My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

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. I like to use the tiny corsage magnets. They are heavy for their size and round- so they will not damage the flowers or plant material that I want to sink. If possible I simply tuck the magnet into the flower heads (works particularly well with calla lilies or tulips) but for this design I actually used the magnet to position the orchid exactly where I wanted it.

Glue the magnet to the orchid

Cut the stem from the flower to create a flat surface. Glue the heavy side of a corsage magnet to the orchid with Oasis Floral Adhesive.

Move the flower with the magnet

Slide the orchid into the water filled vase. Position the other part of the magnet at the outside of the vase. Position the flower by moving the magnet in the exact position you want it.

Positioning a flower under water using a magnet.

You can use this method to suspend any flower under water.

You can also wire the magnet into position

Alternatively you can wire the magnet into position.

Simply wrap the wire around the magnet to secure

Simply wrap the wire around the magnet to secure.

And place it in a vase

And place it in a vase.

Gently move the flower from the outside by wiggling the magnet

Gently move the flower from the outside by wiggling the magnet.

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

Tutorials

30 August 2011 Removing Oasis Floral Adhesive glue spills

The finish of every design should be flawless. Make sure there are no bits of glue visible in your design by carefully removing all traces of spills.

Favourite Flowers

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Related Designs

30 August 2011 Ichi-go, ichi-e

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

28 February 2012 Design-time saving tip sheet for a demanding Mother’s Day

Time Saving Tips and Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine

7 October 2015 Down-bubble

Add grass "bubbles" that can be repositioned to your 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:

17 January 2018 Flowering Between a Rock and a Hard place

Create a subtle contrast by floating or anchoring some of your design elements.

24 January 2018 How to make a stack of just enough:

Stack two vases to create a small gap at the side to keep a leaf upright

11 April 2018 Follow the line

Stack a few glass containers and fill each with water to a different level.

10 July 2019 These are my favourite summer things:

A submerged design... perfect for summertime designing... and enjoying!

4 March 2020 All Aboard!

Ooooh! Am I excited to show you this design. It is an ordinary fishbowl vase... balanced on it's side.

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.

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

Weave a web of jasmine vine to support orchid stems

3 August 2011 Magnetic Fields Forever

The heart shape of my corsage is woven from shaved wood and then decorated with green strawberries. I used corsage magnets to place the corsage on the lapel of a jacket