Centerpieces and Table Accents
(Hardcover)
Book Description
If you’ve been looking for inspiration,
you’ll find it in these exquisite full-color photographs
of centerpieces for both indoor and outdoor parties. Some
feature the traditional floral displays, while other ideas
break new ground. Go with alternatives such as candles,
fruits, ornaments, and trays piled with little treats.
Your centerpiece will really be something to celebrate.
Suddenly a Centerpiece : Assemble
These Clever Table Designs in No Time at All (Paperback)
Book Description
Anyone can quickly pull together one of these 25 original
table centerpieces for entertaining or seasonal decorating.
Suddenly a Centerpiece presents 25 projects that will
instantly transform a dining table from blah to brilliant.
Each centerpiece is super-easy yet interesting, beautiful,
and impressive. The projects require no crafting experience
and combine wonderful craft materials, faux florals, candles,
foods, or textiles with decorative objects and dishes
that you already have. A little of that, a little of this,
and you have a centerpiece to perk up your table. Full
of fresh ideas, the designs include centerpieces for every
season, holiday gatherings, and casual or special entertaining.
About the Author
Sher Simon is a floral consultant to home furnishing stores
and private clients. She gives popular workshops on faux
floral designs. She lives in the Twin Cities.
Review: Suddenly A Centerpiece
I found this book to be very easy to follow with great
color picture samples. The instructions are easy to follow.
You will feel great once you complete the project and
it actually looks like the picture!
Wonderfully well done!
Tabletops : Over 30 Projects For Inspirational
Table Decorations (Hardcover)
From Publishers Weekly
For occasions when cooking a delicious meal just isn't
enough, freelance writer and photo stylist Rigg here offers
domestic dynamos ideas for themed table décor.
Twenty table settings and their accompanying crafts projects
(e.g., "French bistro" calls for red sponge-painted
bowls, "Ethnic ambience" for a hand-stamped
tablecloth and "Winter picnic" for an appliqued
throw) are displayed in bright photographs designed to
inspire readers to ever higher heights of mealtime style.
The projects themselves are simple and inexpensive, as
the introduction promises, although the settings in their
entirety may not be so easy to achieve. For the "Afternoon
tea" tabletop, for instance, the suggested handicraft
is a lovely and uncomplicated hydrangea and rose centerpiece.
But as far as the rest of the décor is concerned,
"only the best" will do: white linen napkins
with a matching tablecloth, "dainty cake forks and
teaspoons" and a bone china tea pot are all "musts."
The "Winter picnic" is a little simpler-though
"stylish picnicware, napkins and a cruet set are
vital"-but its cute throw, achieved by sewing felt
leaves onto a blanket, probably wouldn't last through
a single wash cycle. Other, smaller projects (Rigg calls
them "mini-makes") are also recommended, and
may be more realistic endeavors for the time-pressed homemaker:
a bangle napkin ring, a pumpkin serving bowl and fabric
jar tops are all quick ways to liven up a table. But ideas
like these-and indeed, like many of the projects-abound
in women's lifestyle magazines, which means readers might
want to spend a few dollars on a Martha Stewart issue
instead of many times that much on this glossy but superficial
guide.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Presentation is everything--and now, creating a beautiful
table has never been easier. This visually luscious book
is packed with deceptively simple ideas for creating witty
and unusual table settings. Arranged thematically, TABLETOPS
features imaginative styling tips, ideas for quick fixes,
and beautifully illustrated step-by-step projects, including
everything from appliquÈd tablecloths to painted
glasses, stamped bowls, punched tin lanterns, and gorgeous
floral centerpieces. With 20 table designs and more than
30 projects in all, this is a wealth of inspiration for
every event. Whether planning a fun-filled beach picnic,
a romantic anniversary, a cozy tea, or a sophisticated
holiday dinner, now it's simple to pull together all the
right elements to create the perfect atmosphere and make
any occasion memorable.
Review:
This book has some great ideas that are fun and easy enough
to try the next time I entertain. I especially liked the
chopstick placemats. Plus it is much simpler to have one
book to rely on than dragging out a binder of magazine
clippings every time I'm looking for inspiration.
Flowers for the Table: Arrangements and Bouquets
for All Seasons (Hardcover)
Amazon.com
These are not your mother's flower arrangements. Ariella
Chezar throws out old rules about greenery and focus points
and presents us with a wealth of new gifts to decorate
our homes. Her ideas incorporate a few classics like roses
and peonies, but also make use of grapes, persimmons,
olive branches, and Asian eggplants; what they all have
in common is a lush beauty and sense of ripeness that
add a feeling of real bounty to the rooms they adorn.
