Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Dried Bougainvillaea and pink Pepper berry Disk
- 4 September 2024
- click to send Christine a smile
I grow bougainvillaea plants in a pot at our balcony door. I grow them mostly to use as dried flowers. And by flowers I mean bracts. The small, tubular cream-yellow flower shrivels but it is the showy, vibrantly colourful petaloid bracts that I allow to drop so that they dry. I have two... one white and one this peachy-pink. The white is my favourite fresh... but unfortunately turns brown when dry but this pink one is hard to condition fresh but spectacular dry.
Anyway... dry a whole lot of the flowers over summer so that you have a generous bowl full for this design.
Trace a round shape the size of the disk you want to make on cardboard.
Cut the cardboard shape out with sturdy scissors.
Measure out the size of a battery flame candle...
So that you can trace and cut a candle sized hole into the cardboard disk.
Fit the cardboard disk and candle into a display container.
Trace out three (or as many as you want in your design) water tube shapes onto the cardboard disk.
Draw a cross through the circle.
Cut along the lines with a sharp knife.
Press the bottom of a water tube into the shape slowly to split open the cross in the cardboard.
Press the tube slowly through the cardboard but make sure not to rip it any further than the circle...
This is not only the quickest way to insert the water tube but also the most secure. The flaps that are pushed down now holds the water tube perfectly in place...
Glue the flaps down with hot glue to make sure it stays in place even after you add a whole tube full of heavy water.
For a neat finish from all angles.
Cut away the dry flower stem...
And glue the bracts to the edge of the cardboard disk
Angle the flowers slightly so that the bottom of the cardboard is not visible when viewed from the side.
Flair the flowers slightly open so that the effect is light and natural...
And glue it down without crowding the flower next to it.
Start a second row inside the edge once you are done.
Book readers turn to page 202 to see more petaling and leaf-work examples. For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman
Secure the flowers so that the bracts fall open to form cups for the rest of the floral details.
Once you have the inside circle done continue to cover the inside of the disk with bracts.
Slip bracts between into all the empty spots but keep the water tubes open.
Add in a few green chillies.
Remove the foliage from a green Amaranth stem.
Slip the amaranth stems into the water filled water tubes so that they remain hydrated.
Drape the amaranth over and around the design.
Gather the ivy leaf and vine flowers by the stems...
See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions on how to make the ivy and vine flowers.
And place all the stems into the water tubes so that they can continue to hydrate.
Vines can be tricky at times. The tendrils on the part that you want to cut is usually straight... and the pretty curly part is usually so tightly coiled that it is difficult to remove it without breaking. This week in our email lesson I share with you my trick for always having supply of perfectly coiled tendrils in my design room. I send out an email every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) to let you know the new design is ready. You will also find a bit of "insider" information so that you can learn even before you go look. The sign up is below this post for you to join in.
Fill in all the gaps with clusters of dried pink pepper berries.
For my design I filled the gaps with large and full clusters deep between the bracts...
I then went around and added a second layer of berries (this time thinned out) on longer stems to hover above all the other design details...
I added these where I normally would add my dew drop crystals... just in case you were wondering.
And a final layer to hover above that with light and airy stems and twigs without any berries.
The entire design lifts off so that you can switch the candle on and off.
And relace the disk without disturbing the design.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter
Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.
Tutorials
Wrap ivy leaves around a passionflower vine tendril to craft a flower
Great way to use all the autumn leaves you collect on walks during the season. Slowly build up the leaf rosette and let the leaves dry before adding a few more.
Release the soothing effect of the aroma and vapors from the Eucalyptus leaves my slightly crushing it while making roses
You can use any type of paper to make flowers. I use tissue paper, Crêpe paper, cardboard, newsprint and coffee filters (new and used) to make sweet peas, carnations, paper...
The trick of this Tutorial is to create a flat top platform to display Spring blossom twigs- the way it would look on moss in a forest.
Pike a few (hundred!) autumn leaves to build up a hollow leaf armature
An armature to display a lovely surprise orchid that developed on the long spike just after the other flowers started to fade.
Carefully stack dried physalis berry husks to craft a long lasting pumpkin that you can refresh with fresh flowers and vines.
Craft an ethereal Christmas tree from Eucalyptus leaves, twigs and sparkling snow flake crystals.
Just look at that puddle! This design is all about the fresh eucalyptus... but in a cooling down for summer kind of way.
Long lasting berries, magnolia leaves and succulent (kalanchoe) flowers that can remain without any water or maintenance for... well... all the way to Christmas!
Threaded Heuchera (Coral Bells) rosette with curved stems to kick against the sides of your container to keep it suspended above water.
Fold and peg banana leaves into pockets so that they float freely on water. This is inspired by a traditional banana leaf craft used to cook rice in.
Related Designs
A dried flower and foliage... flower... disk to help me pretend it is autumn
An early Spring design with a twist on using an old favourite: composite flowers.
Spike a few hundred fall leaves to create a cauldron for Halloween flowers
Fold and thread an autumn leaf armature for a thankful Thanksgiving design
This orchid developed at the very end of a long stem... right as the rest of the flowers started to die back so I made a special armature to display the cut stem.
A physalis husk pumpkin to celebrate the last bright rays of Autumn.
A little bit of effort... that will last for weeks design to roll us in to the Festive Season.
Beautiful Bletilla striata (Chinese Ground Orchid) deserves it's own elaborate frilly skirt display.
A mindful summer craft using banana leaves to create a floating arrangement.