Clematis

Clematis bloomed very beautifully around my mail box this year, this was arranged at home.

Special Spaces -.Arrange at 4 foot tall corner.

This time, teacher gave us a special assignment arranged in a 90-degree angle to form a corner with 4 foot tall wall.
Two Demo from our teacher, one was tall and skinny, the other was extended to one side to show its beauty. I used painted black branch with 3 purple alliumns and cut maples. It stand out at corner, very pretty indeed. (5-17-2011)

Paying Attention to the container and to the place where the arrangement will be Put

The naturally curved line of tulip stretched toward one side and artistic tension is created between this and the container placement. Hananome technique has been used for securing the burning bush branches and all the flowers. My teacher and my classmates like this arrangement so do I. (5-17-2011)

In a Suiban without Kenzan

It is hard to arrange a composition on a suiban without using the kenzan. At least three branches standing with their upper parts intersecting with one another and to be secure in place. How to fix branches in position is the decisive factor of the overall composition. You may use nails or wires for fixing the branches, but they must be finished unnoticeable. In this composition my teacher allowed me to fix the tall branch on the side of the suiban standing firmly and giving unique characters.(5-5-2011)

Vegetables and/or Fruits in an Arrangement

The vegetables and fruits can be arranged alone or combined with branches or flowers. What is important is to discover their true beauty which is not seen when viewing them as food items. Strawberries, broccoli and slender carrots were my materials to use for making this assignment. (5-5-2011)

Happy Easter

I took home some left over Palm for last week palm Sunday from our Church. Palm is a good material for flower arrangement, and I spend 3 dollars for small carnations. It turned out I had three arrangement for Easter Holiday. (4-25-2011) 'Less is more' slipped my mind again, I rearranged it after Lynn remind me. Is it look better ?(top one)

Orchids

Dendrobium love memory var"Fit" had bloomed (2-2-11) for last two months. and Oncidium Jimbo "Swarm" is blooming now. They have a good smell especially in the morning ( 4-25-11)

Clivia

I had this Clivia for 5 or more years at least. It never had beautiful flowers like this time. I dumped this plant in the garage past winter. One afternoon, I decided to give water, and I was surpeised to find it had a flower. Its stern was tall and flowers pretty. It is a very healthy plant. (4-25-11)

To be Viewed from All Angles

While making this composition, you should check the arrangement from various angles,but doesn't mean to look alike from all directions. To create a composition which offers different forms or shapes depending on the angles viewed, and should have artistic tension and interest. Azalea branches with colorful calla lilies have completed my assignment. Front view and back view.(3-15-2011)

Only One Kind of Material

This arrangement only allows to use one kind of the material. In this lesson, I used Iris and a large Suiban with sufficient water surface. Using three Kabu to create fish pond like arrangement . I am happy with the idea for the composition. Below is Ms. Lin's demo. She used three groups of containers with different height and placement to avoid boring dullness. The top two pictures was taken from different angles.(3-15-2011)

Philadelphia Flower Show - Ms. Lin's Arrangement

Intertwining Plant Materials

The key point of this lesson is to choose the materials suitable for "Intertwining"; leaves, grasses or bendable branches which can be used for Intertwining. Intertwined two groups of weeping Willows with one braided grass stem toward the front and a group of Calla lilies in between. My teacher suggested me to move front the first container a little bit to improve three dimensional effect. It's worked. (3-3-11)

With Flowers Only

Those flowers were the left over of the last lesson. My friend Betty wanted to show her sister how we arranged the flowers in the class, and so I went with them.
Making an arrangement with flowers only, required two or more kinds of flowers. Before doing so, check the colors of the flowers first in deciding the overall composition. Try out as wide a variety of materials as possible. I had one Phalaenopsis orchid, calla lilies, two different colors of Mums and carnations. Develop your skill and express your feelings about them in this way. (3-3-11)

Fruiting Plant Materials

It is hard to find any fruiting materials for us at the beginning of March, especially at Northeast area in U.S. So the teacher allowed us to stick branches into the fruits. The lesson turned out so interesting and we had a great time. In order to secure my big branch, I used Hananome technique, sticking four mandarins in angular shape of branch. The top mandarin was a strongest statement of this arrangement. I added a piece of driftwood, two pom pom mums and pines to complete my assignment. (3-1-11)

