Journal archive
November 21, 2011
The lesson for some of our Sogetsu ikebana class tonight was from the Sogetsu textbook #4 Lesson #10 “Vegetables and/ fruits in an arrangement”. We were asked to bring our own materials to class, so I selected some Daikon radishes, orange peppers and cherries for my arrangement. Our Sensei did a short demonstration to show […]
Read story →November 20, 2011
The Bradford pear branches are in full color today, so I clipped some on my walk today. I’ve waited for the leaves to turn, and the cold weather earlier in the week helped speed that process along. The arrangement is done in two containers, both designs relate to each other to form one arrangement. I […]
Read story →November 19, 2011
The rust/red chrysanthemums were so beautiful that I decided to use them again to create a different design. This vertical composition with the chrysanthemums also has akebia vine and dried aspidistra leaves. The rule for a vertical compostion is that the movement of the design must continue upward, lines can be straight, vurved, zig zag, […]
Read story →November 18, 2011
Hooray! I think that I have my groove back, today’s ikebana arrangement seems to confirm that too. Manipulated curly willow branches and rust/red chrysanthemums were used to make this fall nagiere. This is what an arrangement with chrysanthemums should look like. Only a few were needed, and there is some interesting negative space created with […]
Read story →November 17, 2011
The first frost of the season is coming tonight, the temperatures have been dropping all afternoon. The chrysanthemums were in bloom and I wanted to use them before they were gone. I’m not so sure about this mass of flowers, maybe a bit too symetrical for me. But I did promise that I would show […]
Read story →November 16, 2011
Today is the completion of one third of my project. It’s getting a bit harder, some days it’s easy and other days I struggle to come up with something. Each day I do manage and I’m feeling pretty good about that. At this point I really need to look back at what I have done […]
Read story →November 15, 2011
A freestyle arrangement today, with the fruit “hand of Buddah” and locally grown red tulips. The hand of Buddah is actually lemon, which I spotted in the grocery store with two others. I don’t see them often but I grab one if I do. Truly a special visual treat,and this time I might even try […]
Read story →November 14, 2011
Intersecting lines of burgundy wheat celosia and ligustrum, both have nice slight natural curves that are flowing in opposite directions. They are a few more of the flowers and branches left in the garden. It’s mid November and the temperature today was 73 degrees(and I won’t even mention global warming). This arrangement was just another […]
Read story →November 13, 2011
One leaf, one flower. Such a simple concept, right? Well yes and no, it can come together with little difficulty or be a struggle. The first photo is one I had done a few weeks ago, orange zinnia and a Japanese butterbur leaf. The combination of the two and the container worked quite well and […]
Read story →November 12, 2011
One of the lessons in the old Sogetsu textbook inspired me today, using wood without a container. It’s mean to be more of a sculptural design lesson, and stresses making the piece stand on it’s own. I had a few scrap pieces of curly willow that I have been saving for a while, perfect oppportunity […]
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