Winter Theme

I purchased a bunch of chrysanthemums a week ago for my class lessons. There were ten of them, some still looking fresh, bigger and beautiful! I loved it in my winter theme arrangement using twig and winter berry branch.

My birthday and strawberry Shortcake

It’s a busy week! Ikebana class on Tuesday, yearly regular check up for my eyes on Thursday, and would meet my daughter on Friday at UPenn to see neurologist for my husband. So I forgot my own birthday until I noticed a box of strawberry shortcake sitting on my front door step. It’s my youngest daughter who would like me having a treat delivered to surprise me! 😳🥰  (12/12/2024)

December Class Lessons - Holiday Arrangements “East Meet West” (1)

It’s the holiday season! Our December class lessons were all about the holiday arrangements. It’s “ East Meet West” for both Christmas and New Year celebrations.  One of the arrangement should be designed on the table. Sensei would talk about “negative space” in relation to each arrangement: some small space/ some large space. So keep in mind as we create our arrangements. (12/10/2024)

Sensei’s demo for New Year celebrations 

My arrangement for New Year, using Mizuhiki
nandina, mum and pine

Side view 

Silver painted bamboo and silver metal vase 

Arranged at home day before 

Holiday Arrangement - “East Meet West” (2)

December class usually ends with potluck lunch, it has become our tradition now! After we finished the second lesson “Holiday Arrangement On The Table”, using Christmas colors. Then followed by potluck lunch, Sensei’s arrangement and mine put on each side of the long table, everybody was enjoying the bountiful meals that everyone brought in.  (12/10/2024)

Sensei’s demonstration 

My arrangement, front view 

Different angle view 

Back view, can be viewed all sides 

Tried at home day before 

Grace’s arrangement

Other classmates arrangements 

Winter Berry and Tulip - All Red Arrangement

I have two winter berry bushes. They look beautiful in my front garden especially in the winter landscape! The tulips were leftover from last time, without any distracting thought, I combined them with winter berry branches in my arrangement.  (11/23/2024)

Arrangement For Celebration

Team Taiwan just shocked the world! They clinched the 2024 WBSC Premier 12 Championship by crushing Japan (4 to 0).  Premier 12 is like the World Cup of baseball. You have the 12 highest ranked international teams all battling it out and Japan has always been a total powerhouse. But Team Taiwan just outplayed them in every way from the first pitch to the final out!  This victory is huge for Taiwanese baseball. They didn’t just win a game. They united a nation and brought everyone together!  I am so proud and happy for the young Taiwanese team players! (11/25/2024)

Lessons for November (2) - Vegetables and or Fruits in an Arrangement

Lessons #2 in the afternoon: We had another lesson to learn and arrangement.  It is November and Thanksgiving is approaching! So, we would have arrangement on the Thanksgiving feast table or …Therefore the lesson were on the book 2 Morimono or combine with book 4 vegetables and /or fruits in an arrangement. (11/19/2024)

I combined place mate and container 

Sensei’s Morimono 

By classmate 

By classmate 

By classmate 

Lessons for November (1) - Weaving Plants Branches

For this month’s (11/19/2024)  morning class lesson, we inspired by master Kawana’s conference workshop on weaving branches. I brought my own curly willow branches to class or you could purchase bundle of them. We learned from Hata Sensei’s demo and arranged with them. 

In class, in and out weaving the willow branches 

At home, rearranged using less tulips 

Sensei’s demo using long leaves to weave

Marcia’s arrangement 

Using dogwood branches by classmate 

By classmate 

Color of The Container - The Subject of My Demonstration

The “Color of the Container” was the subject of my demonstration for the Buxmont Study Group’s annual exhibition. Since then I had been practicing for a few times with two different kinds of containers; ceramic and glass. I chose the black and white ceramic container to do the demonstration because I had a better idea and the materials I liked. ( Japanese anemone, baby breath, mum and black painted branches)

Tried a day before using the actual materials 

Even though less is more! But arranged it from behind 
and faced audiences was not the same thing!

Tried at home using mums from my garden 

Purple and white glass vase

Playing around with mum, dahlia and paper

Sogetsu Buxmot Study Group- 9th Annual Exhibition

Sogetsu BuxMont Study Group’s 9th annual exhibit was held 11/9/2024. In addition to the demonstration by the certified teachers. Here were mine and some of the study group members’ arrangements:

“Brighen My Day” (11/9/2024)

Rearranged at home