My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Fit two vases into each other and measure the flax. The inside lower level gets the hard, spongy part of the flax and the slightly taller level gets the part that starts to flair open.

Snip away any damaged bits as you would when you condition

Set the vase on its side and slip in the snippets

Stack the container until almost completely full

Slowly lift up the vase and set it in the bigger vase.

Cut the next section from the flax, just above the section used for the inside container. Slip the flax between the two layers of glass to stand upright.

Once the snippets are ready to design with fill both containers with water

Add the fresh floral material

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Tutorials
Spiral twig frog
22 May 2012
Spiral twig frog

Multiple tiny twigs create a flower frog to keep the delicate buds and leaves in the exact spot you want.
Filling a vase with water without disturbing the design details
22 May 2012
Filling a vase with water without disturbing the design details

Break the water flow when you fill a vase with details in that can move with the stream of water
Bamboo frog for a shallow container design
10 August 2016
Bamboo frog for a shallow container design

Cut short bamboo lengths to keep your flower material upright in a shallow and narrow container
Hiding a secret water source in a twig frog
27 April 2016
Hiding a secret water source in a twig frog

New growth is really difficult to design with and definitely needs to be conditioned and placed in a water source
Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog
14 October 2015
Roll hundreds (yes! hundreds) of autumn leaves so create a natural, upright flower frog

Rolled leaves offer support for floral stems
Rethinking the traditional Komiwara technique
7 May 2014
Rethinking the traditional Komiwara technique

Komiwara is a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Lily grass spiral in a vase
22 June 2016
Lily grass spiral in a vase

Twist lily grass slightly to create a spiral for the orchids to nestle in
Meadow in a bowl
18 March 2015
Meadow in a bowl

Inspired by a classic and traditional Ikebana technique used in a Rikka design called Komiwara. Designers would usually bundle straw to keep the flowers in place.
Whittle a stumpy stopper to peg precious tiny floral details in place
30 April 2025
Whittle a stumpy stopper to peg precious tiny floral details in place

An easy way to create a design using only a few bits of plant material that can be maintained... effortlessly.
Flatten a Spring for a disk grid
5 March 2025
Flatten a Spring for a disk grid

Aluminum wire grid to support the stems and flowers above the water.
Bring out the pretty spots on the lip of this tiny orchid with a dotted twig stump armature
22 January 2025
Bring out the pretty spots on the lip of this tiny orchid with a dotted twig stump armature

Create a delicate floating and natural display without using floral foam with a twig frog armature.
A cluster bunch of just enough floral ingredients to spike into a Kenzan for a larger display
31 July 2024
A cluster bunch of just enough floral ingredients to spike into a Kenzan for a larger display

A larger summer display in a Kenzan
Pinching vines in place with almost alike but perfectly unique double vases and twig peg
23 July 2024
Pinching vines in place with almost alike but perfectly unique double vases and twig peg

The tiniest twig peg keep the vines from spilling out of the minimal double vase display.
Creating a perfectly flat leafy surface... with a few gaps to fit some flowers
3 July 2024
Creating a perfectly flat leafy surface... with a few gaps to fit some flowers

Shady leaf fenestration raft for easy summer designing
Traditional book folding craft technique turned into an armature… with a me twist
13 September 2023
Traditional book folding craft technique turned into an armature… with a me twist

Fold a book into a floral armature... with tricks there to keep the floral material hydrated and suspended.
New growth Spring frog
26 April 2023
New growth Spring frog

Willow cutting left in water will root and sprout... perfect for a all natural flower frog to admire as is or to keep long stem flowers upright.
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in
22 March 2023
Easy twist to a tulip spiral to nestle a “we are still building this” bird’s nest in

The easiest unfinished nest idea... simply shaped from roots discovered while Spring cleaning and preparing to plant.
Magnolia Rose Bowl with the brightest Holly berries and Kalanchoe flowers
16 November 2022
Magnolia Rose Bowl with the brightest Holly berries and Kalanchoe flowers

