On my online workbook this week: ‘Twas and still is mastery, originality and personal creativity that really elevates our floral designs to an artform, not just decorations

Dear

My inspiration for this week is leaving space to pause between the celebrations to reflect.

My design note for you is to consider the mechanics of your design from early on. If you know a design will be suspended, design in a solid frame from the very first twig. You want the mechanics to always appear to be more magic than effort.

In this design I knew I wanted to create a “candle through a window” look reflected in the glass-backdrop container and I will glue my twig star to this low container, upright. So I will have to make sure the armature fits over the container so that I can get the spacing just right.

For this design I used a paper star shape as a guide. But instead of merely drawing the shape and using that as a template I made the star from strips of cardboard paper. This way I can pick up the star by the robust paper guide as I build up the twig shape to turn and fit it and measure it over my glass container. Every now and again check to see where to position the more robust twigs that will be glued to suspend the armature on the glass container. But pick it up by the cardboard not the twigs. And remember those twigs that will carry the weight needs to be secured in three places to other twigs when building the armature. Make sure the twigs are glued to other twigs and not to the cardboard and not to the glass container. This way you get a really secure armature that can be handled without it falling apart. Only once the armature is secure should you lift it up, position it on the glass container and secure it in place.

You want the armature to be really robust… but still look impossibly delicate.

Enjoy! And have a wonderful New Years celebration… cheers to a fun and flower filled 2026!

Every good wish,

Christine