My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Wonder

"If you

see the

wonder

of

a

fairy tale

Lyrics of the song “I have a dream” by ABBA December 1979

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Tutorials
Bundle Support
4 July 2018
Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.
Stem line-up
21 February 2018
Stem line-up

Line up stems to create a base for the heavy Hanging Heliconia stems
Rethinking the traditional Komiwara technique
7 May 2014
Rethinking the traditional Komiwara technique

Komiwara is a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Spiral twig frog
22 May 2012
Spiral twig frog

Multiple tiny twigs create a flower frog to keep the delicate buds and leaves in the exact spot you want.
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets
2 August 2017
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Bamboo frog for a shallow container design
10 August 2016
Bamboo frog for a shallow container design

Cut short bamboo lengths to keep your flower material upright in a shallow and narrow container
Whittle a stumpy stopper to peg precious tiny floral details in place
30 April 2025
Whittle a stumpy stopper to peg precious tiny floral details in place

An easy way to create a design using only a few bits of plant material that can be maintained... effortlessly.
Bring out the pretty spots on the lip of this tiny orchid with a dotted twig stump armature
22 January 2025
Bring out the pretty spots on the lip of this tiny orchid with a dotted twig stump armature

Create a delicate floating and natural display without using floral foam with a twig frog armature.
Slip-slit tapped in stems to keep vines upright in a muted autumn display
25 September 2024
Slip-slit tapped in stems to keep vines upright in a muted autumn display

A tiny adjustment in a stem wedged into a vase mechanic to give you even more control over the placement of design details.
Use Firethorn spears for a Vine and Orchid twist support
17 July 2024
Use Firethorn spears for a Vine and Orchid twist support

Sharp thorns can be used to keep your floral details in place
Traditional book folding craft technique turned into an armature… with a me twist
13 September 2023
Traditional book folding craft technique turned into an armature… with a me twist

Fold a book into a floral armature... with tricks there to keep the floral material hydrated and suspended.
New growth Spring frog
26 April 2023
New growth Spring frog

Willow cutting left in water will root and sprout... perfect for a all natural flower frog to admire as is or to keep long stem flowers upright.
A knot and a lean and hand full of snippets in a bud vase
22 February 2023
A knot and a lean and hand full of snippets in a bud vase

Using all parts of a small bunch of iris flowers to craft a unique display.
Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design
6 April 2022
Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design

Adding design details to create tiny gaps for more design details.
Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower
17 March 2021
Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower

Take all the usual ingredients for a budvase design- a flower, a leafy green something and roll it into something unusual to display.
Controlled breaking a thin reed to create a grass spiral armature
17 February 2021
Controlled breaking a thin reed to create a grass spiral armature

Carefully break... but don't snap a reed to create a curved base for a fanned out grass armature.
Adding tendrils to an already fluffy papyrus puff ambel
8 July 2020
Adding tendrils to an already fluffy papyrus puff ambel

There's no need for a quick and easy summer design to be boring... look closer!
Over and under weave floral panel armature for inside a vase
15 January 2020
Over and under weave floral panel armature for inside a vase

Weave a small panel that fits snugly in a container for a minimal, foam free design that is quick to make but looks spectacular.
Gently peel leaves from the stalk to create a twisted stem end
22 May 2019
Gently peel leaves from the stalk to create a twisted stem end

Roll leaves to create a stopper to keep flowers in place in a bud vase
Related Designs
Impossible things
21 February 2018
Impossible things

A cut stem flower frog for the heavy Hanging Heliconia flowers
Serendipity
7 May 2014
Serendipity

Be inspired by traditional Ikebana techniques
Lean
22 May 2012
Lean

Place short twigs, leaning to one side to create a flower frog
Grace
2 August 2017
Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own
Saved up
10 August 2016
Saved up

Cut lengths of bamboo to place in a shallow container as a flower frog
Sprout
27 April 2016
Sprout

A sneaky way to condition new growth to add into your Spring design
Spring Dreaming
18 March 2015
Spring Dreaming

A bowl full of miniature Chrysanthemums
Of should and must
30 April 2025
Of should and must

Display tiny design details in a budvase by crafting a stopper-frog.
Spot on!
22 January 2025
Spot on!

Connect the dots with round willow cuts and the spotted lip of the tiniest mini miniature Phalaenopsis orchids
Toning down the summer up into the earliest autumn
25 September 2024
Toning down the summer up into the earliest autumn

Using summery floral details in a way that it gives you all the autumn feelings... when autumn details are not yet out.
Refresh-ing
17 July 2024
Refresh-ing

A tall vase for a short orchid stem summer design
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking
5 June 2024
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking

Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design
I am a fan!
13 September 2023
I am a fan!

Giving my book a super fan make-over.
Oh So Me
26 April 2023
Oh So Me

Snip and grow willow to create a Spring new growth support for your tall flower stems.
Gaps between those in-between Spring days
6 April 2022
Gaps between those in-between Spring days

Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.
A scoop of pretty
17 March 2021
A scoop of pretty

A tiny budvase design that rearranges basic ingredients, such as a single leaf and an orchid to create a new design concept.
From here in out
17 February 2021
From here in out

An all natural, zero waste design using only plant material.
Super Cute!
8 July 2020
Super Cute!

A simple placement of bud vases... with the tiniest of lemon coloured twist that makes them unusual.
This way we connect
15 January 2020
This way we connect

Weave a connected panel to frame a single orchid.
Putting your own spin on it
22 May 2019
Putting your own spin on it

I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design