"As a little girl I used to spend hours weaving and building fairy castles from twigs and petals."
Since then, de Beer has gone on to become an international advanced master florist.
"I find that I still use the techniques I made up then," de Beer says in an email interview.
De Beer studied at Intec College in South Africa. She has a certificate in traditional flower arranging and another in business management for retail floristry.
"My lecturer encouraged me to look into the floral art side of floristry because I loved challenging myself to find an unusual way of designing," she says.
After she completed her education she did a floral art apprenticeship at the South African Flower Union and at the Western Cape Association of Flower Arrangers. She also designed and competed in competitions as a beginner and then as an intermediate designer. It took her four years until she was awarded the advanced Master Florist Accreditation from the World Association of Flower Arrangers in 2010.
On March 14, de Beer did a design demonstration at the Capilano Flower Arranging Club (CFAC) meeting called Floral Fable. The presentation showed how people can create meaningful designs that can communicate stories or ideas.
"With every design I demonstrated one concept, thought or idea and by just slightly changing a few of the floral ingredients the design flips over into its contrast," de Beer says. "For instance a meditative thoughtful design became playful and exuberant. A sleek and trendy city design became country chic."
After relocating from South Africa to the North Shore, de Beer joined CFAC and really enjoys her time with the organization.
"This year I will serve on the planning committee," she says. "I would really encourage anyone who loves flowers and is looking for a social creative outlet to visit or join the club."
De Beer enjoys working with blooms but also uses other plant material in her arrangements.
"I love using roots, grass and twigs to frame my flowers," she says. "I prefer the European style of arranging. Right now I can't resist contorted hazel branches."
The World Association of Flower Arrangers awards design level status based on a Ribbon System. A designer must be awarded three gold ribbons in design shows within three consecutive years in order to progress to the next level.
In 2010 de Beer was named the most innovative designer by the World Association of Flower Arrangers in South Africa.
"I spend most of my time testing innovative new products and tackling trendy floral concepts in an unusual way," she says. "Then to win an Innovation award from a founder member country of the World Association of Flower Arrangers with such a proud history in floral art for doing something that I am so passionate about was the greatest honor."
Last year she won silver in the World Association of Flower Arranger's International Flower Show "This Glorious Earth" competition. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious design competitions in the floral world.
"Winning a Silver Award just two months after relocating from South Africa to Canada was an enormous personal accomplishment," she says. "There was so much going on at the time. It was one of those moments where you really find out what you are made of."
De Beer says the big trend for 2011 was the rosetteshaped Echeveria as the main addition to arrangements but this year's trend will be much different.
"This year seems poised to be the year of dramatic and dark foliage. And even though it's still early in the year it looks like the beautiful Alocasia "Polly" is the front runner to be crowned superstar of spring 2012," de Beer says.
Anyone interested in learning more about Floral Art can visit www.christinedebeer.ca The Capilano Flower Arranging Club meets every second Wednesday of each month (except July and August), at 7: 30 p.m. at Delbrook Community Centre, 600 West Queens Road, North Vancouver.
