My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Swing Vine

Swing High,

Swing High,

Away we go.

Up to the trees

Where the breezes blow,

Where the birdies nest

From the nursery rhyme Swing High

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Tutorials
Clematis Vine Swing
18 April 2018
Clematis Vine Swing

Weave a delicate nest for a small spring design.
Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening
19 February 2013
Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening

Most stems, twigs and even sturdier branches can be bend into shapes. It takes practice and more than a bit of patience. The main idea is to slowly manipulate the branch without breaking it.
Weaving a twig wreath
1 November 2011
Weaving a twig wreath

For my design I wanted the wreath to look wind blown so I added a few loosely woven twigs into the weave. I also wanted to emphasize the autumn colours so I added a twirling copper wire into the weave
Stripping foliage from weaving stems
11 February 2015
Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with
Willow birdcage
14 March 2018
Willow birdcage

Weave a willow birdcage to use as a wedding ring box
Designing an odd one out wreath
24 May 2017
Designing an odd one out wreath

Adding floral material to a wreath design
Chain link wreath weaving
24 May 2017
Chain link wreath weaving

Weave a few small wreaths to connect
Willow flower crown
7 September 2016
Willow flower crown

Loosely weave willow tips to create an ethereal crown
Willow Spring
24 February 2016
Willow Spring

Set willow tips into a spiral to create a spring design
Cane and Willow Nest Shaped Basket
8 April 2015
Cane and Willow Nest Shaped Basket

Weave a nest for Easter eggs
Weaving Willow spheres
25 January 2012
Weaving Willow spheres

I build up the spheres by weaving willow wreaths and then use those to shape the ball
Craft a Spring basket from a wreath
21 March 2018
Craft a Spring basket from a wreath

A wide gap nearly basket for nearly spring
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin
27 September 2017
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin
A little nest for Easter chocolates that naturally hooks over the edge of a container
11 April 2017
A little nest for Easter chocolates that naturally hooks over the edge of a container

Weave a tiny nest with a twig hook so that you can hang it in a design
Twirl a ripped Phormium pumpkin pod
23 August 2017
Twirl a ripped Phormium pumpkin pod

Rip the New Zealand flax to create a delicate fiber armature
Messy summer floral nest
3 July 2013
Messy summer floral nest

Wrap and weave and twirl and dangle foliage to create a spiral nest
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.
Willow nest roll that continues to grow for a Spring display
26 March 2025
Willow nest roll that continues to grow for a Spring display

This design is meant to be long lasting and ever changing... make now and enjoy all the way to Easter and beyond
Thread your wreaths in a row to show off your "it could (almost) be mistaken for Spring sprouts"
26 February 2025
Thread your wreaths in a row to show off your "it could (almost) be mistaken for Spring sprouts"

Late winter flowering irises in a wreath armature
Four wreath harvest basket that looks like it grew that way… because now some of it still is!
23 October 2024
Four wreath harvest basket that looks like it grew that way… because now some of it still is!

Harvest some cuttings to root in a wild and overgrown floral design.
A green plaited willow way-over for small flower details
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!
Coiled Spring and Wreath flower frog
3 April 2024
Coiled Spring and Wreath flower frog

Wind vines into an all natural armature to display your first of many... perfect... Spring flowers.
Spring Coil Straw Basket
20 March 2024
Spring Coil Straw Basket

Coil a straw basket... the easy way.
A secret and so pretty stay open support for a growing willow birdcage
6 March 2024
A secret and so pretty stay open support for a growing willow birdcage

Grow your own willow birdcage in a small pot to display Spring flowers in.
Suspend delicate stemmed orchids in a Willow Infinity Weave Flower Frog
24 January 2024
Suspend delicate stemmed orchids in a Willow Infinity Weave Flower Frog

Create a little grid that fits the stems exactly to position them above and below water in a large container.
Knot a vine wreath and ripped grass bug net
28 June 2023
Knot a vine wreath and ripped grass bug net

Simply easy design... with tiny design details to make your summer display unique.
Foxtail wreath frog with a leg in water
24 May 2023
Foxtail wreath frog with a leg in water

Twirl the fern into a wreath so that it can remain hydrated.
Willow and Vine tiny stem Gathering Basket
19 April 2023
Willow and Vine tiny stem Gathering Basket

Tiny stems are often also delicate stems... place your cut flowers directly in a small glass of water. A perfect fit for this basket.
Blossom craving solutions: Forcing and Coaxing and crafting flowering branches
8 March 2023
Blossom craving solutions: Forcing and Coaxing and crafting flowering branches

Early spring floral styling with some magic
Glue an early Spring basket from leftover cherry blossom twigs
1 March 2023
Glue an early Spring basket from leftover cherry blossom twigs

After the last petal drops cut the blossom twigs into snippets to craft a basket with.
Using European OASIS floral glue to secure floral details… yes! It makes a difference
22 June 2022
Using European OASIS floral glue to secure floral details… yes! It makes a difference

Securing the most delicate of design details successfully has a lot to do with what glue you use. But what glue is even more complicated than just brand.
Craft a wreath chain to link a few bud vases together
28 July 2021
Craft a wreath chain to link a few bud vases together

All you need is a few twigs to craft this design- it's a perfect floral meditation activity.
A radiating, gradient carnation design in a shallow container
12 May 2021
A radiating, gradient carnation design in a shallow container

A bit of Kenzan support for a floating shallow container design
Spring breeze tangled ribbon wreath
7 April 2021
Spring breeze tangled ribbon wreath

