My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Step It Up

22 July 2020
and more

To do:

Get just one little bit better…

Not a whole lot so that I am exhausted

Not a smidgen too little so that I get bored

… just…

... a...

little bit better...

... to keep what I feel is worth doing, fun.

Ps: use the template (in your free to download template booklet) for the ballet slipper sole to shape the flip flop sole. If you do not yet have a copy of the template booklet make sure to sign up for my weekly email. I will include the link there for you.

I will also include the link next week if you want to tell someone who might like a free copy.

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Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Gather what you'll need

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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

22 July 2020

Adding flowers to those pretty hand coiled flip flops I made for my book

Step up the flip-flop design by decorating it with some long lasting succulent flowers. It might look delicate... but these flowers are robust and long lasting.

29 August 2018

Coil slip on sandals

Braid ripped flax and coil it into shaped slip on sandals.

14 January 2015

Weaving Slippers from Foliage

Weave slip on shoes from palm leaves

17 June 2015

Weaving Zori-inspired slip-on Sandals

Sandals made from bamboo, grass and sisal and a bit of satin ribbon for luxury

14 January 2011

Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips

30 August 2011

Removing Oasis Floral Adhesive glue spills

The finish of every design should be flawless. Make sure there are no bits of glue visible in your design by carefully removing all traces of spills.

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.

25 April 2012

A plait, a braid or a French knot grass collar

"Plaid" and "braid" are synonyms, and where you are from will most likely dictate whether you use plait (British) or braid (American or Celtic). Some people also refer to cornrows as braids or refer to pinned up plaits as braids. A French braid is a braiding technique.

20 July 2016

Twisted Lily Grass sun hat

Twist and weave a sun hat from blades of lily grass

22 April 2020

Weave a trendy oversized clutch purse with a hidden magnetic closure

A three in one Tutorial to show you how to weave a clutch purse, how to add a magnetic closure AND how to incorporate a ribbon into a weaved design.

29 April 2026

Knot so that your tiny stems don’t roll and your flowers float just so

Even tiny stems need a bit of support and floating flowers a bit of direction to get them... just... so

11 March 2026

Turn, tuck and refine a papyrus disk bird’s nest armature

Twist the edge of a papyrus together to craft a neat little nest for a bird for your Spring floral display.

8 October 2025

Curve a handful of grass to twist into place

Use two tiny budvases to display a few blades of grass for autumn.

2 October 2024

A green plaited willow way-over for small flower details

Here it is: the first of my first autumn harvest of willow from my willow coppice I am growing in my balcony garden. It is working spectacularly well!

20 March 2024

Spring Coil Straw Basket

Coil a straw basket... the easy way.

23 November 2022

Snowy Pinecone with green tomato berries and Kalanchoe flowers

A snowflake covered design that will hang on to well past Christmas.

13 July 2022

Suspend a tiny flower over a large water filled container in a sandwich knot support

You don't have to design with a bud vase when you have a bud vase sized flower.

15 June 2022

Swing ripped foliage over a mop-head of hydrangeas to follow the natural curve

Gently curve ripped foliage over flowers to add a cooling movement to a minimal summer design.

21 July 2021

Knot a delicate hammock from ripped foliage

Light and airy addition to a floral design to celebrate summer

Related Designs

29 August 2018

It’s not that it is inexpensive… it’s priceless!

Yes, this Coil slip on sandals design is in my book: the effortless floral craftsman, a floral crafter’s guide to crafting with nature ... it is also the first design from the book featured in a magazine: Thank you DIY Wedding Magazine , I am so happy to share finally the this with you: