Hello all,

As it was our final lesson for the year last week, I had set the theme of a Christmas Arrangement for the whole class not just the seniors. The photograph, above, is of one of my arrangements. The silver material is xanthorrhoea and I chose it because it reflected the texture and colour of the container. The rest of the materials are red celosias or cockscombs, alstroemeria psittacina leaves and phalaenopsis orchid.

The arrangement, below represents the first verse of the popular Christmas carol - The twelve days of Christmas.

I was asked how I could bear to sacrifice so many fruit for the sake of an arrangement. My answer is it's either that or they get eaten by birds. Despite being small and quite unripe, many have already been eaten.

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Below is Mary's arrangement, in which she used hosta leaves, celosias and some dry material that has been sprayed silver.

For her arrangement, Bredenia used agapanthus, umbrella grass stems and at the back a couple of orange dahlias. She added mizuhiki and a Christmas bauble to make it more festive.

Lucy used a tall, glass vase, with a piece of kiwi vine inside and out of the vase. She, then, suspended from the vine a sprig of pine and a small bauble. 

Dianne used a container with a large opening at the front and a smaller one at the top. She placed her gorgeous rose inside the cavity of the container and added a sprig of duetzia magicien to the back, which, sadly, I was not able to photograph clearly. She then tied the mizuhiki through the two openings, thus partially framing the container.

Deb, who is only in Book 2, enjoyed doing her first freestyle arrangement. She used some pincushion flowers (leucospermum) and mizuhiki in this unusually shaped container.

Vicky was in a particularly festive mood and really went to town. Using two, tall, glass vases she added a dried branch sprayed white. She also added Asiatic lilies in an almost black colour that she grew herself and some murraya paniculata for greenery. She, then, hung baubles and added a string of lights over the whole piece.

Cymbie took a completely different approach to the theme. She used small pumpkins that looked like oranges and added cinnamon bark strung together. She delicately balanced her glass vase over a bowl. Interestingly, the bright orange bands that appear on the glass vase don't exist but are only reflections.

We had a very pleasant afternoon tea once we finished class. We had plans for Christmas break-up lunch at a restaurant but mum's passing had put paid to that. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the company, the repast and the exchanging of Kris Kringle gifts.

Three of my students were recently promoted and I was able to present Lei Wang and Jenny Loo with their certificates on the day. Unfortunately, Wendy Sun was absent and will receive hers later.

Whatever you're celebrating, may it be a safe and enjoyable festive season.

Bye for now,

Emily