My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

The ties that Bind

the Binder

Binds

a Bindable

Bond

to Bind

what’s Bound

to be boundlessly Binding

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Tutorials
Binding a lily bud
1 June 2016
Binding a lily bud

Binding the bud to let it open in an exaggerated trumpet shape
Ripping Flax
14 January 2011
Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips
Lilies
2 January 2011
Lilies

How to keep Lilies in bud for longer. Removing the pollen. Stringing a Lily Garland.
Keep pod shaped flowers in bud for longer
30 March 2012
Keep pod shaped flowers in bud for longer

Sometimes you want to keep flowers in tight bud for as long as possible to suit your design
Keeping pollen tidy
1 April 2015
Keeping pollen tidy

Most of the time I would gently tug the pollen covered stamens away the moment it becomes yellow and messy. But the Gloriosa looks rather pretty with the stamens on, so I fix it in place
Stretching leaves and foliage into a ringlet curl
15 April 2015
Stretching leaves and foliage into a ringlet curl

Most leaves and foliage can be slightly manipulated to curve or curl.
So many ways to use a Kenzan to hold floral materials
7 January 2015
So many ways to use a Kenzan to hold floral materials

How to place various sizes of plant material in a Kenzan
Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas
19 June 2024
Stand bark on pointe to display the sweetest sweet peas

Create a natural armature for a summer display
Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole
25 May 2022
Give a single upright bleeding heart flower a view through a leafy hole

Flair open a leathery leaf to craft a frame a single bleeding heart flower on its long stem.
Tri-petal (with vines to fill in the gaps) lily flower wand
13 January 2021
Tri-petal (with vines to fill in the gaps) lily flower wand

Pick away petals from a lily to create space for delicate vines to really shine.
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design
12 June 2019
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design

A cool and minimal floral design for summer.
Cross cut Spring Twig Armature
17 April 2019
Cross cut Spring Twig Armature

Give a sturdy twig a cut to stay put in your Spring design.
Phormium bubble frame
7 March 2018
Phormium bubble frame

Curl and secure a few blades of flax into a bubble to frame your flowers
Kenzan leaf rack
15 November 2017
Kenzan leaf rack

Line and position pretty autumn leaves.
Related Designs
Prickly Oasis
8 February 2011
Prickly Oasis

Create the two or more coloured details with Rainbow Oasis.
Crossing Boundaries
19 February 2011
Crossing Boundaries

Twig waterfall creates the boundary between the "under" and the "over" of the design. Tutorial: How to cover test tubes with Rainbow Oasis
A Rock by any other Name...
25 February 2011
A Rock by any other Name...

It's not really what we call things that matter but what they are made of- in this design, it's made of all three types of Oasis and wool.
One Singular Sensation
3 April 2011
One Singular Sensation

Three Lilies plaited to create a sensational, singular flower "growing" out of a Equisetum dome filled with Rainbow Oasis pebbles.
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with wire techniques
30 January 2013
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with wire techniques

This was my last two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting
Just Meshing About
27 February 2013
Just Meshing About

create a mesh to drape over the design to create a soft veil.
Than you have to
13 March 2013
Than you have to

Weave blades of grass to create a cover for a glass vase
Any Which Way
7 January 2015
Any Which Way

Using a traditional Ikabana Kenzan to place flowers in a shallow container
Do you know what the point is?
19 June 2024
Do you know what the point is?

A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas
Grateful Heart
25 May 2022
Grateful Heart

Frame a single perfect Bleeding heart flower in a leaf dot.
It's in there
13 January 2021
It's in there

Complete the picture by drawing a lily flower with delicate vines.
Almost... all over!
12 June 2019
Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.
Hopping with Excitement
17 April 2019
Hopping with Excitement

A hoppingly-fun Spring design for Easter.
Hi-Lo
6 June 2018
Hi-Lo

Perfect stems, perfect flowers. Needs nothing more.
Twist of its own
7 March 2018
Twist of its own

... a quick an easy design. Curl a few flax leaves to frame orchids
Flowering Between a Rock and a Hard place
17 January 2018
Flowering Between a Rock and a Hard place

Create a subtle contrast by floating or anchoring some of your design elements.
Alchemy
15 November 2017
Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan
Playing Favourites
21 June 2017
Playing Favourites

A quick and easy Kenzan design
About a line
10 May 2017
About a line

Skewer and line up leaves to create an armature
Favourite Flowers
Phormium
Phormium

Flax Christmas tree "cake" for the Floral Trends Design Group end of the year function. "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtle doves"
Lilium
Lilium

A Rock by any other name, lily design