Recycled Materials

After our show at JapanFest we saved all of the bittersweet used in the arrangements and rearranged it into smaller designs. This arrangement was done by one of our class members whose assignment was doing an arrangement with just one type of material. The bittersweet was perfect for that particular study.

Bittersweet was originally grown in Japan and is most effective when the fruit is red/orange and matured. Because of its twining nature as a vine, it is easy to arrange and create a good ikebana form. It is often used for hanging styles such as what we did in our group design.

My Week With Ikebana

Saturday and Sunday - My students did the most amazing ikebana for JapanFest. The group arrangement using five black iron containers of the Ichiyo School was filled with three different types of beautiful autumn maples, orange bittersweet, and yellow chrysanthemum. We watched the faces of people who walked into the room and were thrilled to see the look of awe as they became aware of what they were seeing. In addition to the group design each person in the class also presented individual arrangements with their own designs.

On Monday we all gathered together for class and patted ourselves on the back for a very successful weekend.

The next night I taught a private lesson to a young woman who has the most amazing connection with nature and a deep desire to In Progress
understand how to bring that sensitivity into a deep level of artistic expression. Her ikebana is thoughtful and beautiful.

Then, the next day I had the opportunity to install five of the same black iron containers we used at JapanFest on the walls of the Fulton County Library in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The wall was 20 feet long so it was quite a project. The five containers were spread across the space but still did not fill it up so I went back later and installed four more arrangements using bamboo wall mounted containers. I used dried material and the arrangements will stay up until the first of November.

What an invigorating week. I wouldn't trade my love for ikebana for anything else and I am so happy to be a part of a group of ladies who feel the same way.

Japan Revisited in the U.S.

I have had a week or so off because of an acting up computer.  Nothing would bring it back so I'm getting used to a brand new Mac.  Still a ways to go getting it all set up.  During the interim I've been planning our ikebana exhibition for JapanFest next weekend.   This is an event for everyone!

Held at the Gwinnett Center on the weekend of September 27-28 JapanFest celebrates the very best of every aspect of Japanese culture; bonsai, ikebana, sumie, calligraphy, dancing, Taiko drumming, amine, Japanese cuisine, fashion show, etc, etc.  It is the highlight of the year for me and 20,000 other people.  To know more Google JapanFest, Atlanta.

My group of ikebana students will present an exhibit of numerous arrangements as well as

being on hand to show people face to face how it is done.  I'll do a demonstration on both Saturday and Sunday.  

For anyone who might not know much about ikebana, let me explain that it is an ancient floral art of Japan which has captured the attention of people throughout the world because of its beautiful, graceful lines and pleasing forms.  We learn how to do both traditional forms which emphasize the beauty of nature and contemporary forms which focus on the personal creativity of the arranger.  People who study ikebana are fascinated by the art, continuing their study for many years.  It becomes a way of life as do many of other Japanese arts.  Some people develop into top level teachers, others put their emphasis on exhibiting, and others for a form of personal growth.

My new computer is not setup yet to allow me to include pictures, but if you would like to know more about ikebana, please go to our website at www.ichiyoart.com.  I'll talk more about ikebana in a later blog.

I almost forgot a very important thing.  We'll also have a booth at JapanFest to sell our washi paper and miscellaneous gift items.  Gift items include things like chop sticks, tea cups, sake sets, wind bells and much, much more.  The washi will include silk screen yuzen which has beautiful scenery.  These papers can be beautifully hung as interior decoration in the home.

The Greenville Show Was A Home Run!

Getting settled back into Atlanta has taken time but the memory of the Greenville show is still very fresh in our minds. The attendees were so eager to learn new techniques and to see new

products. This was good for us because we have not been to this area for many years, so everything they saw at our booth was new to them.

Not only did those enthusiastic, happy rubber stamper friends run for our papers, but they stayed on base with our rubber stamps, too. The three most popular were the line drawing Bride and Groom, Peaceful Crane, and Cat #l. Here are the images and I'm sure you can understand why they liked them. All three of these stamps were designed by a young Chinese woman who was in art school in Atlanta. She has gone on to bigger things now and we have lost touch but her designs remain among our most sought after.

Bride and Groom Stamp

Brushstroke Cat #1 Stamp

Peaceful Crane Stamp

Three Thoughts for Three Days

If you love paper like I do, and especially washi, you will understand the passion behind these quotations taken from "Washi The World of Japanese Paper" by Sukey Hughes.

A painting, a poem -
How paper reveals a man's (person's) soul.


It is said that papar is made by people, but it
would be better to say that the blessedness of
nature produces paper....Those who study washi
study at the same time the depth of nature.
Soetsu Yanagi


Dying things are kept alive by thinking
of them. So it is with washi.
Bunsho Jugaku

We're all ready for the Greenview show

I think we have just broken a record! Here it is only Wednesday and we are already prepared for the Greenville Rubber Stamp Show. All we have left to do is close up the boxes and pack the car. This is definitely a first.

During the past couple of days I have prepared 45 paper potpourri packets, taking lots of hours to get the paper selected and cut. There are nine combinations and each one has 12 sheets of paper, size 5" x 6". The popourri packets are in great demand by people who do not need the larger sheets so it is important to have a large supply.

When we get back from Greenville on Sunday we will turn our attention to JapanFest at the end of the month. This is one of our favorite events. We not only set up a booth to sell our products, including gift items which we used to have in our store, but I present an ikebana demonstration and my students present an exhibition. Tonight we will go to the Gwinnett Center for an orientation. JapanFest draws 20,000 over two days and is very exciting.

More about JapanFest and ikebana later.

Greenville, SC Rubber Stamp Show preparations

Today we are beginning preparations to take our paper, rubber stamps, stencils, etc., to the Greenview Rubber Stamp show next weekend. There is too much here to take everything, so we pick and choose and make up new packets with new merchandise.

It has been several years since we went to this show so it is going to be fun renewing friendships with our customers. Yesterday I had a phone call from a friend in Florida telling me that there would be a busload of people coming. She was needing information about some special show sale which we might have in the booth. I was ready for such a question and was happy to tell her that we have a whole box of discontinued rubber stamps at half price. A GREAT BARGAIN for rubber stampers.

We will also be introducing our new collection of Japanese card stock. These sheets come in size 8 1/2" x 11" with beautiful muted colors. They are not on our website yet but will be soon.

Got to get to work!

Fall is just around the corner

Although today is hot and muggy in Atlanta, the Labor Day weekend coming up brings with it a sense that a very welcome beginning of Fall is just around the corner. It reminds me of a yuzen paper designed around the theme of autumn leaves. This beautiful paper silk screened on mulberry paper (kozo washi) has colors which blend together in warm and beautiful combinations. I can just imagine a book cover or greeting card showcasing this yuzen.

I love yuzen and use it all the time in my craft work. Sometimes a
particularly striking design will almost take my breath away. The terminology itself is a cross over from kimono fabric to paper and is used for both. In paper the designs are endless, presenting many traditional patterns and many more modern.