Using branches pruned from a fruit tree... with a few dried flowers and just a few orchids to make a fresh Spring design.
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.
Tangle a perfect vine around two wreaths for a split armature
19 August 2020
Tangle a perfect vine around two wreaths for a split armature

Passion fruit flowers never lasts long. Not even growing outside on a vine. But the buds continue to open once cut making a wreath display ideal for an even changing passion fruit flower display.
Overgrown vine tangle to suspend flowers in a clear vase
10 June 2020
Overgrown vine tangle to suspend flowers in a clear vase

A zero waste and sustainable floral design solution to keep your flowers exactly where you want them without using floral foam.
Knot a Lavender chain link necklace or floral crown
13 May 2020
Knot a Lavender chain link necklace or floral crown

This is without a doubt the quickest and easiest floral project on my entire site. And rather fun to do. I make these.. all... the... time!
Winter white Tulle bridal basket
9 January 2019
Winter white Tulle bridal basket

Craft a delicate bridal basket from twigs and tulle.
Wisteria Wreath Vine
5 September 2018
Wisteria Wreath Vine

Weave tiny vine wreaths on the leave stems of a stripped Wisteria vine
Wisteria Vine Wreath Armature
5 September 2018
Wisteria Vine Wreath Armature

Create a barely there armature with sturdy end of season vines.
Related Designs
Old, new trends
14 March 2018
Old, new trends

My article and willow birdcage design for wedding rings featured in DIY Weddings Magazine.
Link
24 May 2017
Link

weave a few wreaths to link
You are all invited!
7 September 2016
You are all invited!

My article and Willow Crown design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine
How to make an early Spring
24 February 2016
How to make an early Spring

Roll and set willow twigs into a spring
Just think!
8 April 2015
Just think!

Weave a nest for chocolate Easter eggs
See you around
30 July 2014
See you around

Weave a few spheres to create a simple design
Bring some Spring
21 March 2018
Bring some Spring

Just like the weather is only hinting at spring, so is this design only hinting at being a basket
As tendrils tend to do
27 September 2017
As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin
Well… we did it again!
11 April 2017
Well… we did it again!

Blossoms and chocolates for Easter
Almost is still not quite
23 August 2017
Almost is still not quite

Weave just a hint of the Autumn to come
Of trust… and belief… and stars…
3 July 2013
Of trust… and belief… and stars…

Weave and wrap and twirl and knot a summer floral nest
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.
Spring Roll
26 March 2025
Spring Roll

oh yes... Spring is definitely rolling in with some fresh growth on the willow just to prove it!
“Ha ha ha weeeeee!"
26 February 2025
“Ha ha ha weeeeee!"

Beautiful iris wreath kebab to chase away the winter blues
Haerfest
23 October 2024
Haerfest

Rooting clematis cuttings in a harvest wreath basket
Brewing some inspiration
2 October 2024
Brewing some inspiration

Autumn harvest willow for a double the pretty plaited flower support
springy, Spring, spring
3 April 2024
springy, Spring, spring

Gorgeous Aquilegia vulgaris spring flower... with it's own springy thing!
the arc of Success
20 March 2024
the arc of Success

Coil a straw basket for an Easter display
A Stay Open
6 March 2024
A Stay Open

Grow a willow birdcage... with a bit of a Spring flower support to get it started.
I mean… really!?!
24 January 2024
I mean… really!?!

Using fresh twigs to bind a little twig platform to suspend the beautiful orchids from.
Catch and Release
28 June 2023
Catch and Release

Ah... yes summer time designing. Anyone else seeing more insects hiding between the petals this year?
everywhere IS nature
24 May 2023
everywhere IS nature

A lush wreath that remains green so that you can design once... and cut and cut and place your violas to make sure you have flowers all season long.
Short Cut
19 April 2023
Short Cut

A tiny carry basket to gather the shortest stems from your cutting garden... with a place for water and your cutters.
… ish
1 March 2023
… ish

An early... ish Spring basket glued from blossom twigs
You Say Tomato I Say Tomato
22 June 2022
You Say Tomato I Say Tomato

Tiny tomato vine design to celebrate Summer.
Linked This Way
28 July 2021
Linked This Way

A fun way to elevate a few bud vases into a display.
It’s up there
12 May 2021
It’s up there

Whether it’s a solid foot for floating flowers, the tips of new growth or the curve of a dried twig your design needs help to stay upright.
First we learn HOW to design… and then we learn how only WE design.
7 April 2021
First we learn HOW to design… and then we learn how only WE design.

Whipped up to be light in the Spring breeze wreath design.
Spring Tray-ning
3 March 2021
Spring Tray-ning

A Spring basket design for catching falling blossom petals.
All round pretty sweet and short
19 August 2020
All round pretty sweet and short

Frame a passion flower in a vine wreath for a short lived but so pretty arrangement.
All Out
10 June 2020
All Out

An all out effective way of keeping a flower stem in the exact spot you want it to be in a clear water vase design.
be MINDFUL of the invisible stuff you add
13 May 2020
be MINDFUL of the invisible stuff you add

Left over flowers and off-cuts are ideal to transform into a quick floral crown or necklace. This is the absolute easiest design, yet!
Magical Craftsmanship
9 January 2019
Magical Craftsmanship

My article and winter white Tulle bridal basket design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine.
Wreath Vine Season!
5 September 2018
Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines