My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Phalaenopsis - Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis orchid detail from my Harnessing the Wind design

Common name

Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Origin

Varieties

In the last few years breeding has led to orchids becoming easier to care for. Though the large clusters of 10 flowers on a stem is still popular a small Phalaenopsis hybrid was also released. This Mini-Phalaenopsis have tiny blossoms. Another new breed is the Harlequin-hybrid. These flowers have small patches of burgundy or red.

Colors

Many variations of white, green, gold, orange, pink, purple and lilac.

Vase life

Three weeks.

Scent

None

Uses

Great as a cut flower, great roots to drape and weave with, great as a pot plant. By far my first choice to design with!

Conditioning

Give the stem a fresh cut preferably keeping a section of the main stem attached to the flower stem and condition in deep water. Flowers can be revived by bathing them in lukewarm water. As flowering plant: up to three months. After flowers fade give the spike a clean cut just above the second or third node to encourage re-flowering. The entire plant can also be conditioned to use in an arrangement by removing the growth medium and submerging in warm water overnight.

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

Related Designs

14 February 2024 Craft a birch bark bud vase topper for a openhearted Valentine's display

Craft a keepsake heart on top of a vase to display special flowers.

14 February 2024 Spoiler Alert: It’s You

A birch bark heart for Valentine's Day

31 January 2024 Frosted Glass Chip Edge for a glass container

Glue glass chips into a half moon to help keep the floral details in place.

31 January 2024 Surround and Sound

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

23 August 2023 Basket weave bunny tail grid to catch your floral details

A no waste... but still decorative way to keep your flower in place and hydrated in the warm days of summer.

23 August 2023 Note to Self

An easy to weave natural grid for summer floral arrangements.

2 August 2023 Tangle a wild wide web of Jasmine vine to suspend your flowers

My summer design strategy: the warmer the weather the deeper the water. A vine frog is just the thing!

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

Weave a web of jasmine vine to support orchid stems

26 July 2023 A woven grass grid cage for flying Column and Augmented petal Phalaenopsis orchids

Pick away the petals from a few Phalaenopsis orchids to display in a summer grass tunnel design.

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.

21 June 2023 Floral Hurricane

My Floral Hurricane design entry for the BC Floral Art Society mini show competition

25 January 2023 Snowy Magnolia forest floor armature

An armature to display a lovely surprise orchid that developed on the long spike just after the other flowers started to fade.

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.

9 November 2022 Roof-tile pumpkin from dried physalis pods

Carefully stack dried physalis berry husks to craft a long lasting pumpkin that you can refresh with fresh flowers and vines.

9 November 2022 All Pumpkind Out

A physalis husk pumpkin to celebrate the last bright rays of Autumn.

17 August 2022 Balanced branch with dangling macrame vases

Create a display branch for ever changing fresh flowers and foliage... or vines.

17 August 2022 Branch Manager

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

20 July 2022 Breezy lily grass ripple

A radiating design that has the freedom of movement to add a bit of a cooling effect on the warmer days of summer.

20 July 2022 The tiniest drop

A radiating summer design that waves in the slightest of breezes.

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.

22 June 2022 You Say Tomato I Say Tomato

Tiny tomato vine design to celebrate Summer.

27 April 2022 Grass snippet globe with T-connections for a (shaded) second layer

Craft two snippet half moons to connect... and... then add a second layer of grass snippets here and there to shade the flowers.

27 April 2022 Shine Shade

Glue snippets of grass into a double layer sphere to create a sheltered floral globe.

13 April 2022 Handcrafted grass and twig basket to hold some Easter flowers

Easter basket filled with (almost... almost chocolate) anthuriums.

13 April 2022 Hop on… it’s Easter!

A cheery Easter basket for a new beginning

6 April 2022 Create a design gap with two leaves to create shivering whiskers for your Spring design

Adding design details to create tiny gaps for more design details.

6 April 2022 Gaps between those in-between Spring days

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

16 March 2022 Sturdy, blossoming armature in a shallow puddle

If you know just a bit more about the "why" we do the things we do it is easy to discover new "how's". This week I show you why it is possible to design with blossoming twigs in a...

