My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Drying Physalis sepals

Remove all foliage and clean the stems.

Tie the stems with a ribbon or string and hang upside down in a well ventilated area.

The papery pods (sepals) will retain their vivid colours and the tiny fruit will shrivel and dry inside the pods.

You can also remove the tiny fruit to plant and dry the pods.

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Tutorials
Remove the berry from a Physalis pod without ripping the sepal
8 October 2011
Remove the berry from a Physalis pod without ripping the sepal

Cut the sepal from the fruit
Bind Autumn design details and Christmas evergreens around an upturned vase to keep the stem ends hydrated... from Fall to Christmas!
29 November 2023
Bind Autumn design details and Christmas evergreens around an upturned vase to keep the stem ends hydrated... from Fall to Christmas!

A wrap-around-vase to show off new bits of Christmas and the last bits of our autumn treasures.
A witch... or wizard... hat that you can shape any which way you like
19 October 2022
A witch... or wizard... hat that you can shape any which way you like

Take your time to weave a pointy hat from what you find in nature.
A fluffy faded leaf "tail" to display delicate autumn treasures
5 October 2022
A fluffy faded leaf "tail" to display delicate autumn treasures

Threading leaves to craft a long garland armature for an autumn display
Cross hatch Twig Armature
2 October 2019
Cross hatch Twig Armature

Add a bit of shadow and dimension to a flat armature by using the sketch technique of cross hatching.
Inside Pod Designing
3 October 2018
Inside Pod Designing

Snip open a Physalis pod to create a cavity for delicate floral details.
Pierce and stack fall leaves to rest on the edge of a container
1 November 2017
Pierce and stack fall leaves to rest on the edge of a container

Use one leaf to keep the next in place
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin
27 September 2017
Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin
Longer stems for dried flowers
10 July 2012
Longer stems for dried flowers

Give dried hydrangeas (or other dried flowers) a longer stem to make it easier to work with.
Related Designs
Fall into Christmas
29 November 2023
Fall into Christmas

Want to make your Christmas greenery last... this is perfect!
Point Witch (or Wizard) Way
19 October 2022
Point Witch (or Wizard) Way

A wire framed witch or wizard hat that can be reshaped.
Tail End Of The Season
5 October 2022
Tail End Of The Season

A display armature for a delicate autumn display.
Cross-hatch a Shadow Bright Autumn
2 October 2019
Cross-hatch a Shadow Bright Autumn

A clever trick borrowed from art techniques to add dimension to a bright and colourful Autumn floral design.
But what’s inside?
3 October 2018
But what’s inside?

This week we are looking at the contents pages of my book... but more specifically at the sweet little pod design on the content page of my book.
A Round
1 November 2017
A Round

Create a delicate design that rests lightly on the edge of a container
As tendrils tend to do
27 September 2017
As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin
All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate): Worth a second look
30 November 2016
All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate): Worth a second look

This was the fourth (and last) design I did in my "All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate)" floral art demonstration
What's done is done
3 September 2014
What's done is done

My article and lace fine wreath design featured in the Autumn issue of DIY Weddings Magazine
Designing with Mother Nature
20 February 2013
Designing with Mother Nature

Retail florists and wholesalers are already designing, ordering and preparing their product range for Mother's Day. This is my article that I wrote for the Mother's Day Design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with wire techniques
30 January 2013
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with wire techniques

This was my last two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting
Bright, brighter… brightest!
16 October 2012
Bright, brighter… brightest!

Celebrate the bright colours of autumn with lilies and Chinese lanterns
A Floral Fable: Mood Design
21 March 2012
A Floral Fable: Mood Design

This is a detailed look at my first Floral Fable demonstration design
Thanksgiving Harvest
7 October 2011
Thanksgiving Harvest

Thanksgiving pumpkin with Chinese lanterns and spiral blossoms
In the Bag
14 April 2011
In the Bag

My bag was woven from re-purposed wire and recycled fishing line and tiny stems of growing sweet pea plants and orchids
Favourite Flowers
Physalis
Physalis

Spiral flowers from Chinese lantern sepals for my Thanksgiving Harvest design.