My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Step Along

When you are

progressing

toward a goal

that matters to you

and appreciating the

steps along

the way, that’s a good life

Quote by Ruben Chavez

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Tutorials
Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature
30 March 2016
Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature

Drill holes in a piece of lumber and insert dowel sticks to create an armature
Weave a willow twig blind
26 April 2011
Weave a willow twig blind

Weave twigs in parallel to create a twig blind with strong but natural horizontal lines.
Stain wooden skewers with natural dye
24 August 2011
Stain wooden skewers with natural dye

Using fruit, berries, flowers, leaves and grasses to naturally stain design details for floral art relies on the same techniques as using paint or any other dye.
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.
Paper covered Wire
1 March 2011
Paper covered Wire

Cover the wire with the raffia
Wired Monkey Vine
30 March 2011
Wired Monkey Vine

This wired rope is inspired by Monkey vine that you see hanging from trees. It is strong, rough and very tough. Covering the rope with mud will add texture and it also insulate the wire from rust by creating a protective layer
Twig mushroom
3 July 2012
Twig mushroom

Stack and wire a twig mushroom armature
Twig Lanterns
4 December 2012
Twig Lanterns

Wire short twigs around wire rings to create rustic flameless tea-light lanterns
Chain-link string and twig armature
18 January 2017
Chain-link string and twig armature

By removing every other twig you open up space for larger flowers to nestle in
Catch Blossom Petals in a Pussy Willow tray basket
2 March 2021
Catch Blossom Petals in a Pussy Willow tray basket

An easy to assemble yourself harvest basket to carry home and display Spring blossoms.
Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place
3 January 2018
Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place

A easy to use Hana Kubari technique
Related Designs
A Point of Support
30 March 2016
A Point of Support

My contemporary floral art design demonstrated at the Canada Blooms flower show in Toronto.
Designing Your Way to Profits
5 January 2012
Designing Your Way to Profits

Floral Craftsmanship Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine
Be Silent And Listen
28 May 2014
Be Silent And Listen

Lash a few bamboo pieces together to create a scaffold armature
To
11 June 2014
To

Make a quick and easy twig disk armature
Layer
30 April 2015
Layer

Design One from my Inspiration Video: Use the same floral ingredients, willow twigs, Lichen, Spanish Moss, Kalanchoe and Gypsophila to make three distinctly different contemporary corsages
Where would you put it!?!
17 February 2016
Where would you put it!?!

Tie a twig armature enclosure for fresh flowers
Look at you!
18 January 2017
Look at you!

Tie twigs to shape a hanging armature
On a Grand Scale
9 December 2015
On a Grand Scale

My article and a floral panel design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
Celebrate!
23 March 2016
Celebrate!

A closer look at my design at the 20th anniversary of Canada Blooms and The Toronto Flower Show
Spring Tray-ning
3 March 2021
Spring Tray-ning

A Spring basket design for catching falling blossom petals.
Happy Coincidence!
3 January 2018
Happy Coincidence!

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny vase for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little twig with a fork in it. Add a ranunculus with a ridiculously gorgeous curve in it's stem... done.
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
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design