Laura Felt will give a brief history of Japanese washi paper – the origins, how it’s made, and uses. There will be many examples of chiyogami papers with beautiful prints and projects using the paper.

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Workshop fee: $15

The workshop participants will cover a tissue box. Included in the $15 cost: 1 wooden tissue box, 1 full sheet of paper (24” x 36”), and rice glue. The project will take about a third of the sheet of washi paper, so there will be plenty left for other projects. Please bring a large paper grocery bag, small (2”) paint brush, and scissors. There will be lots of color and pattern choices of paper.

The program will focus on winter color options - flowers mainly, but also stems and fragrance. The slide show will be followed with a winter Moribana arrangement. The arrangement will be made using plants that are best in winter. As all gardeners know: it all depends on the whims of mother nature as to what will be available……

This program will feature branches that can be used throughout the year in Ichiyo arrangements. Dried, lichen, bleached and seasonal branches which reflect the season and mood of the arranger and the offerings that Mother Nature provides for us.

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Workshop fee: $10 donated to the chapter

Branches create wonderful lines and interesting forms in ikebana. 

Bring a beautiful or favorite branch which can be used to create a fun and interesting arrangement reflecting the mood of fall, winter, spring or summer! Bring line material and flowers which enhance this branch and share your wonderful result with others.  

Curly Willow is quite attractive and innovative when used as Ikebana line material because it has opportunity to create interesting, twisting shapes and provides a strong sense of movement.

From our different Ikebana Schools – Sue Grier (Ichiyo), Candy Gallaher (Ikenobo) & Jane Irwin (Sogetsu) – will present their interpretations in using Curly Willow as line material in various arrangements. It might be used simply as a striking line material or as twisted stems around the surface of a moribana. But there can be more - perhaps submerging stems in a glass container, incorporating them into basket containers, tying them into circles or even mixing them as assistants with other materials.

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There will be a workshop after the meeting where participants can explore Curly Willow in their own creative ways. The fee will be $25 and will include Curly Willow and floral materials of the season. Participants should bring a container of their choice (along with any mechanics needed – kenzan, kubari, etc.). Watch for sign-up and more details on what to bring.

Note: Workshop fee $25 to cover costs of materials. If any amount is left over it will be donated to the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

Note: Curly willow can be rooted

Water is an essential aspect of ikebana arrangements but primarily for preserving the life of flowers and plants. Attention is centered on the composition among the materials and the container. In this demonstration water will play an integral part of the arrangement itself. Emphasis will be placed on ways to use the water to express its presence as an integral aspect of the composition. We will explore ways to use transparent vases or ceramic containers with a water view to present the various features of water.

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This workshop is for ikebana arrangers who would like to experiment with a new way of featuring water in their arrangements. Participants may prefer to bring their own containers - either a glass vase or bowl or a ceramic moribana container - as well as their own materials. Please keep in mind that some materials work better than others, particularly in glass vases. Also, some containers are more difficult to work with than others. For example, I have a triangular glass container that makes affixing materials rather difficult. Also, shallow moribana vases tend to show water more readily than deep ones. I can also provide both materials and glass vases. If so, keep in mind that I will bring materials that will be relatively easy to manipulate. I will only provide glass nageire vases. Please contact me in advance so that we can discuss the cost of my providing materials and/or a glass vase.

Everyone must feel at peace and relaxed when surrounded by greenery in a field or in the woods. This is because of the power of green.

The most impressive green of plants comes from the leaves of trees. Their color is different according to the kinds of trees and the season. Young leaves in spring turn deeper green as they mature.

The leaves and stems of flowers are mostly green. Even between the front and the backsides of the green leaf, there is a difference in the tone. The color tones and textures are all different in each type of plant. Flower buds can be green too as well as young buds of leaves and unripe fruits.

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Workshop Fee: $10 donation to the chapter

Plant materials should highlight green, combining different shades and tones of green with different textures of the plant material. Participants may bring any type of container, moribana, nageire or free style, with whatever mechanics are necessary although the contrast or harmony with the green shades must be taken into account.

Focus on the green color of plant materials as you walk in your garden (or the garden of someone else) and gather materials to make a design with only green plant materials. 

Introducing the Ikenobo forms and styles that have been nurtured in the history of Ikenobo for over 500 years.

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Learning Ikenobo Free Style using seasonal and local materials.

Morning session 10:30:                                          

"Focusing on Naturalistic Designs"                        Workshop Fee: $50

Afternoon session 1:30: 

"Learning how to Manipulate Plant Material for Ikebana"     Workshop Fee: $50

All members will participate in this month’s program. Please bring a container of your choice to the meeting. It can be your favorite one, or one you don’t like, or maybe one that you have used in the past and had difficulty using it. All containers will be placed on a table and everyone will choose a container that doesn’t belong to them and make an arrangement.

You will need to bring flowers (you may have some left from our exhibition at the Arboretum) and all materials needed to make your arrangement. It will be fun seeing what others can do with your container!

Sticks and Stones may break your bones but they are fun for ikebana. Patti will gather various sticks and stones and use them to create interesting ikebana. The possibilities are limitless.

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