My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm

I used a mini farm kit from Back To The Roots to grow my Pearl Oyster mushrooms.

Quite simply and conveniently you:

Remove the cardboard front

Remove the cardboard front

Cut a cross in the plastic scraping the surface of the mycelium as you go

Cut a cross in the plastic, scraping the surface of the mycelium ( or white stuff) as you go

Remove the block from the cardboard and soak it in water

Remove the block from the cardboard and soak it in water

In just two weeks the small pinheads appear

In just two weeks the small pinheads appear. Keep the mushrooms hydrated

The Pearl Oyster Mushrooms double in size every day.

The Pearl Oyster Mushrooms double in size every day.

For the pod:

Soak bark in warm water

Soak bark in warm water

Start to shape the frame of the pod with sturdy wire.

Start to shape the frame of the pod with sturdy wire.

I shaped six wires to frame the pod

I shaped six wires to frame the pod

Bundle up the wires

Bundle up the wires

Twist the bottom ends together

Twist the bottom ends together

Twist the top ends together

Twist the top ends together

Curve the top wire to gibve it a hook

Curve the top wire to give it a hook

Shape the middle part of the wire so that the kit box fit snugly

Shape the middle part of the wire so that the kit box fit snugly

Thin wood glue with warm water

Thin wood glue with warm water

Soak some ripped up brown paper in the glue

Soak some ripped up brown paper in the glue

For a more detailed look at Papier Mache there is a Tutorial below

Cover the frame with glue soaked paper

Cover the frame with glue soaked paper...

Following the wire shape

... following the wire shape...

And smoothing the paste down as you go along

... aqnd smoothing the paste down as you go along

Add a second layer to cover the wire inside the frame

Add a second layer to cover the wire inside the frame

Hang the paper pod shape to dry

Hang the paper pod shape to dry

Smooth down the paper to make sure it dries flat.

Smooth down the paper to make sure it dries flat.

Fit the kit into the pod

Fit the kit into the pod

Cover the box and the paper with ripped pieces of bark

Cover the box and the paper with ripped pieces of bark

Carefully placing the bark close to the mushrooms

Carefully placing the bark close to the mushrooms

Adding smaller pieces to the sides

Adding smaller pieces to just below the mushrooms

And larger stripe to wrap all the way around.

And larger stripe to wrap all the way around.

To cover the back of the pod

To cover the back of the pod

Wrap the hook part of the pod with thinner strips

Wrap the hook part of the pod with thinner strips

Do not cover the growth medium

Do not cover the growth medium. The mushrooms need to remain hydrated. Glue in bits of moss that will soak up the water and cover the packaging of the kit so that the design looks natural

 Spray the mushrooms daily with water to keep it hydrated.

Spray the mushrooms daily with water to keep it hydrated.

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Tutorials

2 June 2011 Papier Mache

I save all the thin tissue paper or un-printed newsprint papers that are wrapped around the flowers that are delivered to me to make batches of Papier Mache with. These sheets...

21 December 2016 Bark Christmas Stocking

Cover a wire frame to create a Christmas stocking armature

31 March 2011 Bark covered Wreath

Keep in mind that in order to make a realistic looking fantasy design element, such as the wreath, you must focus on how this item would grow in nature.

10 July 2012 Bark covered heart

Cover cardboard with bark to create a heart shaped log

22 January 2013 Bark Veneer Cardboard Cake stands

A quick and easy way to make a cardboard cake stand

17 September 2014 Bark Bowl

Glue bark onto a bowl to create a dome shape

15 March 2012 Paper log stack

I made this log stack from cardboard covered with bark

Related Designs

19 August 2015 Growth Medium

Design a bark and moss pod for a mushroom mini farm

14 December 2016 A Candy(cane) Cotton Christmas

A floral cotton candy cane

28 December 2016 A Jingle Cotton Christmas

Cover a wreath frame with bark and cotton for a textured Christmas wreath design

11 January 2017 As special as an almost never find

Sometimes you find such a beautiful plant that you just can't bring yourself to cut it. This design explores using the entire plant, pot and all, in a design

15 March 2017 Wedding Welcome

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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.

15 July 2020 Pass it on

A cascade of orchids growing over a slice of wood. Easy to design... and even easier to maintain!

18 November 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Yule log

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box Yule log… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being...

22 September 2021 Kinda Corny

Crafting with corn to make... well... corn, really.

10 November 2021 … any day now

Using dried floral material is so trendy right now. But the longer lasting the design elements the more effort you have to put in to stop it from looking lifeless.

9 November 2022 All Pumpkind Out

A physalis husk pumpkin to celebrate the last bright rays of Autumn.

25 January 2023 Even More

This orchid developed at the very end of a long stem... right as the rest of the flowers started to die back so I made a special armature to display the cut stem.

11 October 2023 Plenty Glow to Harvest

Glow and sparkle bark armature to celebrate the first signs of Autumn

29 November 2023 Fall into Christmas

Want to make your Christmas greenery last... this is perfect!

10 January 2024 Snow Glitters and Mossy Glimmers

A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger... a little uplift. For this design I am lifting up my happiness by starting a tiny mossarium... but enjoying it as a design while it is in...

17 January 2024 Wave Wrap

Roll birch bark into a double spiral to cradle some perfect flowers to admire all winter.

13 March 2024 In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.

19 June 2024 Do you know what the point is?

A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas

3 April 2011 Bark Wreath

I needed the wreath to be as light as possible to make sure it would "dance in the rain" on the flexible metal stand.