedeschia float just above the base to show off the delicate grass snippets scattered up the stem
Something Like This
14 August 2013
Something Like This

Stack and glue a large twig rectangle to hang as room divider
Losing some of that Muchness
28 August 2013
Losing some of that Muchness

A barely there sisal Mad Hatter's floral hat
Fall Treasures
9 September 2015
Fall Treasures

A sisal mat armature for fall twigs flowers and leaves
Like trying to find a water tube in a eggshell stack
27 March 2019
Like trying to find a water tube in a eggshell stack

A fun Spring and Easter design with stacked eggshells.
Club together
19 June 2019
Club together

Last Wednesday I had such a flowery fun evening teaching a collaborative floral carpet workshop focusing on braiding and weaving ideas from my book the effortless floral craftsman … this was my carpet block that I designed for the evening
Bright, brighter… brightest!
16 October 2012
Bright, brighter… brightest!

Celebrate the bright colours of autumn with lilies and Chinese lanterns
When the wind whisper
8 June 2016
When the wind whisper

Glue a fantasy forest from Popsicle sticks, grape vine tendrils and willow tips
Subject: A Formal Complaint Regarding the Distinct Lack of Snowflakiness
14 January 2026
Subject: A Formal Complaint Regarding the Distinct Lack of Snowflakiness

Fold and combine two hollow grasses for an adjustable shelter to frame the daintiest of flowers.
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain
7 August 2024
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain

Design drops of grass to dangle down a hydrangea flower for an effortless summer floral display.
Even More
25 January 2023
Even More

This orchid developed at the very end of a long stem... right as the rest of the flowers started to die back so I made a special armature to display the cut stem.
Around and about the new year
4 January 2023
Around and about the new year

A glowing cranberry ball for frosty evening decorating.
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design