My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Wired Monkey Vine

Mix a bit of potting soil with wood glue to create a firm yet runny mud. This will dry into a very rough and strong texture.

Making monkey rope

For the rope I gathered a length of wire and sisal together and painted both with dark wood stain. I then twisted the wire to look similar to the passion fruit tendrils and created the hooked shape I required to hang the orchids from. I dipped the entire shape into mud to adhere the sisal over the wire. Next I added bits of paper bark to the rope.

Wired Monkey rope

To fix the loops into place I painted sections with more mud. Leave to dry and bake hard in full sun.

This will create a very strong wired rope- strong enough to hang the orchids from and it also insulate the wire from rust by creating a protective layer. It not only looks natural but is made out of natural plant material.

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

Tutorials

1 March 2011 Paper covered Wire

Cover the wire with the raffia

23 March 2012 Curl Equisetum shoots into a snail shell spiral

Equisetum is hollow and jointed resembling miniature bamboo but it can be shaped into spirals by wiring the shoots

14 January 2011 Beaded wire

Thread thin wire with tiny beads

Related Designs

30 March 2011 Mud!!!

When I started researching mud as a possible enhancement to contemporary floral art I was thoroughly inspired by the possibilities.

30 March 2016 A Point of Support

My contemporary floral art design demonstrated at the Canada Blooms flower show in Toronto.

15 February 2017 Step Along

Create twig steps to display the orchids

28 October 2020 Magic Spell Number 614: How to make absolutely any task you need to do fun

A hint of a wreath table top design for pre-Halloween decorating.

15 September 2021 Blowing this way and that

Craft an arch armature to display those early autumn treasures.

21 June 2023 Floral Hurricane

My Floral Hurricane design entry for the BC Floral Art Society mini show competition

13 March 2024 In All Ways

A birch bark basket... perfect for some new Spring floral details.

5 April 2011 Mud!!! Floral Art Demonstration at the Rondebosch Flower Club

My demonstration looked at ways to use mud to enhance floral art.