My Ikebana: Using Furoshiki

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Furoshiki (風呂敷) is the the traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. It is used to wrap mostly small hand-carry things and gifts. It is the old style re-usable “bag” except it is really just a simple square fabric.

For this exercise, furoshiki was used to wrap the vase and make a hanging arrangement. The corners of the fabric, tied together made the perfect place to hang it from.


Here is a closer view seen from below.

The convenient thing about using furoshiki is that we don’t have to care about the appearance of the container! We only have to make sure that it will balance well inside the cloth.

I hope you like this idea. —Miyako

Japanese Chat Time!

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Dear Japanese language students, May 4th (Sat) 12-5 pm is Japanese chat time at the shop! This activity is part of the GenWell Project on Quinpool Road to promote face-to-face connections in our community!

Come to the shop and practice your Japanese conversation skills! We'll be running the shop as usual but we'll be chatting with you in Japanese if you greet us with "konnichiwa"! :-)

 

Exploring Japanese Culture at Ross Creek

Added on by the ikebana shop.

The Ross Creek Centre For The Arts is a not-for-profit organization with the noble mission to provide arts education to youth, nurturing the next generation artists through various programs in performing/visual arts, crafts, and even gardening/cooking! Many professional artists from all over also visit the Centre through their residency/retreat programs. This offers valuable opportunities for the youth to interact with established artists.

Last Sunday (Apr 7th, 2019), the Centre hosted a community event-- Exploring Japanese Culture. We were honoured to present an ikebana demonstration. The beautiful facility is tucked away in a small corner of the Annapolis Valley in Canning, NS, about 1.5 hrs drive from Halifax. For first-time visitors like us, the area felt remote. Would people really go there? Our concern was unfounded! The turnout was great and we found a very vibrant and involved community. The ikebana demonstration was well-received as was the chanoyu (tea ceremony) presentation after us.

Thank you Chris, Ken, Kathleen (wonderful food...and your Japanese cheesecake is to die for!) and the rest of the Ross Creek staff for your very warm welcome! We enjoyed ourselves immensely.

 

Press Release: Surprise! - An Ikebana Exhibition

Added on by the ikebana shop.

For Immediate Release - Apr 7th, 2019

Surprise! - An Ikebana Exhibition will be held at the Keshen Goodman Library lobby on Mothers’ Day weekend (May 10-12, 2019).

Ikebana is the art of Japanese floral arrangement. This year’s theme is “surprise”. The exhibition hopefully will surprise you with ideas on what you can do with the blooms and branches in your backyard!

This event is part of the 90th anniversary celebration of Canada-Japan diplomatic relations.

The exhibition will be presented by Miyako Ballesteros (Sogetsu School of Ikebana) and her students. Please come and enjoy the ikebana.

Admission is free.

Surprise! - An Ikebana Exhibition

May 10th (Fri) 12 - 5 p.m.
May 11th (Sat) 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. *
May 12th (Sun) 2 - 5 p.m.
*Short live demonstration on Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

At the Keshen Goodman Library lobby. (330 Lacewood Dr., Halifax NS)

We hope to see you there.

My Ikebana: Using A Fruit Basket

Added on by the ikebana shop.

I bought this container at a local supermarket in Tokyo. It was meant to be a fruit basket (but it is ceramic). With the dried vines as handle, it was perfect as a flower container as well! So, in the same way we put a variety of fruit in a basket, I used a variety of flowers: liatris, alstroemeria, anastasia…plus forsythia branches from the backyard!

Here is the whole arrangement.

I hope you like it. —Miyako

My Ikebana: From The Floor

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Most of the time, we learn to make arrangements to be placed on a table or stand. But if we look around our surroundings, sometimes we can find lovely spaces on the floor as well. This arrangement is laid on the floor on purpose. The intention is for the viewer to see it while looking downward from standing position.

I used an obi (kimono sash) as a way to give a sense of space around the arrangement.

 

The placement is on a stairs landing. Here is what you would see as you round the corner coming from downstairs.

 

I also made sure that the arrangement could be appreciated as one comes down from upstairs.

 

I hope you like it. —Miyako

Happy New Year 2019!

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! 明けましておめでとうございます。

We thank you for your continued support this past year and look forward to seeing you all in 2019. May the Year of the Pig keep your piggy banks full throughout the year!

My Ikebana: Nova Scotia Holly

Added on by the ikebana shop.

Winter time in Nova Scotia. Lots of festive materials in the farmer’s market. I came upon these wonderful bundles of Nova Scotia holly.

 

And from there came my winter holiday-themed arrangement!

Merry Christmas! —Miyako