Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Creating a perfectly flat leafy surface... with a few gaps to fit some flowers
- 3 July 2024
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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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