After a short introduction covering general techniques
and container recommendations, Flowers for the Table takes
you through the seasons. Spring is surprisingly sophisticated,
rather than more traditionally pastel, featuring unusual
checkered lilies and vibrant ranunculus. Summer brings
a stunning "tomato feast," with tomatoes of
all sorts twining their vines with tiny red roses. Fall
lights up with golden calla lilies and orange peppers,
while winter charms with succulents and kumquats. Each
section comes to a close with a short glossary of the
materials used, helpful if you're unfamiliar with such
items as Chinese lanterns or euphorbia.
Containing a mellow mix of stunning photography
and straightforward suggestion, Flowers for the Table
will give you both inspiration and specific direction
whether you're planning a wedding or just looking to dazzle
your dinner guests. --Jill Lightner
Book Description
Filled with lush seasonal arrangements, Flowers for the
Table is the perfect guide to creating a gorgeous centerpiece
for any celebration or gathering. What makes floral designer
Ariella Chezar’s work so distinctive is her utterly contemporary
approach. In the 24 stunning arrangements included, she
demonstrates how to fashion centerpieces out of flowers,
branches, fruits, fabrics, and unusual flea market treasures.
A brunch tabletop is crowned with delicate white bouquets
of clematis, ranunculus, lilies, and anemones. An abundance
of roses, amaryllis, and berries festooned with ribbons
sets the stage for an intimate dinner party. And the hot
pinks, reds, and yellows of winter poppies in silk-swathed
vases warm the room for a winter cocktail party. From
sleek modern arrangements to more traditional bouquets,
there’s something for every sensibility. Full-color photographs,
an introduction to each season and the flowers and greenery
available, a glossary for each section, and countless
tips make this the ultimate guide to creating magnificent
table arrangements.
Review: Stunning!
Such a beautiful book--I bought this book less for practical
instruction and more for inspiration, and I was not disappointed.
The arrangements are lush, elegant, classic with a twist.
This is truly floral art. There are practical suggestions,
and information about each of the flowers used is listed
at the end of each section.
I'm not sure how useful this book is for the novice (such
as myself) but it offers beauty and inspiration, regardless
of skill level.
Preston Bailey's Design for
Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your
Dreams (Hardcover)
From Publishers Weekly
A party planner to the stars offers
guidance to the earthbound on creating the perfect celebration,
from designing the ideal lighting to choosing the best
floral arrangements. Lavishly photographed by Roger Dong
and Alex Kirkbride, this book gives readers glimpses into
Matt Lauer's red-themed wedding reception and the sumptuous
anniversary party for Oprah's magazine, O-content that's
fun for brides-to-be and celebrity voyeurs alike. While
it's unlikely that many of Bailey's readers will have
the resources to plant atmospheric rows of 20-foot birch
trees (as Joan Rivers did for the wedding of her daughter,
Melissa), there are simpler, more down-to-earth tips to
be found in this book: the pictures may feature the stupendously
lavish, but the text offers tips for somewhat smaller
budgets. Both reassuring and inspiring, Bailey details
ways to maximize party space, outlines the divergent effects
of candlelight and electric light, gives useful suggestions
for designing an event to please both adult and teenage
guests and provides pointers on selecting appropriate
chairs, tablecloths and silverware. "Look at each
decision as an opportunity to do things in your own way,"
Bailey urges. His helpful guide will help party planners
do just that. 150 color photographs.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
A New York City party and event designer whose clients
include Joan Rivers, Oprah Winfrey, and fashion designer
John Galliano, Bailey here shares his secrets on creating
a spectacular, memorable party. Illustrated with photographs
of his lavish events, his book advises how to create a
mood with the use of color, texture, lighting, and flowers
and how to work with or change a room's decor. Even those
disinclined to entertain on such a grand scale will find
inspiration in Bailey's designs. Purchase where there
is an interest.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review: preston
The book is quite illustrative, however there is a lot
of overlap with his other book on Fantasy Weddings, which
has better theme pictures.
Review: Preston Bailey's Design
for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of
Your Dreams
Gread ideas book - wonderful, stimulating pictures. Interesting
reading - provides what I would term an overview of how
to achieve a good design for an event. It is NOT a how
to book however and there realy are no specifics on creating
a specific look.