16 March 2022 Poised to Spring

An "it's only 10 days to Spring" design to display some blossom buds.

26 January 2022 Off-cut stem snippet and grass curl basket

Piece together a floral basket that looks delicate AND overgrown.

26 January 2022 Carry On

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

6 October 2021 A quick and easy way to Craft a Twig Basket Using Wire Tendrils

The hardest part of this is actually making the tendrils. From there it's a few twists... and we are done!

6 October 2021 A good measure of Autumn

A wire and twig permanent display basket with tiny water sources for a few fresh flowers that can be replaced as needed.

25 August 2021 Loop and Twist a Wire and Twig Tangle Grid

Wire twigs and wire around a shallow container to keep your floral details suspended in water in a shallow container.

25 August 2021 Doing a loop tangle twist

oh yes, a light an airy design showing off those very first autumn leaves.

14 July 2021 Light as a kite wire spiked sunflower heart

Using the disk floret of a sunflower to support your floral details.

14 July 2021 Light as a Kite

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

2 June 2021 Two leaf lining your container to shelter your orchids

Create a shallow puddle in a larger container to keep your flowers in place.

2 June 2021 Like an open book

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

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.

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.

31 March 2021 Interweave a criss-crossed nest for an Easter Egg

Zero waste, all natural Easter craft design.

31 March 2021 Criss-crossed

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

17 March 2021 Cone shaped leafy puddle for a short stemmed flower

Take all the usual ingredients for a budvase design- a flower, a leafy green something and roll it into something unusual to display.

17 March 2021 A scoop of pretty

A tiny budvase design that rearranges basic ingredients, such as a single leaf and an orchid to create a new design concept.

10 March 2021 A tiny pebble to keep it all in place

Keep an orchid and a blade of grass on an upturned bowl... with the weight of a tiny pebble.

10 March 2021 The way we curve

Tiny minimal design that explores curves.

17 February 2021 Controlled breaking a thin reed to create a grass spiral armature

Carefully break... but don't snap a reed to create a curved base for a fanned out grass armature.

17 February 2021 From here in out

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

27 January 2021 Loop a Monstera leaf stem to craft an underwater hold for a knotted orchid stem

Use the unique qualities of each stem to create a submerged design in a water filled glass vase.

27 January 2021 Knot how it was supposed to go

When you figure out the "how to" tricks of manipulating plant material it is possible to respectfully set them into seemingly impossible new directions.

6 January 2021 Rolled leaf shelter for a lean-in-closer tiny bud vase design

Create a tiny visual tunnel to focus attention.

6 January 2021 I tip my (flower) cap!

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

25 November 2020 Wire Stars

Wrap wire around a cardboard star for a quick three dimensional decoration.

25 November 2020 Contactless gift exchange wreath perfect to double as Santa’s Gift Bag for your front door

Craft a small pouch into a half-and-half wreath so that you can leave... and receive tiny gifts and cards in true Christmas 2020 style .

25 November 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Santa’s gift bag wreath

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

4 November 2020 Pot-scrubber copper wire curls and autumn twig twirls bud vase toppers

A quick solution for a minimal horizontal autumn display -on top of bud vases.

4 November 2020 Because that is just how I roll

A tumbling fall leaf design making use of the autumn leaves that are already falling to the ground.

21 October 2020 Sunflower heart autumn display

Pick away the ray floret so that the disk floret of a sunflower can be used as a flat surface to display your design on.

21 October 2020 When it gets chilly

Use the heart of a sunflower as a platform to place your autumn floral details on.

2 September 2020 Wrap a vine around a tiny vase to suspend it from a balanced twig

Using the design elements as mechanics to secure the design elements.

2 September 2020 Last full Moon of summer

All natural design using the design elements as mechanics.

26 August 2020 Create a tighter fit with pebbles so that you can wedge a twig securely into a vase

It all started with my twig being just too small to wedge into the glass vase tight enough to keep my orchid stem in place...

26 August 2020 It starts with WHY

Add design elements that serves a purpose for a minimal summer inspired floral design.

