My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Syringe with tube

How to make theSyringe with tube

Syringe and tube

Easy way to fill test tubes

Syringe and tube- supplies

You can buy a syringe from a pharmacy and the tubes from a pet store (used in aquariums)

Syringe and tube- connect

Heat the tube slightly with warm water and slide onto the syringe

Syringe and tube- straw

Filling a drinking straw

Drinking straw test tube with flower

Fill with water and add small flowers

Syringe and tube-test tube

Filling a test tube

Bottle and tube
When you need to fill a lot of test tubes really fast:

Bottle and tube

A larger version of the syringe and tube

It’s also a great way to recycle soda bottles

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

Tutorials

4 January 2011 Drinking straw "test tubes"

When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.

Related Designs

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

28 May 2014 Be Silent And Listen

Lash a few bamboo pieces together to create a scaffold armature

8 October 2014 Pluviophile

Float grass snippets in water

31 December 2014 The sound of a kiss

Stack and glue twigs into a table top heart

22 April 2015 Toiling

Convert a dowel stick into a container for delicate flower stems

27 May 2015 Limelight

My RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015 Limelight Floral Art Design. My Limelight design was inspired by a slice of lime. But I wanted it to look like it was spun by a butterfly. I used...

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

31 August 2016 Leftovers

Using bits and snippets to create an everlasting moss and succulent design

26 October 2016 Harvest Moon

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

30 November 2016 All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate): Worth a second look

This was the fourth (and last) design I did in my "All things Autumn (by which I mean all things chocolate)" floral art demonstration

18 January 2017 Look at you!

Tie twigs to shape a hanging armature

16 August 2017 Making Ends Meet

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

6 September 2017 One of those difficult questions

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

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

7 February 2018 Up around the bend

Bend Equisetum into curves to wire into an open wreath shape

28 March 2018 Walking on eggshells

Fill eggshells with moss to create an upright container... with a surprising balancing trick.

11 April 2018 Follow the line

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

25 April 2018 Get in line!

Line up a few pussy willow twigs for a hanging armature

20 June 2018 A Bundle of Pretty

A dried bundle of ripped flax hides a secret water source for the orchids

26 September 2018 Cover Story

The design for the cover of my book, the effortless floral craftsman, crafted from Fiddlehead Fern and Red Lipstick Hanging Heliconia.

17 October 2018 But wait… there's more!

Tucked into the box with every advance copy of the book, the effortless floral craftsman is a packet of clips. This design and Tutorial is a bit of inspiration... what will you...

31 October 2018 Scary stuff!

My Halloween design... with some scary stuff hidden if you can read between the leaves!

21 November 2018 Rules!

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

21 November 2018 The effortless floral craftsman, a floral crafter's guide to crafting with nature Book Launch Demonstration

My book launch demonstration was hosted by my flower-buddies from the Capilano Flower Arranging Club. We looked at what influences our own effortless style... that "thing" that...

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 December 2018 Availability of plant material shows in your design style

The last design I did for my book launch demonstration looking at aspects that influences my effortless style of designing... this week: often when we see a design element...

20 February 2019 Inna...

Stack bowls to keep your flower stems in place.

10 April 2019 Just Like Wisteria Rain

Craft a ethereal design from twigs and wisteria flowers

8 May 2019 It takes more than one person to invent a trumpet!

Filling a trumpet flower cup... with more flowers!

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.

3 July 2019 Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind

31 July 2019 Jitters!

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

23 October 2019 As pumpkins do this time of year

Hanging pumpkins and tiny vases to create a Autumn mobile floral design.

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.

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.

6 May 2020 Forever… incomplete

Craft a pretty armature that can be used again and again.

24 June 2020 End Up

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

5 August 2020 Spare a Moment

A tranquil design that just takes a moment to do... when you need to take a moment to... breathe.

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...

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...

16 December 2020 Have yourself a Merry Cellulose Fibre Christmas: Snow Globe

...ok not really that fancy- it’s paper pulp. Cardboard boxes, really. In the spirit of 2020- I am inspired by the endless stream of cardboard boxes being delivered. This week...

20 January 2021 Hope Bubble

That good old double vase trick... but this time I deliberately added a bubble between the two layers to create a third circle in the design.

10 February 2021 My valenVine

An... everything is moving... design. The tulips are growing and the small vine filled vase is bopping around in the water. And if you lean them against each other just right it...

21 April 2021 All A-flutter

Adding a few fluttering petals to a design.

5 May 2021 But of course.

Repurpose an apothecary vase lid for a floating Spring design.

22 September 2021 Kinda Corny

Crafting with corn to make... well... corn, really.

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.

1 December 2021 It’s the most… it’s the most... Hap-Hapiest Patina Christmas of all!

This is the second of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. Craft a three twig sphere snow man to proudly...

22 December 2021 It’s the most… it’s the most… wonderful Patina Copper Spiral Bauble Christmas of all!

This is the fifth of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. This week I will show you how to add a mostly...

9 February 2022 Pouring

Place a small fishbowl vase at an angle to look like it is pouring out flowers and twigs.

15 June 2022 Take a swing at it

A cooling design for early summer days with swinging ripped grass and more than enough water for thirsty hydrangeas.

29 June 2022 But for this… let’s not rush

A take your time and mindfully craft a pretty design to celebrate the summer solstice- it is officially summer here in Canada.

17 August 2022 Branch Manager

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

5 April 2023 Where do you even start looking?

Easter egg... egg for Easter eggs