My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Fast way to fill a lot of test tubes in awkward places

I do not believe in arranging flowers without a water source of some kind. I want my flowers to remain as beautiful for as long as possible and I often get quite creative to ensure a water source for even finer stems and blossoms.

Filling the test tubes

For this design I used 60 small glass test tubes glued directly into the cocoon frame. To fill the tubes I made a syringe tube so that I can easily fill the test tubes before designing...

Top up the water in the test tube

...and top up the water without disturbing the delicate design.

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

Tutorials

3 January 2011 Syringe with tube

Easy way to fill test tubes and easiest way to remove water from a vase

16 August 2011 Twig cocoon

Cherry twig frame for my cocoon design

28 March 2011 Spinning a Hot Glue Spider Web or silk for a Floral Cocoon

How to spin (and remove) hot glue spider web or floral cocoon

16 August 2011 Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections

Orchids grow in long flower spikes. It is great to use the entire stem but sometimes you need shorter section. There is a trick to cutting the stems without leaving a visible...

Related Designs

16 August 2011 Cherry twig cocoon

Japanese aesthetic, wabi-sabi, acknowledges three simple truths:nothing lasts, nothing is done, and nothing is perfect.

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...

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

21 August 2013 Hold on to the knot

Bend and knot wire into a heart shaped armature

2 September 2015 Happy Dance

Split a few bamboo sections to create a happy water source for miniature orchids

4 November 2015 Delicate

Bleached Gypsophila wreath with delicate autumn touches

23 March 2016 Celebrate!

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

29 June 2016 Make the design

Weave a reed cradle to suspend orchids from

26 October 2016 Harvest Moon

Fold a fine twig wreath in half to create a moon shaped armature

10 April 2019 Just Like Wisteria Rain

Craft a ethereal design from twigs and wisteria flowers

3 July 2019 Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind

19 October 2022 Point Witch (or Wizard) Way

A wire framed witch or wizard hat that can be reshaped.