My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Leaf-puddle for a short stem in a big vase

Test your leaf to see how it will fit into the vase

Newsletter subscribers: I have a special tip for you to see how exactly you should test and curve the leaf so that it supports the flower stem.

Place the leaf so that it kicks against both sides of the vase.

Fill the vase to just above the curve of the leaf inside the vase with water.

Place a short stem flower into the vase...

So that the stem rest in the small puddle of water on the leaf.

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Tutorials
Hanging Willow Nest
3 August 2016
Hanging Willow Nest

Bend and weave a nest shape from fresh willow stems
Weave a small wreath in the side twig of a willow branch to keep a flower in place in your design
11 September 2019
Weave a small wreath in the side twig of a willow branch to keep a flower in place in your design

This is both a decorative and functional design solution. But most importantly, I think, there is absolutely zero waste.
Wisteria Wreath Vine
5 September 2018
Wisteria Wreath Vine

Weave tiny vine wreaths on the leave stems of a stripped Wisteria vine
Incise waxy Gardenia foliage to decorate the edge of a container
9 May 2018
Incise waxy Gardenia foliage to decorate the edge of a container

Cut a small wedge out of a stack of waxy leaves to keep the flower and twig in place.
Stack two glass vases to keep a leaf upright in water
24 January 2018
Stack two glass vases to keep a leaf upright in water

Slip a leaf into the gap between two glass containers to keep it upright... and add a plastic lining to support the flowers nestled into it.
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.
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.
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
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
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets
2 August 2017
Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Slot together Monstera Twin Leaves to create a design gap
24 April 2024
Slot together Monstera Twin Leaves to create a design gap

A small bundle of Spring floral treasures framed with lush monstera foliage.
Latch an imperfect stem support for thin stemmed and heavy design details
5 July 2023
Latch an imperfect stem support for thin stemmed and heavy design details

Bundle and tie a few stems to create a support for even heavy design details.
Peg the heavy details in place with a wedged stem support
7 June 2023
Peg the heavy details in place with a wedged stem support

Create a support for your floral details by wedging the cut flower stem across the opening of the vase.
Unfurl winter’s potential in a snow filled monstera leaf shelter
11 January 2023
Unfurl winter’s potential in a snow filled monstera leaf shelter

Capture a bit of winter magic by placing delicate flower buds in the middle of two large leaves.
How to position the tiniest Spring stems using the hole in the side of a beaker wall vase
20 April 2022
How to position the tiniest Spring stems using the hole in the side of a beaker wall vase

The tiny stems tend to flop about making it difficult to place your design... just so. This is such a great solution!
Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design
6 April 2022
Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design

Adding design details to create tiny gaps for more design details.
Two leaf lining your container to shelter your orchids
2 June 2021
Two leaf lining your container to shelter your orchids

Create a shallow puddle in a larger container to keep your flowers in place.
Upside down and on it’s side glass display that plays with natural balance
12 August 2020
Upside down and on it’s side glass display that plays with natural balance

Utilizing those not so obvious characteristics of your design details to make a minimal clear glass summer floral design.
Balancing a fishbowl vase on its side for a floating design
4 March 2020
Balancing a fishbowl vase on its side for a floating design

Give new life to an old vase by turning and balancing it on it's side. It's actually easier than it looks... and it looks super impressive!
Bubble raft to float flowers
3 January 2012
Bubble raft to float flowers

Flowers naturally float in water. They just don’t always naturally float on water. For that they sometimes need a bit of help.
Related Designs
What is in a basket of spectacular?
25 January 2017
What is in a basket of spectacular?

Weave a basket with dangling edges for a single orchid display
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...
How to make a stack of just enough:
24 January 2018
How to make a stack of just enough:

Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright
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
FreestyleFreesia
22 August 2018
FreestyleFreesia

Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker, from Flower Factor invited me to participate in a FloraHolland initiative promoting the versatility of Freesias entitled #FreestyleFreesia Here is the extended version of my video.
Practice
3 August 2016
Practice

Weave a willow bird nest
Transition into Fall
11 September 2019
Transition into Fall

A sustainable, absolutely no waste floral design using willow to suspend your flower head in your arrangement.
Wreath Vine Season!
5 September 2018
Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines
What is the meaning of this?
9 May 2018
What is the meaning of this?

Create a minimal design with a few leaves to keep is all upright.
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
Grace
2 August 2017
Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking
5 June 2024
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking

Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design
You Just Like You
24 April 2024
You Just Like You

Support a small bundle of spring florals to stand upright in water with two Monstera leaves.
The Wiggle Is Part Of The Plan
5 July 2023
The Wiggle Is Part Of The Plan

A easy going summer design that makes full use of the imperfections you harvest from your cut garden.
Be excited
7 June 2023
Be excited

Oh my! Picked from my balcony garden... after I thought I completely missed it blooming.
Maybe Still Maybe
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.
Oh this? Yes! it is new
20 April 2022
Oh this? Yes! it is new

New growth... too cute to resist!
Gaps between those in-between Spring days
6 April 2022
Gaps between those in-between Spring days

Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.
Like an open book
2 June 2021
Like an open book

Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.
A lesson in letting be
12 August 2020
A lesson in letting be

Deceptively simple. A design that relies on you working with not against what is already there.
All Aboard!
4 March 2020
All Aboard!

Ooooh! Am I excited to show you this design. It is an ordinary fishbowl vase... balanced on it's side.
Rest a bit here
8 January 2020
Rest a bit here

Gently curve a shallow area with a leaf to showcase a gorgeous flower with a short stem in a water filled vase
Favourite Flowers
Cattleya
Cattleya

Cattleya orchid detail from my Practice floral art design.