Intertwining Plant Materials

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The Cymbidium orchid leaves (like a sail boat panel) and the willow branch (like wind) both were intertwined and arranged in a boat like container, as if the arrangement were sailing in the ocean. The white carnations were added to complete my sail boat design.(3/3/2011)

Fruiting Plant Materials

It is hard to find any fruiting plant materials this time of year, so our teacher said we may use branches and stick them into the fruits of our choice instead.
I purchased some small sized apples and the willow branches for my fruiting plant materials, which had to be fixed firmly and with good balance. I chose the orange carnations because I just wanted this arrangement to look bright and cheerful! (3/3/2011)

My teacher Ms. Lin's demo piece. (side view)

Cupid's Arrow-- Miniature Angular Design

We have MWGC meeting today. I entered the Little Show for a miniature angular design "Cupid's Arrow". It required not to exceed 5" in any direction. I got first place!
PS: I use lipstick cover as the container.

Cymbidiums in January and February

I should say January and February are the Cymbidium months. When I brought them to the BCOS meeting's show table (2/17), the members said wow! They are beautiful!
Besides Cymbidiums, I also have two other kinds of Cattleya and Papha. See below.

Left: Paph. sukhakulii (Take Off x Short Stop). This has been blooming for 6 weeks now.
Right: Large Cat. Fragrant and can last about 4 weeks.

Simplified Arrangement

Today we have to make an arrangement by simplifying the composition to its limit.
I found this pine branch from still snow covered ground. It has a naturally curved line, perfect for this subject, but it needed a lot of trimming so that it still can express its originality without weakening its strength and beauty.

In the class, my teacher said this is a beautiful arrangement, but it didn't qualify for today's subject because it wasn't simple enough. So she suggested to replace the driftwood with a piece of wood and a spider Mum (the first picture). Since my original arrangement did not qualify, I rearranged it at home and added some leaves to make it even prettier without too much consideration (the second picture). 2/16/2011

Keeping in Mind the View from Above

Materials: Black pine, Spider mum and Alstroemeria
When I placed this arrangement on the coffee table, people could view it standing or seated. The design I created is rather a traditional style. (2/16/2011)

Dried, Bleached, or Colored Materials

We had a winter snow storm and a monster ice storm these days. It affected us in so many ways, no school, no class, and dangerous roads, but it's beautiful winter scenery to enjoy.
That's why I chose this subject for today's lesson, and I had all the materials I needed which I collected before, such as a Lotus seed pod, walking stick. To complete it I added a fresh flower and a leaf into a Nageire (tall vase) style. ( 2/4/2011)

Vegetables and Fruits in an Arrangement

Materials: Broccoli, Tomatoes, Kalanchoe and Pine
Last November, I had the same subject for my Spreading and Morimono arrangement, that was in book #2. Today's lesson is in book #4 which means you have to push yourself to the next level, my teacher said. So I got the idea from my teacher's inspiration "Color of the Container" demo last month, combined this with my own idea, and created this vegetables and fruits composition. (2/4/2011)

Orchids in January 2011

Below are three kinds of orchids that I was supposed to bring to this month's BCOS meeting's show table. I was absent because I had a flu. I was told they had a very interesting topic.

SLC. Redeac " Carteria Flame" (picture taken 1/20/2011)
Miniature orchid, 7 inches in height, the flowers are only 3 inches in width. Easy to grow, it has 3 flowers this year.

Lctna.Mighty Titan "parkside" AM/AOS (picture taken 1/1 and 1/26/2011)

I bought this one from local Parkside orchid nursery a few years ago, since then it has bloomed and improved every year. Two stems, 7 flowers.

Paph. "Sukhakulii" ( Take Off x Short Stop)
This one is also from Parkside nursery. I won it in a raffle a long time ago. It skipped blooming last year. (picture taken 1/26/2011)

Free Style Ka-bu-wa-ke

The key point of this lesson is to pay attention to the space between the two Kabu (group), you have to make an arrangement using two or more Kenzans in a container Moribana style.
The division of the two Kabu was arranged by carnations, some green and tall branches. The shape of the container displays the two Kabu and the water is clearly be seen.( 1/21/2011)