PFS - Blue Ribbons Award

Plant-pressed arts and window arts and jewelry arts, they are all made from plants, flowers and natural sources.

Philadelphia Flower Show 2019 -" Flower Power"

The PHS (Pennsylvania Horticulture Society) Philadelphia Flower Show (PFS) was held March 2 through March 10, 2019 at the convention center. The theme this year is "Flower Power." The big difference this year is "the FTD World Cup of Flowers pits the world's most exciting and talented floral designers against each other in feats of floral artistry." This is the first time the United States has hosted the World Cup since 1985. There are twenty more nations participating in their floral design and decoration. As I know now, Australia is the world cup champion. Russia is 1st runner up, Hungary 2nd runner up. They are all so grand, beautiful and spectacular, impressively show the "Flower Power."

Below are few of the photos I took.

Hata Sensei's Class in February

We have a full-house of students in the class this month, thanks to the better weather.
The three lessons were:
1) Free Style Ka-bu-wa- ke (Moribana) book 3-3
2) Green Plant Materials book 5-4
3) Philadelphia Flower Show practice
 Lesson 1 and 2 were in the morning section, lesson 3 in the afternoon. As usual, we always learned something new from Sensei's demo, even though we have done all these lessons before.

Lesson #1 my arrangement Ka-bu-wa-ke

Lesson #2 Sensei's Green materials arrangement

Lesson #2 my arrangement in class

Follow Sensei's suggestion to tear the leave

Lesson #1 classmate's arrangement

Classmate's arrangement #1

classmate's #2 arrangement  

Preparing for the Philadelphia Flower Show

Time goes by so fast, this year's Philadelphia Flower Show(PFS) is approaching. Our Main Line Study Group got the assignment for six spots of exhibition. Fortunately, I am one of them and I am assigned to a 4' x 4' x 1' platform, it will be a large and tall Ikebana arrangement, and should be viewed by three sides. I have been planning my design and working hard to gather all possible, necessary materials and so on.....

Here is my plan: Base of the arrangement, a big piece of tree root and a large Japanese vase.

Janunary Ikebana Class - Three Lessons

Monday, 1/21/2019, was the coldest day in 25 years in our area. The temperature was in the teens. All day long, the windchill was below zero F.  The night before we were not sure that we were going to have class or not.  It depended on Hata Sensei's decision. Finally, we were told that Sensei's daughter would drive her to the class (three hours drive from NYC to Haverford PA). I was so happy to see ten brave students (Sensei has more than 20 students) show up in the class!
Three lessons:
1) Composition Using Unconventional Material- Book 5
2) Variation #8 Combined Styles Moribana and Moribana
3) Massed Expression

1) Wire mesh structure, ornamental ball

2) My arrangement, Combined Style Moribana and Moribana

3) Hata Sensei's demo arrangement

3) My arrangement without mum

3) Sensei's suggestion added two mums for my Mass Expression

3) Sara's arrangement

Demostration and Workshop at Taiwanese Grace Presbyterian Church

Here are my two arrangements for the Women Fellowship Program at the Grace Taiwanese Presbyterian Church. The first picture is my demo piece, in a traditional yet basic style. The second picture shows simple lines in a small container. The third picture is a demonstration by Chih (church member and BuxMont study group member) to show the three main stems--Shin, Soe and Hikae basic style. There were 15 women who attended the workshop. (1/19/2019)
PS: To be a demonstrator and conduct workshops, you must be a certified teacher.  

 

Happy New Year and Smooth Sailing through 2019

I am so glad to be back after missing classes in October and November.
For this year's New Year celebration arrangement, I made 2 arrangements for both study groups. After Hata Sensei's class, we had a nice holiday potluck lunch to say good by to the 2018 session. We will see everyone again in 2019!  Hope everyone has a nice holiday and stays healthy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Pine, Mum, Nandina, Lily, Lichen covered branch
and Mizuhiki/pottery container (Main Line study group)

Winterberry, Nandina, Mum, Pine and Mizuhiki /ceramic (Bux-Mont study class)

Merry Christmas - Three Arrangements

Merry Christmas and joyous holidays to every one!
Here are my Christmas holiday arrangements at home and in class.
I belong to two Sogetsu study groups: Main Line Study Group, led by Hata Sensei, and the Buxmont Study group, led by Meei-Huey Sensei, which was formed three years ago.
Hata Sensei's group is more challenging for me, because Meei-Huey Sensei and Midore Sensei are also in the group. Meei-Huey Sensei has been my teacher for 10 years. I appreciate that she taught me to build up my solid basic foundation for which I am very grateful! 

Holy branch, Poinsettia, baby breath / crystal vase with ornament ball inside

My arrangement in Hata Sensei's class: painted allum and painted branch

Meei-Huey Sensei's class. 

Orchids for December Bloom

Actually, I have only two blooming orchids this month. One is perfect Cattleya, another one is deformed Oncidium.    

Cat. Purple "Start Bright". Compact plant, very cute

Full bloom in one week, long lasting orchid

Deformed Onc. Sherry baby "sweet fragrant"

Bucks County Orchid Society

I bought this oncidium orchid

Young Japanese maple in a gorgeous orange color

Peak fall, beautiful colors along the high way (11/3/2018)