5 comments about A Passion for Flowers.

1. I love, love ,love this book. I had the pleasure of meeting Carolyne in Seattle when she came for a Junior Legue fund raiser. First of all, she is the most down-to-earth person you will ever meet. Her mid-western up-bringing never left her despite all her years in the high-fashion business. She is the first one to jump in and "get the work done" and does it with trmendous style and grace.
   
   Her book, A Passion for Flowers, is always my fall back when I'm not sure on how to approach a garden project. The photography, the floral combinations and her sense of style have made this my all-time favorite book to own. Any time I feel the need to see some beauty in my life, I pick up this book! Even though it has been thirteen years since it's first release, I would highly recommend this book as a gift for yourself or for anyone who loves flowers!



2. What a Life!!!! A super divorce from the richest man on Wall Street, a new flat in the fabulous city of Paris and a new lease on life becoming a student of the greatest florist of the entire world.....the result, this incredible heavy tabletop book with the talent of the best of the photoghers money can buy. I have given this book as gifts for 10 years now and it has stood the test of time. I highly recommend it....also visit the Parisian Florist on your next trip to Europe. I travel there in May.....wanna go?



3. This book is so beautifully photographed, so lovely to look at, so engaging... it's nearly impossible to stop thinking about it.
   
   This is more than a book filled with nice pictures of flowers, it is ART. Each photo has been carefully staged and presented in a manner that evokes memories of 17th century still-life paintings.
   
   If you can tear yourself away from the pictures, you'll find useful information on arranging flowers in European fashion as well as tips for choosing the appropriate vessel for displaying your arrangements. I found it particularly useful that Ms. Roehm identified each of the blooms used in her arrangements, as well as what time of year they are in season.
   
   In my opinion, this is by far the best of Ms. Roehm's books, and if I had money to buy only one - this would be it!



4. Just so lovely that my four year old granddaughter could not resist opening this book. Better still, she carefully turns the pages and studies each flower....now she gets flower lessons on each visit.
   
   True passion begins early! Another flower lover is born!



5. Carolyne Roehm demonstrates her exquisite taste from the very first page of this lavish book. Organized by season, each chapter celebrates the beauty of all sorts of blossoms in stunning arrangements. These arrangements are lush and full and show an artist's mastery of texture and extraordinary combination of color. The photos are reminiscent of the sumptuousness of the movie, The Age of Innocence, with lovely gilded gold, crystal and porcelain containers. The photography truly is breathtaking and includes not only close ups of the bouquets but also glimpses of elegantly set dining tables, gorgeously furnished rooms and spacious gardens. Her prose is poetry, but also practical in the sections on containers, elements of style and basics. A better book on flower arranging couldn't possibly exist.

5 comments about Keiko's Ikebana: A Contemporary Approach to the Traditional Japanese Art of Flower Arranging.

1. I found a few out-of-the-box designs here, but I'm not sure it's worth the price of the book.



2. I bought a beautiful Ikebana vase at the Atlanta Arts Festival last year as a gift for my 81 year old mother. The potter who made the vase recommended this book as a companion gift. My mother loved the book with it's clear instructions and visuals. I wish I could attach the photo of her first Ikebana arrangement made with a branch and berries.



3. This book is well written and illustrated giving informative instructions on the Japanese art of flower arranging.



4. Nice book, explains various techniques used in this flower arranging art.
   I liked the techniques of creating decorations using more than one vaze side by side and the ways they are connected with flowers.



5. This book is a pleasure to read and look at even if you don't do flower arranging. The illustrations are beautiful and the writing is clear and direct. I bought multiple copies and gave them to clients for holiday presents, and it was very well received.

3 comments about The Mini Pressed Flower Kit.

1. The mini flower press kit was just that, mini. It was part of a gift which included several items for pressed flower arranging so it was ok but again I stress, it is really small.



2. Simply put, this book by Ms. Tiger is the most expressive piece of literary non-fiction I've ever read. Huzzah, huzzah!



3. I first picked this up as a gift for my niece--now I've bought them for all the kids I know. They're perfect little presents. The press really does work, even though it is tiny. You can't go wrong with this one.

5 comments about The Center of Attention.

1. Ron Morgan is a miracle worker. He clearly loves his work, pays attention to what is around him, and then brings Season and Celebration to the Table. Of all the books I have bought of this genre, this is certain to become the Bible! Trying to combine materials and execute so brilliantly has become a new fantasy to be explored with the examples he offers in this book; floral design at its best!



2. I have actually met this very talented, classy, funny, " crazy about the color green " ( his quote ) . A very interesting and beautiful book that sits on my coffee table for all to see... Worth every penny ( especially autographed ) As a floral designer I am so glad that I got this book !!
   Enjoy looking through it...



3. This is a stunning book!! It is a treat to sit down and get lost in the creative genious of Ron Morgan and the sensitivity of the photographer. I purchased this as a present for a friend, but will be purchasing another for myself.



4. This is a long awaited book by Ron.This is as wonderful as the classes he has given on floral design.I would put him in the same catogory as Kenneth Turner.



5. WOW! I was just given "The Center of Attention" as a holiday gift and was stunned as I opened each page. The cover did not do the contents justice. Some of his concepts seem simple enough for someone like me to replicate. The photograpahy and lighting was beautiful. This is a book to keep out for others to enjoy as well as a perfect gift for anyone with an eye for beauty.

5 comments about Great American Wreaths: The Best of Martha Stewart Living.

1. Clever ideas to complete the look of your home. This book makes it fun to decorate and shows loyalty to the state of your choice!



