[Reflections] I made a handmade Ajisai-mori (Hydrangea Amulet) from dried flowers!

Time flies, and it is already June.
Speaking of June, it is the rainy season.
And the summer solstice and early summer.
Also, hydrangeas...!

This is sudden, butdo you know what an Ajisai-mori (Hydrangea Amulet) is?

I love hydrangeas; I love their modest colors that aren't found in primary colors, and I love them so much that I could stare at a color palette of hydrangea colors like pale pink, light blue, light purple, and white forever.

When I was creating the flower bed for this cafe, I asked a florist to help, and I told them that I was a beginner, that I couldn't take care of them very often, and that I would like them to plant hydrangeas if possible.
That was where the first hydrangeas of my life were planted.
They planted white and pale pink varieties for me.

When I learned about the Ajisai-mori, I thought, 'Oh! Then I'll try it next June,' but this is Hokkaido. Hydrangeas don't bloom in June here... They are quite laid back, and they don't reach their peak until August arrives.

When November comes, before the snow falls, the hydrangeas in the flower bed start to fade. Thinking that the flower stems might break under the weight of the snow, I would snip them off every year to prepare for winter, but I decided to try making my own dried flowers.

That was last year.

While customers asked me, 'What is this?', they were blown by the wind and dried...
Dried every day...
They became dry and crispy.

At first, they were a greenish color, but they gradually became paler.

Hanging these upside down is supposed to ward off evil and bad luck...

I certainly think it is a beautiful custom.
How effective are prayers, I wonder?
What would happen if I decorated the shop with an Ajisai-mori and prayed every day?

I don't have a spiritual bone in my body.
But I thought, what if I could put my whole heart and soul into every one of the hundred 'thank yous' I say to customers every day? That is what I am currently practicing every single day.

Because I don't think there is any meaning in saying thanks while doing other things.
I look them in the eye, and even if the customer isn't looking at me, until the very last moment they leave the store,
'Thank you'
(I hope you get home safely)
'Thank you'
(I hope you feel better soon)
'Thank you'
(I hope you come back again)
I make it a point to say it.

Oh, right, the Ajisai-mori.
I had been decorating it wrapped in wax paper, but this year I decided to properly prepare some hanshi paper and remake it.

Here are the materials:
- Dried hydrangea flowers
- Hanshi paper
- Mizuhiki (odd number of strands)
- Brush pen
- Hemp twine for hanging

Apparently, you write your [date of birth, name, and wish] on the hanshi paper,
and tie it to the stem of the hydrangea.

Next, where to hang it.
It is often said that evil spirits easily enter through boundaries, and the meaning varies depending on where you display it. It was written that hanging it in the restroom helps with gynecological issues, in the entryway it prays for good health, and in a room it increases financial luck.

I hang it in the shop's restroom,
and I pray every morning.

May as many customers as possible
stay healthy

The good thing about handmade items is that you can display them in the restroom without hesitation. If it were something bought from an artist or a gift, I would feel hesitant about placing it in the restroom.
It's hard to say, 'I'm displaying that thing you gave me the other day in the restroom!'...
Since they grow in the flower bed, I can easily make dried flowers, and it's convenient to be able to make new ones every year!

I'm so glad I had hydrangeas planted!
The power of plants is great.
Muscari, thyme, and hydrangeas all grow and increase year by year.

This year's goals ↓
・Make new dried hydrangea flowers
・Think about leaves to arrange with
I've become interested in trying to make an arranged bouquet for June 6th next year!
Looking at various sites, they all look so wonderful...!

Dried flowers by hand.
Hydrangea charms by hand.
I've added another hobby!

Thank you for reading until the end🙏