My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections

Orchids grow in long flower spikes.

Cut the flower from the main stem just where the stems connect.

Cut the stem at an angle

This creates a neat cut without appearing like it was shortened but rather as if the flowers grew on a short stem that opened all the way to the top.

It is always best to cut an orchid so that you can condition it with a bit of the green stem but sometimes you want only a single flower from the stem.

The same holds true for foliage. Cut the side stem from the main stem just where the stems connect.

This creates a stem that is as long as possible but still looks natural

The cut becomes almost invisible without leaving a visible blunt stem.

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Tutorials
Test tube on a stick
22 April 2011
Test tube on a stick

Include a single floret (such as an orchid) or bundle a few weaker stems (such as lily of the valley) into an arrangement or hand tie by wiring a test tube to a stick.
Whittle a stumpy stopper to peg precious tiny floral details in place
30 April 2025
Whittle a stumpy stopper to peg precious tiny floral details in place

An easy way to create a design using only a few bits of plant material that can be maintained... effortlessly.
Light as air puffy grass and elegantly curved gladiolus summer display that hints at all things pumpkin
21 August 2024
Light as air puffy grass and elegantly curved gladiolus summer display that hints at all things pumpkin

Create two separate containers to minimize clutter in a light and airy floral display.
Curve fountain grass... a bit... or a lot... and how to choose grass that is straight for more height
21 August 2024
Curve fountain grass... a bit... or a lot... and how to choose grass that is straight for more height

Curving long and elegantly sweeping purple fountain grass
Figure eight willow spacer for a water tube in a double vase display
20 August 2024
Figure eight willow spacer for a water tube in a double vase display

Create a bit of a buffer to keep a water tube upright in a light and airy suspended display.
How to condition poppies... if you are designing with them in a glass container
26 June 2024
How to condition poppies... if you are designing with them in a glass container

Conditioning poppies for floral arrangements.
Tap in support for horizontal placement of your top heavy flowers
9 August 2023
Tap in support for horizontal placement of your top heavy flowers

Placing gladiolus stems horizontally so that the stems... disappear.
Wrap a vine around a tiny vase to suspend it from a balanced twig
2 September 2020
Wrap a vine around a tiny vase to suspend it from a balanced twig

Using the design elements as mechanics to secure the design elements.
Create a tighter fit with pebbles so that you can wedge a twig securely into a vase
26 August 2020
Create a tighter fit with pebbles so that you can wedge a twig securely into a vase

It all started with my twig being just too small to wedge into the glass vase tight enough to keep my orchid stem in place...
Weave a burst of overgrown wildness wreath
18 September 2019
Weave a burst of overgrown wildness wreath

This wreath is perfectly imperfect. Perfect for using those first few autumn (or preserved from last autumn) leaves.
Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them
7 August 2019
Use a drinking straw to push foliage horizontally deep into a Kenzan to leave space for stems to rest on top of them

The teeth of a Kenzan (or pin cushion) is rather sharp. Here is a pain free way of pushing down the plant material into the teeth to keep it securely in place.
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container
7 August 2019
A Three level Kenzan skewer stack to Radiate Gladiolus spikes flat in a shallow container

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.
Grass Spiral Wind Spinner
2 July 2019
Grass Spiral Wind Spinner

Thread grass into flexi grass to create a spinner that gently turns in the wind.
An almost not even there grass grid
1 May 2019
An almost not even there grass grid

... with the help of an old staple technique.
Balance a cake stand lid on it’s side to create a leaning design
24 April 2019
Balance a cake stand lid on it’s side to create a leaning design

Suspend a flower for an unusual but minimalist design over a leaning container lid.
Twig cloud mobile
10 April 2019
Twig cloud mobile

Wire a sturdy cloud shaped armature to hang a heavier water source for thirsty Wisteria flowers.
Single blade wrap armature
10 October 2018
Single blade wrap armature

Fold a single blade of grass or slender leaf around a small container to stand your flower in position
Stacked eggshell containers that won't topple over.
28 March 2018
Stacked eggshell containers that won't topple over.

