My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Spring Clean

This design was fashioned for the spring inspiration section of the

DIY Weddings Magazine

White is timeless and calming

and soothe the senses.

Add the richness of natural texture,

the lightness of a feather,

the optimistic promise of spring

and you have clean luxury

Design Note: The tiny blossoms are Kalanchoe 'Calandiva Pink'. Tucked low in the paper eggs are a few Cymbidium orchids and the twigs are contorted hazel. The feathers are made from Kyogi or shaved wood.

Thank you DIY Weddings Magazine for featuring my design as part of your Spring Inspiration pages on your website.

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Tutorials
Paste and cut Wooden Feathers
7 April 2012
Paste and cut Wooden Feathers

Wood glue makes wood veneer or Kyogi paper soft and playable to make feathers with
Just Hatched Papier Mache Easter Eggs
7 April 2012
Just Hatched Papier Mache Easter Eggs

Glue newsprint paper to balloons to make large egg shaped containers to design in
A Neighbor friendly way to deflate a balloon
7 April 2012
A Neighbor friendly way to deflate a balloon

Apart from avoiding the noise popping a balloon makes this is also a less violent way to deflate a balloon when you make Papier Mache items
Foam pin holder drying rack
7 April 2012
Foam pin holder drying rack

This is a convenient way to keep flowers perfectly upright while you wait for glue to dry.
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.
Papier Mache
2 June 2011
Papier Mache

I save all the thin tissue paper or un-printed newsprint papers that are wrapped around the flowers that are delivered to me to make batches of Papier Mache with. These sheets make fantastic Papier Mache because it is designed to be super absorbent and colour fast.
Bite and snap a sturdy twig
22 May 2012
Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.
Just hatched willow twig egg armature
16 April 2025
Just hatched willow twig egg armature

Craft a cracked egg shape armature for an Easter display.
Nesting a small basket in a clematis vine for a “help yourself” Easter egg display
9 April 2025
Nesting a small basket in a clematis vine for a “help yourself” Easter egg display

The dried plant material keeps the vine from flopping over in the vase as it continues to grow and flower and the vine lifts the dried material far above the water to prevent it from spoiling.
High Rise Twiner Jasmine and Twirling willow Easter mobile
27 March 2024
High Rise Twiner Jasmine and Twirling willow Easter mobile

A vertical take on an Easter nest design to craft a spinning mobile decoration.
Grow a wheatgrass patch for an almost entirely edible Easter display
29 March 2023
Grow a wheatgrass patch for an almost entirely edible Easter display

Grow wheatgrass to create a Spring patch of green for your mini Easter egg hunt.
Basket weave in an eggshell
8 April 2020
Basket weave in an eggshell

A tiny little basket weave to add to an Easter Design
Hanging dangling eggshells with a twig and some ripped grass
20 March 2019
Hanging dangling eggshells with a twig and some ripped grass

Pierce eggshells to string it up for a delicate Spring design element.
Stacked eggshell containers that won't topple over.
28 March 2018
Stacked eggshell containers that won't topple over.

Balance a stack of eggshells with a magnet for a tiny Easter design
Muted Side Up Autumn Leaf Pod
18 October 2017
Muted Side Up Autumn Leaf Pod

Turn the leaf so that the muted underside faces outward to create a more understated Autumn colour scheme .
Papier Mache pumpkin half
18 October 2017
Papier Mache pumpkin half

Glue thin tissue paper layers to a pumpkin to create a shape to design with
Coil wire and grass to create a spring frog
1 February 2017
Coil wire and grass to create a spring frog

Twirl and wrap wire and lily grass around a dowel stick to create a spring frog
Potted bark pod for a flowering plant
11 January 2017
Potted bark pod for a flowering plant

Cover a Styrofoam shape with bark to create a bowl for a potted design
Related Designs
I Break For Beauty
16 April 2025
I Break For Beauty

A cracked Easter Egg willow armature for hiding some treats...
Eggsactly… just like this
9 April 2025
Eggsactly… just like this

The flowers will continue to open around the nest… and the eggs… well surely they will disappear and you will need to replace those before Easter.
Twiners Gonna Twine
27 March 2024
Twiners Gonna Twine

Twining jasmine vine twirl for Easter
To grow a patch of grass of our very own
29 March 2023
To grow a patch of grass of our very own

The first of my new monthly articles about growing the material you need to design with. This month we are taking stock of what we need... and growing wheatgrass.
Don’t put all your Baskets in one Egg
8 April 2020
Don’t put all your Baskets in one Egg

A bit of a wrong way round pretty Easter design. Put the basket weave inside the egg instead of putting the eggs in a basket.
It’s all ===> right
20 March 2019
It’s all ===> right

Hang a dangling eggshell in a Spring blossom design.
Walking on eggshells
28 March 2018
Walking on eggshells

Fill eggshells with moss to create an upright container... with a surprising balancing trick.
On the inside
18 October 2017
On the inside

For a softer autumn leaf pod turn the leaves so that the bright side faces in when making the pod.
Not yet Spring, Spring but a spring
1 February 2017
Not yet Spring, Spring but a spring

Coil wire and grass to create a spring
As special as an almost never find
11 January 2017
As special as an almost never find

Sometimes you find such a beautiful plant that you just can't bring yourself to cut it. This design explores using the entire plant, pot and all, in a design
Favourite Flowers
Cymbidium
Cymbidium

Cymbidium orchids for my Designing your way to profits article that was featured in the Canadian Florist Magazine
Hydrangea
Hydrangea

Dried and fresh hydrangeas with sticks and bark
Ceropegia woodii
Ceropegia woodii

Pompon Chrysanthemum pom-poms and strands of Rosary vine for my floral lariat necklace in the Canadian Florist Magazine