My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Radiating rainbow vine armature

Cut a wreath into sections

Cut a wreath into sections.

Arrange the three sections on the edge of your working surface

Arrange the three sections on the edge of your working surface, one slightly longer than the next.

Tape the sections to your working surface

Tape the sections to your working surface to make it easier to position and later cut.

The curves does not need to be exact

Let nature set the curve, just position them slightly apart.

Glue in connecting pieces

Glue in connecting pieces.

Make sure each connecting piece connects at at least three other places so that it is secure.

Make sure each connecting piece connects at at least three other places so that it is secure.

Cut the half moon armature at the edge of the working surface.

Use the edge of your working surface as a cutting line to trim the twigs to size.

Remove the tape

Remove the tape.

Lift the armature from the working surface

Lift the armature from the working surface. Wiggle the armature to make sure it is secure and add twigs if needed.

Weave the orchid stem through the armature

Weave the orchid stem through the armature from one side.

Weave another orchid stem through the armature from other side

Weave another orchid stem through the armature from other side so that the stems cross in a small water container at the base.

Glue in seedpods

Glue in seedpods...

And delicate tendrils to radiate out from the armature

... And delicate tendrils to radiate out from the armature...

To add delicate height to the design

... to add delicate height to the design. The vines frame the orchids without overpowering them.

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

Tutorials

6 September 2011 Twig collar

Create a light and transparent collar-base for the large composite flower to nestle into.

29 November 2017 Autumn Screen

Craft a hanging twig and autumn leaf design

6 September 2017 Contained rose twig stack

Glue the twigs in a container to easily follow the round shape

8 June 2016 Popsicle Stick Square Armature

Glue Popsicle sticks to create a double layered, upright armature

9 December 2015 Scalable twig and Phalaenopsis orchid winterscape panel

This design can easily scale up or down by using larger or smaller pieces of wood to create a larger wall panel or make a few of these panels to stack as tiles to create a more...

24 June 2015 Twig Cell phone Charging Station Centrepiece

Create an arched design to hide the electrical outlet for a cell phone charging station

8 January 2014 Twig Tumbler

Wire and glue a stack of sticks into a cylindrical or tube shape

12 July 2017 Twig sparkler

Glue twigs to radiate out from a central point

Favourite Flowers

Phragmipedium longifolium

The Long-Leaf Phragmipedium (longifolium means long leaf), Phrag

Related Designs

2 May 2018 Over the rainbow

Craft a radiating design that suspends from the orchid stems

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...

1 January 2020 How to freeze a wow moment

Create a long lasting winter inspired floral design that looks like it is frozen in time.

28 April 2021 Here comes the sun...

A minimal design celebrating the new growth on twigs

18 October 2023 Drops do that!

Collecting drops of autumn that makes me smile back.

6 September 2011 When Autumn Fall

Autumn leaf composite flower

29 November 2017 Marcescent

Glue a delicate autumn room devider

6 September 2017 One of those difficult questions

Glue a bunch of twigs inside a container to create a round stack

8 June 2016 When the wind whisper

Glue a fantasy forest from Popsicle sticks, grape vine tendrils and willow tips

9 December 2015 On a Grand Scale

My article and a floral panel design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

24 June 2015 Staying connected

My article and a floral cell phone re-charge station design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

8 January 2014 It's stick season!

Snap and stack an glue a few twigs to create a lace like armature

12 July 2017 Sparkler

A radiating twig design