The Best Food Books of 2013

Forty years ago a young anthropology graduate student named Merry White published a book of recipes she'd used as in the catering jobs she worked to put herself through school. The book was accidental: A publisher saw the sheaf of recipes she'd left lying around, and commissioned a young artist he knew to do black-and-white drawings in the frizzy style that would be come a trademark when Ed Koren became one of The New Yorker's best-known contributors.

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Southern Living: No Taste Like Home by Kelly Alexander

No Taste Like Home

Southern Living

by Kelly Alexander

Oxmoor House

There really is no place like home. If you grew up in the south, then you know of a none truer statement. I grew up in Alpharetta, GA, so my journey starts in The Heart of Dixie on page 10. Not only does this cookbook offer a culinary history by region but Atlanta is in this book for Smoky Pimiento Cheese Deviled Eggs, Tandoori Fried Chicken, Baked Vidalia Onion Dip, Chili Slaw Dogs, Coca-Cola Cake,  & Mittie Cumbie Wade's Sour Cream Pound Cake. 

These are not my Grandmother Tucker's recipes but recipes with roots as deep as Oak trees planted in red clay. The modern interpretations make them table ready for today's families.

Put this book on your Christmas Shopping List. It will make a wonderful gift!!

The recipe from the book I tried: Coca- Cola Cake with Coke Frosting.

Ingredients:

And here is a photo of the finished product {photo source}

From the Publisher:

There's no region of the country more cherished and unique when it comes to food than the South. Southerners celebrate our food traditions. They are totems of our collective identity. Our grits, our fried chicken, our sweet tea, our butterbeans, our biscuits: These are powerful symbols of not just of Southern tastes but also of Southern values, of the kind of simple, honest-to-goodness home cooking, prepared with generosity of spirit and served up with generosity of ladle. These recipes are what distinguish and bind Southern culture. No Taste Like Home embraces the cultural identity of towns large and small all throughout the South and provides readers with recipes, stories, and highlights of all the unique regional flavors -- from the Heartland of Dixie to Cajun Country, from The Coastal South to Bluegrass, Bourbon and BBQ Country and all points in between.

Organized geographically, the cookbook focuses on each of 6 regions in the South. Every chapter will include highlights of specific towns and contain essays describing, literally, the flavor of the place. The highlighted towns will offer multiple recipes as well as musings from notable locals, and "locally famous" chefs. 

• Just some of the recurring editorial features include:
  a travelogue introduction discussing regional specialties and folklore
• Standout recipes from local chefs and "almost famous" home cooks
• Musings from locals about their town
• "Hometown Flavor" features on Southern iconic ingredients that are commonly used in the regional cuisine
• "What We're Craving" features highlighting a local restaurant or town-specific dish that locals crave when they're not at home
• "Local Know-how" features of insider secrets from the locals, from how to pick the freshest produce, to the best way to prepare their own recipes

AMAZON

~XOXO~

Smut Lit. My closet addiction to Contemporary Romance Fiction

Thank you Christian Grey.  I have now read more books & lost even more precious sleep thanks to my new addiction to Contemporary Romance Books.  Thank gawd I have a Kindle. The covers of these books would just kill me.  Seriously, until Shades of Grey, I could count on one hand the number of books I have read...EVER. So now that I have come out of the closet or at least from out behind the Kindle, let me pass on what I have been reading. 

Don't judge. 

Yes, I know. 

You're right.

Mom, quit reading right now.

1. The Shades of Grey Trilogy by EL James. 

Where the obsession started. Still my favorite. 5/5 stars.

2. Bared to You by Sylvia Day

This is similar to Shades of Grey character wise. Fast paced with a weak plot but it works for me. I don't remember the language in this book or if the sex scenes became monotonous. I just remember it being a great beach read that kept my attention. I recommend it. 4/5 stars.

3. Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye

Loved this book. It felt short and I turned the pages extremely fast. The entire book basically takes place in an elevator. 5/5 stars.

4. Knight by Kristen Ashley

This book was a little crude for my taste. I guess I like my porn softer. It was still a quick read with a happy ending. 3.5/5 stars.

5. Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

I did not finish this book. For whatever reason it is dragging on and on. I keep thinking I will go back to it and finish it but I am "over it" for now.

6. Unleashed by Cherrie Lynn

Not bad. Another fast read. I like my books to end happy and to have realistic elements and characters. I would recommend this for a great beach read. 4/5 stars

7. Surrender to Me by Shayla Black

8. Wicked Ties by Shayla Black

9. Delicious by Shayla Black

10. Belong to Me by Shayla Black

11. Mine to Hold by Shayla Black**preorder for June 5th release

I lumped all these together. I am totally into these novels by Shayla Black. I believe I read one book a night. This author has written a lot but these are the only ones I am interested in. They are borderline crude and make me blush. Surely this stuff does not go on in real life??!! All the books follow a group of Navy Seal type guys and their love interests. The author lives in Texas, so there are several Texas references that I enjoy. 4.5/5 or a real close 5/5. I'm taking a little off a perfect score because I find myself skipping over some of the sex. The women in these books never talk about chafing. Come 'on, it has to happen.

11. On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Currently reading now. A great page turner. Very soft in the sex department. No rating yet.

There you go. You can either pray for me or thank me (maybe do a little of both). 

So, what are you reading these days?

