When the pretty eyeballs you back!

Skeleton eyeball blossoms

Hydrangea skeleton blossoms with Eucalyptus eyeballs

Willow Paddle

Weave willow between the fork in a twig to create a paddle like armature

Skeleton Hydrangeas

Make skeleton petals from hydrangeas to create blossoms

Skeleton Hydrangea Petal Blossoms

Use the skeleton petals of hydrangeas to create blossoms

Skeleton Leaves

Remove the pulp from leaves so that only the vain framework remain

Paper flowers

You can use any type of paper to make flowers. I use tissue paper, Crêpe paper, cardboard, newsprint and coffee filters (new and used) to make sweet peas, carnations, paper roses, blossoms, lilies, poppies and orchids.

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.

Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.

Wire Tendrils

Curl the wire at irregular intervals to create a natural wire tendril similar to that of a passion fruit plant

Twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect

Made from dried cherry twigs and a skeleton leaf.

Skeletonize Physalis Pods

Remove the pulp from the papery pod (sepal) covering the little berry of Chinese lantern plant so that only the vain framework remain

Palm leaf Hopper-flies (grasshoppers and butterflies)

Weave grasshoppers or butterflies (or fireflies) from palm leaves

Skeleton leaf bowl

Stiffen some skeletonize leaves into a lacy fine floral bowl

Spiral rattan and skeleton leaf bee

Spiral curl and knot a rattan bee

Skeleton Leaf Flameless Candle Cocoon

Cover a balloon with skeleton leaves to create a cocoon

Weaving Willow spheres

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

Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

Willow Heart Wand

Willow Parasol

Weave willow stems into a decorative parasol

Hanging Willow Nest

Bend and weave a nest shape from fresh willow stems

Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

Spin a spiderweb around skeletons scaling up still sprawling severed nasturtium stems

Create a glass stack for growing nasturtium foliage for a long lasting Halloween display.

Turning a pumpkin to hover for a sway in the lightest autumn breeze display

A pretty pumpkin deserves some fancy mechanics to create an impossibly ethereal display.

Canna seed “pumpkins" nestled on a bed of cafe au lait dahlias

Lovely canna seedpods that blush just slightly darker than the dusty pink in the dahlias... a perfect match!

Use dried roots from a re-potted Monstera to create a root lace-wreath

Every repotting season I struggle with what to do with my overgrown Monstera plant. It absolutely loves hanging out in my design room... so... let's design, Monstera!

Making light of a heavy, heavy pumpkin in double low containers for a zero waste kitchen pumpkin display… a few days before Thanksgiving

A great way to show off your Thanksgiving pumpkin before cooking it… keeping the pumpkin well above and out of the water so that it will not rot and you can easily remove it from the design when you are ready.

A green plaited willow way-over for small flower details

Here it is: the first of my first autumn harvest of willow from my willow coppice I am growing in my balcony garden. It is working spectacularly well!

A secret and so pretty stay open support for a growing willow birdcage

Grow your own willow birdcage in a small pot to display Spring flowers in.

Suspend delicate stemmed orchids in a Willow Infinity Weave Flower Frog

Create a little grid that fits the stems exactly to position them above and below water in a large container.

U shape stems to anchor Fuchsia drops and Maple leaf Falls in a bud vase

Bend pliable stems to kick against the side to anchor design details exactly in place in a small vase.

Quick and Easy… Add just enough design to a tuft of bunny tail grass to hint at the autumn fun to come

Stand a tuft of bunny tail grass in a small amount of water to dry... and then add a little something that turns it into a little something more.

Willow and Vine tiny stem Gathering Basket

Tiny stems are often also delicate stems... place your cut flowers directly in a small glass of water. A perfect fit for this basket.

Corn-o’leaf mummy-o'lantern

Wrap and tie a fishbowl vase with corn foliage to craft a lantern for autumn... almost... Halloween.

Three drop Lantern

Attach three Physalis pods to drop down in a long lasting Fall design.

Tendril Tangle Grid

Let tendrils do what they naturally do to help keep your flowers in place.

Above and below eucalyptus curve butternut cradle

Suspend a heavy butternut over water in an early Autumn design.

Not quite a wreath, not quite a basket armature

Easy to weave design that can hold your prettiest autumn design treasures.

Crafting a stripped bark and sisal armature

Make a free standing armature with three water tubes for fresh flowers.

Pick-Up Sticks

A twig and stick design with sweet dumpling pumpkins and rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii). I also made a cherry twig and skeleton leaf Stick Insect

Grown Glamour

Delicate cherry twig, rosary vine and oncidium orchid enchanted forest masquerade masque.

Turning of the leaves

An Autumn Equinox design that captures the moment before the spectacular colour burst of autumn floats around again

Bent

Weave a wreath from sweetpea stems and tendrils

collywobbles!

Fold foliage butterflies

The Thing Is

Use a glue mixture to shape skeleton leaves into a lacy bowl

Watching that lazy town bee

Spiral curl tiny bees to zoom around fragrant peonies

Hide-and-go-peek

Create a soft light by making a leaf cocoon for a flameless candle

Love Spell

Weave willow to create a heart shaped wand design

Creative Expectations

My article and a floral parasol design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

Practice

Weave a willow bird nest

Three Drops of Floral Chocolate

The design drips down in three tiers each celebrating life, love and connection.

Scale up some Halloween chuckles

Playing around with a few growing nasturtium stems for a dramatic Halloween display.

And just like that, it is The Pumpkin’s Turn

An impossibly minimal autumn display that sways in the slightest breeze... as if by magic!

Canna cafe au lait dahlia be any more hold-your-breath magnificent?

A low and soft late summer display... with just a creative hint of autumn.

Just how easy peasy breezy summer lemon squishy?

How easy is it to get the juice of a lemon to hydrate a lily, that is the creative question answered by this week's design!?!

Spring Light

Wrap and weave a lace fine disk.

As light as a super thankful pumpkin

Create a almost wreath floral display that is light and airy... looking like it was just harvested.

A Stay Open

Grow a willow birdcage... with a bit of a Spring flower support to get it started.

I mean… really!?!

Using fresh twigs to bind a little twig platform to suspend the beautiful orchids from.

Drops do that!

Collecting drops of autumn that makes me smile back.

Did you see that!?!

Take a handful of grass... but then add just enough design to make it interesting.

Short Cut

A tiny carry basket to gather the shortest stems from your cutting garden... with a place for water and your cutters.

Ahead

Oh my... a corn leaf mummy head for autumn... looking ahead to Halloween styling.

Inside my world

Cut open a Chinese Lantern to show off that shiny berry inside.

Wonderful and Enough

That incredible moment when you realize that one good idea for your design really is enough...

It’s butter… nuts!

An it's not too early to decorate for Autumn, Autumn design

Center Peace

A visual breather from all the bright and festive designs to come when designing for Autumn.

Crafting

The second design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing.

Salix matsudana "Tortuosa"

I wove three willow spheres for my Floral Art design Three Drops of floral chocolate.

Hydrangea

Dried and fresh hydrangeas with sticks and bark