My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

Pick the crystal up with a pin

Pick the crystal up with a pin

Simply press the pin under the crystal so that the glue part sticks to the pin

Simply press the pin under the crystal so that the glue part sticks to the pin

Making it easy to lift away from the packaging

Making it easy to lift away from the packaging

Carefully place it in the design

Carefully place it in the design

Without bruising even the most delicate petals

Without bruising even the most delicate petals

Adhering the tiny crystal exactly where you want it

Adhering the tiny crystal exactly where you want it

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

Tutorials

25 September 2013 Adding beads into a design

I wanted my beads to softly float above my snowball posy. If I glued the beads to some of the flowers it would just disappear in the mass of twigs and flowers.

Related Designs

8 July 2015 How To Catch A Dream

Take inspiration from a traditional Dream-catcher design to create a floral armature

9 December 2015 On a Grand Scale

My article and a floral panel design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

13 January 2016 Once Upon A Time

Stack and glue a Grass Pyramid Armature

7 September 2016 You are all invited!

My article and Willow Crown design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

21 December 2016 A Gleaming Cotton Christmas

Glue bark to a wire frame to create a Christmas stocking armature

5 July 2017 Just A Bit

Glue a bit of grass snippets to suspend over the design

29 November 2017 Marcescent

Glue a delicate autumn room devider

6 December 2017 While I sing of beauty's treasure

Glue the most delicate twig table top Christmas tree

10 January 2018 Let some magic find you

My article and floral wand design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

26 September 2018 Cover Story

The design for the cover of my book, the effortless floral craftsman, crafted from Fiddlehead Fern and Red Lipstick Hanging Heliconia.

3 October 2018 But what’s inside?

This week we are looking at the contents pages of my book... but more specifically at the sweet little pod design on the content page of my book.

12 December 2018 Availability of plant material shows in your design style

The last design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing... this week: often when we see a design element...

19 December 2018 Oh Florist-tree

Craft an Eucalyptus Christmas tree

2 January 2019 One New Year’s Wish

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

9 January 2019 Magical Craftsmanship

My article and winter white Tulle bridal basket design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine.

13 March 2019 How to avoid your wedding treasures from becoming “after the event trash”

My article and grass wedding basket design.

3 April 2019 Blossoming like a Caterpillar

Crafting caterpillars from blossoms

17 April 2019 Hopping with Excitement

A hoppingly-fun Spring design for Easter.

24 April 2019 Put aside

Urgh… my glass cake stand broke leaving me with a still beautiful, but now mismatched and extremely inspirational lid...

1 May 2019 Can you see the tiny hint of Sunshine on the tips of the grass?

I left the grass to mature so that the tips mirror the sun bleached yellow of the orchids.

5 June 2019 Add up!

Stacking green stems to create an armature for short stemmed flowers.

24 July 2019 Up to much?

Dress up a single lily stem with a few blades of grass.

14 August 2019 For a longer lasting Summer

A creative way to keep foliage hydrated for a cool, water filled summer design.

21 August 2019 All in one pod

Fold open a lily bud to conceal a clever little BoutStix floral magnet for an unusual corsage.

18 September 2019 It’s a sugar rush!

A perfectly imperfect wild willow wreath to display the first Autumn treasures of the year.

16 October 2019 Center Peace

A visual breather from all the bright and festive designs to come when designing for Autumn.

23 October 2019 As pumpkins do this time of year

Hanging pumpkins and tiny vases to create a Autumn mobile floral design.

18 December 2019 A Happy, Merry, Jolly (easy as that!) Eucalyptus Christmas wreath

Now this is quite a discovery! And it honestly is the easiest and quickest way to go from "I still want to decorate for Christmas" to "... aaand I am done, I made our wreath"

1 January 2020 How to freeze a wow moment

Create a long lasting winter inspired floral design that looks like it is frozen in time.

15 January 2020 This way we connect

Weave a connected panel to frame a single orchid.

19 February 2020 The Upside of being Inside

A creative design that has some height to it without blocking the view. This can easily be scaled up or down to match the environment you want to display it in.

26 February 2020 To top it all off

This is a great "space-keeper" design. The tulip will continue to grow into the vase height as they open... but until then the grass platform part of the design diverts your...

20 May 2020 Whatever floats your boat

This is one of my best known and still my go-to core techniques for floating flowers.

24 June 2020 End Up

Connect small wreaths to create a pretty summer armature to arrange your flowers on.

1 July 2020 Oh yes, The Hornet of Tranquility

A minimal... but then with a tiny bug detail... design that is perfect for warm summer designing.