12 August 2020 Upside down and on it’s side glass display that plays with natural balance

Utilizing those not so obvious characteristics of your design details to make a minimal clear glass summer floral design.

12 August 2020 A lesson in letting be

Deceptively simple. A design that relies on you working with not against what is already there.

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

29 July 2020 Tail end of the story

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

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.

15 July 2020 Tea stained Bamboo husk orchids

Paint bamboo husks with strong tea to create a pretty orchid.

15 July 2020 Pass it on

A cascade of orchids growing over a slice of wood. Easy to design... and even easier to maintain!

24 June 2020 Building up a wreath panel

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

24 June 2020 End Up

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

22 April 2020 Weave a trendy oversized clutch purse with a hidden magnetic closure

A three in one Tutorial to show you how to weave a clutch purse, how to add a magnetic closure AND how to incorporate a ribbon into a weaved design.

22 April 2020 Yes… but what would she put in it?

Some floral fashion inspiration: weave a pretty clutch purse

8 April 2020 Basket weave in an eggshell

A tiny little basket weave to add to an Easter Design

8 April 2020 Don’t put all your Baskets in one Egg

A bit of a wrong way round pretty Easter design. Put the basket weave inside the egg instead of putting the eggs in a basket.

19 February 2020 Twig snippet pillar armature

A great do-in-advance and reusable design solution for a winter, early spring floral display.

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.

22 January 2020 Hanging bamboo from a wired hook

This design can be hanged from anywhere... a case filled with twigs or a branch.

22 January 2020 Bamboo cross-hatch spacers

A small design detail for contemporary floral arrangements.

22 January 2020 Spacer

Armatures are great (budget friendly) spacers for creating large floral designs without using an enormous amount of your resources.

15 January 2020 Over and under weave floral panel armature for inside a vase

Weave a small panel that fits snugly in a container for a minimal, foam free design that is quick to make but looks spectacular.

15 January 2020 This way we connect

Weave a connected panel to frame a single orchid.

9 October 2019 Quarter fold and Thread an Autumn leaf tube armature

This armature is actually made of four times as many leaves as what it looks like to create a hinge to fan the entire leaf-tube open yet keep it's shape.

9 October 2019 With a thankful twist in the middle

Fold and thread an autumn leaf armature for a thankful Thanksgiving design

31 July 2019 Adding folded grass "jitters" to a Sunflower

Adding tension to a design with a grass frame and collar.

31 July 2019 Jitters!

Zig-zag grass details add a bit of tension to the design

2 July 2019 Grass Spiral Wind Spinner

Thread grass into flexi grass to create a spinner that gently turns in the wind.

3 July 2019 Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind

29 May 2019 Creative Competition

This week I am so excited to share my article and design that was published in the recent issue of the Floral Art Society of New Zealand's Academy Magazine for NZ qualified...

22 May 2019 Putting your own spin on it

I would definitely describe my own personal style as minimalist classic... but with an edgy twist.

13 March 2019 Interweave an enchanted gift basket

A bit of a planned-messy woven basket that is sturdy enough to carry small items.

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

My article and grass wedding basket design.

9 January 2019 Winter white Tulle bridal basket

Craft a delicate bridal basket from twigs and tulle.

9 January 2019 Magical Craftsmanship

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

24 December 2018 Curl tinsel

Gently pull the tinsel over a blade to curl

25 December 2018 Twig Snowflake

Glue twigs into a snowflake twig armature for Christmas trimmings.

5 December 2018 Long Lichen branches to dress up a curvy vase

Secure two lichen covered branched to rest around the neck of a curvy vase.

5 December 2018 Personal Preference

The third design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing.

12 September 2018 Off-center hole-wreath armature

Craft a slightly off center wreath from dried vines and grasses for Phalaenopsis orchids.

