My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Light Layer float Wisteria flowers

Pour water into a glass display container...

Design note: sure you can simply place the Wisteria flowers in the container and be done with it... but by spending a bit of extra time you get to spend a bit more time working with nature (always a bonus!) but also a longer lasting design.

I tell you more about this in this week's email. Make sure you are signed up to get the notification email every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) with a little something extra that caught my attention while crafting the design that I think you might enjoy reading about... and chatting about. Feel free to reply to the email if you have comments or questions... or want to say Hi. The sign up is below this post.

Place the chive scapes at an angle in the container...

And start to float the flowers around the chives.

Hold the wisteria so that the keel and wing petals are lightly pinched between your fingers...

... And place it so that the pedicel is deep in the water and the flower floats on the large banner petal.

I also explain a bit more about this in our email.

Cover the entire surface with a single layer of Wisteria flowers... make sure they are floating on the surface but will remain hydrated with their stems in water.

Book readers... Want to take this to the next level? How about adding a dome? See page 171 where i talk about suspending flowers.

For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman

Add in a single chive stem to stand upright into the bundle so that it leans towards the Wisteria flowers to break up the flat surface...

And add a few dew drop crystals to this stem to attract attention and finish off the design.

I use a pin to place these small crystals exactly where I want them to be on even the most delicate design details. See the Tutorial below for the detailed instructions.

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Tutorials
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals
8 July 2015
Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Twig cloud mobile
10 April 2019
Twig cloud mobile

Wire a sturdy cloud shaped armature to hang a heavier water source for thirsty Wisteria flowers.
Sea glass counter weights to keep leaning top heavy stems from tipping
5 May 2021
Sea glass counter weights to keep leaning top heavy stems from tipping

An easy fix for preventing flowers from falling out of a container
A new twist on the cellophane in a submerged design trick to make space for a stem
11 May 2022
A new twist on the cellophane in a submerged design trick to make space for a stem

Create an invisible "stay under water" for blooms that still leaves space for longer stems in a vase.
a Just-Replace-The-Flowers-When-They-Wilt freestanding bark armature
6 May 2020
a Just-Replace-The-Flowers-When-They-Wilt freestanding bark armature

Part of sustainable designing is designing with the entire life-cycle of your work in mind. Designing armatures is a lasting and ever changing design solution.
Above and below water jasmine in a grass square
3 August 2022
Above and below water jasmine in a grass square

Not only is water designs wonderfully refreshing to make... it is also wonderfully refreshing for your flowers.
Stir-stick Sunburst
22 September 2012
Stir-stick Sunburst

Glue a radiating armature from stir-sticks.
Glued Hydrangea Float
11 July 2018
Glued Hydrangea Float

Glue a delicate hydrangea wreath to float on water
Pick up any bits of plant material floating in the water
11 April 2018
Pick up any bits of plant material floating in the water

Use a wet brush to lift any tiny bits of plant material floating on and in the water to keep your container clear.
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.
Stack banana leaf rice pockets to float as rosettes
4 September 2019
Stack banana leaf rice pockets to float as rosettes

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.
Folding a Frog
24 September 2014
Folding a Frog

Fold and weave a frog from grass
Floating transparent ripples to support delicate floral material
15 July 2015
Floating transparent ripples to support delicate floral material

Cut circles out of transparencies to make ripples in the water
Floral Raft in a Bottle
7 July 2021
Floral Raft in a Bottle

Float flowers in a bottle by giving each flower their own little bubble wrap raft-skirt.
Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container
31 January 2024
Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container

Glue glass chips into a half moon to help keep the floral details in place.
Related Designs
Just Like Wisteria Rain
10 April 2019
Just Like Wisteria Rain

Craft a ethereal design from twigs and wisteria flowers
But of course.
5 May 2021
But of course.

Repurpose an apothecary vase lid for a floating Spring design.
Is this new…?
11 May 2022
Is this new…?

Giving old ideas a new twist to refresh it for Spring
Forever… incomplete
6 May 2020
Forever… incomplete

Craft a pretty armature that can be used again and again.
It's a Heatwave!
3 August 2022
It's a Heatwave!

Deep water design for extremely warm weather.
Turning of the leaves
22 September 2012
Turning of the leaves

An Autumn Equinox design that captures the moment before the spectacular colour burst of autumn floats around again
Stay-a-Float
11 July 2018
Stay-a-Float

Snip florets from a hydrangea mop head to float on water
Going Cold Twinkle Turkey
3 January 2012
Going Cold Twinkle Turkey

Is it better to go Cold Twinkle Turkey and embrace the minimalist living room or rather ease into it?
Gently down the stream
4 September 2019
Gently down the stream

A mindful summer craft using banana leaves to create a floating arrangement.
Leapfrog
24 September 2014
Leapfrog

Fold and weave a frog from grass
So Fine
15 July 2015
So Fine

Use transparencies to create floating devices for the flower material
Do and Don'ts
7 July 2021
Do and Don'ts

One of my trusty tried and tested techniques. When the going gets hot... float your flowers!
Surround and Sound
31 January 2024
Surround and Sound

Half moon frosted glass chip edge for a winter themed design.
Purple haze… float
17 May 2023
Purple haze… float

Softest Wisteria colour to cool things down on an unexpectedly warm day.