My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Cover a headband with a whole lot of little floral details for a contemporary fascinator

Fit a headband to use as your fascinator base

Fit a headband to use as your fascinator base.

This is such an important part of the design. Get this bit right and everything is just floral fun after that. You can make your own headband. I have a few ideas linked below in the Tutorials on how to do that. Or you can purchase a headband. Word of warning though: buy quality. I know it is tempting to buy a simple plastic headband and be done with it but you really should take care. Cheap can be really expensive! You don't want the headband to break midway of designing or even be uncomfortable to wear.

Cover the headband with florist tape

Cover the headband with florist tape. This protects the ribbon on the headband making it convenient for the recipient to use again rather than trash it but also it gives the floral material a sturdy base to adhere to. Glue loves floral tape.

Be mindful of your design when covering the headband

Be mindful of your design when covering the headband. You will have to conceal the tape with floral details so only cover what is needed. Also the ribbon is more comfortable at the ends of the headband to wear so leave that open.

Scrunch up some wire to craft the lacy base

Scrunch up some wire to craft the lacy base...

Hook and weave the wire to create a pretty tangle

Hook and weave the wire to create a pretty tangle.

Add in more wire tangles and stich then together with wire to craft a flat base

Add in more wire tangles and stich then together with wire to craft a flat base.

Make sure to leave a generous wire end untangled

Make sure to leave a generous wire end untangled so that...

You can twirl the wires into tendrils

You can twirl the wires into tendrils that will not poke the person who is wearing the fascinator.

See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how to curl wire tendrils.

Shape the base according to your design specifications

Shape the base according to your design specifications. I made a tear-drop to mimic the calla lily shape for my design.

Fit the wire base over the headband

Fit the wire base over the headband.

Secure the wire base to the headband with florist tape

Secure the wire base to the headband with florist tape.

I use a cuticle pusher to help me guide the tape through the small gaps between the wires

Design note: I use a cuticle pusher to help me guide the tape through the small gaps between the wires.

So that you have a neat and secure base to glue the floral details to

So that you have a neat and secure base to glue the floral details to.

Inspect the wire base and curl any exposed wire ends in on themselves

Inspect the wire base and curl any exposed wire ends in on themselves.

The fascinator headband and base are now ready to design with

The fascinator headband and base are now ready to design with.

This week in our notification email I tell you a bit more about the preparation work that I did to make my calla lilies look perfect for as long as possible in this kind of design. You might even have a tip for me... please share! I send out only this one email... every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) and if you are not yet receiving yours the you can sign up for the email below this post.

Gather and style the calla lilies

Gather and style the calla lilies to place over the wire base.

Tape the lilies into the position you want

Tape the lilies into the position you want with florist tape...

And tape that to the headband

And tape that to the headband.

The calla lilies are ready and all dressed up with their sealed and air taped stem ends

The calla lilies are secure and all dressed up with their sealed and air taped stem ends. Time to design the base...

For the base I am using a collection of succulents

For the base I am using a collection of succulents...

Book readers turn to page 104 where I show you how to groom and prepare succulents that you glue to a design. For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman
but to get you started you can also find a Tutorial for adding succulents below this post.

And some blueberries that are not quite ripe yet

And some rather pretty blueberries that are not quite ripe yet... all growing in my balcony garden.

Glue the succulents to the florist taped covered wire base and headband

Glue the succulents to the florist taped covered wire base and headband.

Fill in the gaps with blueberries

Fill in the gaps with blueberries.

Make sure each and every floral detail you add is secure

Make sure each and every floral detail you add is secure. Press the tiniest of stems firmly down to secure it to the floral tape in the base.

Work on the front view and the back to make it look pretty all round

Work on the front view and the back to make it look pretty all round...

Add in a few longer stems to prevent the tiny details from looking flat and plastered into the design

Add in a few longer stems to prevent the tiny details from looking flat and plastered into the design.

The lighter the plant material the longer the stem

As a general rule: the lighter the plant material the longer the stem. To secure heavy berries and succulents cut away the entire stem and glue the surface flat to the base. Anything light and tiny (like the unpollinated berry receptacle) can be slipped between the larger plant material to hover above it. Just make sure it is secure. You don't want anything flopping about.

