My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Well, I'll be

Well, I’ll be floral art design

Tiptoe through the window

Tulip and willow

By the window, that is where I'll be

Manipulate willow twigs

Come tiptoe through the tulips with me

Yellow tulip

Oh, tiptoe from the garden

Sprouting willow armature

By the garden of the willow tree

Willow and tulip spring design

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

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

Tutorials

27 January 2016 Sprouting willow armature

Carefully manipulate and bend green willow stems to place in water to sprout as an armature for tulips to mature and open

21 March 2012 Where to cut Tulips to condition

Here is a trick to make sure your tulips will condition thoroughly

11 February 2015 Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

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...

28 January 2015 Well Rooted Sprouting Willow Weave

Weave a sprouting armature

1 April 2015 Hana-kubari Bamboo

Hana-Kubari is an Ikebana flower mechanic. Only natural materials such as pebbles, sticks and branches can be seen to support the flowers. Traditionally no twine or wire, nails,...

11 February 2015 Willow Heart Wand

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...

3 March 2011 Reflex Tulip Petals

Tulip petals can be opened or reflexed to create a fuller bloom

Favourite Flowers

Tulipa

Tulip

Salix matsudana "Tortuosa"

Curly Willow, Chinese Willow, Tortured Willow, Globe Willow, Dragon's Claw, Hankow Willow

Related Designs

20 April 2016 That Will Be

Freestanding willow twig armature design

10 August 2016 Saved up

Cut lengths of bamboo to place in a shallow container as a flower frog

22 February 2017 Perfect!

Tulips are so perfect just as they are all that is needed is to simply drape their graceful leaves around the flowers

26 April 2017 In no time at all

Hana-Kubari twig armature

3 January 2018 Happy Coincidence!

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny vase for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little...

17 January 2018 Flowering Between a Rock and a Hard place

Create a subtle contrast by floating or anchoring some of your design elements.

4 April 2018 Grow on it

Wedge twigs into a vase to create a grid.

9 May 2018 What is the meaning of this?

Create a minimal design with a few leaves to keep is all upright.

16 May 2018 It goes like this...

Gently curve plant material.

14 November 2018 For just this moment… let’s take a break

Simplicity to showcase the perfection of the Lisianthus buds

26 August 2020 It starts with WHY

Add design elements that serves a purpose for a minimal summer inspired floral design.

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.

24 March 2021 To two too!

A Spring Tulip celebration design... with a special message

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.

19 January 2022 Thaw

It's Tulip Season! Perfect for that "it's still winter ... but is that something green I see...?" mood designs.

23 February 2022 Plan Together

Leaning Muscari flowers in a snow covered twig armature.

1 June 2022 Found it!

A very secure thorn branch armature to hold overgrown Tulips in place

5 July 2023 The Wiggle Is Part Of The Plan

A easy going summer design that makes full use of the imperfections you harvest from your cut garden.

9 August 2023 Look at me… doing math!

Adding our own "bit" to our floral design work.

13 April 2011 Harnessing the Wind

28 January 2015 In a State of Flow

weave some willow to use as an armature

11 February 2015 Love Spell

Weave willow to create a heart shaped wand design

28 February 2012 Design-time saving tip sheet for a demanding Mother’s Day

Time Saving Tips and Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine

1 February 2012 Steeling yourself against stealing creativity

I wrote this article for Wedding Business Success (an online meeting place for the wedding industry) exploring a positive way of looking at creativity and... stealing!

1 March 2011 FLOAT

Reflex Tulip and Passion Fruit Tendrils in a wax disk

19 June 2012 Designing a Feeling

The emotions your designs inspire give real meaning to your work. My article in the Canadian Florist Magazine

24 April 2013 Hanging Space

Suspend small bud vases with Macramé-like knotted wool. This design is featured on The Fusion Flowers Magazine... Fusion Links page.

30 April 2014 Scattered

Scatter some dried grass to make a floral armature

3 February 2011 I've got my head in the clouds

Wax and Rainbow Oasis keep the flower heads in place.

8 March 2011 ANTI-BACTERIAL

Waxed fruit and a Hot Glue nest