12 September 2018 Hole-ding it’s breath

Craft an almost Autumn armature from dried sweet pea vines

4 July 2018 Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.

4 July 2018 Wonder

Tie a bundle of grass to support your floral details

25 April 2018 Get in line!

Line up a few pussy willow twigs for a hanging armature

21 March 2018 Craft a Spring basket from a wreath

A wide gap nearly basket for nearly spring

21 March 2018 Bring some Spring

Just like the weather is only hinting at spring, so is this design only hinting at being a basket

20 December 2017 Secret Battery holder

Sometimes the best way to hide something in your design is right in the open

20 December 2017 Twinkle and Pine Christmas Star

Use a cardboard shape to craft a simple wire Christmas star

20 December 2017 A Very Merry Christmas Star

A wire Christmas star with a secret plan to hide the twinkle

18 October 2017 Dracaena Roots

Grow Dracaena plants in water for the roots

18 October 2017 Papier Mache pumpkin half

Glue thin tissue paper layers to a pumpkin to create a shape to design with

18 October 2017 On the inside

For a softer autumn leaf pod turn the leaves so that the bright side faces in when making the pod.

20 September 2017 Hand Corsage

Inspired by Hath panjas or Indian hand jewelry an easy and comfortable alternative to a corsage

20 September 2017 You Wear It Well

My article and body flowers design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

13 September 2017 Around again

Tape a grid at the edge of a container

6 September 2017 Contained rose twig stack

Glue the twigs in a container to easily follow the round shape

6 September 2017 One of those difficult questions

Glue a bunch of twigs inside a container to create a round stack

16 August 2017 Making Ends Meet

Criss-cross corset style connect the gaps in a Monstera deliciosa leaf

12 July 2017 Sparkler

A radiating twig design

14 June 2017 Things are looking up!

My article and Bamboo Lantern design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

7 June 2017 Dream, Job

Create a grid to rest some plant material so that it floats and some with their stems to rest in the water below

22 March 2017 Biomimicry Demonstration and Workshop at the Floral Trends Design Group, South African Flower Union

Looking at how we emulate nature’s best biological ideas to solve our modern day design problems.

22 March 2017 Biomimicry

A design demonstration and workshop at the Floral Trends Design group in South Africa exploring how we emulate nature’s best biological ideas to solve our modern day design...

1 March 2017 Gumusservi

To celebrate the 6th year anniversary of My Creative Workbook I am looking at the most popular Tutorial I have done to date:

15 February 2017 Step Along

Create twig steps to display the orchids

8 February 2017 It could hold

A fragile looking heart made from twigs that can hold a lot of orchids

1 February 2017 Not yet Spring, Spring but a spring

Coil wire and grass to create a spring

13 July 2016 Woven

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature for orchids to perch on

29 June 2016 Reed Cradle Armature

Glue reeds on a wire frame to create a dimensional armature to suspend orchids in

29 June 2016 Make the design

Weave a reed cradle to suspend orchids from

8 June 2016 When the wind whisper

Glue a fantasy forest from Popsicle sticks, grape vine tendrils and willow tips

18 May 2016 Sealing water leaks

Petroleum jelly is both waterproof and not water soluble it creates a waterproof barrier to keep the water from leaking out of the vials when you hang it upside down. In fact,...

18 May 2016 Because I think I am making Progress

Create a floral ceiling

20 April 2016 That Will Be

Freestanding willow twig armature design

23 March 2016 Celebrate!

A closer look at my design at the 20th anniversary of Canada Blooms and The Toronto Flower Show

16 March 2016 Creative Expectations

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

13 January 2016 Once Upon A Time

Stack and glue a Grass Pyramid Armature

9 December 2015 On a Grand Scale

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

25 November 2015 So white

A dried Baby's breath and fresh orchid wreath

16 September 2015 Pointing In

wrap and glue a ring armature to create a decorative wreath

2 September 2015 Hana-Kubari Bamboo Stilts with a Hidden Water Source

Split bamboo stems to create a water source for dancing orchids

29 July 2015 Beautiful Things

Glue a few twigs into a disk armature

3 December 2014 Finding Common Ground

My article and twig boutonniere design featured in the Winter issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

10 September 2014 Creativity will come

My Twig Bridal Basket design and Tutorial featured in the Extraordinary Wedding Flowers issue of the New Zealand Floral Design Magazine

3 September 2014 What's done is done

My article and lace fine wreath design featured in the Autumn issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

