Happy New Year - December Orchids " Cattleya"

These four cattleyas are always blooming in December  in time for the
 holidays.

C. percivaliana ' Summit' FCC/AOS. The " Christmas" cattleya.
It was collected in Venezuela over 50 years ago.

Lc. Huge, dramatic flowers on a vigorous plant. I divided
this plant last year, now both are in bloom. Fragrant.

Lc.  This one has the same beautiful flowers, but it's not as big
as the above cattleya, and its lip has no ruffled white line. 

New Year Arrangements

Pine, bamboo and red, white roses are the main materials that I used for this new year arrangement.

The wood base is a gift from my husband's Japanese teacher. I just love it!
(12/14/2012  done in home)
Wishing you the quiet beauty of a peaceful and healthy holiday season.

Vertical or New Year  arrangement. (12/18/2012 in class)

Christmas Arrangements 2

The date 12/12/12 this year is very special and unique. It's my birthday. My husband bought me 12 roses (red and white) for my special day. I am delighted to use them for my Ikebana class.
Here are the two Christmas arrangements: the first one was done at home, the second one was done in class.  I thought that it was an abstract ikebana arrangement and that it was inspired by the Sogetsu master, but my teacher said it is western styled. I am really confused!

Red (rose), green (pine) and white (twig) are the basic
 Christmas colors.
Container: Glass vase (12/17/2012)

Another kind of Christmas arrangement.
Container: Glass wine glass (12/18/2012)

Christmas Arrangement 1

This is my make up Holiday Arrangement for the class I missed (12/4/2012). I wish you an early Merry Christmas!

This arrangement can be viewed all around. No kenzan,
water tube for Poinsettia ( burn the cut stem first).
Material: Poinsettia, Nandina, Holly, silver painted vine,
 bamboo and ball.

 

Only One Kind of Material- Camellia

Camellia is one of my favorite plants. On a sunny day it blooms so bright and happy, but when the weather is unstable and gloomy, its flowers do not look so happy at all. Before the flowers wilted I cut and arranged them. Using only one kind of material for arrangement is my teacher's assignment (12/4/ class). Here it is:

November orchids Bloom

Cattleya. Compact plant with strong fragrance.
It blooms for the first time, I am thrilled and
surprised its color and size (flower only 2.5"). 

Mitassia Charles H. Fitch " Izumi"
It's pity, it has only three flowers.

Finally! It's blooming. This is the last stem's flowers.
 ( please check  the last September's post) 

Holiday Cheer

Here I'm using a glass container to layer and arrange materials. This champagne glass and tall glass are a toast to everyone! Many thanks for all your support.

Champagne glass: Small pebbles layered first then colorful glass sea
shells, Hydrangea, orchid and mum is on top.
Tall glass: Colorful gem stones, Hydrangea and orchid. 

Happy Thanksgiving

The previous party's center piece had a lot of flowers which I took apart. I took good care of them so I could reuse the flowers for the 11/20 class. I chose the subject "Thanksgiving Basket Arrangement" because I had a lot of materials and wanted to make a bigger one. It's 36 inches long and 14 inches wide. It can be viewed from both sides. I also arranged a simple "Free Style."

Free Style-- Sun Shine

I bought this ceramic container at a clearance sale at Home Goods. It has a hole in both sides. I put a gerbera daisy in both. You can see a little bit of the daisy in the back.

LBH Holiday Party

Lower Bucks Hospital's holiday party is held in the Four Seasons Hotel every year. My husband and I were so happy to see his old friends and former partners there (he retired in June this year).
Here are the grand entrance's floral designs. It caught my eye and is very pretty. There was a big, tall and beautiful center piece of each dinner table (see the third picture). The people were so kind, they let me to take it home. I'm thinking that I can use these flowers to arrange a few ikebana style arrangements.

I placed the center piece at my living room table. After
a few days I might take them apart to make another
flower arrangements.