“Mid Autumn Festival” in the Villanova University

The MainLine Study Branch is invited to participate “Mid Autumn Festival” in the Villanova University, PA.  Our Ikebana exhibition is in conjunction with the Dept. of Asian Studies. The festival is a series of performances. Most of the performances are from Chinese culture club. (9/30/2023)

The arrangements below were done by our members of MainLine study branch, and some performances were from students of Asian Studies.  

My arrangement theme: Mid Autumn Festival 

Side view of arrangement 

Asian studies- students choir 

Young kids dance - I want to fly

Beijing opera (天女散花)

2023, September Opening Luncheon with Demonstrations

Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter 71 is proud to present an annual opening luncheon with a demonstration by Louise Worner, Somu, Sogetsu School. “She is a British/Australian ikebana artist who currently lives in Waterloo, Belgium. Her 25 year ikebana journey has spanned across Belgium, Japan, Australia, and Spain. Her Sogetsu teacher’s diploma in 2000 by lemoto Hiroshi Teshigahara.” 

She demonstrated ten pieces of unique and wonderful arrangements. Some of her arrangements were  speculative design and give me great inspiration!  (9/28/2023)

 

I won this arrangement from raffle (except the top branch).
It’s Midori Sensei’s structure, I am so happy, I will treasure it. 

Opening Luncheon with Demonstration- Arrangements for Raffle

There are 8 pieces of beautiful arrangements including containers that will be raffled out. All of the containers belonged to our late good friend, Modori Tanimune. Whoever is lucky enough to win them will treasure it as she is missed dearly! Besides, some of the demo materials will be for raffled also! I believed all the arrangements used for raffle were done by the Brandywine Study Group, they did a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make the opening luncheon with demonstration a great success. (9/28/23)

MWGC- Little Show - Anythings Goes

Today, September 27, is the first meeting of the new season for the MWGC. All little show and the Horticulture submissions have to be “live”. I brought in my little show arrangement “Anything Goes”- total freedom of design style. I made an arrangement yesterday using whatever is remaining in my garden, since it’s free style and anything goes! 

Materials: Hosta, Crape Myrtle seed pods, mum, Solomon seal and euonymus / ceramic vase 

Welcome to Our New Baby Grandson

My mind was busy with September’s class lessons (9/12/2023) and we were also worried about our daughter’s due date might be coming up any day? Surprisingly, she gave birth to a baby boy on 9/14/2023, five days earlier! We were so relieved and overjoyed!  Mother and baby are doing well and healthy.😊🙏

Celebration: Iris leaves, mum, sedum (autumn joy)

Dark blue gold rim ceramic vase 

Side view

Two big brothers met their baby brother for the
first time! Over joyed! 

September Class Lesson (3) - Free Style

Lesson (3): Note- Freestyle using only materials from your garden, also bring some extra materials to share, especially for those who don’t have a garden… (9/12/2023)

My materials: curly willow, dahlia, snakeroot, house plant / ceramic vase. I didn’t use sweet autumn Clematis vine and pink turtle head, because the vine was no longer fresh!

My Arrangement 

Sensei’s arrangement 

Classmate’s arrangement 

Classmate’s arrangement (hydrangea)

Resume to Monthly Regular Basis - Basic upright style Moribana

The hot, busy summer has almost gone. We had few days of hot humid weather in early September, then a couple of thunderstorms brought heavy rain cooling down the temperatures. I clearly feel the autumn is in the air! 

Classes resumed at a monthly regular basis, starting in September. Hata Sensei told us about how important it is to learn and compare and contrast upright style, reversed, the variations, etc. So, in today’s lesson, we repeated practicing these lessons again until we mastered. Thence, these can help us when we do our creation of an arrangement. (9/12/2023)

Lesson 1): Upright Style Moribana,    Lesson 2): Upright Style Moribana reversed,   Lesson 3): Freestyle 

Azalea Branch, anemone / ceramic Suiban 

Climbing hydrangea Branch, dragonhead (false obedient plant)

Sweet Autumn Clematis Vine

When I saw this sweet autumn clematis vine in the wooded area behind the doctor’s office. I was so delighted! It covered all the bushes, hundreds of tiny white flowers and fragrance.  I would just like to use it for my arrangement. Also I could practice a freestyle using this vine and your own garden flowers as a requirement and subject for up coming September class.

My garden flowers are pink turtle head and ornamental onion combined with sweet autumn clematis vine.

Orange sticks structure create a little contrast color (9/11/2023)

Lots of small white flowers go well with black ceramic container 

Pink turtle head plant 

The Longest Heat Wave in the Record - End of Summer Arrangements

Traditionally, Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, as summer winds down, but the heat is picking up, we have the longest heat wave ever! As schools have just started, students have early dismissal due to the heat. But according to the weather forecast it will have a few thunderstorms for next couple days. It will cool down and bring a breath of autumn in the air finally!  (9/8/2023)

Using same materials for two different arrangements, because of two different containers. There are: Cattail grass, Japanese anemone, allium (ornamental onion) and another grass / ceramic container and wood container (2nd arrangement)