And then ....

Update on Copper feeders....
This week again I had a community ed  class on making copper oriole feeders. This group was very creative and had some new ideas so I wanted to share some pictures of what they did:

Spirals cut from circles -
cut a circle from metal sheeting then make an equal distant cut from the edge forming a spiral.

Leaving the tubing long rather than wrapping it  to make it circular.

Making two feeding stations for cups

Wrapping wire with beads around the tubing for  decoration.
Adding the decoration of leaves cut from thin metal sheeting  hung from wire curls with beads that were inserted into the tubing then hammered flat.

April is the time for Orioles....

This is the time of year that I teach classes and do demonstrations on constructing copper oriole bird feeders. We construct these feeders as garden art to decorate our yards and hang them filled with orange halves or custard cups full of grape jelly to give these beautiful orange feathered birds energy as the make their spring migration from Mexico. We are also selfishly hoping to feed them long enough that they make their nests in our yards so we can watch them all summer. Orioles prefer yards with deciduous shade trees, fresh water and reliably filled feeders. Besides oranges and jelly, orioles enjoy liquid nectar's similar to what hummingbirds enjoy. It is important to keep the feeders filled until at least one week after the last oriole has been seen feeding.

To make a feeder you will need 40" of 1/4" OD flexible cooper tubing like what is used for
waterlines for refrigerators. Use a hammer to flatten both ends of the tube to keep water and bugs out of the inside. Always bend the tubing slowly around something that is curved to prevent crimping of the tube. I use the outside of the custard cup that I will use as the actual feeding tray.

Begin by bend a hook so the finished feeder will hang over a tree branch or from a Sheppard's hook. Do this around the cup forming a "C" shape.

Hook for hanging

Then, from the other end wrap the tubing a few times around the cup to form a spiral, ending by turning the hanger 45 degrees (or upright) from the spiral which will hold the feeding cup. Expand the spiral. Decide where you want to position the feeding cup, allowing enough space for the bird to land and eat comfortably.

Wow, this didn't take long! No, but the next step - embellishing - is the longer process since this is where the creativity comes in.

I decorate my feeders with beads, single and grouped, strung on copper or silver wire (or any color you like) and leaf shapes, flower shapes, and spirals cut from very thin copper or silver sheeting. This sheeting is used for embossing so veins can be added to leaves with pressure from a pointed wooden stick.

Flattened end with hole for stringing wire.

Because you don't want everything "blowing in the breeze", secure segments of wire to the tubing by making a hole through the entire diameter of the tube by hammering a nail or awl through.Thread a wire through the hole and twist to secure, then string on some beads. To hold a bead along the wire, bring the wire through the bead twice. Use this process to hold a flower shape in place by securing a bead on the wire both before and after the shape. This works for the leaves too. I also wrap the wires around a pencil to form tendrils rather than keep them straight. I form tendrils from elongated triangles cut from scrapes of the sheeting which dangle quite nicely.

Metal sheeting leaves and tendril
with attached  floating beads.

Remember you want to attract the birds and the embellishments are  for our liking. Keep all the dangles away from the feeding area.

This technique can also be used to make butterfly feeders by substituting a terra cotta saucer for the custard  cup and filling it with banana slices, watermelon chunks or grape halves.

Butterfly feeder

Now locate a place in your yard to hang the feeder that is secure, were the birds are close to cover and where you can keep an eye out for the birds. Remember to clean your feeder every 2-3 days.

My thanks go out to the gals and guys that attended my classes! Some attend through Community Education Classes, some are garden club members or belong to the Red Hat groups. We just keep having fun creating and learning.

Now we are ready for Spring!

Art in Bloom at Milwaukee Art Museum

Once again I participated in Art in Bloom. This is where a bunch of garden club members, florist, landscapers and people that like to arrange flowers get together to compete for the best interpretation of an art work in flowers. It is anything but a cake walk. Most garden clubs and individual competitors are limited by budget and flower resources. Others, wow the crowds by using an obscene amount of material. I guess that's one of the things that make it fun. That is why I do it....for fun!

This one won people choice all 4 days

In January we meet and are given our art pieces through a lottery process. Our art museum has furniture, statues, iron work, classic and contemporary works as well as painting large and small. Each year, after some designer pushes the limits, we are given new rules to abide by. Someone did an under water design and the next year we were limited to no more than a gallon of water with none exposed. Another time someone replicated a big contemporary structure with full size haliconia and the next year we were limited to 48" high and a few inches wider than the 24" pedestal that holds each piece with nothing allowed to touch the floor.

Fun interpretation

Great idea

Seems so simple, NOT!

Everyone's favorite dog!

Another fun one

This started as a long weekend event. Now it opens on a Thursday with judging by an accredited flower show judge, an accredited judge in the florist industry and an expert from the museum. It's a crap shoot.... As you see the pieces being installed and are wowed by everyone's creativity, you just never know how it is going to go. The group of judge's select the 3 big winners and some honorable mentions. Then the public votes daily on their favorites. I think pleasing the public is great and one year I actually one that award, ha!

The BIG winner this year, creating her masterpiece

A friend of mine has won first place twice including this year. Another has won honorable mention twice (this year, too). And another won second place last year. We are all in Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) together. That says a lot. More isn't always better.
Sometimes it's just more.

This year another student of Ikebana was trying her hand at competition.
You go girl!

Mine. How would you create a portrait from flowers?

