My Ikebana: Kitchen Sink Flowers

Added on by the ikebana shop.

One of the new themes in Sogetsu Textbook 5 is called "Using Various Locations" (場を探す）which challenges us to seek out non-traditional locations to place an ikebana arrangement.

Above the kitchen sink in our little studio, there is a small ledge where we'd normally put tea canisters, dishwashing detergent, etc.  This would be a great place to provide a little enjoyment to the person opening the cupboards!  (Of course, care was taken so that the flowers will not impede the cupboard doors.)

Here is the whole arrangement.

I hope you like it.  --Miyako

Destiny And The 5-Yen Coin

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Most Japanese people believe in destiny. The term "go-en" (ご縁) refers to those seemingly serendipitous encounters that result in long and meaningful relationships.   It would often mean a bond between people but it could also refer to connections with objects (like a house, a painting, or even a favourite teacup!) or a calling.  Ask people how their career started, how they met their partners or how they found that perfect piece of furniture.  Most answers would probably boil down to a mixture of perseverance and luck. Japanese people would say "Go-en ga arimashita." (ご縁がありました。）There was "go-en" involved in the outcome. It was meant to be!

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The Japanese 5-yen coin is also called “go-en” 五円.  Because it sounds the same as the “go-en” of destiny, many Japanese people believe that having a 5-yen coin around helps them find what the Universe has in store for them. It could be a soul-mate, a dream job, the perfect house, etc. In shrines and temples, it is also the coin of choice when tossing a token offering into the collection box (賽銭箱 saisen-bako) whilst saying a prayer of thanks and/or a wish for something in the future (in that order). The 5-yen coin helps along the good luck and the serendipity that is actually meant to be!

 
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Extra trivia: Using a 10-yen coin for your prayers and wishes is not advisable.  Another word for "10" is "toh" (十).  So, the 10-yen coin could be called "toh-en" (十円).  Now, another meaning for the word "toh" (遠) is "far" ...and putting them together as "toh-en", it can be written as "遠縁", which means "far destiny"!  So the 10-yen coin is something that keeps your destiny out-of-reach!

 

We made a few items to help keep your lucky 5-yen coin handy, always ready to to attract the good luck in!  All hand-made in-house with loving care. Available at the shop while supply lasts.

An origami pouch to keep your 5-yen coin in your wallet or purse.

An origami pouch to keep your 5-yen coin in your wallet or purse.

A crane ornament to display in your home or office.

A crane ornament to display in your home or office.

My Ikebana: Climbing Up To Sengai

Added on by the ikebana shop.

From Sogetsu Textbook 5, this arrangement is on the theme of yuka agari (床上がり) Floor Position Arrangement.   The arrangement originates from the floor and is created while being conscious that it will be viewed from a standing eye-level.

The painting on the wall is a replica of "The Willow" by Sengai Gibon (1750-1837), a Zen monk.

 

I hope you like it.  --Miyako

Ikebana Lessons Fee Change

Added on by the ikebana shop.

This announcement is for our ikebana students.

Sadly, the time has come to announce an increase in our ikebana lesson fees.  This is the first time that lesson fees are being raised since Miyako started teaching in 2008.  Even as flower prices kept going up through the years, we were able to keep the fees unchanged with the help of the economy of scale afforded by more students coming to learn...that is up till now.

New Ikebana Lesson Fees effective from January 1, 2018.

Single Lesson  50.00 +HST
3-Lesson Set: 125.00 +HST

Lessons that have already been paid for will be honoured with no additional fee.

Thank you very much for your understanding and continued support.

My Ikebana: Welcoming Autumn

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Here in Canada, autumn is a time of leaves changing colours.  It is also the time of harvest and we see a lot apples, pumpkins and gourds.

To welcome autumn, I used the fruits of harvest in an ikebana arrangement. Unlike flowers, they are heavier and have dense, compact shapes.  It was a bit of a challenge to incorporate them in an arrangement!

In case you are wondering, I used the thick metal hanadome to hold up the heavy fruit!

Here is the whole arrangement..

I hope you like it.  --Miyako

Demo At The Mahone Bay Garden Club

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Thank you very much to the Mahone Bay Garden Club for your warm welcome last night!

We were very happy for the opportunity to introduce ikebana to you.  We loved your insightful questions and sharp observations!  We hope you enjoyed our presentation!

Maybe we'll see some of you in our ikebana lessons one day!

My Ikebana: Linden Branches, No Kenzan

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Sometimes, we prefer to create an arrangement on a suiban (flat container) without using kenzans because we are able to show the beauty and purity of the water without any disruption.

The challenge for making this type of arrangement is putting together a stable frame.  The key is to choose the appropriate branch and set them on 3 legs.  Once the basic structure is secure, then we can add more materials and start having fun with the arrangement!

 

I used linden tree branches (picked up from the sidewalk!) with pink roses and solidaster.  Here is the whole arrangement.

 

I hope you like it.  --Miyako

"Sō" Magazine August 2017

Added on by the ikebana shop.

The arrangement displayed during the Afterglow Art Festival 2016 in Bridgewater NS was featured in the August 2017 issue of "Sō" (「草」) Magazine, the official publication of the Sogetsu Teachers' Association.

To find out more about what we did at the Afterglow Art Festival 2016, please click here.