Author Archives: Joan
The Emperor’s Birthday
One of the highlights of the Ikebana year, is to be asked by the Japanese consulate to create an ikebana arrangement to help celebrate the Emperor’s birthday. The current Consul General, Mr. Okada, has requested that all five schools make one arrangement each to decorate a corridor at the reception venue. Prior to his tenure, each school took turns yearly in displaying an arrangement. I decided on using large pieces of bamboo, as well as some fresh branches from my garden. Red aranda orchids were used, as well as some red callas and Fatsia japonica leaves.
Christmas Wreaths
Today I decorated two wreaths, one to go to the cemetery, and one to give as a gift to my hairdresser.
I had been making fresh wreaths for the cemetery in previous years, but decided to use an artificial one last year. It was in good condition at the end of the season, so I saved it and just put on a fresh bow and added a few new berries for this year.
I made a wreath for my hairdresser since I noticed that she could use a new one on her front door, and I have been giving her hand made ornaments and other Christmassy things in the past. She is still using an angel I made her many years ago.
In Loving Memory
Sadly, Friday the 13th was the day of my father-in-law’s memorial service in Kelowna. He had passed peacefully in his sleep the week before at the ripe old age of 93. I had planned to make a sympathy wreath from our family, as well as an arrangement to put either around a picture or by the urn. My husband, Clive, and I were going to drive up from Burnaby the day before.
As it turned out, Mother Nature had other plans and caused a huge snow storm in the Coquilhalla Highway area on the day we were to drive up. We were warned of extreme weather! Relatives were calling from Kelowna, not to drive, so we (as well as our kids and their significant others) all decided to fly up. But what was I going to do with the flowers? Fortunately a family friend was still planning on making the road trip in his 4-wheel drive, so he kindly took the wreath and arrangement with him in time for everyone to arrive safely for the service.
It turned out to be a beautiful, crisp, autumn day; a bittersweet reunion with the family.
Halloween
We are coming along with this website, and today I thought that I would share a couple of Hallowe’en arrangements from the Ikebana classes.
We used some curly willow, Chinese Lantern ( which I grew), orange lilies and cedar. We used black containers and orange flowers and lanterns to go with the Hallowe’en theme. The first arrangement is a slanted Moribana style, and the second is a Freestlye.
Ikebana
Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging. The “way of flowers”, or “kado”, draws emphasis on line, shape and form. Unlike the Western style of flower arranging, branches, stems and leaves are an integral part of the whole; flowers are secondary.
I first was introduced to Ikebana by my step-mother Shigeko, who was an instructor of the Sangetsu School. Because I had a love of flowers, and an “artistic eye” I enjoyed working with the flowers and soon became hooked!
Hello World!
Well, we are finally going ahead with this website! Thanks to my son and daughter for their computer expertise and editing capabilities. Although I have been working with flowers for over three decades, and with the many urgings of my “kids”, I have not had the opportunity until now to go ahead with this endeavor. I hope this will encourage some of you to seek me out for a wedding consultation, or for Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) lessons.