The Flaming Lily, Zimbabwe’s National Flower, a vine that loves to crawl and hang. Unfortunatley it’s becoming extinct due to it’s recent popularity. 45″ x 45″ Design and Copyright John Serrao
Dec 092014
Dec 032014
Every winter the whales come home to Hawaii. This quilt depicts their long journey home to warmer waters. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao Personal Design
Oct 292014
Canoe Paddling is one of very few Hawaiian Sports that is competitively practiced today. Competing in different divisions from Keiki, to High School , as well as adult and Senior canoe clubs it is an amazing sport that is seeped in old Hawaiian traditions. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao
Yes, John’s design does have sails on his canoe because the canoes were also used for fishing as well as travel.
Click on the link for an amazing look into Hawaiian Canoe Paddling. http://www.hawaiilife.com/articles/2012/09/outrigger-canoe-paddling/
Oct 252014
The Kahili Ginger is grown through out the Hawaiian Islands but unfortunately it is highly invasive and is slowly taking over Hawaii’s native plants. It was named the Kahili Ginger because it looked very similar to Hawaii’s Royal Standard. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js649-bk7
John created this design not only to look like the beautiful Kahili Blossoms but also Hawaii’s Royal Feather Standards.
Kahili Bearers Queen Liliuokalani’s Funeral Procession
Oct 192014
My mom Poakalani was a great story teller. She loved to talk about “HER” good old days; especially growing up with her sister Danette and cousin Francene and of course her home on School Street. She would reminisce about how they would dare each other to walk through Oahu cemetery at night and pick the Make Man flowers that grew there. Of course my mom would always win because she was never afraid of that cemetery believing her family who were buried there would keep her safe. And the Make Man(Dead Man) flower… was the plumeria blossoms given that nick name only because it grew in many of the island cemeteries. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/ js636-bk6
Oct 182014
Did you know that orchids is one of John’s favorite flowers. If he could he would grow orchids as a hobby. Unfortunately his daughter’s cat also loves to eat the orchids. So the only orchids he grows are the ones on his quilt designs. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js656-bk7
Oct 142014
One of several lei’s mentioned in Hawaiian legends the Kauna’oa is mostly known for being the designated flower of Lanai Island. The orange and yellow vine can be found along coastal areas with sandy soils. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js639-bk7
Click on the photo to read more about the amazing Kauna’oa and here are other great links.
Maui Magazine, Hawaii Forest & Trail
Oct 102014
Legends, stories and songs talks about the fragile and pretty pua ilima. Strung into leis and worn by all, the ilima is the designated flower of Oahu and a once a favorite flower of Queen Emma. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js677-bk8
Read more about the beautiful Pua Ilima. State Symbols USA
Oct 092014
Highly Prized by the Na Alii, the Kings and Queens of Hawaii, the Maile Lau Lii is one of the most treasured lei in Hawaii because of it’s difficulty to acquire and find. Today the maile lei is only given during very special occasions. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js663-bk8
Read more about the maile lei and its connection to Hawaiian culture and legends. Honolulu Star Advertiser, Pacific Island Parks
Oct 082014
My Tutu(Grandmother) was a lei seller. Her home was always filled with a variety of flowers and someone was always stringing the blossoms into beautiful leis, but of all the flowers they strung, by far the plumeria was the prettiest because of it’s variety of colors. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js673-bk8
Oct 072014
Noname are quilts that are beautiful to look at but the name and type of flower has been forgotten. The true meaning of the design belongs only to the designer. John has several Noname quilts. He would see a plant or flower that he likes, make the design but have no idea what the flower or plant is. He only knows that it’s beautiful and makes for a lovely quilt design. Hopefully one day I’ll find the name of the plant. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js657-bk7
Oct 012014
National Symbols of Japan
Found throughout Japan wherever a Shinto shrine exist, the Torii symbolizes the gateway to a Sacred Place. Where only the good and pure may enter. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js646-bk7
Read more about the Torii and it’s meaning by clicking on the photo.
Sep 282014
You can tell how rare or popular a flower is when you find very few images on the Internet and for the Mauna Loa Vine very few images exist. So when John was visiting Hana years ago and came across the Mauna Loa Vine he was excited. The Mauna Loa is a cherished flower in the islands because it is very difficult to find. The flowers were made into beautiful Mauna Loa Lei’s and if you ever received such a lei you knew you were special. The Mauna Loa flower is one of three flowers that will not past agriculture inspection in Honolulu that’s why I call it the locals flower. 45″ x45″ Designed by John Serrao/js650-bk7
I found the photo on Dave’s garden website. Visit his really great page which has one of the largest plant database in the world. Happy Gardening. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/177277/
Sep 272014
It only takes 5 days of traveling on the Mainland for me to start missing my island home. Hawaii doesn’t have the amazing four seasons, especially Winter and Fall like the mainland, but we have that nonstop floral blossoms blooming year round, every day rain or shine. This quilt was designed for Hawaii’s Sunny Winter Gardens. 90″ x 90″ Designed by John Serrao
Sep 262014
Hapuu Fern – The curls of the young lacy fronds slowly opens into larger leaves that can grow up to 15 feet in length and the tree 15-20 feet tall. Found mostly in the wetlands of the islands the Hapuu held water and helped the Hawaiians survive during times of drought and famine. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao/js659-bk8, js641-bk7
The Hapuu Fern is my favorite tree fern that was once abundant on all the Hawaiian islands but now only found on Hawaii Island. Over harvesting, diminishing rainforest and housing development has reduced the hapu’u stands drastically. Click on the link to read about this beautiful Native Island Fern from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources CLICK HERE
