Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Two leaf lining your container to shelter your orchids
- 2 June 2021
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Slip a mostera leaf into a elongated vase...
Let the stem curve to line the bottom of the container to add a bit of drama.
Add a second leaf to create a cup...
Fill the container with water so that it pools between the leaves making a secure puddle for the floral material.
Place the orchid stem into the leaf puddle so that it sits comfortable. For my design this meant the flowering tip of the spike poked through the hole in the leaf...
Book readers turn to page: 273 where I talk about manipulating plant material to create an illusion.
Gently manipulate the stem to wedge into the container... but take care not to snap the stem.... but if you do...
This week I added an alternative to help you craft this design if your stem is maybe not long enough... or you want to substitute the orchids with flowers that are not strong enough to wedge into position... or you are not yet comfortable with manipulating stems in this way. See this weeks email for more details. If you are not yet signed up for our once a week email tip make sure to do so before next Wednesday. These tips only appear in the emails and are not added to the Tutorial.
Add in a few vines to curve over the flowers.
And finish the design with a few dew drop crystals.
See the Tutorial below for more information on how I add the crystals with a pin.
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Tutorials
It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.
Add a leaf to a large-ish vase to create a small puddle of water for your short flower stem to rest in.
Slip a leaf into the gap between two glass containers to keep it upright... and add a plastic lining to support the flowers nestled into it.
Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.
Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.
Curl and pin a few leaves into a tube to create an armature for those "left over" freesiabuds.
Glue short sections of rosary vine into the natural gaps in the Monstera deliciosa leaf
Fold and glue a Monstera deliciosa (delicious monster) leaf
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid
Related Designs
Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.
Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.
... a something to look forward to design that makes you lean in closer to see what might still be.
Easy support for a single flower... and knot a special secret admirer just to keep it company.
Weave a web of jasmine vine to support orchid stems
Support a small bundle of spring florals to stand upright in water with two Monstera leaves.
Create a little bit of space to keep a few thin stemmed floral treasures upright in your design
Gently curve a shallow area with a leaf to showcase a gorgeous flower with a short stem in a water filled vase
Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright
I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.
Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker, from Flower Factor invited me to participate in a FloraHolland initiative promoting the versatility of Freesias entitled ...
Freestyle Freesia design video for Flower Factor
Criss-cross corset style connect the gaps in a Monstera deliciosa leaf
This was the third design I did in my "I found it this way" floral art demonstration
The name Cymbidium or boat Orchid is derived from the Greek word Kumbos meaning "hole or cavity", referring to the hollowness in the base of the lip of the flowers.
