Did we mention we liked cats?
We made these by hand. First, we shaped them and then let them dry.
Then we added some colour!
We mostly did it for the fun of it... Aren't they cute?
But they are also for sale at the shop.
$8.50 (Canadian dollars) each plus HST where applicable.
Hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
The Japanese believe that each person is bound to his/her soul mate by an invisible red string. No matter where they may be, soul mates will be brought together by the Red String of Fate (akai ito).
This pair of netsuke charms are made with beads of pure sandalwood. (You'll know by the fragrance of the wood!) The gold bell for her. The silver one for him. The bearers are entwined together by the Red String of Fate.
They come in a beautiful paulownia box.
Have you found a Valentine's gift for your soul mate yet?
Available for purchase. Click here.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Searching for a little something for Valentine's Day?
Look what we came up with! We made boxes from card stock and covered them with various Japanese fabric.
The unique thing is how it opens.
Just twist!
Inside are ten different flavours of the yummy Truffini chocolate truffles! And when the chocolate is gone, you can re-use the box!
Box is hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Chocolate truffles are made in British Columbia, Canada.
$9.50 each (plus HST where applicable). Available at the shop or purchase online.
(Video and photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Kiri-e (切り絵) is the art of paper cutting to form an image. We made some cards using kiri-e style.
All are individually hand-cut using a sharp cutter knife and black cardstock.
We like cat themes! :-)
...and we try to be a bit playful!
Each one of course is one-of-a-kind. Hand-cut in-house right here in Nova Scotia, Canada.
The cards are blank inside and comes with an elegant liner and envelope.
Available for sale here at the shop. $5.00 CAD each (subject to HST where applicable.)
Here is a video we found that shows how to make kiri-e!
Nova Scotia pottery artist, Sally Ravindra calls them her "little fat cups".
These chubby cups measure only around 7~8 cm (about 3 inches) in height. Just right to fit in your espresso machine.
A hot cup of cappuccino or cocoa on these snowy days sounds very inviting. Enjoy your drink in the Little Fat Cups! :-)
Once you hold one in your hands, you won't want to put it down!
They are available for purchase at the shop or here. Hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada.
(All photo credits by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
When we saw this postage stamp, we thought: "Hey, this looks familiar!"
The stamp set commemorates traditional Japanese crafts and one of them shows Kutani pottery in the Yoshidaya style...and we happen to have one such vase in our shop! (And they are not easy to come by either!)
Pine, the evergreen tree, symbolizes longevity and health. The hawk, with its sharp talons and keen eyes, is quick to grasp good fortune.
The Yoshidaya style of Kutani pottery makes use of only four colours: blue, yellow, green and purple. If you look closely, the brown-looking colours of the pine branches and parts of the hawk are really a tinge of purple.
Yoshidaya pottery are stamped with fuku (福) in a double square block. (Fuku means "good luck".)
To see if this item is still available for purchase, click here.
(All photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
In old Japan, gift-giving was a ritual. A tradition of giving gifts covered with a finely embroidered square silk cloth became widespread during the Edo Period (1615-1867). This cloth is called fukusa. Formal gifts were often presented in a box with the fukusa draped over to conceal it. After being appropriately admired, the fukusa and box were returned to the giver whilst the gift was accepted. The choice of fukusa was important to reflect the formality of the occasion and the status of the gift-giver. Some fukusa have tassels so that they can be handled without touching the fabric.
If you've been to the shop lately, you would have seen a pair of fukusa adorning our walls! These days, they are rarely used (except maybe during weddings) but they can be beautiful additions to your home decor! The ones we have depict cranes and pine trees--auspicious symbols of longevity and good fortune.
Please drop by the shop and have a look!
(Note: The fukusa we describe above is different from the fukusa used in the tea ceremony.)
(Photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
So we got a bag of walnuts...
...cracked them open, ate the nuts and hollowed out the shells. We touched up the edges a bit; then found some cute Christmassy fabric and ribbons.
And this is what we came up with!
Hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada. Available at the shop or online. $1.50 CAD each (plus applicable sales taxes.)
(Photos by the ikebana shop. All rights reserved.)
Special Offer: FREE SHIPPING for orders of "haori" to destinations in Canada and continental USA. 50% off on shipping for other international destinations.
If you order something else with the haori, we will apply the "haori only shipping cost" as a discount to your total shipping estimate!
Offer is good for orders received on or before Dec. 24th, 2012.
Click here to go the haori page.
Hope you find something you like!
Note: Normally, shipping to Canada and U.S.A. will be via Canada Post expedited parcel. For international destinations, shipping will be via Canada Post international parcel. We reserve the right to change shipping methods without prior notice. Of course, we'll let you know what it's going to be before we ship!
Time to plan ahead! The 2013 Ikebana and Bonsai Diary now available. Get a weekly inspiration from beautiful images of ikebana and bonsai in 2013!
Here's a sneak peek of a few of the pages...
Printed in Japan.
Available at the shop or by mail order.
