My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Paper log stack

Cut cardboard disks and strips for the logs.

Cut cardboard disks and strips for the logs.

Glue the strips to the disks to create the logs.

Glue the strips around the disks to create the logs with hot glue

Fold the cardboard to curve

Gently let the cardboard fold to curve

That is the basic log shape....

That is the basic log shape...

Make more cardboard logs

Continue to make as many log shapes as needed

For a smooth wood cover the logs with a Kyogi paper (Japanese shaved wood)veneer

Cut strips of Kyogi paper.

Cut the Kyogi paper into strips following the wood grain.

Glue the strips of Kyogi paper to the cardboard logs.

Glue the strips of Kyogi paper to the cardboard logs.

Or for a more rustic rough log cover the veneer with bark wood chips

Cut bark from wood.

With a strong sharp knife remove bark from wood

Glue the bark chips to the paper log

Glue the bark chips to the paper log

Glue the bark chips to the paper log to cover the entire surface

Continue adding bits of bark

Stack the paper logs and glue on bits of lichen.

Stack the paper logs and glue on bits of lichen.

Add a few twigs to the log disks

Add a few twigs to the log disks

Cover the metal container with papier mache and bark.

I also wanted my metal container to look rustic and wooden so I covered it first with brown Papier Mache and then with bark chips

Paper log stack armature

Paper log stacked armature all done and ready to design with

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

Tutorials

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...

13 April 2011 Wind Spinner

My inspiration for my Harnessing the Wind design was a wind spinner.

31 March 2011 Bark covered Wreath

Keep in mind that in order to make a realistic looking fantasy design element, such as the wreath, you must focus on how this item would grow in nature.

Related Designs

15 March 2012 A Floral Fable Design demonstration Floral Art Structures

I did a Floral Art demonstration at The Capilano Flower Arranging club. Over the next few weeks I will show the designs in detail and add the design tutorials. This week I’ll...

29 March 2012 A Floral Fable: Floriograpy Design

This is the fourth and last design I did for my Floral Fable demonstration.

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.

15 July 2020 Pass it on

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

18 November 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Yule log

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