This stainless steel container belonged to Michelle Lunn, one of our
members, who passed away some time ago and whose
containers were sold at the last II meeting. I wanted a memento of
Michelle, who was a fellow student when I studied under Carlyne Patterson. 

Hello everyone,

I'd like to start this post with some good news. I recently completed the exam for the promotion to Riji and I've just received notification from HQ advising that I was successful. So, in mid-March, Sam and I are booked to fly to Tokyo for 'Flower Thanks Day' to have it presented to me. I'm really looking forward to returning to Japan and seeing again people who were very kind to me when I was there and whom I now consider friends.

This dear little creature is a possum. (Apologies for the poor quality of the photo) I think he is the Common Brush tail possum but I can't be sure. Anyway, he is one of many that live in and around our garden and are less than welcome when they eat the fruit from our trees. However, this little one has become almost a pet. He has taken to sleeping on the windowsill of our bedroom between the glass and the exterior blind. He usually brings with him branches from our weeping willow to make his bed. Our cat finds him very interesting and we've  become quite fond of him, so much so, that we avoid retracting the blind when he is sleeping there.

And now to some ikebana. For class last week I had set the theme  of using branches in one arrangement and then taking the arrangement apart and using the branches in a completely different way.

Some examples follow.

Emily Karanikolopoulos
First Arrangement
Siberian Dogwood and ginger lilies

Second Arrangement
Siberian Dogwood stripped of leaves and joined
to create triangles. And pink and white Belladonna
lilies

Bredenia Raquel
First Arrangement
Pomegranates and cotoneaster branches

Second Arrangement

Robyn Unglik
First Arrangement
Hawthorn, Agapanthus and bleached fern

Second Arrangement

Lucy Papas
First Arrangement
Persimmon, Hydrangeas and Lisianthus

Second Arrangement

Helen Novic
First Arrangement
Metal mesh painted red, wisteria vine and New Zealand flax
(Helen chose not to use branches)

Second Arrangement

Vicky Kalokathis
First Arrangement
Weeping willow and Pandorea

Second Arrangement
Willow stripped of leaves and clivia 

I would like to leave you with this freestyle arrangement by Aurelia Dong.

Bye for now,
Emily