My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Double water source to keep Carnations hydrated in foliage cones

Roll a monstera leaf into a cone

Roll a Monstera leaf into a cone.

I have a tip for you about choosing the perfect leaf in this week's email. Make sure you are signed up to receive your once a week design specific tip the moment the design is ready. The sign up is below this post.

Secure the leaf into the cone shape with floral glue

Secure the leaf into the cone shape with floral glue.

Just my personal opinion but... a staple looks horrible! Rather glue or pin the foliage with a sharpened twig.

Hold the foliage in your hand for a few seconds for the glue to set

Hold the foliage in your hand for a few seconds for the glue to set.

Measure out the flower you want to place into the cone so that it fits perfectly

Measure out the flower you want to place into the cone so that it fits perfectly.

And slip the water filled water tube into the foliage cone

And slip the water filled water tube into the foliage cone.

It's so easy to assume all that is required is to place the stem into the water tube and it will be perfectly hydrated. But it gets complicated when you get creative. Book readers turn to page 188 for more details on how to place flower stems in water tubes.
For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman

To get you started I have also linked a Tutorial below on where to cut carnations so that they can freely take up water. See the Tutorial section below.

Place the foliage in a bud vase to hydrate

Place the foliage in a bud vase to hydrate and secure the tip to the vase.

or...

Place the flower in the cone

Place the flower in the cone...

So that the stem end is right at the tip of the foliage

So that the stem end is right at the tip of the foliage...

And place both the foliage and flower stem end in the water filled vase

And place both the foliage and flower stem end in the water filled vase.

Finish the design with some sparkling dew drop crystals

Finish the design with some sparkling dew drop crystals.

See the Tutorial below for instructions on how I place the dew drop crystals.

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.

10 July 2013 Where to cut Carnations or Pinks to condition

Cutting carnations to condition

3 February 2021 Weave a Ceropegia Woodii Vine grid to catch your flowers

Suspend flowers over a water filled container by weaving a natural grid.

23 March 2013 Rolling leaf tubes

Roll foliage to create tubes

17 March 2021 Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower

Take all the usual ingredients for a budvase design- a flower, a leafy green something and roll it into something unusual to display.

6 January 2021 Rolled leaf shelter for a lean-in-closer tiny bud vase design

Create a tiny visual tunnel to focus attention.

27 June 2018 Foliage tube armature for long stemmed freesia buds

Curl and pin a few leaves into a tube to create an armature for those "left over" freesiabuds.

11 November 2015 Balancing the curved stems of dried Autumn leaf tubes

Long stemmed autumn leave tubes as a floral armature

28 June 2017 Skewer leaf rolls to support a tiny water source for fresh flowers

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf

14 October 2015 Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog

Rolled leaves offer support for floral stems

Favourite Flowers

Dianthus

Pink, Carnation, Clove Pink, Chinese Pink

Related Designs

30 March 2022 Cone of Gratitude

Sweet spring design to hold some buds

11 May 2022 Is this new…?

Giving old ideas a new twist to refresh it for Spring

11 January 2023 Maybe Still Maybe

... a something to look forward to design that makes you lean in closer to see what might still be.

24 April 2024 You Just Like You

Support a small bundle of spring florals to stand upright in water with two Monstera leaves.

15 May 2024 Well, well, well, if it isn’t the design solution I have been procrasti-crafting on

Beautiful Bletilla striata (Chinese Ground Orchid) deserves it's own elaborate frilly skirt display.

12 June 2024 Just about enough space

Create a little bit of space to keep a few thin stemmed floral treasures upright in your design

12 May 2021 It’s up there

Whether it’s a solid foot for floating flowers, the tips of new growth or the curve of a dried twig your design needs help to stay upright.

3 February 2021 here’s the catch

Weave an all natural net to place over a vase to keep your flowers above water.

10 July 2013 Pink

Weave an invisible grid to float the plant material on

22 May 2019 Putting your own spin on it

I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.

17 March 2021 A scoop of pretty

A tiny budvase design that rearranges basic ingredients, such as a single leaf and an orchid to create a new design concept.

6 January 2021 I tip my (flower) cap!

An enclosed design that invites the onlooker to lean in closer to explore the pretty orchid.

27 June 2018 Look deep

Curl foliage to use as a natural armature for delicate buds.

11 November 2015 Balancing Act

Bend dried fall leaves to balance on the edge of a glass container

28 June 2017 Somewhere in the Middle

Skewer Dracaena leaves into a roll that supports a tiny water source for the Oncidium orchids

14 October 2015 What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright