My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Tutorials

Copper Wire Ring
26 July 2011
Copper Wire Ring

Bend and curl a adjustable copper wire ring
Weaving a bird
21 July 2011
Weaving a bird

I wove my bird from shaved wood but you can also use flax, coconut palm (more traditional) or paper or ribbon
Weaving a fan basket
21 July 2011
Weaving a fan basket

Dark and dramatic burgundy lilies are tucked in low to line a fan shaped basket that unravels into an unruly nest
Paper Foundation for Kyogi paper wood curls
11 July 2011
Paper Foundation for Kyogi paper wood curls

Gently curl and tuck strips of Kyogi paper to form a tangle of curls and scatter a few orchids to create the impression that a gust of wind just blew it that way
Tie an Iris leaf tassel
5 July 2011
Tie an Iris leaf tassel

A tassel (also called a tuft) consist of: A suspending cord, the body, a fringed or ornamental skirt
Twig Zipper
29 June 2011
Twig Zipper

I wanted my Zipper to be "edgy" rather than "peaceful", so using bamboo or reeds or willow would not be appropriate.
Cover the drinking straw test tube with bark
29 June 2011
Cover the drinking straw test tube with bark

I made about 100 rose stem test tubes for my Zipper Design
Making wire roots for the "fabric" at the back of the design
19 June 2011
Making wire roots for the "fabric" at the back of the design

I wanted a delicate, yet rough "fabric" to back my edgy Zipper. Something that will stand up to the thorns and rose twigs but not over power them. It definitely had to predominantly plant material: I chose roots and bullion wire.
Foliage Weaving
8 June 2011
Foliage Weaving

For this tutorial I focus on a simple weave pattern that does not require you to soften or prepare the leaves to be more durable or flexible. This is the starting point in weaving techniques. You can build on this technique to make floral handbags, gift boxes, and baskets, sew it into a curve or wrap it around a vase or cover a test tube.
Papier Mache
2 June 2011
Papier Mache

I save all the thin tissue paper or un-printed newsprint papers that are wrapped around the flowers that are delivered to me to make batches of Papier Mache with. These sheets make fantastic Papier Mache because it is designed to be super absorbent and colour fast.
Lining containers to make them waterproof
1 June 2011
Lining containers to make them waterproof

If you use Papier Mache, terracotta or clay or any precious container that might scratch, rust, or discolour or disintegrate when it's in prolonged contact with water it is best to line the container with plastic before you add wet foam.
Wire apples and seal the insertion point
20 May 2011
Wire apples and seal the insertion point

Adding whole apples to a hand-tied or wired design is easier if each apple is wired to craft stems that can bend and twist into place. For an arrangement I would recommend using picks or sticks instead of wires