Japanese Lanterns For Your Garden

Added on August 31, 2012 by post@theikebanashop.com.

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.

Ohi Tea Bowl

Added on August 29, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

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

The Bashful Mimosa

Added on August 27, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Thought we'd share this unusual plant we had found during our holiday in Cuba. It is a tropical weed that closes its leaves when touched! Its scientific name is Mimosa Pudica...the Latin "pudica" meaning "shy or bashful".

Other common names are "touch-me-not" and "makahiya" (meaning "to be on the shy side" in the Filipino language). They are fun to play with but they do have thorns so touch only the leaves!

Cats Bearing Gifts!

Added on August 25, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

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.

Ikebana In Action

Added on August 21, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

We'd like to share with you the ikebana arrangements we did for a week-long seminar a few months ago.

This paired arrangement welcomed the participants at the reception area.

This arrangement was set in the dining room.

This is a large arrangement on-stage to accompany the various speakers!

The name of the organization has been blotted out for privacy purposes.

Ikebana Demo At The Eastern Shore Garden Club

Added on August 15, 2012 by post@theikebanashop.com.

Last night we were guests of the Eastern Shore Garden Club. If you must attend one of their meetings, make it August...because that's the month when most everyone brings lovely blooms from their gardens. And so we were lucky to be treated with an array beautiful and fragrant flowers!

We thank the Eastern Shore Garden Club for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate what ikebana is all about.

It was the first time for Miyako to wear a headset microphone too! Looked more professional! (^_^)

We hope you enjoyed the arrangements.

We were very happy to see many people interested. Hopefully we were able to answer most of your questions!

Feedback:
*We are all so pleased with your presentation last evening. The response from all members is most positive.... The nine years I have been a member I don't recall this much enthusiasm. * ----Nora, Program Director.

*Well I hate to go on and on about the great presenter we had tonight because those of you who were not there might be injured by kicking yourself too hard for not being able to attend BUT they were very, very good!* ---Darlene, in an email to her fellow members

Thank you to everyone at the Eastern Shore Garden Club!

We Are Going On Holiday

Added on July 29, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Important Announcement: The shop will be closed from Aug 4th (Sat) to Aug 12th (Sun). We will re-open on Aug 13th (Mon).

Yes, we are taking a long overdue holiday. No, we are not going to see the Olympics! (^_^) We are not yet sure if we will have access to the internet so there is no guarantee that we will be able to respond to email inquiries during this period.

Sorry for the inconvenience but we will come back refreshed!

Single Stem Flower Dish

Added on July 25, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

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.

Aburatori-gami Takes Away That Oily Shine!

Added on July 16, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

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!

Omotenashi Marriott-Style!

Added on July 13, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Disclaimer: We have no affiliation with the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel. This blogpost was written without any prompting, remuneration or coercion (just kidding...!) from the hotel. We simply think that others should know...

In our line of work, we get asked to put up ikebana arrangements in many different places. When we do jobs at hotels and other "posh" places, most of the time it's straightforward business. This is where you need to set up. You'll find what you need there. Get the job done in time. With courtesy. Pretty much par for the course and we expect nothing more really. Sometimes, we do get treated like the hired help...like when we receive "extra" instructions like "Don't mess up the carpet. That's expensive." We take it all in stride and move on...besides, come to think of it, we are the hired help anyway. No hard feelings.

So, what a delightful surprise it was to arrive at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront and to be treated like guests! Our buckets of flowers and boxes of equipment were brought in by a porter in a shiny hotel cart, right through the front lobby! (We had been half-expecting to be asked to go through the service entrance...and of course, to haul our stuff in by ourselves.) When we reached the venue, it turned out the ballroom doors were still locked. The bellhop (who probably had nothing to do with the event planning part of the hotel business) stayed with us and made hundreds of phone calls (so we exaggerate a bit...^_^ ) until the right person with the right key came. We were in good hands!

The following day, when we came back to clean up after the event, the same hospitality met us. The service was above and beyond, despite the fact that we were not there to be served! The bellhop who escorted us helped clean up the flowers and discard the leftover water from the containers. We told him that we knew this was no longer part of his job(and to the cynics out there...no, no supervisors hovering around! ^_^ )and so it was OK to leave us; but he simply replied that he wanted to help as much as he could!

The spirit of omotenashi (hospitality and then some...)* is alive and and well at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront. We salute management and staff for creating such a wonderful environment. With this one short experience, the Marriott has endeared itself to us. Guess which hotel we'll be recommending the next time we have guests from Japan?

*Japanese omotenashi is explained quite well in this article: http://www.wattention.com/archives/omotenashi-the-heart-of-japanese-hospitality/

See the finished arrangement here.