Review: Inspiring but unpractical
I bought this book as I was curious about Mr. Bailey's
designs since his name is synonymous with "one of
the top floral designers in NY". His work is truly
very inspiring and grand, however, the scale (and imaginably
the cost involved) to re-create the floral arrangements
he showcased in this book is unpractical for the average
wedding or party.
To be fair, I guess I was looking for party-related
floral ideas that are creative but more budget-friendly
and this book was too over the top for me.
Review: Great ideas and pictures...
I love this book. The themes and pictures are great. I
just think it's more for the higher end crowd.
Review: Gorgeous and inspiring
The photography is gorgeous, the ideas are inspiring -
overall, a solid portfolio of some of the best designing
in the world. It not only provides a glimpse into the
over-the-top world of haute couture weddings and fetes,
but also provides details and inspirational ideas for
anyone. A can-do attitude combined with a book that is
well written, beautifully conceived and flawlessly executed.
Well done, Mr. Bailey.
Review: Fabulous!
It was exactly as it said...a resource for creating the
party of your dreams. If you're the type of person who
thinks buffalo wings is a party staple...it's not for
you.
Sensational Bouquets by Christian Tortu : Arrangements
by a Master Floral Designer (Hardcover)
Amazon.com
"Nature is a good guide; it teaches us everything,"
says master floral designer Christian Tortu. It is the
perfect summation of his work. Unpretentious yet stunningly
beautiful, Tortu's arrangements have drawn inspiration
directly from his childhood treks through the countryside
of his native town of Anjou, France.
Sensational Bouquets by Christian Tortu is at once an
intimate profile of the artist--who has designed floral
arrangements for Dior and Chanel, as well as for the Cannes
Film Festival--and a useful guide to how he creates his
exciting and unique bouquets.
Tortu always looks to nature for inspiration.
There, he finds freedom: of form, of color, of scent,
all mixed together flawlessly, without artifice or ostentation.
Paying homage to nature's inherent sense of design, Tortu
creates stunning arrangements while bending all the rules
of traditional flower arranging. Unexpected plants join
in clever, surprising combinations to celebrate the drama
of nature--of birth and death, and everything in between.
Garden roses nestle in a tangle of blackberry branches
much as they would in an overgrown garden. Wild thistles
poke their prickly blossoms out of a bunch of softer,
rounder bred thistles and speak of a miraculous harmony
between wild and cultivated plants. Green almonds, lotus
fruit, and poppy capsules come together in an enthralling
play of yellow against green.
As if Sylvain Thomas's sumptuous photographs
of Tortu's arrangements weren't inspiration enough, the
text of Sensational Bouquets reads like poetry. This book
will both motivate and guide readers to toss out what
they've learned about flower arranging and let nature
and their own unbridled intuition dictate how they assemble
their next gathering of wild and/or cultivated plants.
--Robin Donovan
Book Description
This gorgeous volume celebrates the floral designs of
Christian Tortu, who has dazzled followers the world over
with his ability to create novel compositions that show
off the shapes, colors, textures, and singular beauty
of individual flowers to their ultimate advantage. He
has designed flowers for the great fashion houses of Dior
and Chanel as well as for the Cannes Film Festival. From
a simple yet striking circular bouquet of tulips tied
in raffia to glorious bursts of dahlias in wax vases,
from delicate rose petals and orchids floating in silver
shells to an enchanting mix of water lilies and hyacinths
in transparent glass, more than 100 color photographs
taken exclusively for this book bring to life the astonishing
still-life arrangements of this internationally heralded
French floral designer. This lavishly illustrated volume
will be a treasured gift for all plant and flower lovers.
Review:Indulge your Eye and Insight
SENSATIONAL BOUQUETS BY CHRISTIAN TORTU is a visual treat
as well as a learning inspiration for approaching that
most personal craft of bringing the garden into the home
- gathering and arranging flowers. Christian Tortu apparently
has a following in Paris where he has a florist shop which
has emphasized his creed of "All plants are born
free and created equal." Having learned his craft
and his passion for the natural garden from his parents
as he matured in the Anjou gardens, gathering flowers
from nature to place at the disposal of clients who yearn
for the beauty of the garden to enter their home in ways
other than window views, Tortu doesn't believe in the
traditional 'sprays' of flowers place in an expensive
family heirloom vase on a sterile table. Instead he combines
fruit, vines, all phases of a flower's life ( bud, blossom,
denuded vestige ) with grasses and all the elements found
in the natural setting of his flowers. The results are
lush, compact, original thoughts that are startlingly
beautiful.
