Hand-made sheep ornaments!
Yes, they have wool...well, sort of! (^_^)
Do you like them?
Our original product. Made in NS, Canada.
$5.00 ea. (plus HST where applicable.) Available at the shop or by mail order.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Japanese stone lanterns that could bring a feeling of peace and solitude to your garden.
Surrounded by flowers, enclosed by dried leaves, or covered in snow...they have something to add to your garden through the seasons.
....even good for the interior, if that's what you prefer!
Some models have solar-powered lights on them to give a nice glow at night.
These lanterns are actually made from proprietary blends of high performing concrete with unique weather resistant finishes applied.
So they are lighter (and more affordable!) than traditionally carved rock ones. They are designed and made in BC, Canada.
Available at the shop or by mail order. Please call or email us for more details.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Ohi-yaki style of pottery dates back to 1666, when the 5th Lord of Kaga, Maeda Tsunanori, established the kiln under the guidance of Urasenke teamaster Sen Soshitsu. The Ohi style is related to Raku. In fact, the first Ohi potter, Donyu (who later took on the name Chozaemon), was the son of Raku III and apprenticed with the fourth Raku master, Ichinyu.
Ohi style pottery does not use a potter's wheel. All are shaped by hand and pulled out of the kiln while the glaze is melting. Using pine wood, firing is done at low temperature (1000℃). The pottery is cooled quickly and takes on a deep amber colour.
Ohi pottery is well-known with tea ceremony practitioners.
This Ohi-yaki tea bowl by Ohi Ippei (1920-1993).
Sources:
http://www.e-yakimono.net/guide/html/ohi-yaki.html
http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/jouka/english/1100/index.html
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Thought we'd share this unusual plant we had found during our holiday in Cuba. It is a tropical weed that closes its leaves when touched! Its scientific name is Mimosa Pudica...the Latin "pudica" meaning "shy or bashful".
Other common names are "touch-me-not" and "makahiya" (meaning "to be on the shy side" in the Filipino language). They are fun to play with but they do have thorns so touch only the leaves!
New original hand-made greeting cards are out.
They are cats bearing gifts...and the gifts are 3D too!
Each card contains an elegant blank liner inside.
Available at the shop or by mail order. Email us if you want to see the collection!
Hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada. $5.00 (CAD) ea plus HST where applicable.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
We'd like to share with you the ikebana arrangements we did for a week-long seminar a few months ago.
This paired arrangement welcomed the participants at the reception area.
This arrangement was set in the dining room.
This is a large arrangement on-stage to accompany the various speakers!
The name of the organization has been blotted out for privacy purposes.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Last night we were guests of the Eastern Shore Garden Club. If you must attend one of their meetings, make it August...because that's the month when most everyone brings lovely blooms from their gardens. And so we were lucky to be treated with an array beautiful and fragrant flowers!
We thank the Eastern Shore Garden Club for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate what ikebana is all about.
It was the first time for Miyako to wear a headset microphone too! Looked more professional! (^_^)
We hope you enjoyed the arrangements.
We were very happy to see many people interested. Hopefully we were able to answer most of your questions!
Feedback:
*We are all so pleased with your presentation last evening. The response
from all members is most positive.... The nine years I have been a member
I don't recall this much enthusiasm. * ----Nora, Program Director.
*Well I hate to go on and on about the great presenter we had tonight because those of you who were not there might be injured by kicking yourself too hard for not being able to attend BUT they were very, very good!* ---Darlene, in an email to her fellow members
Thank you to everyone at the Eastern Shore Garden Club!
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Important Announcement: The shop will be closed from Aug 4th (Sat) to Aug 12th (Sun). We will re-open on Aug 13th (Mon).
Yes, we are taking a long overdue holiday. No, we are not going to see the Olympics! (^_^) We are not yet sure if we will have access to the internet so there is no guarantee that we will be able to respond to email inquiries during this period.
Sorry for the inconvenience but we will come back refreshed!
The flowers are blooming (and even the weeds in the wild are pretty!) Brighten up your surroundings with this single stem flower dishes!
Just snip a tiny bloom and put in the cylinder. Then fill the dish with water. There is a hole at the bottom of the cylinder to allow the water to reach the stem.
Available in two colours:
Vibrant green-blue (YAMA-1)...
...and the earthier rusty brown (YAMA-2).
Dimensions: L11.0 x W8.5 x H4.5 cm (4.3 x 3.3 x 1.8 in.)
Made in Japan.
$19.95 (CAD) each plus HST where applicable.
Available at the shop or by mail order.
(Photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Is the summer heat getting to you? Well, summers in Kyoto are punishing as well...and here's one little accessory that kabuki actors and geishas use to keep their faces (with all that make-up and before the advent of air-conditioning!) clear of the oily sheen: the abura-tori-gami ("oil blotting paper").
This facial blotting paper has actually been around for about 1000 years now. The paper was originally used to protect gold leaf. The delicate gold was covered with this paper (then known as haku-uchi-gami...literally "foil beating paper") as a craftsman pounded it into a thin leaf. The gold leaf, wrapped in this paper, was brought to the imperial palace in Kyoto. Somewhere along the way, someone discovered the remarkable oil absorbing properties of this paper...and its use as a face blotter spread throughout Kyoto. It also started to be called "abura-tori-gami". Now it is an essential item in many Japanese women's make-up retouch arsenal!
Available at the shop or by mail order. $4.50 CAD (plus HST where applicable) per pack of 50 sheets. Made in Kyoto, Japan. Fragrance-free. Powder-free. Absorbs excess oil without disturbing make-up for petal fresh skin!
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
