My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Wired Monkey Vine

Mix a bit of potting soil with wood glue to create a firm yet runny mud. This will dry into a very rough and strong texture.

For the rope I gathered a length of wire and sisal together and painted both with dark wood stain. I then twisted the wire to look similar to the passion fruit tendrils and created the hooked shape I required to hang the orchids from. I dipped the entire shape into mud to adhere the sisal over the wire. Next I added bits of paper bark to the rope.

To fix the loops into place I painted sections with more mud. Leave to dry and bake hard in full sun.

This will create a very strong wired rope- strong enough to hang the orchids from and it also insulate the wire from rust by creating a protective layer. It not only looks natural but is made out of natural plant material.

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Tutorials
Paper covered Wire
1 March 2011
Paper covered Wire

Cover the wire with the raffia
Curl Equisetum shoots into a snail shell spiral
23 March 2012
Curl Equisetum shoots into a snail shell spiral

Equisetum is hollow and jointed resembling miniature bamboo but it can be shaped into spirals by wiring the shoots
Beaded wire
14 January 2011
Beaded wire

Thread thin wire with tiny beads
Use dried roots from a re-potted Monstera to create a root lace-wreath
14 May 2025
Use dried roots from a re-potted Monstera to create a root lace-wreath

Every repotting season I struggle with what to do with my overgrown Monstera plant. It absolutely loves hanging out in my design room... so... let's design, Monstera!
Spaced birch bark strip basket
13 March 2024
Spaced birch bark strip basket

Sturdy and easy to make... a small harvest basket ready for all the Spring flowers still to come.
Wire wrap for a shallow container to keep a twig arch armature neatly in place
15 September 2021
Wire wrap for a shallow container to keep a twig arch armature neatly in place

Wrap a wire around both ends of a shallow container to keep the twigs in place.
Vase topped with a Hollow Wreath for Halloween
28 October 2020
Vase topped with a Hollow Wreath for Halloween

Create a dimensional wreath by assembling wreath vine to hug around an oblong container.
Arachnis Gerbera-petal-legicus
28 October 2020
Arachnis Gerbera-petal-legicus

The easiest Gerbara disk floret spider... ever!
Bamboo and Sisal String
17 June 2015
Bamboo and Sisal String

Combine sisal string and flexible bamboo to weave with
Wool Wire
21 August 2012
Wool Wire

Create a rigid but fuzzy wool covered wire
Related Designs
Spring Light
14 May 2025
Spring Light

Wrap and weave a lace fine disk.
In All Ways
13 March 2024
In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.
Floral Hurricane
21 June 2023
Floral Hurricane

My Floral Hurricane design entry for the BC Floral Art Society mini show competition
Blowing this way and that
15 September 2021
Blowing this way and that

Craft an arch armature to display those early autumn treasures.
Magic Spell Number 614: How to make absolutely any task you need to do fun
28 October 2020
Magic Spell Number 614: How to make absolutely any task you need to do fun

A hint of a wreath table top design for pre-Halloween decorating.
Step Along
15 February 2017
Step Along

Create twig steps to display the orchids
A Point of Support
30 March 2016
A Point of Support

My contemporary floral art design demonstrated at the Canada Blooms flower show in Toronto.
Mud!!!
30 March 2011
Mud!!!

When I started researching mud as a possible enhancement to contemporary floral art I was thoroughly inspired by the possibilities.