My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Hiding a secret water source in a twig frog

Conditioning new growth and sprouts are difficult because the little sprouts have not had time to fully develop its cellular structure to survive being cut and taking up water on its own. The cells will collapse within hours from severing and the beautiful new growth will wilt looking limp in your design. But new growth looks so fantastic and it is always tempting to try to include it. See the Tutorial below on my secret trick on how to "condition" new growth

Place a glass container on it side

Place a glass container on it side. Place twigs in the container

Setting the container on its side makes it easier to stack the twigs

Keep adding twigs

Keep adding twigs

For a more detailed Tutorial on how to stack the twigs see the Twig Spiral tutorial below

Fill the glass container with twigs

Fill the glass container with twigs

Carefully set the glass container up-right

Carefully set the glass container up-right

Take hold of the twigs and give it a twist.

Take hold of the twigs and give it a twist.

The twigs are now at an angle in the container

The twigs are now at an angle in the container

Place a sprouting willow twig in a large water filled tube

Place a sprouting willow twig in a large water filled tube

And set it deep in the twigs.

And set it deep in the twigs.

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Tutorials

22 May 2012 Spiral twig frog

Multiple tiny twigs create a flower frog to keep the delicate buds and leaves in the exact spot you want.

22 May 2012 Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.

13 April 2012 A secret trick to conditioning new growth

Conditioning new growth and sprouts are difficult because the little sprouts have not had time to fully develop its cellular structure to survive being cut and taking up water on...

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