22 July 2020 Step It Up

Dress up a pair of hand coiled flip-flops with succulents.

29 July 2020 Tail end of the story

Craft a bark platform to design on in a foxtail fern frond.

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.

19 August 2020 All round pretty sweet and short

Frame a passion flower in a vine wreath for a short lived but so pretty arrangement.

2 September 2020 Last full Moon of summer

All natural design using the design elements as mechanics.

9 September 2020 Daffodillily

Weave around the stamens of a lily to create a daffodil like inside.

14 October 2020 Stick it out… the creative spirit version

Soft minimal Fall armature making it easy to replace the flowers as the season progress.

28 October 2020 Magic Spell Number 614: How to make absolutely any task you need to do fun

A hint of a wreath table top design for pre-Halloween decorating.

2 December 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Lost and Found Snow Mittens

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box snow mittens… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being...

23 December 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: wired snowball pom pom for a woven grass Christmas tree

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. Some cardboard to wrap the string around… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard...

30 December 2020 All is Calm, All is Bright

An easy to do ahead of time winter wonderland themed design for the calm days just after Christmas but before New Years Eve.

6 January 2021 I tip my (flower) cap!

An enclosed design that invites the onlooker to lean in closer to explore the pretty orchid.

13 January 2021 It's in there

Complete the picture by drawing a lily flower with delicate vines.

3 February 2021 here’s the catch

Weave an all natural net to place over a vase to keep your flowers above water.

10 February 2021 My valenVine

An... everything is moving... design. The tulips are growing and the small vine filled vase is bopping around in the water. And if you lean them against each other just right it...

17 February 2021 From here in out

An all natural, zero waste design using only plant material.

24 February 2021 Picked up some proper Pruning

An early Spring design with a twist on using an old favourite: composite flowers.

3 March 2021 Spring Tray-ning

A Spring basket design for catching falling blossom petals.

24 March 2021 To two too!

A Spring Tulip celebration design... with a special message

31 March 2021 Criss-crossed

Hide an egg inside a interwoven nest for a dainty Easter decoration design.

7 April 2021 First we learn HOW to design… and then we learn how only WE design.

Whipped up to be light in the Spring breeze wreath design.

14 April 2021 a Yay! You

A tiny Spring detail to add to a cute little floral design.

21 April 2021 All A-flutter

Adding a few fluttering petals to a design.

12 May 2021 It’s up there

Whether it’s a solid foot for floating flowers, the tips of new growth or the curve of a dried twig your design needs help to stay upright.

19 May 2021 In the little gap

Use the petals of your flower to cleverly keep all the other floral details of your design firmly in place.

26 May 2021 From all sides

An all on one side design to admire roses from all sides.

2 June 2021 Like an open book

Position foliage to create a smaller, shallow pond for your floral details to shelter in.

16 June 2021 Dream Rescue

Weave the most delicate grass shelter veil for a gorgeous lily.

14 July 2021 Light as a Kite

Spike a wire frame into a disk floret for a light summer design.

21 July 2021 High-Strung

String up a tiny hammock for a dreamy summer vacation design

4 August 2021 Counting Raindrops

Grass crisscross that makes you want to lean in closer to count the late summer raindrops around these gorgeous roses.

18 August 2021 At Play

A quick-to-do-but-looks-impressive way to display a beautiful cut garden vine for an effortless summer design.

8 September 2021 A good September Soaking

Exploring two soaking techniques for a subtle early autumn design

20 October 2021 Flying Lessons

An easy get ahead with Halloween decoration that will last.

17 November 2021 Ringing in A Very Merry Traditional Christmas… Tradition

A more than just a hint of Christmas tradition design... in a pre-Christmas design.

24 November 2021 It’s the most… it’s the most... Glowing-est Patina Christmas of all!

This is the first of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. We will explore how to patina Copper and use it to...

1 December 2021 It’s the most… it’s the most... Hap-Hapiest Patina Christmas of all!

This is the second of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. Craft a three twig sphere snow man to proudly...

8 December 2021 It’s the most… it’s the most... Jingle Patina Christmas of all!

This is the third of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. Craft the easiest copper bells to hang in a...

5 January 2022 Slow Glow

A slow but glowing start to the New Year and the new design season

26 January 2022 Carry On

As sturdy as it is delicate basket made from off-cut stems and grass.

9 February 2022 Pouring

Place a small fishbowl vase at an angle to look like it is pouring out flowers and twigs.

2 March 2022 The thing!?! Do you remember the thing?!?

A design that visually plays with good proportions to allow the sheltered flower to be the focal point.

