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Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place

  • 3 January 2018

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny little vase, that sits at an angle, for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little twig with a fork in it. Add a ranunculus with a ridiculously gorgeous curve in it's stem... done.

Place a small vase on a display surface

Cut a twig, with a fork in it, to fit over the edge of the vase

Fit a flower stem between the twig and the vase

Wiggle the twig so that the flower stem fits snugly to keep it in place

Position the vase on the display surface

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Tutorials
Hana-kubari Bamboo
1 April 2015
Hana-kubari Bamboo

Hana-Kubari is an Ikebana flower mechanic. Only natural materials such as pebbles, sticks and branches can be seen to support the flowers. Traditionally no twine or wire, nails, or screws or any other man made materials are used
Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source
20 April 2016
Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source

Cut a few willow twigs to split to create legs for the armature
T-connect twigs to shadow a design
18 January 2017
T-connect twigs to shadow a design

Split a twig to create a t connection to hover a twig over the design
Hana-Kubari twig
26 April 2017
Hana-Kubari twig

Slip a twig over the side of a container to keep an elegant flower stem upright
Hana-Kubari chopsticks
19 October 2011
Hana-Kubari chopsticks

Splitting the chopsticks or a wooden branch, such as a willow twig creates a natural (and glue-less!) clamp.
Leaning Sunflowers to stay just so
27 July 2016
Leaning Sunflowers to stay just so

The trick to any freestanding design is to get your first three stems standing stable and secure in the water. Once you have that you can build the design around it.
Bits of snipped grass glued to create a net
5 July 2017
Bits of snipped grass glued to create a net

Glue a fragile sheltering net to soften the look of a summer design
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
Bamboo scaffold armature
28 May 2014
Bamboo scaffold armature

Latch a few bamboo pieces together to create a scaffold for the flowers to hang from
Bamboo panel
28 May 2014
Bamboo panel

Create a panel for the flowers to hang on
Standing a water tube at an angle in lumber
30 August 2017
Standing a water tube at an angle in lumber

Create a minimal design by placing a single flower on a platform
Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature
30 March 2016
Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature

Drill holes in a piece of lumber and insert dowel sticks to create an armature
Using the new growth on blossom branches as a base for a woodland design
21 April 2021
Using the new growth on blossom branches as a base for a woodland design

A fun way to use your blossom branches in a design once all the petals fall.
Twig float for a single lemon blossom
5 August 2020
Twig float for a single lemon blossom

This design is all about that line there where the water meets the lemon blossom stem...
Using your seriously cool hot glue skills to glue a wire support for a tulip stem
1 April 2020
Using your seriously cool hot glue skills to glue a wire support for a tulip stem

A clever almost concealed wire support to keep a single tulip flower upright in a minimal bud design.
Eucalyptus tinsel garland
2 January 2019
Eucalyptus tinsel garland

Wire seeded Eucalyptus into a long tinsel garland.
Create a break in a willow twig to support a flower stem
14 November 2018
Create a break in a willow twig to support a flower stem

Break a willow twig at and angle to support your flowers
Incise waxy Gardenia foliage to decorate the edge of a container
9 May 2018
Incise waxy Gardenia foliage to decorate the edge of a container

Cut a small wedge out of a stack of waxy leaves to keep the flower and twig in place.
Related Designs
The Space Between
1 April 2015
The Space Between

Traditional Hana-Kubari flower mechanic
Happy Dance
2 September 2015
Happy Dance

Split a few bamboo sections to create a happy water source for miniature orchids
Well, I'll be
27 January 2016
Well, I'll be

Manipulate fresh willow stems to create a sprouting armature for long tulip stems
That Will Be
20 April 2016
That Will Be

Freestanding willow twig armature design
Look at you!
18 January 2017
Look at you!

Tie twigs to shape a hanging armature
In no time at all
26 April 2017
In no time at all

Hana-Kubari twig armature
Too Hot!
27 July 2016
Too Hot!

Leaning floral stems to stand on their own in a shallow container
Just A Bit
5 July 2017
Just A Bit

Glue a bit of grass snippets to suspend over the design
Saved up
10 August 2016
Saved up

Cut lengths of bamboo to place in a shallow container as a flower frog
Intimate Dinner For Two- Table Setting Competition Class
12 April 2011
Intimate Dinner For Two- Table Setting Competition Class

Floral Sushi Dinner, for two
If
30 August 2017
If

Place a water tube at an angle in lumber so that the Zantedeschia float just above the base to show off the delicate grass snippets scattered up the stem
Step Along
15 February 2017
Step Along

Create twig steps to display the orchids
A Point of Support
30 March 2016
A Point of Support

My contemporary floral art design demonstrated at the Canada Blooms flower show in Toronto.
All A-flutter
21 April 2021
All A-flutter

Adding a few fluttering petals to a design.
Spare a Moment
5 August 2020
Spare a Moment

A tranquil design that just takes a moment to do... when you need to take a moment to... breathe.
Hang in there!
1 April 2020
Hang in there!

Keeping this tulip upright requires less magic and more hot glue skills... but it looks magical never the less.
One New Year’s Wish
2 January 2019
One New Year’s Wish

Wire a sparkling tinsel garland to dress up a single, elegant Arum lily.
For just this moment… let’s take a break
14 November 2018
For just this moment… let’s take a break

Simplicity to showcase the perfection of the Lisianthus buds
What is the meaning of this?
9 May 2018
What is the meaning of this?

Create a minimal design with a few leaves to keep is all upright.
Happy Coincidence!
3 January 2018
Happy Coincidence!

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny vase for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little twig with a fork in it. Add a ranunculus with a ridiculously gorgeous curve in it's stem... done.