My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Tiptoe through the Tulips

It’s officially Tulip season...

Knee deep in flowers…

we'll stray

We'll keep the showers away

And if I kiss you in the garden,

in the moonlight

Will you pardon me?

And tiptoe through the tulips with me

"Tiptoe Through the Tulips" is a popular song originally published in 1929. The song was written by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Joe Burke

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Tutorials
Braiding three Tulip stems
21 January 2015
Braiding three Tulip stems

Plait Tulip stems
Grass shelter for a glass bubble vase
13 March 2013
Grass shelter for a glass bubble vase

Weave a shelter around a glass vase
Removing Oasis Floral Adhesive glue spills
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.
Where to cut Tulips to condition
21 March 2012
Where to cut Tulips to condition

Here is a trick to make sure your tulips will condition thoroughly
Slow down tulip growth, after the stems have been severed from the bulbs
11 May 2011
Slow down tulip growth, after the stems have been severed from the bulbs

Tulips continue to grow after being cut. Sometimes when you make a very small design or for competition or bridal work you want to minimize growth. The best way to do this is to divert their energy.
Reflexed petal Tulip… with a surprise Orchid flower buddy
23 April 2025
Reflexed petal Tulip… with a surprise Orchid flower buddy

Gently pop the petals of a mature tulip back to open up the flower... to add another flower, of course!
Craft a birch bark bud vase topper for a openhearted Valentine's display
14 February 2024
Craft a birch bark bud vase topper for a openhearted Valentine's display

Craft a keepsake heart on top of a vase to display special flowers.
Spiked Tulip Fan
1 February 2023
Spiked Tulip Fan

Fanned out Tulips for a snowy winter display... that stays just so.
A wild "found it this way" thorn and overgrown tulip design with a ribbon tangle instead of a bow.
1 June 2022
A wild "found it this way" thorn and overgrown tulip design with a ribbon tangle instead of a bow.

Glue an overgrown thorn armature to a container to display fully opened tulips
Handcrafted grass and twig basket to hold some Easter flowers
13 April 2022
Handcrafted grass and twig basket to hold some Easter flowers

Easter basket filled with (almost... almost chocolate) anthuriums.
A Double vase, Sticky tape, Reflexed AND Woven Nestled Grass and Tulip Whirl
23 March 2022
A Double vase, Sticky tape, Reflexed AND Woven Nestled Grass and Tulip Whirl

so many techniques rolled into one rather pretty tulip nest. Perfect to celebrate new beginnings: Spring and my book birthday... and my online workshop!
A Spring Sprout Wreath Flower Frog
24 March 2021
A Spring Sprout Wreath Flower Frog

Craft an everything is still growing spring design to celebrate... what we love!
Float a swirling vine nest in a small vase to help keep your flowers in place
10 February 2021
Float a swirling vine nest in a small vase to help keep your flowers in place

Turn a flower vase into a bud vase by floating a smaller container inside the larger one.
Trapped Bubble Double Shallow Vase Design
20 January 2021
Trapped Bubble Double Shallow Vase Design

Trap air between two vases to create a third circle... and frame for a small feather hint to a hopeful Spring
Curve a feather
20 January 2021
Curve a feather

A small adjustment to the shape of the feather creates a more whimsical look.
Weave a grass Platform for an opening Tulip bud
26 February 2020
Weave a grass Platform for an opening Tulip bud

Tulips continue to grow as they open. This means you not only have to be mindful of their proportions as they are now... but also as they will be once open.
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
Lily grass spiral in a vase
22 June 2016
Lily grass spiral in a vase

Twist lily grass slightly to create a spiral for the orchids to nestle in
Related Designs
A Buzzin’
23 April 2025
A Buzzin’

Just like a buzzing bee... give a mature Tulip a Phalaenopsis orchid buddy to keep it company.
Spoiler Alert: It’s You
14 February 2024
Spoiler Alert: It’s You

A birch bark heart for Valentine's Day
Why When
1 February 2023
Why When

An old tulip trick in a new way to keep the flowers fanned out
Found it!
1 June 2022
Found it!

A very secure thorn branch armature to hold overgrown Tulips in place
Hop on… it’s Easter!
13 April 2022
Hop on… it’s Easter!

A cheery Easter basket for a new beginning
Chockablock!
23 March 2022
Chockablock!

Luxuriously filled design... filled with flowers... filled with grass. But most fun, for us as designers filled with hidden techniques
To two too!
24 March 2021
To two too!

A Spring Tulip celebration design... with a special message
My valenVine
10 February 2021
My valenVine

An... everything is moving... design. The tulips are growing and the small vine filled vase is bopping around in the water. And if you lean them against each other just right it grows and bobs in place!
Hope Bubble
20 January 2021
Hope Bubble

That good old double vase trick... but this time I deliberately added a bubble between the two layers to create a third circle in the design.
To top it all off
26 February 2020
To top it all off

This is a great "space-keeper" design. The tulip will continue to grow into the vase height as they open... but until then the grass platform part of the design diverts your attention to fix any issues you might experience with the proportions right now.
Meraki
19 July 2017
Meraki

A grass armature for one perfect slipper orchid
Perfection
22 June 2016
Perfection

Spiral grass to create a nest for the lady slipper orchids
Favourite Flowers
Tulipa
Tulipa

Plaited tulips in my I’ve got my head in the clouds design.