My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Peg and glue a floating Halloween design

Cut a handful of thin twigs to about the same size

Cut a handful of thin twigs to about the same length.

Choose twigs that have a ghostly look to them

Choose twigs that have a ghostly look to them.

Glue the twig to stand upright in a display container

Glue the twig to stand upright in a display container and peg the leaf to float at the top.

Add legs to a small pumpkin and add it to the design to hover at the same height as the leaves

Add legs to a small pumpkin and add it to the design to hover at the same height as the leaves.

See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions on how to add legs to a pumpkin

Glue in more leaves on twigs

Glue in more leaves on twigs

Add only a few leaves

Add only a few leaves. Don't overcrowd the display container so that the design remain light and airy.

Add the water tubes

Add the water tubes to keep the flowers hydrated. In my book you will find quite a few ideas on how to add water tubes to your design.

See the link below for more detailed instructions on how to add a twig to a water tube (and how I make these water tubes from drinking straws)

Glue the tubes into the design

Glue the tubes into the design.

Fill the tubes with fresh water

Fill the tubes with fresh water. See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions on how I make this syringe with tubes to fill water tubes in awkward spaces.

Design note: take extra care not to spill any water. Water pooling in the display container will cause the glue to become unstuck.

Place the fresh floral material in the water tubes.

Place the fresh floral material in the water tubes.

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

Tutorials

8 October 2011 Pumpkin legs

I wanted my pumpkin to lift its head slightly so that it is easy to see the beautiful sepals inside. Making tiny legs also prevent the pumpkin from rolling.

3 January 2011 Syringe with tube

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

4 January 2011 Drinking straw "test tubes"

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

22 April 2011 Test tube on a stick

Include a single floret (such as an orchid) or bundle a few weaker stems (such as lily of the valley) into an arrangement or hand tie by wiring a test tube to a stick.

1 February 2012 Love Bug

Heart shaped rosery vine and pine love bug

2 October 2013 Spiny Twig Porcupine Armature

Glue a few twigs to display Autumn flowers and foliage on

8 January 2014 Twig Tumbler

Wire and glue a stack of sticks into a cylindrical or tube shape

28 February 2018 Marching winter frosted twig and freesia stack

Frost a few twigs to craft a delicate armature for fragrant freesias

24 July 2012 Blow away hot glue strands

When you glue a structure with hot glue there are always a few stray strands of glue stuck all over the design. Blow it away with a hairdryer.

Favourite Flowers

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum or "mums"

Related Designs

31 October 2018 Scary stuff!

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

30 September 2020 This season all the stylish pumpkins will be wearing them!

A simple way to keep the plastic mesh the pumpkins are sold in from becoming trash: wrap it around the container as an armature for a quick Fall design. Replace the flowers as...

1 September 2021 It’s butter… nuts!

An it's not too early to decorate for Autumn, Autumn design

6 November 2012 Mr. Stalk, the Seriously Terrifying Scarecrow, on his Day Off

An easy going design of ripped grass and calla lilies. But look a bit closer. See if you can find Mr. Stalk relaxing somewhere between the blades of grass.

31 October 2017 Mr Twig-or-cheat

An extra Almost-a-Design for Halloween this year

11 November 2012 Leaves by Hundreds came

A rosette of fall leaves to celebrate the beauty of autumn

2 October 2013 Prickly

Build a twig porcupine armature for fall flowers

8 January 2014 It's stick season!

Snap and stack an glue a few twigs to create a lace like armature

28 February 2018 March Days

Line up a few frosted twigs to march across a shallow container