2. This book has great pictures. Wreaths are very creative. In making one of the wreaths(dogwood wreath) I had to use my own judgment as to how much flowers and bundles of twigs I needed. The material needed is not accurate. The wreath came out beautiful.
   The book is useful in getting creative ideas. It is not reliable on instruction.



3. I'm sure it is a good book for those that don't want something simple (as I do). There was not a thing in there that I really liked and certainly would not try to do. I expected more from Martha Stewart but then I guess she doesn't do "simple things"



4. I bought 4 other books on wreaths by other authors, and this one is the most inspirational one with clear directions. Not fussy. We turn to it every year when it is time to decorate the house for Christmas.



5. I am not from the United States and still adored this book. The photographs are amazing and the ideas are astonishing and so symbolic. Martha and one of her staff members embarked to create a wreath for each of the states, and each wreath reflects some natural element of the state in question. Whether it's wheat, moss, succulents, palm leaves, pinecones, tumble weeds, sunflowers, grasses, pine branches or sea shells the ideas will inspire you. Martha's introduction shows a photo of Martha on the balcony of the White House where she writes about her exhilerating experience decorating the White House with Hilary Clinton for Christmas one year and how that very American event inspired the idea for the series of wreaths and the book. This is a must-have for any Martha fan!!

5 comments about Easy Ikebana: Floral Accents for the Home.

1. This book is awesome. It has a lot of pictures which is what I wanted. It has step by step instructions on how to recreate the arrangements and they are modern arrangements not old fashioned ones. Almost every single page has a different arrangement so you really get your moneys worth. It truly is Easy Ikebana. This book is wonderful.



2. The two friends I gave each book loves the illustrations and ideas the book provides



3. This book was given with a pottery Ikebana vase as Christmas gifts--it was warmly received. The book explains Ikebana arranging in a very simplistic manner and gave some wonderful ideas to create a little beauty indoors especially when the outdoors was so drab! Was the perfect "first book" for someone just starting out in this manner of floral arranging.



4. Purchased this book to use as a guide when I gave my garden club a program on Ikebana. It was extemely useful with great photos of completed arrangements in the different Ikebana categories.



5. I really enjoyed this book. It gave me many new ideas. The arrangements can be created easily, quickly, and inexpensively. I recommend the book highly for anyone interested in Ikebana--especially for "beginners" or those who might enjoy a slight "twist" on the "traditonal."

1 comments about Zen in the Art of Flower Arrangement: The Classic Account of the Meaning and Symbolism of the Japanese Art of Ikebana.

1. Although this book is not at all what I expected (it is what it says it is: "an account of the meaning and symbolism of Ikebana" which I somehow missed before I ordered the book), it is well written and offers excellent information. If you want a greater understanding of the art form, then this is an excellent book. If you're hoping for illustrations to go along with that understanding, then this is not it.

No comments about Flower by Flower: A Practical and Inspirational Guide to the Art of Flower Arranging.

3 comments about Sensational Bouquets by Christian Tortu: Arrangements by a Master Floral Designer.

1. I got hooked on his designs while in Paris. If you are ever there you MUST visit his shop(s)!!



2. 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.




3. 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!

4 comments about The Art and Craft of Pounding Flowers: No Ink, No Paint, Just a Hammer.

1. Had heard about this craft and saw a copy of the book my sister checked out from the Oregon City Library. I ordered it the next week. I love this book! It has everything that I need. Hope to order other books by same author that were on your list.



2. Excellant, the book looks as if it is brand new. I would gladly do business with this seller. Thank you.



3. I found Laura Martin's book over a year ago, and following the very easy to understand steps, have learned to pound flowers, leaves, and stems onto treated material (she gives the receipe)and also on paper. I have been able to spend many stress-relieving moments with my board and hammer in my little flower garden on cool mornings capturing and preserving the lovely blossoms which I have used to make very special cards, gifts, and treasures that will last a lifetime. I am now teaching this art to a few good friends and some young girls in our homeschool group, encouraging them to buy this book! My 9 year old daughter and I love to make "Flower Fairies" and "Flower Ballarinas" to put on cards, in frames, and on material for pillows and handmade journal covers, etc. The ideas shared have endless possibilities! If you have had a stressful day, go outside in a shaded area, sit on a blanket with your supplies, pick a few wildflowers, or blooms from your garden, or even some from the flowers you find in the floral market of your grocery store, and pound to your hearts content! I especially appreciate Laura Martin's knowledge of flowers shared in her "Plant Guide" in the back of the book. It has inspired me to plant more flowers, spend more time at the floral market and public gardens. I have even purchased seeds from a Wildflower Company online to grow this spring on our 1/2 acre of land that is usually overgrown with weeds! When I visit our kids in Oregon next month, we plan to find some ferns on our hikes that we will pound while taking a rest from our hiking. We will have these beautiful plants preservered as a wonderful reminder of our visit! As a homeschool family, we are using this art to teach our daughter about botany, keeping a visual record of the plants & wildflowers in a notebook, and then looking up the names in books at the library. And we are learning how to cultivate the flowers and are keeping a diary of that process! Highly recommend this book and craft for Garden Clubs, Girl Scouts, and the boys like it, too!



4. The Art and Craft of Flower Pounding is awesome. This arts and crafts book is well written with easy to understand directions. The photographs of the projects presented in this book is a motivator in itself. The ideas are endless. Flower pounding is easy enough to do for a child's summer project as well as for an adult. My family is really enjoying this new craft so much that we had to go out and purchase a few more hammers! I highly recommend this book - especially if you are looking for a new, easy and unusual craft - this is it!!!!