27 August 2014 Brought Together

Loosely weave blades of grass together

16 July 2014 Unraveling fast

Weaving foliage to create a lush water scene

25 June 2014 Fine Tune

Thread cane through sticks to make a music inspired armature

11 June 2014 To

Make a quick and easy twig disk armature

4 June 2014 All white, just not quite

My article and woven ring basket design featured in the summer issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

28 May 2014 Be Silent And Listen

Lash a few bamboo pieces together to create a scaffold armature

23 April 2014 Bound to Keep

Weave and tie a decorative catcher to suspend flowers

9 April 2014 To think of that

Create a natural, swinging test tube holder to keep flowers hydrated

12 February 2014 Easy does it

Rip foliage to sprinkle as a light as air flower frog

18 September 2013 One foot at a time

Delicate ballet slippers from the first Autumn leaves

28 August 2013 Losing some of that Muchness

A barely there sisal Mad Hatter's floral hat

31 July 2013 Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

A tiny orchid stem ladder keeps the orchid suspended just above the water line

19 June 2013 This Moment

Create an armature design outside the vase

8 May 2013 So happy together

Glue a sisal bubble for a few delicate flowers to rest in

27 March 2013 In one basket

Weave a nest for an Easter design

4 December 2012 'Tis the Season

My article looking at contrasts and 6 winter lantern designs featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine

21 August 2012 Just Right! Floral Art demonstration: Too Cold!

My first design in my demonstration at the BC Floral Art Society meeting

5 April 2011 Mud!!! Floral Art Demonstration at the Rondebosch Flower Club

My demonstration looked at ways to use mud to enhance floral art.

26 June 2012 Diamond Jubilee Waterfall

To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Government House Gardens Society a Horticultural event was hosted in the gardens and...

3 January 2012 Bubble raft to float flowers

Flowers naturally float in water. They just don’t always naturally float on water. For that they sometimes need a bit of help.

29 November 2011 Jack Frost’s Christmas stocking

I used wire, fishing line (mono-filament) and Phalaenopsis orchid roots to make a messy lace Christmas stocking and dressed the stocking with frost green Cymbidium orchids

25 August 2011 Placing orchids in test tubes

Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.

30 August 2011 Suspending and positioning a Phalaenopsis orchid under water

Flowers naturally float and you will need some kind of sinker to keep them suspended under water.

30 August 2011 Ichi-go, ichi-e

Freely translated it means Each Moment, Only Once. It is a saying associated with Japanese tea ceremonies.

24 August 2011 Touchstone

A Touchstone is something or even someone that you can rely on to evaluate the strength or worth of an idea or concept.

10 August 2011 Pleated Pleasure

Pleats are accordion like folds of equal width in alternating opposite directions in any kind of fabric. I absolutely love the tight buds of Allium and they represent the...

12 July 2011 Blown Away

Kyogi Paper and Phalaenopsis Orchids Blown Away in the wind

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

Floral Sushi Dinner, for two

29 March 2011 "Canada" Demonstration in Cape Town, South Africa

After our second Canada visit in 2009 I did a demonstration entitled "Canada" at the Durbanville Flower Club in South Africa

4 April 2011 Floral Trends Design Group Opening Demonstration: 2010

A look at the Old and New of Floral art

13 April 2011 Harnessing the Wind

14 April 2011 In the Bag

My bag was woven from re-purposed wire and recycled fishing line and tiny stems of growing sweet pea plants and orchids

9 April 2011 Mud!!! Floral Art Demonstration at the Rondebosch Flower Club, Cape Town, South Africa

So much goes into one stage design that I thought it would be worthwhile to break up the design elements and explore each in more detail.

7 April 2011 Floral Art Demonstrations

When I demonstrate I focus on sharing the art of contemporary floral design, as I see it.

24 March 2011 Condition Epiphyte Orchids

How to condition Orchids to use as plants in an arrangement without placing the roots in a growth medium

1 April 2011 The Plant Material used in the Demonstration

I wanted my design to feature mostly growing plants- creating a natural display on the supernatural wreath.

14 January 2011 Inspired by Nature

Flax leaves are ripped with a kenzan and wrapped with copper wire and small blue beads to create a rope to weave into a delicate spider web.