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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

this NEEDS to be at the top of my (our?) to-do list

  • 27 September 2023
  • and more

“Everyone

must

take time

to sit...

... and watch

the leaves turn.”

Quote by Elizabeth Lawrence

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Dew-Drop Crystals
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
Turn some gladiolus leaves into a pumpkin vase collar
27 September 2023
Turn some gladiolus leaves into a pumpkin vase collar

A collar for a vase that you can use throughout the season... simply replace the water and the flowers inside the vase.
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals
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.
Ripping Flax
14 January 2011
Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips
Cinderella Spiral Pumpkin from Midelino Cane Coils
1 May 2012
Cinderella Spiral Pumpkin from Midelino Cane Coils

Tie Midelino Cane coils to make a spiral armature
Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog
14 October 2015
Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog

Rolled leaves offer support for floral stems
Roll a folded leaf coil
22 October 2014
Roll a folded leaf coil

Fold and then stitch a long fall leaf garland to roll into a coil
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin
27 September 2017
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin
Eucalyptus collar for a snow-covered Christmas candle
4 December 2019
Eucalyptus collar for a snow-covered Christmas candle

Not only will your home smell wonderful while crafting this design you will also have a ethereal and long lasting design to enjoy.
Grass Twirling Up to Dress a Stem of Lilies
24 July 2019
Grass Twirling Up to Dress a Stem of Lilies

A single stem of lilies turned into a celebration just by twirling a handful of lily grass around it.
Stalk and Husk Scarecrow
6 November 2012
Stalk and Husk Scarecrow

Use husks or dried leaves to make a scarecrow or doll
Swing ripped foliage over a mop-head of hydrangeas to follow the natural curve
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.
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.
Spiral Wire Cages
13 October 2011
Spiral Wire Cages

The cage spirals to form a basket that wrap around the plump ripe berries (or you can slip in a flower) to hang as connections between the twigs.
Loosened Wreath Armature
4 May 2016
Loosened Wreath Armature

Snip a dried twig wreath to undo the spirals to hang around a glass container
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
Phormium bubble frame
7 March 2018
Phormium bubble frame

Curl and secure a few blades of flax into a bubble to frame your flowers
Interweave a messy grass tumble
19 July 2017
Interweave a messy grass tumble

Loosely wrap and weave lily grass to create a planned-messy looking armature
Willow Spring
24 February 2016
Willow Spring

Set willow tips into a spiral to create a spring design
Café au Lait Summer Swirl-Twirl
12 August 2026
Café au Lait Summer Swirl-Twirl

Use that good old double vase trick to create a (dry) fairy light swirl for your design base.
Hydrangea pomander with just a hint of pumpkin in its ribbon layered to hide a secret (refillable) water source
15 October 2025
Hydrangea pomander with just a hint of pumpkin in its ribbon layered to hide a secret (refillable) water source

A floral sphere, or kissing ball, a pomander is designed to be hung or carried as decorations for weddings and holidays... especially festive if you can skip the floral foam, right?
Light as air puffy grass and elegantly curved gladiolus summer display that hints at all things pumpkin
21 August 2024
Light as air puffy grass and elegantly curved gladiolus summer display that hints at all things pumpkin

Create two separate containers to minimize clutter in a light and airy floral display.
Curve fountain grass... a bit... or a lot... and how to choose grass that is straight for more height
21 August 2024
Curve fountain grass... a bit... or a lot... and how to choose grass that is straight for more height

Curving long and elegantly sweeping purple fountain grass
Figure eight willow spacer for a water tube in a double vase display
20 August 2024
Figure eight willow spacer for a water tube in a double vase display

Create a bit of a buffer to keep a water tube upright in a light and airy suspended display.
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support
7 August 2024
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support

A quick craft with quaking grass to turn it into dangling droplets.
Related Designs
As tendrils tend to do
27 September 2017
As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin
Center the more adventurous design ideas on your centerpieces
1 May 2012
Center the more adventurous design ideas on your centerpieces

Designing adventurous Contemporary Floral centerpieces Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine.
Veiled Sunshine:50th Anniversary of the South African Orchid Society at the Cape Town Convention Centre.
11 April 2011
Veiled Sunshine:50th Anniversary of the South African Orchid Society at the Cape Town Convention Centre.

Bright and sunny cymbidium orchids and roses, lilies, lisianthus and pincushions
What a find!
14 October 2015
What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright
Stand Around
22 October 2014
Stand Around

Fold and roll leaves to create an Autumn swirl
A Very Merry eucalyptus-collar-candle Christmas!
4 December 2019
A Very Merry eucalyptus-collar-candle Christmas!

An easy and naturally fragrant winter white candle decoration to bring nature into your house this Christmas.
Up to much?
24 July 2019
Up to much?

Dress up a single lily stem with a few blades of grass.
Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off
6 November 2012
Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off

An easy going design of ripped grass and calla lilies. But look a bit closer. See if you can find Mr. Stalk relaxing somewhere between the blades of grass.
Take a swing at it
15 June 2022
Take a swing at it

A cooling design for early summer days with swinging ripped grass and more than enough water for thirsty hydrangeas.
Almost... all over!
12 June 2019
Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.
Direct Contrasts
13 October 2011
Direct Contrasts

I have always been fascinated, as a designer, by the idea that there is a point when extremes or direct contrasts flip into its opposite.
Ring-a-round
4 May 2016
Ring-a-round

Open a vine wreath to create a spiral twig armature around a glass container
See you around
30 July 2014
See you around

Weave a few spheres to create a simple design
Twist of its own
7 March 2018
Twist of its own

... a quick an easy design. Curl a few flax leaves to frame orchids
Simplicity
10 April 2011
Simplicity

Durbanville FlowerClub Arrangement: Chincherinchee on a wire spiral
How to make an early Spring
24 February 2016
How to make an early Spring

Roll and set willow twigs into a spring
Deeply
12 August 2026
Deeply

Create a double glass layer by setting a (Apothecary Jar) glass lid deeply into a display container.
Design.
15 October 2025
Design.

An... almost a pumpkin (don't you think...?) pomander to celebrate Thanksgiving.
And what are you supposed to be?
21 August 2024
And what are you supposed to be?

... a hint of a pumpkin late summer floral display to show off the elegant curve of a gladiolus flower stem.
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain
7 August 2024
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain

Design drops of grass to dangle down a hydrangea flower for an effortless summer floral display.
Favourite Flowers
Hydrangea
Hydrangea

Dried and fresh hydrangeas with sticks and bark