Use a tweezer to cover the base below the calla lilies stems to finish it off perfectly

Use a tweezer to get into the tiny gaps and cover the base below the calla lilies stems to finish it off perfectly.

Add in a few longer clematis stems to finish the design

Add in a few longer clematis receptacles on longer stems to hover far above the fascinator design.

And dress the fascinator with a few rows of dew drop crystals

And dress the fascinator with a few rows of dew drop crystals on the calla lilies...

See the Tutorial below for more details on how I add the crystals to make sure the flowers are not bruised or damaged.

And finally a few more crystals on the sealed and air taped stem ends

And finally a few more crystals on the sealed and air taped stem ends

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

8 July 2015 Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.

5 March 2014 Harvesting succulents

Severing the rosette to design with

26 July 2011 Create a flat base to glue small florets securely

Make a small loop the size of your ring to create a flat surface to glue your tiny plant material on.

26 July 2011 Wire Tendrils

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

5 March 2014 Using floral glue to secure succulents

Easy and fast way to include succulents in designs

15 April 2011 Decorate the wrist corsage

Glue rosette shaped succulents onto the wrist corsage

21 February 2024 Get a head start with a long lasting shallow vine basket and succulent table top Spring display

Long, long, long lasting display that will even root in place with a few adjustments.

5 March 2014 Wire headband for a floral tiara

Cut and bend flat wire (or any other wire you choose) into a “U” shape to follow the shape of your head. Similar to an Alice band

29 November 2011 Messy wire lace

I call this “lace” because I use pins to guide the wire sections together- almost like you do when making lace.

6 January 2016 Moss Colombina inspired mask

Cover a mask shape with moss and succulents for a long wearing mask

5 May 2011 Wire Tiara

Bend and wrap the Tiara out of wire.

10 January 2018 Long lasting flower wand

Create a long lasting wand with Kalachoe.

17 May 2017 A Dandelion Seed Puff that stays just so

Use a thin wire to puff out dandelion seeds to look like it spilled from a basket

30 August 2011 Curving Calla Lilies

Follow the flower's natural curve but you can also curve only sections to create an elegant crescent or a curve at the tip of the stem

13 March 2011 Wire and bend Equisetum

Create lasting shapes by wiring Equisetum

12 September 2012 Wrap a gift test tube with ribbon

Use this technique to gift ribbon wrap a single stem or cover the stems of a bouquet with ribbon

Favourite Flowers

Zantedeschia

Calla Lily, Arum Lily

Related Designs

29 May 2024 Fascinating!

Trendy fascinator design using long lasting (read can be designed ahead of time) floral details.

16 October 2024 And there you glow

A glowing autumn display of vases to scatter around every here and there.

26 July 2011 Echeveria ring

Succulents are really trendy right now. Not just as potted plants but also in designs. All the way from floral accessory to fashion accessory- right on trend!

16 November 2011 Winter formal

The elongated heart shape Echeveria waist corsage is meant to be worn low around the hip as a trailing ribbon clasp.

24 April 2011 The plastic inside of a roll of Florist tape becomes a Wrist Corsage

Up-cycle the inner plastic ring from a roll of floral tape to make a wrist corsage. This design was also featured in the Italian floral design magazine Blossom Zine

5 August 2015 Wear it Well

Wrap a ribbon around an up-cycled plastic ring for the most comfortable wrist corsage

23 October 2012 Everlasting

Design Inspiration Video: Take a few twigs, snippets of air plants and succulents and combine both traditional wire and tape techniques with more contemporary methods to embed a...

21 February 2024 I'll Go First

My Spring/Easter design and the introduction article about my floral journey written by the editor, Nina Tucknott in the latest issue of Flora Magazine.

5 March 2014 From Something Old, Something New

My article and succulent floral crown design featured in the spring issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

6 January 2016 Hey there

Moss and succulents cover a mask shape to create a woodland inspired mask

31 July 2012 Grown Glamour

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

20 September 2017 You Wear It Well

My article and body flowers design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

10 January 2018 Let some magic find you

My article and floral wand design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

17 May 2017 Nobody move!

Weave a small basket with a lid to keep fluffy treasures in

14 April 2011 In the Bag

My bag was woven from re-purposed wire and recycled fishing line and tiny stems of growing sweet pea plants and orchids