Say good-bye to that hard-to-reach itch on your back!
The Japanese call this very helpful tool "mago no te", which means "grandchild's hand". Imagine grandpa getting a good scratch on his back. Nothing is better than when it comes from his grandchild's wee hands!
Made from bamboo. Available at the shop or by mail order. $8.50 (CAD) each plus HST where applicable.
(Photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Shop's Log. Halifax NS. March 23rd, Friday, 15:47.
Weather: Sunny, 10°C.
One of the perks of being a shopkeeper is being able to test new products. Today, I had to test some....[drumroll please]...chocolate truffles! All eleven flavours! Get ready to salivate: cappuccino, maple, peanut, mint, double dark, hazelnut, raspberry, milk, caramel almond, and orange.
Man.. after all that, I was feeling blissfully bloated. (^_^)
A hot cup of houjicha (pan roasted Japanese green tea) helped take that sweet edge off the palate. Test result: Pass with flying colours! Now, we're putting together some nice packaging ideas. Give us a few more weeks...might need some more taste testing! He! He!
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
"A-un" (阿吽）is a Buddhist mantra that represents the beginning and the end of the universe. It is the Japanese transliteration of the Sanskrit "aum". Also, the first syllable could be likened to "Truth" and "the Inquiring Mind" whilst the latter syllable, "Wisdom" and "Nirvana".
Calligraphy artist Yukari Haverstock captures a-un in her latest work.
Now displayed at the shop. Available for sale.
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
The masu is a square wooden box made from hinoki (Japanese cypress). Originally, it was used to measure rice. Nowadays, the masu is used almost exclusively to drink sake. (But also used to hold beans during the bean-throwing festival of setsubun.) In Japanese pubs that serve sake in a masu, the masu will be put on a saucer and it will normally be filled to overflowing. Bonus tip: drink from the corner! (^-^)
The wood from hinoki has been used for construction in Japan since olden times. The temple Horyuji in Nara (the one that houses the big Buddha statue), founded in 607 AD and considered one of the oldest existing wooden structures in the world, is made from hinoki. (Note: The temple was built in 607 but has had reconstructions throughout history.) Hinoki is well known for its resistance to rot and Japanese people love the fragrance of the wood.
Available at the shop or by mail order.
Dimensions: L8.5cm x W8.5cm x H5.0cm (3.4" x 3.4" x 2.0")
Made in Japan. $14.50 (CAD) each. Purchase here.
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Tawashi is the traditional Japanese scrubbing brush. Its bristles are made from the fiber of hemp palm. It is strong, durable and will reach debris lodged in tiny grooves or creases. Unlike it's nylon or polyurethane sponge cousins, it won't fray and it dries quite easily. Use on heavy pots & pans, the kitchen sink, the bathtub, etc.
BUT...do not use on delicate items!
Available at the shop. Purchase online here.
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
The hina matsuri is a festival for girls celebrated on March 3rd. Families pray for the happiness and health of their daughters. Typically, Japanese families display hina dolls. The emperor and empress dolls are in the attire of the Heian period (794-1192).
The dolls in the photographs are available for purchase at the shop or mail order. All made in Japan. Contact us for details!
So, what's in the box? (^-^)
Using unit (or modular) origami, we came up with this box and put a few goodies inside.
Modular origami or unit origami is a paperfolding technique which uses two or more sheets of paper to create a larger and more complex structure than would be possible using single-piece origami techniques. Each individual sheet of paper is folded into a module, or unit, and then modules are assembled into an integrated flat shape or three-dimensional structure by inserting flaps into pockets created by the folding process. These insertions create tension or friction that holds the model together.(from where else but Wikipedia!)
Each cube contains 4 assorted pieces of yummy Belgian chocolate.
We added two "pull open" tabs to make it easier to open, specially for the wee ones. If you don't like having the tabs, you can always tuck them back inside!
Available at the shop or by mail order. $6.50 ea.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Plastic ikebana containers? Doesn't sound so nice but please take a second look... Would you believe these are plastic?
These containers are made with thick plastic. They don't look very different from their venerable ceramic counterparts.
Plastic containers are light, stackable and not-so-fragile. They are easy to transport. So for the ikebana practitioner who has to bring her own containers to a demonstration or lesson, these containers could make a big difference in the logistics of the trip!
Available at the shop or by mail order. Purchase online here.
Made in Japan.
Chocolate in Origami...Chocorigami! (^-^)
