My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Wedding welcome and direction sign

This is a perfect sign-post for a spring wedding. Created to look like it just grew there with some lavish flowers to add luxury.

Write (or burn) your directions on the arrow shaped wood pieces and drill holes into it so that you can hang it like a mobile.

Drill holes into the moss covered sticks and thread the line through.

Start from the bottom and work your way up, connecting the pieces of wood and sticks. Glue in a few more sticks.

Glue extra bits of moss and bark to the wood to make it look natural.

Glue in bits of reindeer moss, dried mushrooms and grape vine tendrils.

Keep adding elements while making sure the mobile remains balanced.

Make sure it is easy to read the arrow pieces.

With each piece pointing in the right direction.

And the line hanging securely.

Your mobile is now ready for some fresh flowers. I used fern fiddleheads and Arum lilies.

Glue in a few water filled tubes to keep the flowers hydrated and add the flowers

Sign up for my weekly newsletter

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

Sign Up Now
Tutorials
Drying Mushrooms for Floral Art
13 April 2012
Drying Mushrooms for Floral Art

I use edible mushrooms in my designs. To preserve them I press a tiny stake into the base and let them air-dry.
Bark Bowl
17 September 2014
Bark Bowl

Glue bark onto a bowl to create a dome shape
Potted bark pod for a flowering plant
11 January 2017
Potted bark pod for a flowering plant

Cover a Styrofoam shape with bark to create a bowl for a potted design
Driftwood base for a floral foam pebble design
2 November 2016
Driftwood base for a floral foam pebble design

The flat surface of a piece of driftwood creates a base to design on
Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm
19 August 2015
Bark pod for growing a Pearl Oyster mushroom mini farm

Glue bark to a Papier Maché and wire frame to create a pod shaped armature
Bark covered heart
10 July 2012
Bark covered heart

Cover cardboard with bark to create a heart shaped log
Drinking straw "test tubes"
4 January 2011
Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.
Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake
22 January 2013
Bark Veneer Cardboard Floral Cake

Glue a stack of cardboard circles to create a log-like floral cake
A bark design surface that suspends the first Spring flowers to rest just below the surface.
19 February 2025
A bark design surface that suspends the first Spring flowers to rest just below the surface.

Glue two large bark chips to craft a large design platform to suspend the most delicate of floral details in a "I wish it was Spring already" arrangement.
A slow reveal Birch Bark Scroll Nice List
4 December 2024
A slow reveal Birch Bark Scroll Nice List

Soak and roll a sheet of birch bark into a scroll for a woodland inspired Santa's Nice list
Mossy “Moss” Pebble… in the snow
10 January 2024
Mossy “Moss” Pebble… in the snow

Hollow out a faux moss pebble to add... a pebble of moss covered in snowflakes.
Use the pull tab of a can to keep your floral details in place
16 August 2023
Use the pull tab of a can to keep your floral details in place

Love anchovies cans. And if you fold over the pull tab just so it is perfect for keeping even longer stem flowers upright.
Counterbalance elegantly leaning Calla lilies with dressed up Dried Autumn Details
21 September 2022
Counterbalance elegantly leaning Calla lilies with dressed up Dried Autumn Details

Using those much treasured dried autumn details to bridge the gap between the bright green of summer and the brightness that is yet to come.
Two layer table top forest floor armature that Transition from Autumn to Christmas
10 November 2021
Two layer table top forest floor armature that Transition from Autumn to Christmas

Don’t you just hate short cuts?<br> ... because the longer your design elements will last the more effort it will take for you to make them look vibrant again.
Foam free and flameless cardboard and bark yule log
18 November 2020
Foam free and flameless cardboard and bark yule log

Using all those cardboard boxes to craft a bark covered "log" design for getting a head start on Christmas decorating.
Craft a single legged wire nest to place a flameless candle into your design
18 November 2020
Craft a single legged wire nest to place a flameless candle into your design

Super easy to add into your design and even easier to switch the candle on... and off, without disturbing the design details.
Foxtail in a bud vase forest floor
29 July 2020
Foxtail in a bud vase forest floor

Create a sturdy platform from bark to design an entire forest floor on a single foxtail fern frond
Phalaenopsis orchid cascade over a log slice display
15 July 2020
Phalaenopsis orchid cascade over a log slice display

Add the design details to the wood... and not to the orchid plant so that it can easily be removed to soak for a long lasting still growing display.
Finally! I found a perfect way to perfectly preserve a perfect passion fruit flower.
25 March 2020
Finally! I found a perfect way to perfectly preserve a perfect passion fruit flower.

Yay everyone! I found the absolute best way to preserve passion fruit flowers. Here it is: how to dry flowers using Silica Gel.
Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in
1 January 2020
Create a centerpiece foundation with lumber and the cellophane your flowers were wrapped in

A winter themed centerpiece with a secret water source (without a container or floral foam)
Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve
1 January 2020
Make a delicate dusting of snow date for New Year’s Eve

Flexible and unique letter to add into a wither themed design ... this is also a great way to transition a design from Christmas to New Year's eve!
Dracaena Roots
18 October 2017
Dracaena Roots

Grow Dracaena plants in water for the roots
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
Related Designs
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques
22 January 2013
It's High Time for Tea: from craft to art, taking a delicious floral journey with veneer techniques

This was my second two designs for my It's High Time for Tea Floral Craft and Art Demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meeting.
Still
17 September 2014
Still

My bark bowl design and tutorial featured in the Centrepiece Wedding Magazine
As special as an almost never find
11 January 2017
As special as an almost never find

Sometimes you find such a beautiful plant that you just can't bring yourself to cut it. This design explores using the entire plant, pot and all, in a design
Growth Medium
19 August 2015
Growth Medium

Design a bark and moss pod for a mushroom mini farm
When the Pretty much Pretty flows, it lingers in our hearts
19 February 2025
When the Pretty much Pretty flows, it lingers in our hearts

A bark support to display the most delicate Spring floral treasures.
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop, department for checking it twice
4 December 2024
A Very Merry… all elf pass into Santa’s workshop, department for checking it twice

A frozen in a moment bark scroll with silver leaf letters that was about to reveal Santa's Nice list!
Snow Glitters and Mossy Glimmers
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 quarantine.
Canned right after harvest
16 August 2023
Canned right after harvest

Pull tab support for "canned" Calla lilies and bunny-tail grass.
Balanced Attitude
21 September 2022
Balanced Attitude

Getting the balance just so... so that you lean into the first sights of Autumn.
… any day now
10 November 2021
… any day now

Using dried floral material is so trendy right now. But the longer lasting the design elements the more effort you have to put in to stop it from looking lifeless.
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Yule log
18 November 2020
Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Yule log

...ok not really that fancy- it’s made from paper pulp. A cardboard box Yule log… really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being delivered.
Tail end of the story
29 July 2020
Tail end of the story

Craft a bark platform to design on in a foxtail fern frond.
Pass it on
15 July 2020
Pass it on

A cascade of orchids growing over a slice of wood. Easy to design... and even easier to maintain!
How to lay a little bit low
25 March 2020
How to lay a little bit low

A flat-lay to celebrate finally finding the perfect way to dry passion fruit flowers... and my book's first birthday but mostly the drying of passion fruit flowers thing.
How to freeze a wow moment
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.
Cover Story
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.
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
Wedding Welcome
15 March 2017
Wedding Welcome

My article and wedding direction board design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine