The maple branches that I have been keeping have bloomed! I decided to use them for a kabu-wake arrangement.
Kabu-wake is a type of arrangement where two separate groups are made inside one container, with a special focus on the water and the space that separates the two "islands".
I chose gently curving pussy willow branches to match the maple.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
I use a simple glass container to show purity of water.
Inside, statice stems are arranged in a horizontal manner to contrast against the long, tall cylindrical vase.
A small mass of statice blooms is created not only on the inside but also on the outside to keep the arrangement a bit off-balanced. (How does the statice mass stay in place? Secret revealed below!)
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Here is the secret to affixing the blooms at the top of the container: Plastic kenzans! They have suction cups to keep them in place.
Find out more about the plastic kenzan here.
This arrangement's theme is about deconstructing and re-inventing a pine branch.
After being separated from the branch, the pine needles are re-arranged to show a certain flow, somewhat a downward cascading movement. At the same time, the tiny branches shooting from the main pine limb are displayed. The yellow freesia reminds us of the coming of spring.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
This arrangement brings together curved and straight lines.
Myrtle branches make the straight line component whilst eucalyptus and birch branches provide the curves.
The chrysanthemums on the left side look as if they are peeking through the eucalyptus to give the arrangement a sense of depth. One bloom mixed with the towering myrtle puts more emphasis to the unbending component.
The connection of birch branches combine the two elements into one whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Coirón? We've never heard of this material before until once again our friend, Ana Luisa from Chile, introduced it to us, albeit vicariously. (See what she has shown us in the past here.)
Coiron is a strong fibrous grass that grows in bunches. It is predominantly found in southern South America.
![[Poaceae] Festuca gracillima2](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2009/2080343182_492563ca14_o.jpg)
In the summer, the coirón bakes in the sun and turns into a naturally bright golden colour. The grass is woven together to make baskets and other traditional crafts.
Wild Chilean coiron collected from the hills near Lake Colbun.
Where is Lake Colbun? Right here!
Our friend from Chile, an enthusiastic ikebanista, shared with us some photos of her arrangements using coirón. It must be wonderful to be able to work with such interesting material!
In the arrangement, she uses deep fuschia peonies to contrast the golden yellow of the coirón. The wavy lines create an interesting sense of motion!
These special coirón pieces were woven by Chilean artisans.
The arrangement to the left has blue hydrangeas and yellow roses.
The coiron form a captivating "cover" for the glass vases.
The work below is an archived photo (40 years ago!) of an arrangement using coirón by Ana Luisa's teacher, Maria Undurraga MacKenna (rank of 1st Grade Komon). We love this arrangement as it uses the coirón to add a certain lightness around all the chrysanthemums. It is a good contrast against the two arrangements above where the woven coirón drapes over the arrangement as a more solid material.
Thank you, Ana Luisa Quiñones, for sharing lovely ikebana with us!
For this arrangement, I used a very unusual "container". It is an old ashtray made of nambu iron (the same type used for the cast iron teapots.) I found this ashtray in a flea market in Tokyo. Though I didn't smoke, I saw its potential to become a flower container!
I wanted to show the fine intricacies of the tiny branches so I made the arrangement short and horizontal so that the viewer may have a closer look. I also tried to show the "feet" of the snapdragon stems coming out of the container. It adds a little vertical component to contrast the very horizontal nature of the arrangement.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
For the start of 2015, I thought it was appropriate to use bamboo containers.
One part of the arrangement has lovely tulips in different colours to bring a touch of gaiety. Another part is made up simply of curly willow and dried mountain ash branches to show lines.
The two parts of the arrangement are made to like they are moving to meet up in the space above! Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
As Christmas approached, I decided to create something in green and red.
I intertwined some dried pine with hemlock branches, forming a wreath-like structure. The branches were inserted inside the narrow opening of the container to look as if they were flowing out as one.
The flow of the branches followed the shape of the container as well.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. -- Miyako
In fact we conducted 3 ikebana workshops at the Japanese School of Halifax. The first one was with the older boys and girls. (No pics, sorry!) The second one was with the wee ones...and weren't they cute? See here. And the third group had their workshop about a week or so ago.
The tweens group...in between being very cute & cuddly and very beautiful & handsome!
Everyone was very focused on their ikebana work. They all created beautiful arrangements...to the delight of their parents too!
Unknown to Miyako-sensei, while she was having a good time with some of the children, the parents, staff and other children were in another room busily preparing these thank-you cards!
How thoughtful and touching! To all the children of the Japanese School of Halifax: a big THANK YOU from Miyako-sensei. Many thanks too to all the parents and staff of the Japanese School of Halifax.
Trying to mimic the wonderful mizuhiki knot art, I bent and twisted the red dogwood branches.
The curls matched the light rhythm set by the Japanese rose branches.
This arrangement has no focal point flowers. I used Baby's Breath to add volume. This arrangement was all about lines. Here is the full arrangement.
It is currently displayed at our shop…in case you'd like to see it in person!
I hope you like it. -- Miyako