Keeping in Mind the View from Above

Last year, Ms. Lin gave me Yucca plant ,which I liked very much for their naturally mixed colors. When we have this assignment for today's lesson, Adam needle jumped right out of my mind . Combining two Pom Pom Mums to match it and colorful Calla Lilies are presented with the effect of the contrast in it. I used wide open space container to highlighten the water. Top one was taken from Above. I am delighted with it. (3-1-11)

Dried,Bleached,or Colored Materials

In this lesson, one of the dried, bleached or colored materials alone can be arranged,or can be combined with the fresh plants. Dried walking sticks were tied together with two Pampas grass combined with fresh flowers to finish my assignment. At the begining the two Pampas grass were apart ,it looks beautiful from the front, after teacher pointed out to move closer, it could be viewed from all directions. So amazing !(2-15-2011)

Simplified Arrangement

"Less is more", our teacher always remind us on every class,every arrangement. By removing unnecessary parts from the materials is always essential in making arrangement.
The subject of this lesson is simplified by the composition to its LIMIT. The beautiful line of lilac branch, one yucca leave and one peace lily flower to express to its maximum effect. Ms. Lin said my composion is so delicate to be good for meditation.(2-15-2011)

Color of the Container

In this lesson ,we have different approach and try to focus, develop your ides of the arrangement from the container.
So many ways to express your compositions on the material by contrast or same tonal range in color, or container and flower materials have the same color to create unity, or color of the materials are harmonizing with the color of the container etc.
Hot pink container has been used in this composition. Focusing the container, I used same tone of materials, such as;dark hot pink Gerbera daisies, pink paper with black accessory to emphasize the color of container.(2-3-11)

Composition of Mass and Line(Straight or Curved)

Combined Mass and line in one composition is the subject of this lesson, but do not mix the straight and curved line together in one arrangement.

Dried weeping willow was bent to form the curved lines,which are contrasted with hydrangeas mass.(2-3-11)

No subject

Snow storm sweeping East coast again. I missed two classes, so at home I arranged the top one just for fun. Paphiopedilum ,Lady's-slipper orchid bloomed on December, 23 2010, it was just in time to bring to show table for January Orchid's meeting. I will let you know what it get next time. (1-2011)

Orchids

Dec.16, 2010 was last lesson of our Ikebana class . After which ,we had ten people attended the luncheon at Yantze restaurant, saying thanks to our master,for the hard work in the past year . The food was excellent,we really enjoy the gourmet cuisine.
I was inspired by my friend Lynn, who encouraged me to post orchids which I had planted for some years. The top one is White Bridal Yuki x Hawaiian Wedding song "Virgin".

BL.Mem.Bernice Foster. I was surprised, for first time it bloomed three flowers after some years.

Horizontal Composition-New Years arrangement

This is New Year arrangement in Horizontal composition. With no rule as to the ratio between vertical length and the horizontal width for the composition. Use the materials which look beautiful by being horizontally. Keep simple,it gives you a good chance to observe the plants and discover the characteristics. Pine, Bamboo,...Mizuhiki are traditional materials for New Year in Eastern Style. You can see some of them in my arrangement, combined yellow mums small red carnations and painted silver branches to complete my assignment. (12-14-2010)

Vertical Composition

There is no rule for vertical length and horizontal width in this lesson. Look the materials carefully, using the beauty of the natural lines which the plants originally have at upward tip and make vertical composition. The composition in this lesson is rather simple, but keep plants characteristic . (12-14-2010)

Holiday arrangement

In today's class, we had four choices but pick two for class. Above two were my teacher's new years arrangement. She placed the arrangement at corner of stairway with pines ,calla lilies,mums,black branches and mizuhiki(Japanese paper strings)very beautiful indeed. The first one was added on Dec.14.Miss Lin changed flowers and became another arrangement. The bottom is my Holiday arrangement. Pines, poinsettia, white mums and shiny accessory all were traditional materials for holiday.(12-07-2010)

Two or more containers

The containers can be chosen and coordinated as wished. The expression of soft to strong, tall ,firm to short, gentle, or same material compliment to each other. You need to pay attention the placement of the containers, such as front and back or side by side . Holiday is approaching, in this arrangement, I used berries, hollies,pines and white mums for my assignment . (12-07-2010)