My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Phalaenopsis orchid cascade over a log slice display

When using a growing plant in your display or design make sure that you can re-hydrate your plant material so that it lasts as long as possible. In this design it is just so easy. The entire plant simply rests over on the split in the bark. Lift it out to soak the orchid and replace. The yellow orchid foliage and the stained husk orchids are attached to the wood and can remain in place while you hydrate the orchids.

For my design I am displaying the orchid over a slice of wood

For my design I am displaying the orchid over a slice of wood... but you can also use a log... or make your won armature. Book readers turn to page 276... this is another example of what I am explaining there. Only you can make that one yourself.

Remove the wires from the flowering spike

Remove the wires from the flowering spike.

Place the cascading spike over a branch or wood

Place the cascading spike over a branch or wood.

Make sure the flowers fall slightly off center

Make sure the flowers fall slightly off center to create an elegant display.

With the plant standing at the back

With the plant standing at the back.

If you need to lift the plant slightly to make sure you do not strain the flowering stem.

If you need to lift the plant slightly to make sure you do not strain the flowering stem to the point where it snaps.

Book readers: Turn to page 188 if you want to give the stems a bit of extra support.

Add all the additional design details to the armature or wood

Add all the additional design details to the armature or wood...

So that it is easy to remove the flowering plant

So that it is easy to remove the flowering plant to soak it in water... or even replace it once the flowers fade without disturbing the design details.

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

Tutorials

15 July 2020 Tea stained Bamboo husk orchids

Paint bamboo husks with strong tea to create a pretty orchid.

25 September 2013 Make a Phalaenopsis Orchid from autumn leaves

Fall leaf craft

15 March 2012 Paper log stack

I made this log stack from cardboard covered with bark

15 March 2017 Wedding welcome and direction sign

Hang a twig and wood mobile at your weeding as a direction board

22 January 2013 Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake

Glue a stack of cardboard circles to create a log-like floral cake

10 July 2012 Bark covered heart

Cover cardboard with bark to create a heart shaped log

19 August 2015 Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm

Glue bark to a Papier Maché and wire frame to create a pod shaped armature

11 January 2017 Potted bark pod for a flowering plant

Cover a Styrofoam shape with bark to create a bowl for a potted design

30 December 2015 Eucalyptus rose

Release the soothing effect of the aroma and vapors from the Eucalyptus leaves my slightly crushing it while making roses

Favourite Flowers

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Related Designs

15 July 2020 Pass it on

A cascade of orchids growing over a slice of wood. Easy to design... and even easier to maintain!

5 April 2011 Mud!!! Floral Art Demonstration at the Rondebosch Flower Club

My demonstration looked at ways to use mud to enhance floral art.

25 September 2013 All that glitters is gold

Phalaenopsis Orchid made from Autumn leaves

26 June 2012 Diamond Jubilee Waterfall

To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Government House Gardens Society a Horticultural event was hosted in the gardens and...

13 April 2011 Harnessing the Wind

14 April 2011 In the Bag

My bag was woven from re-purposed wire and recycled fishing line and tiny stems of growing sweet pea plants and orchids

15 March 2012 A Floral Fable Design demonstration at the Capilano Flower Arranging club

My demonstration explored ways to tell a story with floral art designs

29 March 2012 A Floral Fable: Floriograpy Design

This is the fourth and last design I did for my Floral Fable demonstration.

15 March 2017 Wedding Welcome

My article and wedding direction board design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

10 January 2013 A quirky kind of Love

Retail florists and wholesalers are already designing, ordering and preparing their product range for Valentine's Day. This is my article that I wrote for the December 2012...

19 August 2015 Growth Medium

Design a bark and moss pod for a mushroom mini farm

11 January 2017 As special as an almost never find

Sometimes you find such a beautiful plant that you just can't bring yourself to cut it. This design explores using the entire plant, pot and all, in a design

22 January 2013 It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques

This was my second two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting.