Flowers for Japan – Sonoma News – News 2011 – Sonoma, CA.

Flowers from this week…I was asked to arrange special flowers for someone who likes simple things and practices Japanese Tea Ceremony-the Omotesenke School. Flowers for tea are called cha-bana and it is different from Ikebana, traditional floral art practiced for 700 years in Japan. Chabana is not as stylized or structured as Ikebana. It is a seasonal expression and has to be subtle with a few kinds of wild flowers as if they just happened to be there in the tea room for the guests. No big flowers or statements. The host’s effort isn’t shown here. So, I had to think a bit and drove around and found some beautiful flowering cabbages! I chose several cabbages to create the arrangement. I also went to the field to pick some grasses and wheat grasses in my boots with heels…I wasn’t thinking when I was leaving! I tried some mustard flowers. They are so beautiful now in Sonoma but they didn’t drink water well. Some challenges but I just loved the idea only using what were growing around here. I called my friend who has a massive meyer lemon tree and got a few branches with meyer lemons and also added daphne flowers for the sweet citrus scents. Right here this isn’t chabana with scented flowers. But the scent is just so divine and I had to add them! I can keep going and express my passion with this one arrangement. My only hope is that she is enjoying the arrangement this week.

Gump’s Wedding Event Is A Don’t-Miss For Future Brides & Grooms | 7×7.

Sonoma takes center stage on the popular reality show, “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” on the Style Network, this Saturday, Sept. 4, at 9 p.m. The show follows Sacramento couple Jacqueline Nemmer and Matthew Bellerive as they prepared for their May 13 Wine Country wedding, which included a ceremony at St. Francis Solano Catholic Church pictured, a reception at Jack London Lodge and floral arrangements made by Maki Gilman of Viola Flowers.

Cycle Chic – The Original from Copenhagen. Streetstyle and Bike Advocacy in High Heels: Cycle Chic Top 10 List of Gorgeous Bicycles for Stylish Ladies.

Lantana: Works for Koto Ensemble

The koto ensemble Lantana, founded in 1979 by Tadao Sawai and Kazue Sawai, performs works by Japanese and Korean composers.

via Music @ Stanford: Events Calendar.

Over 300 indie crafters from all over the country participated in the fair, which was held July 18 + 19 at the Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion. The Artist list is still up, so check it out and continue to buy handmade and support independent artists throughout the year!fortmason

via San Francisco « Renegade Craft Fair.