My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

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

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

Place a small vase on a display surface

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

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

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

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

Position the vase on the display surface

Position the vase on the display surface

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

Tutorials

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,...

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

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

26 April 2017 Hana-Kubari twig

Slip a twig over the side of a container to keep an elegant flower stem upright

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.

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.

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

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

28 May 2014 Bamboo scaffold armature

Latch a few bamboo pieces together to create a scaffold for the flowers to hang from

28 May 2014 Bamboo panel

Create a panel for the flowers to hang on

30 August 2017 Standing a water tube at an angle in lumber

Create a minimal design by placing a single flower on a platform

30 March 2016 Construction Lumber and Dowel Spike Armature

Drill holes in a piece of lumber and insert dowel sticks to create an armature

Related Designs

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...

9 May 2018 What is the meaning of this?

Create a minimal design with a few leaves to keep is all upright.

14 November 2018 For just this moment… let’s take a break

Simplicity to showcase the perfection of the Lisianthus buds

2 January 2019 One New Year’s Wish

Wire a sparkling tinsel garland to dress up a single, elegant Arum lily.

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.

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.

21 April 2021 All A-flutter

Adding a few fluttering petals to a design.

1 April 2015 The Space Between

Traditional Hana-Kubari flower mechanic

2 September 2015 Happy Dance

Split a few bamboo sections to create a happy water source for miniature orchids

27 January 2016 Well, I'll be

Manipulate fresh willow stems to create a sprouting armature for long tulip stems

20 April 2016 That Will Be

Freestanding willow twig armature design

18 January 2017 Look at you!

Tie twigs to shape a hanging armature

26 April 2017 In no time at all

Hana-Kubari twig armature

27 July 2016 Too Hot!

Leaning floral stems to stand on their own in a shallow container

5 July 2017 Just A Bit

Glue a bit of grass snippets to suspend over the design

10 August 2016 Saved up

Cut lengths of bamboo to place in a shallow container as a flower frog

12 April 2011 Intimate Dinner For Two- Table Setting Competition Class

Floral Sushi Dinner, for two

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

15 February 2017 Step Along

Create twig steps to display the orchids

30 March 2016 Floral Designs From Around The World

A demonstration presented at Canada Blooms, Toronto, Canada I was invited to share the stage with designers from Bermuda, United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Barbados, United...

30 March 2016 A Point of Support

My contemporary floral art design demonstrated at the Canada Blooms flower show in Toronto.