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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Spring Dreaming

  • 18 March 2015

… the sky is gray

(And...

the sky is gray)

I've been for a walk

(I've...

been for a walk)

On a (early) Spring Day...

inspired by “California Dreamin”, a song written by John Phillips and Michelle Philips, recorded by the Mamas & the Papas in 1965

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Tutorials
Meadow in a bowl
18 March 2015
Meadow in a bowl

Inspired by a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design called Komiwara. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Adding beads into a design
25 September 2013
Adding beads into a design

I wanted my beads to softly float above my snowball posy. If I glued the beads to some of the flowers it would just disappear in the mass of twigs and flowers.
Filling a vase with water without disturbing the design details
22 May 2012
Filling a vase with water without disturbing the design details

Break the water flow when you fill a vase with details in that can move with the stream of water
Bite and snap a sturdy twig
22 May 2012
Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.
Harvesting cyclamen flowers and foliage
22 May 2012
Harvesting cyclamen flowers and foliage

Cyclamen stems are so close together that it is easy to damage the plant when cutting stems.
Rethinking the traditional Komiwara technique
7 May 2014
Rethinking the traditional Komiwara technique

Komiwara is a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Flatten a Spring for a disk grid
5 March 2025
Flatten a Spring for a disk grid

Aluminum wire grid to support the stems and flowers above the water.
Bring out the pretty spots on the lip of this tiny orchid with a dotted twig stump armature
22 January 2025
Bring out the pretty spots on the lip of this tiny orchid with a dotted twig stump armature

Create a delicate floating and natural display without using floral foam with a twig frog armature.
New growth Spring frog
26 April 2023
New growth Spring frog

Willow cutting left in water will root and sprout... perfect for a all natural flower frog to admire as is or to keep long stem flowers upright.
A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase
30 January 2019
A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase

Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.
Bundle Support
4 July 2018
Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.
Stem line-up
21 February 2018
Stem line-up

Line up stems to create a base for the heavy Hanging Heliconia stems
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets
2 August 2017
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
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
Related Designs
Around about Springtime
5 March 2025
Around about Springtime

Spiral cyclamen foliage around to create a composite flower to showcase the petal-like anthurium flowers.
Spot on!
22 January 2025
Spot on!

Connect the dots with round willow cuts and the spotted lip of the tiniest mini miniature Phalaenopsis orchids
Oh So Me
26 April 2023
Oh So Me

Snip and grow willow to create a Spring new growth support for your tall flower stems.
Around Here
30 January 2019
Around Here

Wind lily leaves to spiral around in a water filled container.
Wonder
4 July 2018
Wonder

Tie a bundle of grass to support your floral details
Impossible things
21 February 2018
Impossible things

A cut stem flower frog for the heavy Hanging Heliconia flowers
Grace
2 August 2017
Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own
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
Sprout
27 April 2016
Sprout

A sneaky way to condition new growth to add into your Spring design
Favourite Flowers
Cyclamen
Cyclamen

Cyclamen flower bud and leaf in my Lean design
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum Design: the Floral Hour glass was made as part of my wax series