My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Sea glass counter weights to keep leaning top heavy stems from tipping

For my hanging design I am using a lid as my container

For my hanging design I am using a lid as my container... I love the curves. It goes so well with the Wisteria...

Tip: this is a great way to get more styling options from your containers. Three design ideas: the glass as a vase, the lid as a hanging design and the glass with the lid as a terrarium... all in one.

I am using my glass sea horse hanging technique to tie the lid.

I am using my glass sea horse hanging technique to tie the lid. The Tutorial is below to get you started. I re-made this Tutorial for my book, this time using ribbon incase it is difficult to see how I tied it with the nylon line.

Exactly as I did with the sea horses tie the line and split it open and tie it again

Exactly as I did with the sea horses tie the line and split it open and tie it again to secure the vase.

See page 175 of my book.

To make sure the line will not slip secure it with a small section of clear tape

Just to make double sure the line will not slip secure it with a small section of clear tape.

Book readers: if this is a bit too much knotting for you see page 179 for a Tutorial on how to add a wire handle and then... page 80... oh my! This works so well I did a happy dance when I discovered it as a design solution.

Fill the lid with water

Fill the lid with water.

Add in the jasmine vines

Add in the jasmine vines before adding in the flowers.

This week in our weekly email I explain a bit more about the line and give you options if you find it difficult to knot and secure nylon (fishing) line. Then I also explain a bit more on how to tie these slippery knots. Make sure to sign up for these weekly tips. The button is below the post.

Tie sea glass securely with line

Tie sea glass securely with line. Make sure it won't slip out.

Tie the other end to your flower stem

Tie the other end to your flower stem.

Drop the sea glass into the water filled lid

Drop the heavy sea glass into the water filled lid.

Carefully position the stem to elegantly drape over the side of the vase

Carefully position the stem to elegantly drape over the side of the vase. Adjust the line length by rolling it around the stem until it is just long enough for the sea glass to be a counter weight keeping the stem under water.

Make sure the flowers face up and are not crowded

Make sure the flowers face up and are not crowded.

Add in another stem

Add in another stem. Again wrap the line so that the sea glass perfectly dangles and keeps the stem exactly where you want it, just below the water line.

As you lower the sea glass into the water

As you lower the sea glass into the water...

It almost completely vanish.

... it almost completely disappears!

Creating a perfect base for a few more vines

Creating a perfect base for a few more vines...

Allow the vines to drape around the lid

Allow the vines to drape around the lid to emphasize the shape.

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

Tutorials

24 April 2013 Macramé hanging vases

Knot wool to create a catch to hang tiny bud vases from

23 October 2019 Floating Filigree Pumpkin Patch

String up pumpkins and glass seahorse vases to craft an autumn mobile design.

29 April 2020 Craft a spinning diamond shape to frame your small design

A fun hanging design that spins in the slightest breeze.

28 December 2011 Macramé inspired hanging test tubes

When I hang these delicate glass bubbles I want to make sure they are really secure. By slipping them into Macramé inspired knots they are not only hanging securely but the...

18 May 2016 Dangling flowers from blades of grass

Knot a blade of grass around a water source to create a free hanging design

3 January 2011 Syringe with tube

Easy way to fill test tubes and easiest way to remove water from a vase

17 October 2018 Clips to hang flowers vertically

I designed and printed these clips on a 3D printer as a fast, secure and convenient way to hang water tubes vertically down fishing line.

29 March 2017 Three Tier Wire Ring Chandelier

Bend and weave three wire wreaths to string up as an air plant chandelier

Related Designs

5 May 2021 But of course.

Repurpose an apothecary vase lid for a floating Spring design.

11 May 2022 Is this new…?

Giving old ideas a new twist to refresh it for Spring

17 May 2023 Purple haze… float

Softest Wisteria colour to cool things down on an unexpectedly warm day.

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...

23 March 2016 Celebrate!

A closer look at my design at the 20th anniversary of Canada Blooms and The Toronto Flower Show

23 October 2019 As pumpkins do this time of year

Hanging pumpkins and tiny vases to create a Autumn mobile floral design.

28 December 2011 Bubbly New Year’s Sparklers

Delicate glass bubbles filled with the midnight blue African violet flowers, purple ornamental capsicum and spilling down the design are a few stems of rosary vine

29 April 2020 Seeing a Diamond in the Stuff

A fun design to create a spinning diamond frame using minimal plant material for maximum effect.

8 August 2012 Stringing in the rain

A veil of green wool, Spanish moss and dried hydrangeas hang over white lilies

10 April 2019 Just Like Wisteria Rain

Craft a ethereal design from twigs and wisteria flowers

14 September 2016 Hang on!

Macrame inspired handing seahorse vases

31 May 2017 Let's hang out

Skewer some Eucalyptus to suspend between the orchids

17 October 2018 But wait… there's more!

Tucked into the box with every advance copy of the book, the effortless floral craftsman is a packet of clips. This design and Tutorial is a bit of inspiration... what will you...

29 March 2017 A Twirl

Suspend a wire chandelier design to twirl