There are four orchids blooming this month. I am pleased that I always have one orchid blooming at least in my sunroom (or my ikebana work room). It brightens the room and warm my heart!
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| Large Cattleya, 1/8/2023, in full bloom |
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| Oncidium and Cattleya 1/31/2023 |
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| 1/31/2023 in full bloom, 7 small flowers |
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| Four blooming orchids, 1/31/20231 |
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| 1/31/2023, two are in budding |
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| 1/29/2023 |
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| Left Cattleya orchid faded, right side in full bloom 1/11/2023 |
Main Line study branch was hosting the meeting of Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter, held on January 26th. The program was “Twice as nice - demo and workshop with dried materials”. As I mentioned before, we had three demonstrators and six arrangements in total, followed by workshop. Main Line had been preparing a lot of dried materials to use for the workshop or giving away!
Twenty one members including two new male members attended the meeting and workshop, using all the dried materials provided or by their own. Every one had fun and did a good job! (I forgot to mention, a member said to me that my arrangement is so beautiful!)
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| 1st demo arrangement |
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| 2nd demo arrangement (table arrangement) |
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| 3rd demo arrangement |
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| 4th demo arrangement |
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| 5ths demo arrangement (winter garden) by me |
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| Sixth demo arrangement by me |
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| One of the workshop arrangements |
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| One of the workshop arrangements |
These two arrangements below are my idea, will be for the January 26th demonstrations.
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| Twigs frame, hydrangea, cabbage, allium, Branch and drift wood |
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| Autumn joy Sedum, Aspidistra and wood stick / ceramic vase |
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| Metal stand and triangular ceramic container |
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| 1/13/2023 first attempt |
“A creative design with two similar units of unequal size containers that are joined by a prominent stretch component of material.”
My design: Two similar and unequal size ceramic containers, my materials were pom pom, nandina berries, cider and I added ivy to connect each other. (1/19/2023)
Our newsletter notes: “Choose one of Sofu’s principles, create an arrangement to illustrate it.” I picked #49 for my lesson. It wrote: “The four principles of ikebana are a fresh approach, movement, balance and harmony; the three elements are line, color and mass.”
So, my arrangement said it all. I think! Hata Sensei didn’t change one bit, but just said it’s okay!? After home I rearranged and took better pictures.
“Make an arrangement by simplifying the composition to its limit, regardless of the overall size of it.” The keys of this subject are trimming and choosing a container. That was my intention too.
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| Magnolia, nandina / ceramic container |
Three class lessons for January 17, 2023 are: #1) Showing lines at Base, #2) Simplified Arrangement, #3) Choose one of Sofu’s 50 principles and arrangement to illustrate it.
Lesson 1: “The key points of this subject are the beauty and artistic tension shown by the stems”. For my materials, I cut maple branches from my garden and purchased freesia, Pom Pom, I added seed pods (from wild). I carefully arranged them all together at the base and standing upright from the container.
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| Sensei suggested to tighten the base closer |
January class lesson is coming up soon, I bought some flower materials for class needs, besides I haven’t been doing Ikebana since the new year. I felt my brain was a little bit rusty! So, here’s my arrangement using some of the flowers that I bought plus kiwi vine and tiger tail house plant. The last photo of the arrangement was made earlier using horse tails and magnolia.
Our children and grandchildren were home during the Christmas holiday, they decided to walk to the banks of the Delaware River to watch the reenactment of General George Washington’s Christmas Day river crossing. Only two blocks walking distance from our house to the river banks, they all rushed home because they just could not tolerate the frigid cold! That was the coldest day (record, single digit Fahrenheit at night, teens by day). My youngest grandson (22 months old) showed me his near freezing hands, I used my hands to warm his tiny hands and his cute red cheeks! (12/25/2022)
This Cattleya has been blooming for three weeks by far and is a very nice orchid with a hint of fragrance, best of all, it faithfully blooms every year this time of year.
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| 1/5/2023 |
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| 12/25/2022 |
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| 12/22/2022 |
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| 12/22/2022 |
