Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Creating a perfectly flat leafy surface... with a few gaps to fit some flowers
- 3 July 2024
- click to send Christine a smile
Prepare a flat display tray by filling it with water. You can also mix in a bit of flower food to keep the design looking fresh for longer.
Cut the stem of the monstera leaf short
I am also adjusting the stem slightly so that it stands securely in the flat container. I show you how in our email this week. Every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) I send out an email to let subscribers know that the design is ready for them to view... with a small tip that turns the email into a flower design lesson. The sign up is below this post if you want to join.
Set the beautiful Schizanthus pinnatus or poor man’s orchid floral stems to rest on the flowers with their stems through the gaps (fenestrations) in the leaves.
Book readers... for more inspiration turn to page 318 (this one, I must admit, is one of my all time favourite designs that I arranged for the book) using the leaf gap for floral support.
For more information about my book:
The Effortless Floral Craftsman
Slip the flower spike into the gap at an angle to make sure the flowers are framed in the gap and the cut stems are deep below in the water to remain hydrated.
Drape a few rosary vine stems over the design.
To softly settle on and around the delicate flowers.
Glue in a few heart shaped Ceropegia woodii leaves. The vine is a succulent and will not need additional hydration.
Design note: the tiny details placed on the leaf turn the leaf into a platform or backdrop rather than a separate design element. You will need a few more tiny details scattered about so that the design feels tied together rather than two separate design ideas.
Use a pin to place a few sparkling dew drop crystals on the design details.
See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how... and why I use a pin to place the crystals.
And finish the design with a few passion fruit tendrils to drape over the design...
to emphasize the gaps so that it looks like it might have grown that way.
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Tutorials
It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Glue short sections of rosary vine into the natural gaps in the Monstera deliciosa leaf
Capture a bit of winter magic by placing delicate flower buds in the middle of two large leaves.
Create a shallow puddle in a larger container to keep your flowers in place.
Slip a leaf into the gap between two glass containers to keep it upright... and add a plastic lining to support the flowers nestled into it.
Fold and glue a Monstera deliciosa (delicious monster) leaf
A small bundle of Spring floral treasures framed with lush monstera foliage.
Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.
Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Curl and pin a few leaves into a tube to create an armature for those "left over" freesiabuds.
Keep flowers neatly in a shallow container
Play up contrasts to allow near black flowers to shine.
Favourite Flowers
Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts
Related Designs
Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker, from Flower Factor invited me to participate in a FloraHolland initiative promoting the versatility of Freesias entitled ...
Freestyle Freesia design video for Flower Factor
Criss-cross corset style connect the gaps in a Monstera deliciosa leaf
... a something to look forward to design that makes you lean in closer to see what might still be.
Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.
Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright
Support a small bundle of spring florals to stand upright in water with two Monstera leaves.
