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

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

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

Fill the vase with water

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

Place a short stem flower into the vase

Place a short stem flower into the vase...

So that the stem rest on the leaf

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

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

3 August 2016 Hanging Willow Nest

Bend and weave a nest shape from fresh willow stems

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.

5 September 2018 Wisteria Wreath Vine

Weave tiny vine wreaths on the leave stems of a stripped Wisteria vine

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Hide the water source in a rolled leaf

2 August 2017 Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.

Favourite Flowers

Cattleya

Cattleya orchids

Related Designs

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

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.

12 August 2020 A lesson in letting be

Deceptively simple. A design that relies on you working with not against what is already there.

2 June 2021 Like an open book

Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.

6 April 2022 Gaps between those in-between Spring days

Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.

20 April 2022 Oh this? Yes! it is new

New growth... too cute to resist!

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.

7 June 2023 Be excited

Oh my! Picked from my balcony garden... after I thought I completely missed it blooming.

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.

24 April 2024 You Just Like You

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

5 June 2024 hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking

Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design

25 January 2017 What is in a basket of spectacular?

Weave a basket with dangling edges for a single orchid display

3 August 2016 Practice

Weave a willow bird nest

11 September 2019 Transition into Fall

A sustainable, absolutely no waste floral design using willow to suspend your flower head in your arrangement.

5 September 2018 Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines

9 May 2018 What is the meaning of this?

Create a minimal design with a few leaves to keep is all upright.

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 ...

24 April 2019 Put aside

Urgh… my glass cake stand broke leaving me with a still beautiful, but now mismatched and extremely inspirational lid...

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

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

28 June 2017 Somewhere in the Middle

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

2 August 2017 Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own