Long lasting berries, magnolia leaves and succulent (kalanchoe) flowers that can remain without any water or maintenance for... well... all the way to Christmas!
Leaf-puddle for a short stem in a big vase
8 January 2020
Leaf-puddle for a short stem in a big vase

Add a leaf to a large-ish vase to create a small puddle of water for your short flower stem to rest in.
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design
12 June 2019
Loop-over grass veil for a cool summer design

A cool and minimal floral design for summer.
Gently peel leaves from the stalk to create a twisted stem end
22 May 2019
Gently peel leaves from the stalk to create a twisted stem end

Roll leaves to create a stopper to keep flowers in place in a bud vase
A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase
30 January 2019
A round, around a round foliage… spiral in a vase

Stack foliage to create a rose spiral in a container.
Bundle Support
4 July 2018
Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.
Stem line-up
21 February 2018
Stem line-up

Line up stems to create a base for the heavy Hanging Heliconia stems
Related Designs
Lean
22 May 2012
Lean

Place short twigs, leaning to one side to create a flower frog
Saved up
10 August 2016
Saved up

Cut lengths of bamboo to place in a shallow container as a flower frog
Perfection
22 June 2016
Perfection

Spiral grass to create a nest for the lady slipper orchids
Sprout
27 April 2016
Sprout

A sneaky way to condition new growth to add into your Spring design
What a find!
14 October 2015
What a find!

Roll autumn leaves to create a frog to keep flowers upright
Spring Dreaming
18 March 2015
Spring Dreaming

A bowl full of miniature Chrysanthemums
Serendipity
7 May 2014
Serendipity

Be inspired by traditional Ikebana techniques
Of should and must
30 April 2025
Of should and must

Display tiny design details in a budvase by crafting a stopper-frog.
Around about Springtime
5 March 2025
Around about Springtime

Spiral cyclamen foliage around to create a composite flower to showcase the petal-like anthurium flowers.
Spot on!
22 January 2025
Spot on!

Connect the dots with round willow cuts and the spotted lip of the tiniest mini miniature Phalaenopsis orchids
Have a floral adventure, really
31 July 2024
Have a floral adventure, really

Creating a larger sustainable floral design by clustering the floral details into bunches.
Just... the Most
24 July 2024
Just... the Most

Perfect for summer designing with some space for the vines to continue to grow in your design.
Oh! my word
3 July 2024
Oh! my word

A perfectly flat leaf to support tiny floral details in the summer heat.
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking
5 June 2024
hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking

Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design
I am a fan!
13 September 2023
I am a fan!

Giving my book a super fan make-over.
Oh So Me
26 April 2023
Oh So Me

Snip and grow willow to create a Spring new growth support for your tall flower stems.
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!
22 March 2023
... and just like that we spiral back to... Spring!

A spring spiral design... with a hint of a root nest. Easy to do
All your Christmases…
16 November 2022
All your Christmases…

A little bit of effort... that will last for weeks design to roll us in to the Festive Season.
Almost... all over!
12 June 2019
Almost... all over!

Loop a grass veil over a lily stem to create a minimalist summer design.
Putting your own spin on it
22 May 2019
Putting your own spin on it

I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.
Around Here
30 January 2019
Around Here

Wind lily leaves to spiral around in a water filled container.
Wonder
4 July 2018
Wonder

Tie a bundle of grass to support your floral details
Impossible things
21 February 2018
Impossible things

A cut stem flower frog for the heavy Hanging Heliconia flowers
Alchemy
15 November 2017
Alchemy

Gently stand leaves upright in a Kenzan
Grace
2 August 2017
Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own
Favourite Flowers
Phormium
Phormium

Flax Christmas tree "cake" for the Floral Trends Design Group end of the year function. "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtle doves"
Lilium
Lilium

A Rock by any other name, lily design