Hand-made sheep ornaments!
Yes, they have wool...well, sort of! (^_^)
Do you like them?
Our original product. Made in NS, Canada.
$5.00 ea. (plus HST where applicable.) Available at the shop or by mail order.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Japanese stone lanterns that could bring a feeling of peace and solitude to your garden.
Surrounded by flowers, enclosed by dried leaves, or covered in snow...they have something to add to your garden through the seasons.
....even good for the interior, if that's what you prefer!
Some models have solar-powered lights on them to give a nice glow at night.
These lanterns are actually made from proprietary blends of high performing concrete with unique weather resistant finishes applied.
So they are lighter (and more affordable!) than traditionally carved rock ones. They are designed and made in BC, Canada.
Available at the shop or by mail order. Please call or email us for more details.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Ohi-yaki style of pottery dates back to 1666, when the 5th Lord of Kaga, Maeda Tsunanori, established the kiln under the guidance of Urasenke teamaster Sen Soshitsu. The Ohi style is related to Raku. In fact, the first Ohi potter, Donyu (who later took on the name Chozaemon), was the son of Raku III and apprenticed with the fourth Raku master, Ichinyu.
Ohi style pottery does not use a potter's wheel. All are shaped by hand and pulled out of the kiln while the glaze is melting. Using pine wood, firing is done at low temperature (1000℃). The pottery is cooled quickly and takes on a deep amber colour.
Ohi pottery is well-known with tea ceremony practitioners.
This Ohi-yaki tea bowl by Ohi Ippei (1920-1993).
Sources:
http://www.e-yakimono.net/guide/html/ohi-yaki.html
http://shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp/shofu/jouka/english/1100/index.html
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
New original hand-made greeting cards are out.
They are cats bearing gifts...and the gifts are 3D too!
Each card contains an elegant blank liner inside.
Available at the shop or by mail order. Email us if you want to see the collection!
Hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada. $5.00 (CAD) ea plus HST where applicable.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
The flowers are blooming (and even the weeds in the wild are pretty!) Brighten up your surroundings with this single stem flower dishes!
Just snip a tiny bloom and put in the cylinder. Then fill the dish with water. There is a hole at the bottom of the cylinder to allow the water to reach the stem.
Available in two colours:
Vibrant green-blue (YAMA-1)...
...and the earthier rusty brown (YAMA-2).
Dimensions: L11.0 x W8.5 x H4.5 cm (4.3 x 3.3 x 1.8 in.)
Made in Japan.
$19.95 (CAD) each plus HST where applicable.
Available at the shop or by mail order.
(Photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Is the summer heat getting to you? Well, summers in Kyoto are punishing as well...and here's one little accessory that kabuki actors and geishas use to keep their faces (with all that make-up and before the advent of air-conditioning!) clear of the oily sheen: the abura-tori-gami ("oil blotting paper").
This facial blotting paper has actually been around for about 1000 years now. The paper was originally used to protect gold leaf. The delicate gold was covered with this paper (then known as haku-uchi-gami...literally "foil beating paper") as a craftsman pounded it into a thin leaf. The gold leaf, wrapped in this paper, was brought to the imperial palace in Kyoto. Somewhere along the way, someone discovered the remarkable oil absorbing properties of this paper...and its use as a face blotter spread throughout Kyoto. It also started to be called "abura-tori-gami". Now it is an essential item in many Japanese women's make-up retouch arsenal!
Available at the shop or by mail order. $4.50 CAD (plus HST where applicable) per pack of 50 sheets. Made in Kyoto, Japan. Fragrance-free. Powder-free. Absorbs excess oil without disturbing make-up for petal fresh skin!
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
New from Tokyo Milk: the entomology soap series. Wrapped in bright yellow linen paper with the usual Tokyo Milk style of charming illustrations...this time of insects, this set has a refreshing citrus fragrance. It is a limited release product so try to get some while we have them!
Tokyo Milk soaps are French triple milled from a pure vegetable base, enriched with Shea Butter to moisturize skin during cleansing.
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Iwasaki Chihiro (1918~1974) was a popular children’s book illustrator, famous for her warm and gentle portraits of children. The driving force behind Iwasaki's tender depiction of kids was her strong desire to see a world of peace and happiness in which all children would be safe.
We have an extensive collection of her postcards available at the shop or by mail order. $3.00 (CAD) each plus HST where applicable. You can purchase here.
(Photo by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Nancy Roberts is a Nova Scotia potter who likes to make quirky, fun and interesting pieces.
Indeed, the collection of flower holders that she made for us all have different personalities!
Each glaze is different!
Each texture is different!
Each one comes with a small kenzan (frog). Fill it with water, pick a bloom or two from your garden, stick it in and enjoy!
Nancy is a member of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild.
Learn more about her here: http://novascotiapottersguild.com/members/detail/nancy-roberts
Flower holders are available at the shop or by mail order. $30 (CAD) each plus HST where applicable. All hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada.
(All photos by the ikebana shop, except photo of Nancy, which is courtesy of Nancy Roberts. All rights reserved.)
Many of us have probably seen them at one time or another... drawings of cute little children, dressed in Chinese style, on bowls or dishes.
The children are normally depicted as playing under a pine tree, with butterflies and peonies around.
These children are called "karako" (唐子), which literally translate to "Chinese children". "Kara" (唐) is actually the character for the Tang dynasty (618-907) of China, considered by many as the golden age of Chinese culture and power. The little children design on pottery symbolizes health for sons & daughters and longevity/continuity.
The number of children on the design also have significance. You will probably see three, five or seven children. (Always odd, never even number!) The more children on the pottery, the higher is its grade.
This matcha tea bowl has 5 children...and the pine tree is found on the inside of the bowl!
All pottery pictured in this article are available for sale at the shop or by mail order.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
