My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Glue a Sisal Fiber Bubble

Pour some wood glue into a bowl filled with sisal

Thin the glue with some warm water.

Mix the water, glue and sisal.

Place an inflated balloon knot side down on a vase to make it stable to work on

Spread the sisal in a thin layer over the balloon.

When completely covered set aside to dry.

Slowly deflate the balloon. See the Tutorial below for detailed pictures on how to deflate a balloon that is covered in delicate fibers

Carefully loosen any stuck sisal fibers.

Remove the balloon.

The bubble is now ready to design with. Do not soak it in water as this will thin dissolve the glue

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Tutorials
A Neighbor friendly way to deflate a balloon
7 April 2012
A Neighbor friendly way to deflate a balloon

Apart from avoiding the noise popping a balloon makes this is also a less violent way to deflate a balloon when you make Papier Mache items
Just Hatched Papier Mache Easter Eggs
7 April 2012
Just Hatched Papier Mache Easter Eggs

Glue newsprint paper to balloons to make large egg shaped containers to design in
Skeleton Leaf Flameless Candle Cocoon
17 April 2013
Skeleton Leaf Flameless Candle Cocoon

Cover a balloon with skeleton leaves to create a cocoon
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support
7 August 2024
Dangling Quaking Grass drops threaded through a hydrangea flower head for support

A quick craft with quaking grass to turn it into dangling droplets.
Using sisal and wood glue to make a rigid and versatile foundation for floral art armatures
22 March 2017
Using sisal and wood glue to make a rigid and versatile foundation for floral art armatures

Wrap thin, glue soaked sisal fibers around a balloon or ball to create a barely there armature
Pin Protea foliage into a curl
22 March 2017
Pin Protea foliage into a curl

The sturdy Protea leaves holds it shape even when dried when pinned into place
Skewered Foliage Garland
22 March 2017
Skewered Foliage Garland

Create a garland that dries well with rolled up leaves
Add plant material and a wire support to sisal armatures
22 March 2017
Add plant material and a wire support to sisal armatures

Customize sisal armatures by adding a wire skeleton and interesting bits of plant material
Connect the dot grass Armature
3 February 2016
Connect the dot grass Armature

Connect the ends of grass snippets to create a spherical grass armature
Layered sisal and twig armature
9 September 2015
Layered sisal and twig armature

small sisal fibers create a mat like armature
Unravel Sisal string to get Sisal Fibers
28 August 2013
Unravel Sisal string to get Sisal Fibers

I purchase a huge roll of sisal string to use... sometimes as string, but mostly I unravel it for the fibers
Sisal Disk
19 June 2013
Sisal Disk

Create a inflexible circle armature to hang flowers from
Related Designs
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain
7 August 2024
Bring in some of the magic of summer rain

Design drops of grass to dangle down a hydrangea flower for an effortless summer floral display.
Biomimicry
22 March 2017
Biomimicry

A design demonstration and workshop at the Floral Trends Design group in South Africa exploring how we emulate nature’s best biological ideas to solve our modern day design problems.
Delicate
4 November 2015
Delicate

Bleached Gypsophila wreath with delicate autumn touches
So happy together
8 May 2013
So happy together

Glue a sisal bubble for a few delicate flowers to rest in