9 March 2022 …. Aaaaaand tick!

Ever wonder how I decide what I share with you? A fun design ticking all the boxes.

23 March 2022 Chockablock!

Luxuriously filled design... filled with flowers... filled with grass. But most fun, for us as designers filled with hidden techniques

30 March 2022 Cone of Gratitude

Sweet spring design to hold some buds

6 April 2022 Gaps between those in-between Spring days

Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.

13 April 2022 Hop on… it’s Easter!

A cheery Easter basket for a new beginning

20 April 2022 Oh this? Yes! it is new

New growth... too cute to resist!

4 May 2022 Wonderful and Enough

That incredible moment when you realize that one good idea for your design really is enough...

22 June 2022 You Say Tomato I Say Tomato

Tiny tomato vine design to celebrate Summer.

6 July 2022 Let’s play ball

Weave a spherical support to place long stemmed flowers into a bud vase.

27 July 2022 Wrong on the right, for a right

A glued snipped to create a cooling cone for dangling orchids

3 August 2022 It's a Heatwave!

Deep water design for extremely warm weather.

17 August 2022 Branch Manager

Managed to find an utterly gorgeous branch... perfect contrast to the minimal orchids.

24 August 2022 Hot air balloon

A grass bubble to frame two of the most beautiful calla lilies.

31 August 2022 Bud… bud… bud… they were feeling so… very blue

When life hands you dyed flowers you make... well creatively speaking it turned out to be not such a bad thing after all!

7 September 2022 Of the shades to come

This design requires a bit of prep-time so it is perfect to make while waiting for the first autumn leaf to appear…

14 September 2022 Overgrown S-Autum-mer Swirl

Designing for somewhere not still summer not yet autumn weather...

21 September 2022 Balanced Attitude

Getting the balance just so... so that you lean into the first sights of Autumn.

28 September 2022 Inside my world

Cut open a Chinese Lantern to show off that shiny berry inside.

5 October 2022 Tail End Of The Season

A display armature for a delicate autumn display.

19 October 2022 Point Witch (or Wizard) Way

A wire framed witch or wizard hat that can be reshaped.

26 October 2022 Arachnis Phobicus

A fun woven spider for Halloween decorating

2 November 2022 bonfire

A final rosy burst of fiery autumn colour.

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.

7 December 2022 Making spirits bright

A twig sleigh... to collect your twig Christmas tree, of course!

14 December 2022 Joyf'ly

Table top Christmas tree with a fairy light twig trunk.

21 December 2022 Let it

A happy December Solstice or the Winter Solstice lantern.

28 December 2022 Giving a nod

A scattering of winter decorating for wherever you might need it.

11 January 2023 Maybe Still Maybe

... a something to look forward to design that makes you lean in closer to see what might still be.

18 January 2023 Getting the Band Back Together Again

Glue a band of snow dusted twigs to create a delicate armature for winter treasures.

25 January 2023 Even More

This orchid developed at the very end of a long stem... right as the rest of the flowers started to die back so I made a special armature to display the cut stem.

1 February 2023 Why When

An old tulip trick in a new way to keep the flowers fanned out

8 February 2023 Snow… drops

A late winter design for minimal floral styling.

15 February 2023 If you frame it that way…

A blossom frame to display the prettiest anthurium of the whole bunch!

22 February 2023 Jump out at you

Early iris flowers in a bud vase.

1 March 2023 … ish

An early... ish Spring basket glued from blossom twigs

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

22 March 2023 Grow a floral craft pantry

I am launching something new this month. I am teaming up with Plant Something BC, our local government and the landscape and nursery societies here in British Columbia, Canada and...

5 April 2023 Where do you even start looking?

Easter egg... egg for Easter eggs

12 April 2023 The word we are looking for is… fun

A leaning twig armature with both the first signs of Spring and the last signs of winter.

19 April 2023 Short Cut

A tiny carry basket to gather the shortest stems from your cutting garden... with a place for water and your cutters.

3 May 2023 Spring Row

Viola and chives cleverly dancing upright in a row.

10 May 2023 By the cone full

A small design to display those last Spring snippets from your garden...

17 May 2023 Purple haze… float

Softest Wisteria colour to cool things down on an unexpectedly warm day.

24 May 2023 everywhere IS nature

A lush wreath that remains green so that you can design once... and cut and cut and place your violas to make sure you have flowers all season long.

31 May 2023 Notice That?/!

Light and airy... like a wonderful breeze on a hot summer day grass and erigeron display.

7 June 2023 Be excited

Oh my! Picked from my balcony garden... after I thought I completely missed it blooming.

