My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Willow flower crown

7 September 2016
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Use a length of ribbon to measure the width of the person’s head to custom design the crown. This way you can have the measurements ahead of time and start weaving the fresh plant material just before the wedding.

Measure out the fresh and pliable willow stems

Gather the stems and start to gently manipulate them by bending it down the length of the stem. This way you make the stems more pliable so that you can weave it without snapping the stems

See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how to bend and manipulate stems

Secure the stems at one end with an elastic band. The band will be removed but it makes it easier to weave the stems

Gently plait and weave the stems into a long tangle.

Insert new stems and continue to weave and plait.

Measure the ribbon against the plaited willow to see if it is long enough

Remove the elastic band and weave the two ends together to connect the willow crown.

Fit the crown and make adjustments if necessary

Glue in the flowers, moss and sparkling beads

I keep my flowers hydrated by inserting tiny little drinking straw test tubes in to the design. See the Tutorial below for more details

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Tutorials

19 February 2013

Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening

Most stems, twigs and even sturdier branches can be bend into shapes. It takes practice and more than a bit of patience. The main idea is to slowly manipulate the branch without breaking it.

4 January 2011

Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

11 February 2015

Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

1 November 2011

Weaving a twig wreath

For my design I wanted the wreath to look wind blown so I added a few loosely woven twigs into the weave. I also wanted to emphasize the autumn colours so I added a twirling copper wire into the weave

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.

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.

5 February 2025

Delicate snow willow twirl around a growing Slipper orchid plant display

Arrange sprouting willow twigs to twirl and frame a beautiful Paphiopedilum (slipper) orchid

2 October 2024

A green plaited willow way-over for small flower details

Here it is: the first of my first autumn harvest of willow from my willow coppice I am growing in my balcony garden. It is working spectacularly well!

3 April 2024

Coiled Spring and Wreath flower frog

Wind vines into an all natural armature to display your first of many... perfect... Spring flowers.

6 March 2024

A secret and so pretty stay open support for a growing willow birdcage

Grow your own willow birdcage in a small pot to display Spring flowers in.

28 June 2023

Knot a vine wreath and ripped grass bug net

Simply easy design... with tiny design details to make your summer display unique.

24 May 2023

Foxtail wreath frog with a leg in water

Twirl the fern into a wreath so that it can remain hydrated.

19 April 2023

Willow and Vine tiny stem Gathering Basket

Tiny stems are often also delicate stems... place your cut flowers directly in a small glass of water. A perfect fit for this basket.

8 March 2023

Blossom craving solutions: Forcing and Coaxing and crafting flowering branches

Early spring floral styling with some magic

22 June 2022

Using European OASIS floral glue to secure floral details… yes! It makes a difference

Securing the most delicate of design details successfully has a lot to do with what glue you use. But what glue is even more complicated than just brand.

7 April 2021

Spring breeze tangled ribbon wreath

Using branches pruned from a fruit tree... with a few dried flowers and just a few orchids to make a fresh Spring design.

24 June 2020

Building up a wreath panel

Connect six wreaths to build up a hanging panel to display your flowers on.

13 May 2020

Knot a Lavender chain link necklace or floral crown

This is without a doubt the quickest and easiest floral project on my entire site. And rather fun to do. I make these.. all... the... time!

18 September 2019

Weave a burst of overgrown wildness wreath

This wreath is perfectly imperfect. Perfect for using those first few autumn (or preserved from last autumn) leaves.

15 May 2019

Glue a grapevine armature shaped like the petals of an open rose

Cut a wreath into sections to glue back together into a beautiful rose petal shape

18 April 2018

Clematis Vine Swing

Weave a delicate nest for a small spring design.

21 March 2018

Craft a Spring basket from a wreath

A wide gap nearly basket for nearly spring

7 February 2018

Bend Wired Equisetum into a Hollow Wreath

Craft a wreath with a hollow cavity inside to use as an armature for your flowers

24 May 2017

Chain link wreath weaving

Weave a few small wreaths to connect

24 May 2017

Designing an odd one out wreath

Adding floral material to a wreath design

11 April 2017

A little nest for Easter chocolates that naturally hooks over the edge of a container

Weave a tiny nest with a twig hook so that you can hang it in a design

29 March 2017

Three Tier Wire Ring Chandelier

Bend and weave three wire wreaths to string up as an air plant chandelier

8 March 2017

Wrap lily grass around bits of vine

Create visual interest by loosely wrapping lily grass around an armature

Related Designs

8 April 2011

Large Open Weave Twig Basket

Easter Basket used in the Durbanville Flower Club Easter Parade Demonstration

10 April 2011

Feeling Funky

I wove vine wreaths to form a pyramid, one just slightly larger than the next. In the natural cavities between the wreaths I placed the roses and lisianthus in plastic covered Oasis

1 November 2011

On The Street Where You Live

A floral design snapshot of what it looks like when walking down the streets of Vancouver this week.

7 December 2011

Forest Filigree Christmas Wreath

I wanted my Hazel twig wreath to look like forest filigree: mysteriously overgrown, tangled with age and dappled with moss and lichen. The wreath is also dressed with fresh and dried flower bud clusters and operculum of Eucalyptus.

22 February 2012

Nuts and Bolts of Floral Art Mechanics

My design entered for evaluation at the Floral Trends Design Group meeting in South Africa

12 August 2012

A Twist on Tradition

August is the month for retail florists and wholesalers to start designing, ordering and preparing their product range for the Christmas and Festive Season. This is my article that I wrote for the August 2012 Christmas design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine

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.

5 February 2025

Snow to report!

A snowy lady slipper plant displayed to enjoy for as long as possible.

2 October 2024

Brewing some inspiration

Autumn harvest willow for a double the pretty plaited flower support

3 April 2024

springy, Spring, spring

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

6 March 2024

A Stay Open

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

28 June 2023

Catch and Release

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

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.

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.

8 March 2023

And now we wait

A bit of flower magic to get a few early blossoms to enjoy inside.

22 June 2022

You Say Tomato I Say Tomato

Tiny tomato vine design to celebrate Summer.

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.

24 June 2020

End Up

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

13 May 2020

be MINDFUL of the invisible stuff you add

Left over flowers and off-cuts are ideal to transform into a quick floral crown or necklace. This is the absolute easiest design, yet!

18 September 2019

It’s a sugar rush!

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

15 May 2019

Heard it through the grapevine?

Have you heard? I have wonderful news this week. Oh! and I also have this pretty grapevine armature shaped like the petals of an open rose to show you. But... Have you heard my wonderful news???