Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Radiating bunny tails
- 30 August 2023
- click to send Christine a smile
Book readers turn to page 161 for a twig example of this design. You will also find loads of information on how to use a Kenzan (with a fun tip on page 165 to clean your Kenzan)
For more information about my book:
The Effortless Floral Craftsman
But to get you started I have also included a Tutorial here on how to secure a Kenzan in the bottom of a container.
Press a blade of grass between the teeth of a Kenzan to secure it horizontally.
Make sure the grasses keep it's shape placed flat like this. The grasses should not droop. In this weeks email I tell you a bit more about securing the grasses in the Kenzan in this unusual way. Let's have a chat about it... or maybe you have a question or want to say Hi, you are welcome to reply to the email. If you are not yet receiving my Wednesday morning (send out at 8, Vancouver time) you can sign up below the post.
Press in the second blade of grass through the Kenzan teeth to overlap the first.
And the next blade of grass in between those....
Add grasses to radiate all around the container.
Concealing the entire Kenzan with grasses...
Placing each blade of grass at a slight angle to make sure the fuzzy bunny tails are slightly raised and not drooping.
Fill the container with water to at least half way up the needles of the Kenzan.
Drape a pretty vine over the radiating grasses. I have these Love In A Puff vines currently in flower in my balcony garden... gorgeous, right?
Add in a few flowers. Preferably something that looks like it might be growing next to the road. These Apricot lemonade cosmos flowers add just the right amount of "country road".
And secure a few more blades of grass between the Kenzan teeth to stand upright.
If you have a thick enough stack of grass at the bottom you can simply slip the grasses through and they will remain upright... or bundle them. If you are unsure how to bundle grasses see page 162 of my book or to get you started, see the Kenzan Tutorial below.
And as always I finish the design with a few sparkling dew drop crystals.
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Tutorials
Temporarily adhere a traditional Ikebana Kenzan or pincushion to a shallow container.
It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Build up a design in a shallow container by stacking it by threading the plant material into the teeth of a pin cushion in three levels.
Spike fall leaves and water tubes to create a minimal radiating autumn display
Just look at that puddle! This design is all about the fresh eucalyptus... but in a cooling down for summer kind of way.
A bit of Kenzan support for a floating shallow container design
A radiating design that has the freedom of movement to add a bit of a cooling effect on the warmer days of summer.
Slowly build up a dial armature from dried bulrush
The easiest unfinished nest idea... simply shaped from roots discovered while Spring cleaning and preparing to plant.
Glue a few twigs to display Autumn flowers and foliage on
Craft a wire tripod to fit into the bristles of a handcrafted broom so that it can stand freely in your display.
Related Designs
A bit of a rethink as the season is getting ready to change. How can I give my design idea a fresh twist?
It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!
A bark armature standing on pointe for some gorgeous blue King Tut sweet peas
A fun and easy contemporary floral design to display foraged autumn leaves and just a touch of flowers that can easily be replaced.
An Autumn Equinox design that captures the moment before the spectacular colour burst of autumn floats around again
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.
A take your time and mindfully craft a pretty design to celebrate the summer solstice- it is officially summer here in Canada.
A spring spiral design... with a hint of a root nest. Easy to do
Split and spiral a few gladiolus flowers in a way that the stems remain intact, to spiral in a water filled filled vase for a long lasting composite flower
