My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Pot-scrubber copper wire curls and autumn twig twirls bud vase toppers

Fill two budvases with water

Fill two budvases with water.

Place two autumn leaves on top of the vases

Place two autumn leaves on top of the vases. Leave a gap between the edge and the leaf for a flower stem...

These leaves are dried flat in a book. See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions on how to dry plant material... and why I dry them in batches to dry in different ways.

Slip the orchid stem through a gap in the leaf so that it is kept neatly in place on top of the vase

Slip the orchid stem through a gap in the leaf so that it is kept neatly in place on top of the vase.

Top up the water so that the flower can remain hydrated

Top up the water so that the flower can remain hydrated.

Make sure the stem is in the water

Make sure the stem is just long enough to be in the water without it cluttering the clear vase.

Rest a dried vine over the two vases

Rest a dried vine over the two vases so that it creates a unit.

Design note: these vines dried in the most gorgeous curls naturally. But if you want to recreate the look I have a Tutorial below for you on how to dry twigs in a curl (or spring).

For my design I added three vines

For my design I added three vines. One placed to point from this side to that side. One placed from that side to this... and one to give the slightest bit of height at around the middle point.

Design note: when you create a horizontal design add width to the design rather than height.

My favourite kind of wire

My favourite kind of wire... up-cycled by unraveling it from a copper pot scrubber.

The flat wire is just fantastic. I discovered it designing for a budget friendly demonstration years ago where I needed a generous amount of wire. But it has now become my go-to copper wire. What makes it particularly suitable for designing is that you can curl it as you do ribbon. You know that trick of pulling ribbon over the edge of a knife or scissors? Exactly like that! Gorgeous. See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions on How to unravel the copper pot scrubber, How to curl it and as a bonus How to make beaded wire if you want to add that rather.

Fold the wire at one end and hook it into the design

Fold the wire at one end and hook it into the design.

Newsletter subscribers: your tip for this week is about this fold... the why and a bit more on the how. Make sure you are signed up to receive the once a week email when the new design is ready and read more about my inspiration and insider tips about the design. Also feel free to reply to the email if you have any advice or questions.

And glue a leaf to the other end

And glue a leaf to the other end.

Allowing the leaf to dangle down to the bottom

Allowing the leaf to dangle down as if twirling and falling in the autumn breeze.

Design note: If the vase is filled with twigs it will spoil this effect by distracting from the delicate copper curls.

Drape a copper curl over the horizontal twigs to finish the design

To finish the design, drape a copper curl over the horizontal twigs from one end to the other.

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

Tutorials

5 May 2011 Unravel wire from a copper pot scrubber

Up-cycle a pot scrubber to get a huge roll of very pretty copper wire

5 May 2011 Wire curls

curl wire to add to designs

24 February 2016 Wire Wrapped Willow Garland

Make a continues length of flexible willow to weave or design with by wrapping the delicate stems with thin wire

19 February 2013 Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening

Most stems, twigs and even sturdier branches can be bend into shapes. It takes practice and more than a bit of patience. The main idea is to slowly manipulate the branch without...

15 October 2014 Thanks Weaving Hat

This is the basic pattern used to weave a hat

27 September 2017 Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin

24 February 2016 Willow Spring

Set willow tips into a spiral to create a spring design

11 February 2015 Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

14 January 2011 Beaded wire

Thread thin wire with tiny beads

9 October 2019 Quarter fold and Thread an Autumn leaf tube armature

This armature is actually made of four times as many leaves as what it looks like to create a hinge to fan the entire leaf-tube open yet keep it's shape.

Favourite Flowers

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Related Designs

4 November 2020 Because that is just how I roll

A tumbling fall leaf design making use of the autumn leaves that are already falling to the ground.

12 May 2021 It’s up there

Whether it’s a solid foot for floating flowers, the tips of new growth or the curve of a dried twig your design needs help to stay upright.

25 August 2021 Doing a loop tangle twist

oh yes, a light an airy design showing off those very first autumn leaves.

17 August 2022 Branch Manager

Managed to find an utterly gorgeous branch... perfect contrast to the minimal orchids.

27 December 2023 A Very Merry Dried Orange and these from My Greenhouse to yours Trendy Christmas Cheer

And of course I would add the environmentally friendly-estest floral design option to top all the rest. Reusable and upcycled... and smells wonderful.

24 February 2016 How to make an early Spring

Roll and set willow twigs into a spring

15 October 2014 Thanks-Weaving

Weaving a hat with an autumn leaf and rose hip garland

27 September 2017 As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin

2 April 2011 Easter Parade Demonstration and Accessory Workshop

Advanced level Workshop: For my Easter Parade Demonstration I made 6 hand-tied designs within armatures. The concept was to pick up the design while demonstrating and to literally...

9 October 2019 With a thankful twist in the middle

Fold and thread an autumn leaf armature for a thankful Thanksgiving design

23 September 2015 Pretty Spicy!

Hang fruity wire garlands to display Gerbera daisies

25 September 2019 It’s one and a half to two times... but to the side

Soft minimal... this is exactly the kind of design I place in our apartment. Use a few fall treasures picked up on a walk and add a copper leaf to up the effort and love you add...