This is writer Corine Delahaze's first outing and she
shows promise of a fine observor and poet. The photography
is by Sylvain Thomas and emphasizes the closeup details
as well as the free-standing wonders of Tortu's designs.
The combination of text and photographs balances well
with Tortu's creations. There is much more to learn about
nature than just an ordinary treatise on flower arranging
here. In Tortu's words "Nature is a place of total
freedom. All plant life is accepted as equal." And
from this humble belief Tortu lifts the spirit as well
as the imagination with his artist's gift.
Review: Intriguing New Ways
to Look at Flowers!
I enjoyed this book very much. Sensational Bouquets is
rich in new thoughts about what flowers and plants represent,
filled with novel arrangements, and is enriched by outstanding
photography of those arrangements. After reading and viewing
this book, you will never think about nature and natural
beauty in quite the same way. You will be the richer for
the experience, because your sense of beauty will expand
as a result.
Christian Tortu grew up on a truck farm in Anjou, and
is proud of his agricultural roots. Now he designs backdrops
for fashion shows and the Cannes Film Festival. He operates
floral shops in major cities around the world.
Let me share a little of his philosophy,
as described in the many sections he wrote for the book.
"Each plant is a fragment of a landscape . . . ."
In his arrangements, he creates that sense of landscape
in a way that I have never seen before in flower arrangements.
Nature is palpable in them.
"If man were to stop rushing around
for one moment, he might take a look at flowers -- and
then take a closer look." I remember having that
experience in the orchid garden in Honolulu. I was enthralled
with the beautiful blossoms in my 20 minute self-guided
tour. As I was about to leave, an elderly gentleman asked
me if I would like to have some help in looking around.
I agreed, and spent the next three hours going over the
same ground with him. Except I saw about 100 times as
much with his help. I was astonished at how many delightful
orchids I had totally missed in my haste (and I had thought
I was being leisurely).
"In time, his convictions would crumble,
and he would realize classification is fruitless even
beyond flowers." People love to judge, and that judgment
gets in the way of really seeing and experiencing life.
So these arrangements are a metaphor for breaking down
our closed mental sets.
The basic premise is that "all flowers
are created equal." Weeds and shrubbery get as much
attention as rare orchids. And the moment of perfection
is not all that is explored. " . . . [E]very stage
of the flower is a moment that deserves attention."
One bouquet even captures burned foliage and flowers after
a fire. Seeing these images makes one realize the truth
of these observations. " . . . [I]n the name of harmony,
each one [arrangement] has its own touch of anarchy."
Mr. Tortu changes things in terms of color,
type of composition, and form. I was especially fascinated
by his many monochromatic arrangements, especially the
green bouquets.
The book is done in sections: Genesis; Revolution(s);
Crossroads; and the Chronicle of a Black Bouquet. Using
these themes makes it easier to appreciate the statements
his designs make.
Here are my favorites in the book:
Agave foliage with euchasis in gray wax
vases
Green tomatoes and basil, tomato flowers,
dog rose fruit and vine foliate
Green arum lilies, tea grass, viburnum,
and narcissus buds
Garlic flower and nasturtium
Nasturtium, wild strawberries, and blackberries
Privet berries and King Arthur orchids
Lime tree branches and iris
Violets
White hyacinth, and catmint
Osage orange, pears and chayote, quince,
eggplant, and begonia
After you enjoy this delightful book, I
suggest that you take some other element of nature and
see how arranging it differently changes your perceptions.
Now that it is spring, you could start by taking fresh
shoots and making arrangements of them in new combinations,
new shapes, and in different types of containers.
Open your mind to the potential of new combinations,
expressed in new ways!
Wedding Planning Ideas:
'Preston
Bailey's Fantasy Weddings' In this incredible
collection of inspirational photos and ideas, floral designer
Preston Bailey shares his invaluable experience of more
than 20 years in creating the decor for celebrity and high-profile
events and tells how to create an unforgettable wedding
for brides and grooms-to-be. 'The
Perfect Wedding Details : More Than 100 Ideas
for Personalizing Your Wedding' You've picked a date,
booked the church, and finalized the invitation list.
You've even found the perfect dress. But how can you ensure
that your wedding is one you and your guests will remem
ber for years to come? As wedding expert Maria McBride-Mellinger
explains, it's all in the details.
'The
Unofficial Guide to Planning Your Wedding'
Readers getting married for the first time, or the second
or even third time, are absolutely inundated with information.
They have questions upon questions, but they don't want
a rehash of the same old information. They expect and
deserve inside advice from brides who have been there.
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