My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

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

This NEEDS to the top of my to-do list flower design by Christine de Beer

“Everyone

Love in a puff seed pod in a floral design

must

Hydrangea in a foliage collar for autumn styling

take time

Dried foliage for a long lasting floral armature

to sit...

Sustainable and zero waste floral arrangement for autumn fall

... and watch

Styling fall foliage in a elegant but easy floral arrangement

the leaves turn.”

Quote by Elizabeth Lawrence

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

Tutorials

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.

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.

14 January 2011 Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips

1 May 2012 Cinderella Spiral Pumpkin from Midelino Cane Coils

Tie Midelino Cane coils to make a spiral armature

14 October 2015 Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog

Rolled leaves offer support for floral stems

22 October 2014 Roll a folded leaf coil

Fold and then stitch a long fall leaf garland to roll into a coil

27 September 2017 Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin

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.

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.

6 November 2012 Stalk and Husk Scarecrow

Use husks or dried leaves to make a scarecrow or doll

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.

12 June 2019 Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design

A cool and minimal floral design for summer.

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.

4 May 2016 Loosened Wreath Armature

Snip a dried twig wreath to undo the spirals to hang around a glass container

25 January 2012 Weaving Willow spheres

I build up the spheres by weaving willow wreaths and then use those to shape the ball

7 March 2018 Phormium bubble frame

Curl and secure a few blades of flax into a bubble to frame your flowers

19 July 2017 Interweave a messy grass tumble

Loosely wrap and weave lily grass to create a planned-messy looking armature

24 February 2016 Willow Spring

Set willow tips into a spiral to create a spring design

Favourite Flowers

Hydrangea

Hydrangea, when cultivated as a cut flower rather as a plant it is often revered to as Hortensia

Related Designs

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

14 October 2015 What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright

22 October 2014 Stand Around

Fold and roll leaves to create an Autumn swirl

1 May 2012 Center the more adventurous design ideas on your centerpieces

Designing adventurous Contemporary Floral centerpieces Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine.

27 September 2017 As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin

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.

24 July 2019 Up to much?

Dress up a single lily stem with a few blades of grass.

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.

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.

12 June 2019 Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.

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.

4 May 2016 Ring-a-round

Open a vine wreath to create a spiral twig armature around a glass container

30 July 2014 See you around

Weave a few spheres to create a simple design

7 March 2018 Twist of its own

... a quick an easy design. Curl a few flax leaves to frame orchids

10 April 2011 Simplicity

Durbanville FlowerClub Arrangement: Chincherinchee on a wire spiral

24 February 2016 How to make an early Spring

Roll and set willow twigs into a spring