 Ikebana demonstration...
This week finally arrived...It is the crazy-ist of weeks for floral design. I was asked to do a demonstration on ikebana for a Art History class in the Third Ward(Milwaukee) , my normal Ikebana International Chapter #22 meeting follows immediately that.  Art in Bloom gets installed at the Milwaukee Art Museum Thursday morning with the Opening Night festivities that evening including the Iron Designer Competition. The Torii Gate Exhibition put on by Ikebana International Chapter #22 sets up on Friday,and the Viewing of "Tables" fund raiser is Friday afternoon where each team decorates seating for 10 following a theme for a dinner event. Some where in there I have to get a few hours in at work. I also have tickets to see the stage programs for designers Neil Whittaker (England) and Ron Morgan (San Francisco) on Friday and Saturday mornings. Saturday afternoon is a surprise 60th birthday party for a friend and Sunday a reception party at the museum and take down of the exhibits.

The demo at the school was fabulous fun except for the rain. The weather has been an issue all week with the usual April thunder and lightening but the temperature has been bone chilling. The wind has caused problems also. Trying to unload a car in the wind and rain and still not look like you just jogged a mile is difficult. Chelsea (the class instructor) was great. All the students were researching Zen art on their lap tops as she was doing a power-point on the history of ikebana.  They were discussing images of ancient block prints, scrolls and text with examples of ikebanas as tribute to Buddha.

After break it was my turn.  I showed an quick example of moribana which means "to pile up". After explaining how the length of the main stem is determined, and how to cut and secure thick branch stems, I combined blossoming almond branches, and tulips, emphasizing on the use of seasonal flowers and how even on dreary days like today, something beautiful can come from the garden. Then I  swapped out the tulips for iris to show how the mood changes as we change the flowers in the season.

I also demonstrated a small nageire which means "to throw in" with one rolled aspidistra leaf and a closed tulip  to show simplicity. I also stressed how the flowers could be reflexed to change the size and shape of the blossom and how leaves such as aspidistra could e abstracted by curling, undulating  or changing the size when needed.

I had an example of wabi sabi -which means " wisdom in natural simplicity". I had a couple baby bottle gourds I had watched dry, darken and change into a beautiful contorted shape over the course of a year. I combined these with a couple strands of rosary vine in a small off white egg shaped container against a handmade screen with the Ichiyo leaf symbol painted on it.

I also had an example of how we use aqua cups - a kenzan (needle pin holder) which has a cup to hold water around it. I used it with a piece of natural weathered wood.

The students were very interactive with questions on gardens, flowers and flower arranging. Many took pictures of the designs after class. Since these students are all  active in the design area, hopefully this will inspire some of them to further their art through the beautiful blooms we enhance our lives with.
Note:
I was not able to take pictures while at the school but hope to update this blog with examples of the ikebanas soon. These are similar wabi sabi designs. You choose the one you like best.

One Way to Arrange a Dozen Stems in a Vase...

Flowers  in lobby.

Today, as part of my Basic Floral Class, we covered arranging a dozen stems in a vase. So let's say someone brought you a bouquet of roses or carnations and now you need to put them in a vase. Don't just unwrap them and plunk them in some water. Arrange them.

Select a vessel to hold the water and the flowers with at least a 3" opening and about one third the height of the flowers.So lets say your flowers are 24 inches tall. Your vase should be about 8 inches in height. Fill it half to two-third's full with water. If the flowers came with or you have floral preservative, add it to the water. If not, non-softened water and a sparkling clean vase will do. A home remedy would be to use half water and half sugar sweetened lemon-lime soda. No diet please.

Divide the flowers into three groups of four flowers each - try to group the fully open ones, the partially open ones and and tighter ones together. Most likely they are all fully opened - no worries. The flowers will be placed in the container in these groups beginning with the most open ones which will also be the shortest, the partially open being the medium height and the tightest ones the tallest. Each flower in a group can be cut the same length. Working with the dimensions I have listed the heights should be: short 10-12", medium 14'-16" and tall 18-22" - give or take an inch. Always give a  fresh diagonal cut to a stem before placing it in the water. You have 8 seconds from the time you make the cut to get it in the water.

Flower groups cut with 2-4" height difference between the groups.

The placement of the floral stems in the vase are worked in an alternating pattern. One a stem is placed another should be placed directly opposite of it. Thinking of the opening of the vase as a clock, place the first stem of the shortest, most fully open group, in at an angle so it is touching the lip of the vase at 12 o'clock. The next and second stem of the same group will be placed so it touches the rim at 6 o'clock. Repeat the process at 3 and 9 o'clock completing the placement of the first group. Done properly,  the crossing of the stems causes the flowers to hold apart with the cut ends steadying themselves against the bottom and wall of the vase. The stems form an hourglass shape.

Begin at 12 and 6 o'clock

From the side

Stems cross in vase

First layer complete!

Now, move to the middle grouping, again working opposite, insert a flower in the space between the flowers at 12 and 9 o'clock, following with the second in the space between 3 and 6. These will not rest on the rim but  float a little above supported by their stem resting against the stems of the shorter group..Place the other two in their respective places between 9 and 6 o'clock and 12 and 3.

Two layers

Finish the dozen off by inserting the tallest stemmed group individually in an upright fashion locking their stems in place by interlacing them with the others. This should give you a rounded look both around the vase and over the vase.

All 12 flowers

Fill in the dozen with some fern or salal foliage around the edge of the vase for unity. Five to seven pieces should be enough. For a fuller look, add some tree fern to fluff it out.

 Finish with some babies breath, wax flower or statice for added color.

Step back and enjoy!