My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Wrap a vine around a tiny vase to suspend it from a balanced twig

Cut a strong twig to hang the vase from

Cut a strong twig to hang the vase from.

Design note: I chose a dried eucalyptus twig. Firstly because it is grey like almost all the other design elements. Making sure I pare down the visual distraction so that you have more "space" to notice the design magic happening.
I spoke a bit about using design elements that are magical in my newsletter this week. Are you signed up? Every week I share a tip related to the design so that we can have a conversation about it if you want to reply to the email.

Strip away the dried foliage

Strip away the dried foliage.

I am using a glass sea horse vase for this design. They are just the cutest! Everyone always asks me where to find these soooo: I buy these from Fusion Flowers magazine by the box load- enough to keep with some leftover to share.
But you can also use a tiny perfume sample bottle or glass tube. For more ideas on cute and unusual water sources turn to page 196/197 of my book. The last one on page 197 works so well that my editor wrote me a special note about it!

Place a long rosary vine deep into the bud vase

Place a long rosary vine deep into the bud vase so that it won't lift out of the water...

Fold the vine down and wrap the rest of the vine over the folded part to secure it

Fold the vine down and wrap the rest of the vine over the folded part to secure it.

Be careful not to break the tiny heart shaped leaves

Be careful not to break or damage the tiny heart shaped leaves but rather use them to secure the vine.

Design note: if you know rosary vine you also know it likes nothing better than for the tiny little heart shaped leaves to catch another heart shape leave. Let it. The vine stays in place without having to knot it because of this natural tendency. Yay nature!

Hook the vine over a twig and wrap it to secure the vase to the twig with the vine

Hook the vine over the prepared twig and wrap it to secure the vase to the twig with the vine.

For more inspiration on how to secure a tiny tube or vase turn to page 178 of my book. In fact that entire section would be helpful if you want new inspiration for using small vases or water tubes in unusual ways in your designs.

Make sure the bud vase is secure before adding water or design details

Make sure the bud vase is secure before adding water or design details.

Place a heavy pebble on the opposite twig end

Place the twig in a shallow container and place a heavy pebble on the opposite twig end.

Prop the twig up with another pebble on the edge of the shallow container

Prop the twig up with another pebble on the edge of the shallow container.

Fill the bud vase with water

Fill the bud vase with water.

Place the orchid deep into the vase

Place the orchid deep into the vase... again I do this so that the flower can't topple out easily.

See the link below for a Tutorial on how I cut my orchids from the spike to give me a longer stem to design with.

Add in more vines to twirl around the flower and around the twig into the shallow container

Add in more vines to twirl around the flower and around the twig into the shallow container.

Carefully resting the delicate ends on the pebble

Carefully resting the delicate ends on the pebble... to create the illusion of a "it just grew this way" design.

Finish the design with a few dew drop crystals

Finish the design with a few dew drop crystals.

See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on why (and how) I use a pin to place these crystals.

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

Tutorials

8 July 2015 Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.

25 August 2011 Placing orchids in test tubes

Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.

24 April 2019 Balance a cake stand lid on it’s side to create a leaning design

Suspend a flower for an unusual but minimalist design over a leaning container lid.

16 August 2011 Cut spiked flower stems and foliage into short sections

Orchids grow in long flower spikes. It is great to use the entire stem but sometimes you need shorter section. There is a trick to cutting the stems without leaving a visible...

8 May 2012 Nestled grass pebble

Weave a grass pebble for flowers to nestle in

26 June 2012 Driftwood precariously perched on the edge of a pebble

Wire and glue the driftwood at an angle to balance on a pebble

31 January 2018 Rock Rest for a heavy Protea Flower Head

Create a contrasting base to lift the heavy flower-head to design in

29 October 2014 Spin a Single Strand Spanish Moss Spider Web

Weave a barely there all natural spider web.

8 August 2012 Stringing wool and Spanish moss

Create veil of wool and Spanish moss

Favourite Flowers

Ceropegia woodii

Rosary vine, Chain of Hearts, Collar of hearts and String of hearts

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Related Designs

2 September 2020 Last full Moon of summer

All natural design using the design elements as mechanics.

21 June 2023 Floral Hurricane

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

24 April 2019 Put aside

Urgh… my glass cake stand broke leaving me with a still beautiful, but now mismatched and extremely inspirational lid...

8 May 2012 Skipping stone

Weave a grass pebble for the orchid to nestle in.

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...

31 January 2018 Rock, don't Roll

Balance the heavy Protea flower head to lean against a rock.

29 October 2014 Frightfully Pretty

Weave a single strand Spanish Moss spider web

8 August 2012 Stringing in the rain

A veil of green wool, Spanish moss and dried hydrangeas hang over white lilies

17 January 2018 Flowering Between a Rock and a Hard place

Create a subtle contrast by floating or anchoring some of your design elements.