Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Lucky find glass frog and pillar vase
- 5 June 2024
- click to send Christine a smile
Perfect size match... a vintage glass flower frog and a new pillar vase from Ikea and then all we have to do it simply place the frog on the vase.
Design note: take a few minutes to go through your design pantry to size match odd things together. A frog on a pillar vase. A vase on or in a vase. An old basket upside down inside a glass container... it might just work!
Add water to the pillar vase making sure the frog also filled with water.
Book readers turn to page 141 to read more about glass frogs and containers. For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman
Cut the oxalis stems shorter and place it in the frog holes.
No need to follow a pattern... the way the oxalis is configured makes it easy to slip flowers into the holes between the leaves.
Place the oxalis so that it overhangs slightly around the edge to conceal the frog.
Slip in the carnation flowers...
... between the oxalis, through the holes in the frog so that the flowers remain hydrated.
For my design I opened up the carnations to show off the inside. The petals look so similar to the oxalis!
This week in our email I show you the difference between an old fashioned carnation and how we can fluff them open to update their look... exactly the same flower. If you are not yet signed up the button is below this post. I send out a notification email every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) to show you something design specific in more detail.
Add in a few curvier oxalis stems. The plump sepals of the carnation acts as a stopper in the glass frog holes... keeping the long stems in the exact place you want them.
Drape the oxalis over and around the carnation dome shape.
Add in a few off cut stems around the edge as a collar...
Lift out and release any petals that are trapped with a bamboo skewer to make sure the deign looks light and fresh.
And I finish off my design with a few dew drop crystals.
See the Tutorial below for more details on how I add these crystals.
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Tutorials
It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Both pretty and pretty effective. Keep the flowers exactly where you want them by weaving a stopper for your bud vase.
Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.
Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.
Add a leaf to a large-ish vase to create a small puddle of water for your short flower stem to rest in.
Capture a bit of winter magic by placing delicate flower buds in the middle of two large leaves.
Tape a grid to create a barely there scattered grass display for a cooling summer display.
It all started with my twig being just too small to wedge into the glass vase tight enough to keep my orchid stem in place...
Weave a small panel that fits snugly in a container for a minimal, foam free design that is quick to make but looks spectacular.
Keep flowers in place by placing a lemon on the narrow rim of the container.
Using all parts of a small bunch of iris flowers to craft a unique display.
Willow cutting left in water will root and sprout... perfect for a all natural flower frog to admire as is or to keep long stem flowers upright.
Favourite Flowers
Pink, Carnation, Clove Pink, Chinese Pink
Related Designs
Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design
Gently curve a shallow area with a leaf to showcase a gorgeous flower with a short stem in a water filled vase
... a something to look forward to design that makes you lean in closer to see what might still be.
I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.
Place a water tube at an angle in lumber so that the Zantedeschia float just above the base to show off the delicate grass snippets scattered up the stem
Light and airy... like a wonderful breeze on a hot summer day grass and erigeron display.
Add design elements that serves a purpose for a minimal summer inspired floral design.
Weave a spherical support to place long stemmed flowers into a bud vase.
Snip and grow willow to create a Spring new growth support for your tall flower stems.