Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
A flower, flower frog to keep your design details perfectly put
- 19 May 2021
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Place a small bowl container on your working surface.
Cut the chrysanthemum stem short enough to nestle into the bowl.
As usual there is a trick to the placement of the flower so that you can place the rest of the design elements to remain upright in the petals without any other support below the water line. I have explained how in detail in our email for this week. Make sure you are signed up to receive your once a week email with a design specific tip. The button is below the post.
Slip the fern between the petals.
And use a cuticle pusher to rearrange the petals to uplift and support the fern in the exact position you want it
Design note: A cuticle pusher is so handy to have around! I also use mine when I weave with foliage. You can read more about it on page 19 of my book.
For more information about my book:
The Effortless Floral Craftsman
Insert a few tendrils and guide them with the cuticle pusher to twirl around the petals.
For more detailed instructions on how to create wire tendrils see the Tutorial below.
Add an entire shower of dew drop crystals to settle underneath the fern shadow.
See the Tutorial below for more details on how... and why... I use a pin to glue the dew drop crystals on the delicate surface of the flower.
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Tutorials
It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Curl the wire at irregular intervals to create a natural wire tendril similar to that of a passion fruit plant
Tape a grid over a vase to keep the floral details in place
Build up a design in a shallow container by stacking it by threading the plant material into the teeth of a pin cushion in three levels.
A hidden water source small enough to fit into a dainty flower.
Pick away petals from a lily to create space for delicate vines to really shine.
Knit a corona (as in that inside skirt like part of a daffodil) by weaving a Ceropegia woodii vine around the stamen filament of a lily.
Split (but don't cut) a few gladiolus flowers to spiral in a vase
Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.
Twist lily grass slightly to create a spiral for the orchids to nestle in
Komiwara is a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Favourite Flowers
Chrysanthemum or "mums"
Related Designs
Use the petals of your flower to cleverly keep all the other floral details of your design firmly in place.
An early Spring design with a twist on using an old favourite: composite flowers.
Cut stems of Gladiolus to place in a radiating summer design.
Filling a trumpet flower cup... with more flowers!
Fold open a lily bud to conceal a clever little BoutStix floral magnet for an unusual corsage.
Split and spiral a few gladiolus flowers in a way that the stems remain intact, to spiral in a water filled filled vase for a long lasting composite flower
