Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Sliced Grassy Cabbage
- 25 May 2016
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Let the cabbage rest on a working surface to find it's natural balance point
Slice a chunk away from the cabbage on the opposite side of the stem so that the head stays intact.
Cut open a lemon and rub it over the cabbage to prevent it from going brown
Place the stems of the plant material in the leaf cavities
Thin stems can be hydrated by sinking thin drinking straws filled with water in the cavities
See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how I make a water source from drinking straws
Press the firm part of a blade of grass between the cabbage leaves to make it stand upright
Work from one side and slowly add blades of thin grass
Adding blade after blade to almost completely cover the surface
Gather the grass and let it curl over your hand
Coaxing it into a permanent curve
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Tutorials
When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need. If you can't find a suitable drinking straw... I also have an upgrade: tiny food grade pipe water tubes.
I wanted my pumpkin to lift its head slightly so that it is easy to see the beautiful sepals inside. Making tiny legs also prevent the pumpkin from rolling.
Make a small grass "propeller" by pinning blades of grass into the design
Create a sheltered or veiled design by framing the outer edge of your armature (in this case thick cardboard) with long strands of grass
Favourite Flowers
Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts
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