14 June 2023 Because I am beautiful!

It deserves a bowl all of it's own... right? I am (of course!) talking about these spectacular little sweet peas called King Tut. Not much else is needed. But add a cute little...

28 June 2023 Catch and Release

Ah... yes summer time designing. Anyone else seeing more insects hiding between the petals this year?

12 July 2023 Standing in frond

Standing your delicate flower stems in a fern frond.

26 July 2023 Column… try it flower buddies

A bottom to the top... top to the bottom support to help keep your summer flowers hydrated.

2 August 2023 here… from … my little corner… of the world wide web

Weave a web of jasmine vine to support orchid stems

9 August 2023 Look at me… doing math!

Adding our own "bit" to our floral design work.

16 August 2023 Canned right after harvest

Pull tab support for "canned" Calla lilies and bunny-tail grass.

23 August 2023 Note to Self

An easy to weave natural grid for summer floral arrangements.

30 August 2023 Courage, now

A bit of a rethink as the season is getting ready to change. How can I give my design idea a fresh twist?

6 September 2023 Mother Nature’s little magic to let us know Autumn is near

It's the little sun-washed coloured hints that makes you look again to see if you really saw what you thought you saw... yes! There really are signs of autumn everywhere!

20 September 2023 Did you see that!?!

Take a handful of grass... but then add just enough design to make it interesting.

27 September 2023 this NEEDS to be at the top of my (our?) to-do list

Autumn bud vase collar made from gladiolus foliage.

4 October 2023 So Into Fall

Keep you fresh plant material hydrated in water... and your dried plant material suspended to keep it from falling into the water.

11 October 2023 Plenty Glow to Harvest

Glow and sparkle bark armature to celebrate the first signs of Autumn

18 October 2023 Drops do that!

Collecting drops of autumn that makes me smile back.

25 October 2023 Go on Autumn… glow!

Mixing permanent and fresh design ingredients to celebrate just how clever the glow of Autumn is.

1 November 2023 That day after Halloween feeling

Time to cut down vines... and enjoy them a bit longer in a Halloween display.

15 November 2023 Freeze… just for a moment!

Not quite winter but also a bit late for autumn design that is somewhere between sparkle and flying leaves.

22 November 2023 Gentle transition

There's no need to rush the seasons. Take it slow and enjoy the plant material that are still available even if you are excited about what is to come...

29 November 2023 Fall into Christmas

Want to make your Christmas greenery last... this is perfect!

6 December 2023 A Very Merry Dark and Moody and bring it in from the Woods Trendy Christmas Cheer

From now to a bit after New Year's Eve I will show you my take on the trends for Christmas 2023. This week I start with natural styling with a handcrafted twig candy cane.

20 December 2023 A Very Merry Dark chocolate Velvet Texture of Yore, Tall and Trendy Christmas Cheer

Tall and velvety Christmas tree... with a starlight garland

3 January 2024 A Very Merry Gilded Paper Ornament and Yule Log Trendy Christmas/New Year’s Cheer

Paper snowflakes to display small snippets of Festive flowers on.

10 January 2024 Snow Glitters and Mossy Glimmers

A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger... a little uplift. For this design I am lifting up my happiness by starting a tiny mossarium... but enjoying it as a design while it is in...

24 January 2024 I mean… really!?!

Using fresh twigs to bind a little twig platform to suspend the beautiful orchids from.

31 January 2024 Surround and Sound

Half moon frosted glass chip edge for a winter themed design.

7 February 2024 Knot... that easy

An all natural shallow container design solution...

14 February 2024 Spoiler Alert: It’s You

A birch bark heart for Valentine's Day

21 February 2024 I'll Go First

My Spring/Easter design and the introduction article about my floral journey written by the editor, Nina Tucknott in the latest issue of Flora Magazine.

28 February 2024 When the Super-duper is taking it Easy-peasy

Easy does it design that hints at but is not yet as intensive as the fun basket weaving and crafting that comes with Spring designing.

6 March 2024 A Stay Open

Grow a willow birdcage... with a bit of a Spring flower support to get it started.

13 March 2024 In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.

20 March 2024 the arc of Success

Coil a straw basket for an Easter display

27 March 2024 Twiners Gonna Twine

Twining jasmine vine twirl for Easter

3 April 2024 springy, Spring, spring

Gorgeous Aquilegia vulgaris spring flower... with it's own springy thing!

10 April 2024 (if only) I can see you

Tangle jasmine vines outside a vase for a transparent screen to display floral details on and around a sea horse vase to display floral details in.

17 April 2024 In The Time it Takes To Listen To Learn

Ideal design for those flowers that needs a deep soak to remain hydrated.