Balance a stack of eggshells with a magnet for a tiny Easter design
Weave a flat top to tip at an angle with flower stems
9 August 2017
Weave a flat top to tip at an angle with flower stems

Craft a platform to highlight small flowers
Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers
28 June 2017
Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf
Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath
4 November 2015
Bleached Baby’s Breath Wreath

Glue a radiating wreath from bleached Gyp
Placing orchids in test tubes
25 August 2011
Placing orchids in test tubes

Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.
Twig cocoon
16 August 2011
Twig cocoon

Cherry twig frame for my cocoon design
Fast way to fill a lot of test tubes in awkward places
16 August 2011
Fast way to fill a lot of test tubes in awkward places

I do not believe in arranging flowers without a water source of some kind. I want my flowers to remain as beautiful for as long as possible and I often get quite creative to ensure a water source for even finer stems and blossoms.
Related Designs
And what are you supposed to be?
21 August 2024
And what are you supposed to be?

... a hint of a pumpkin late summer floral display to show off the elegant curve of a gladiolus flower stem.
Look at me… doing math!
9 August 2023
Look at me… doing math!

Adding our own "bit" to our floral design work.
Last full Moon of summer
2 September 2020
Last full Moon of summer

All natural design using the design elements as mechanics.
It starts with WHY
26 August 2020
It starts with WHY

Add design elements that serves a purpose for a minimal summer inspired floral design.
It’s a sugar rush!
18 September 2019
It’s a sugar rush!

A perfectly imperfect wild willow wreath to display the first Autumn treasures of the year.
Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!
7 August 2019
Point Out: this is a single bunch of gladiolus!

Cut stems of Gladiolus to place in a radiating summer design.
Taking a Breather
3 July 2019
Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind
Can you see the tiny hint of Sunshine on the tips of the grass?
1 May 2019
Can you see the tiny hint of Sunshine on the tips of the grass?

I left the grass to mature so that the tips mirror the sun bleached yellow of the orchids.
Put aside
24 April 2019
Put aside

Urgh… my glass cake stand broke leaving me with a still beautiful, but now mismatched and extremely inspirational lid...
Just Like Wisteria Rain
10 April 2019
Just Like Wisteria Rain

Craft a ethereal design from twigs and wisteria flowers
From A... for Acer to Z… for Zantedeschia
10 October 2018
From A... for Acer to Z… for Zantedeschia

This week we look at the design featured in the Flower Guide Chapter at the very end of my book
Walking on eggshells
28 March 2018
Walking on eggshells

Fill eggshells with moss to create an upright container... with a surprising balancing trick.
Hat tip
9 August 2017
Hat tip

Tip a mortarboard inspired top at an angle for a glass design
Somewhere in the Middle
28 June 2017
Somewhere in the Middle

Skewer Dracaena leaves into a roll that supports a tiny water source for the Oncidium orchids
Harvest Moon
26 October 2016
Harvest Moon

Fold a fine twig wreath in half to create a moon shaped armature
I found it this way: Wasp nest design
28 September 2016
I found it this way: Wasp nest design

This was the second design I did in my "I found it this way" floral art demonstration
A Point of Support
30 March 2016
A Point of Support

My contemporary floral art design demonstrated at the Canada Blooms flower show in Toronto.
Balancing Act
11 November 2015
Balancing Act

Bend dried fall leaves to balance on the edge of a glass container
Delicate
4 November 2015
Delicate

Bleached Gypsophila wreath with delicate autumn touches
Any Which Way
7 January 2015
Any Which Way

Using a traditional Ikabana Kenzan to place flowers in a shallow container
The sound of a kiss
31 December 2014
The sound of a kiss

Stack and glue twigs into a table top heart
Star of Wonder
17 December 2014
Star of Wonder

Glue pine needles into star shapes
Frightfully Pretty
29 October 2014
Frightfully Pretty

Weave a single strand Spanish Moss spider web
Jingle Belling
18 December 2013
Jingle Belling

Glue a stacked twig round-about to use as a Christmas table top wreath
Unthinkably good things
10 April 2013
Unthinkably good things

Oncidium orchids hiding in a woven grass cup. This Design Tutorial is featured on The Conna Flower and Garden Club (Ireland) website. It is part of their Floral Art Lessons program that demonstrates new techniques, ideas and principles of Flower Arranging by International Designers.
Cherry twig cocoon
16 August 2011
Cherry twig cocoon

Japanese aesthetic, wabi-sabi, acknowledges three simple truths:nothing lasts, nothing is done, and nothing is perfect.