Tag Archives: Flowers

Happy New Year!

The Vancouver Ikebana Association (which I am president of) held its AGM on January 12th. We celebrated New Year’s with a lovely luncheon consisting of traditional Japanese New Year’s foods, and Ikebana made with traditional elements, such as pine, bamboo and plum. Many of the dishes were made by the members, and some were bought. Most of the dishes had an in depth traditional meaning to its ingredients, such as the use of lotus root, which has holes throughout its length, which symbolizes looking into the future, and burdock root, which is a very long root which symbolizes long life.

Lessons resumed after our Christmas break, and three new ladies joined our Beginners’ group. Our Intermediate ladies are happily creating more intricate ikebana, as well as the Advanced group. I am kept challenged to keep up with new ideas for everyone to try out.

Christmas Workshop and Goodies!

A lady from the Burnaby Public Library asked me if I was interested in doing an ikebana demonstration at one of their branches again. I suggested having an Christmas Ikebana Workshop instead. We had to limit the number of participants due to the size of the room, so fifteen people registered to have a “free” class. They were delighted with their creations which included red dogwood branches, three red carnations, variegated holly, and some pine, and a pine cone. My name was even mentioned as the Sensei who taught the class, on the front page of the local newspaper along with a photo of two of the participants and their creations.

For our final class of the year, I gave each of my continuing and advanced students a small container to make their arrangements in, and keep. The former class used red dogwood, baby’s breath, pine and Gloriosa Lilys. The advanced used dendrobian orchids, the baby’s breath and skimmia with the branches. We ended the classes with tea and goodies. Everyone brought something, and there was more than enough! ‘Tis the season!

Back to classes, and Family time

Time to return to classes again. We started our advanced Ikebana class at the home of one of our long-time students who has generously offered his dahlias and other plant material for us to choose from, and to create our arrangements. Thanks again, Jack!’

Two students and I displayed our fall ikebana at VanDusen using the Point Grey Chrysanthemum Association members beautiful blooms

Another thank you to my son’s good friend’s parents who let us use their waterfront home on Galiano Island for the weekend, for family time. We took turns making meals and had a very nice time together. We did some hiking with our three dogs, and enjoyed the scenery of the rocky shore.

Spring has Sprung

Another busy month with flowers. Having stepped into the position of President of the Vancouver Ikebana Association, in January (for the third time), I have been busy helping get the VIA newsletter together, as well as editing a semi-annual newsletter for Sangetsu North America.

We have gotten a committee together to plan our upcoming Spring Show in May, with haiku and poems as inspiration for our arrangements. This is a new undertaking, and over one hundred haiku and poems have been collected, which range from old masters of the seventeenth century, to some from the Vancouver Haiku Group, as well as our association’s international haiku champion, Inga Uhlmann.

Classes continue, although the afternoon ladies have taken a two week break to be with their children who are on Spring Break. Here is a picture of an arrangement using local flowering current, and iris.

Joan <3's her Customers!

February is a busy month for flower orders. I acquired a very appreciative customer this month, who ordered three large arrangements. One was for congratulating his dentist on opening a new office, the second was for his Valentine, and the third was supposed to be for his mother for Chinese New Year.

I say “supposed to be”, because when he saw it, he loved it so much, he couldn’t bring himself to give it away! He went to T & T to get her something else…

 

 

I was also invited to do an ikebana demonstration for the South Burnaby Garden Club, so I used as many branches and greenery from our strata grounds, and made five arrangements.