My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

What goes around

Most of all… that it should be fun.

… it should be fun and it should be gratifying and entertaining and meaningful.

It should keep you curious.

You should be designing with flowers in a way that amazes you.

Not so different from any other “shoulds” in any other creative pursuit, come to think of it.

… and then you take all those "shoulds" and add what you have learned about craftsmanship…

… and it all comes around .

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Tutorials
Kenzan peg bark curls into a hollow and bottomless log vase
11 November 2020
Kenzan peg bark curls into a hollow and bottomless log vase

Craft a bottomless vase out of bark so that the floral stem is supported but can still stand in water to remain hydrated.
Securing a kenzan
7 January 2015
Securing a kenzan

Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.
Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening
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 breaking it.
Kenzan foliage cover-up
24 August 2018
Kenzan foliage cover-up

Cover your kenzan by wrapping it in a leaf.
Vein Veil For Freesias
22 August 2018
Vein Veil For Freesias

Cut a slight veil to frame your flowers with
Muted Side Up Autumn Leaf Pod
18 October 2017
Muted Side Up Autumn Leaf Pod

Turn the leaf so that the muted underside faces outward to create a more understated Autumn colour scheme .
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
Autumn Leaf Rosette
11 November 2012
Autumn Leaf Rosette

Great way to use all the autumn leaves you collect on walks during the season. Slowly build up the leaf rosette and let the leaves dry before adding a few more.
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.
Barely there twig tabletop Christmas tree
6 December 2017
Barely there twig tabletop Christmas tree

Glue curved twig snippets to craft a delicate winter white Christmas tree
Fluffy pillow filler tree skirt
6 December 2017
Fluffy pillow filler tree skirt

The fluffy stuffing found in pillows create beautiful, water repellent tree skirts.
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
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan
6 September 2023
Peg Sunflowers and Quaking Grass in a Kenzan

An old trick... but still a great one to support thin stems in the needles of a Kenzan.
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.
Related Designs
FreestyleFreesia
22 August 2018
FreestyleFreesia

Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker, from Flower Factor invited me to participate in a FloraHolland initiative promoting the versatility of Freesias entitled #FreestyleFreesia Here is the extended version of my video.
Snail Away
18 February 2015
Snail Away

Spiral roll a snail to add to this sunny design
Still
17 September 2014
Still

My bark bowl design and tutorial featured in the Centrepiece Wedding Magazine
On the inside
18 October 2017
On the inside

For a softer autumn leaf pod turn the leaves so that the bright side faces in when making the pod.
What a find!
14 October 2015
What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright
Leaves by Hundreds came
11 November 2012
Leaves by Hundreds came

A rosette of fall leaves to celebrate the beauty of autumn
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.
While I sing of beauty's treasure
6 December 2017
While I sing of beauty's treasure

Glue the most delicate twig table top Christmas tree
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
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near
6 September 2023
Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near

It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!
Grateful Heart
25 May 2022
Grateful Heart

Frame a single perfect Bleeding heart flower in a leaf dot.
Favourite Flowers
Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria

Rocking around three candle trees floral art design with berries, dendrobium orchids, alstroemeria, cymbidium orchids and lisianthus flowers