~XOXO~

Be Your Own Decorator by Susanna Salk *Book Review*

Be Your Own Decorator

by Susanna Salk

Rizzoli NY

ISBN: 978-0-8478-3844-8

My Review: 

From the Publisher:

Selecting favorite rooms from more than fifty renowned designers such as Kelly Wearstler, Bunny Williams, Albert Hadley, Nate Berkus, and Mary McDonald—and shot by the world’s top shelter photographers—Susanna Salk offers insightful advice on how to apply basic design principles to interiors.

Organized into chapters on balance, color, mixing, accessorizing, arrangements, rule breaking, and whimsy, Salk walks through the process of great design, illustrating how the featured designers made the decisions they did to make these rooms look so great. The book’s encouraging, conversational tone, practical tips and ideas, and quotes by the designers themselves explaining their philosophies empower the reader to create stylish, functional, and unique rooms of their very own.

Covering a range of styles from traditional to modern, formal to whimsical, and showcasing some of the best work by the best designers of our age, Be Your Own Decorator is a rich resource for the aspiring decorator.

About the Author

Susanna Salk is the author of Room for Children and Weekend Retreats and a contributing editor for 1stdibs.com and ivillage.com, as well as regularly producing decorating segments for NBC’s Today Show.

From the Book:

Other Resources:

Amazon

Rizzoli

YouTube

Susanna Salk Online

~XOXO~

Black and White (and a bit in between) **Book Review**Giveaway**

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

**Giveaway for an Autographed Copy**

Black & White (and a bit in between)

by Celerie Kemble

Clarkson Potter

ISBN: 978-0-307-71598-2

My Review:

From the Publisher:

Black and white décor is at once dramatic and understated, modern and classic, apparent in the work of iconic designers such as Dorothy Draper and Madeleine Castaing but just as present in design today. And the inspiration is all around us—from nature (a zebra’s stripes, tree trunks rising from drifts of snow) to old Hollywood movies and fashion to black-and-white photography and patterns we encounter in our everyday lives (crossword puzzles and the pages of our favorite novels).

In Black and White (and a Bit in Between), acclaimed interior designer Celerie Kemble trades in her signature vivid palette for this iconic aesthetic, highlighting the black and white work of design stars and peers, including Bunny Williams, Thomas O’Brien, Mary McDonald, Victoria Hagan, Mark Hampton, Delphine Krakoff, Brad Ford, Philip Gorrivan, Carrier and Co., and Miles Redd, and welcoming you into more than 100 spaces in every imaginable aesthetic. Woven throughout are her witty observations and expert advice on choosing the best paints and finishes, adding patterns and accessories, building an entire room scheme based on inspiration found in nature, collecting black and white objects, and even choosing the perfect accent colors.

With more than 350 gorgeous color photographs, this is a vividly photographed celebration of a timeless scheme, infused with inspirational tips, glimpses into showstopping homes, and proof that a limited palette is anything but.

From Inside the Book:

Additional Links:

Kemble Interiors

Amazon

The Giveaway:

1. Leave me a comment with your email address.

2. US/Canada Only.

3. Book provided by Clarkson Potter/Random House, shipping provided by Beachbrights.

4. Random number generator will select a winner.

5. Giveaway ends December 4, 2011 at midnight CST.

~XOXO~

Fresh American Spaces by Annie Selke

I loved this book!

Fresh American Spaces

by Annie Selke

Clarkson Potter Publishers

ISBN: 978-0-307-71606-4
*thank you Clarkson Potter for my review copy*

My Review:

From the Publisher:

"Annie Selke really knows textiles and color. Her new design book is filled with gorgeous photographs of rooms that have enormous range--from romantic and cozy to elegant and modern. Everyone can find something here that will inspire their personal style." --Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks

Resources:

Fresh American

Annie Selke

Annie Selke on Twitter

FreshAmerican on FB

Designer Apartments **Book Review**

Designer Apartments
published by H.F. Ullman
ISBN: 978-3-8331-6010-3

My Review:

Inside the Book:

From the Publisher:
Contemporary Houses and Designer Apartments present the highlights of modern living culture, designed and furnished by renowned architects and designers. Plentiful color photographs, artful and intriguing in themselves, portray houses and apartments from all over the world, mirroring the culture and lifestyle of their occupants. Informative text and detailed floor plans and elevations complement the illustrations. This book is a genuine pleasure for all fans of urban and modern architecture and contemporary design.

Highlights
• Superlative color photographs, often fullpage, of exterior views, interior spaces, and architectural details
• Informative texts
• Detailed floor plans and elevations

Resource Links:

Contemporary Houses by Antonio Corcuera **Book Review**

Contemporary Houses
by Antonio Corcuera
h.f. ullmann publishing
ISBN: 978-3-8331-6008-0

My Review:

Inside the Book:

From the Publisher:

Perfect for fans of both modern architecture and interior design, "Contemporary Houses" demonstrates how minimalist living needn’t be entirely sterile and without character. Though hip addresses near and around the best-known design capitals like London and Sydney are featured in the book, author Antonio Corcuera and assistant Cristian Campos wisely choose to emphasize more far-flung locations -- including Chile and South Korea -- where high-end homes can be assumed to be more of a rarity.

As thick and heavy as a college textbook, yet considerably more aesthetically pleasing, the end result is a 480-page, photo-filled compilation that serves as a global architectural compilation of sorts that brings together the finest examples of state-of-the-art residential designs found all over the world.

The book features text in four languages and is divided into four sections, designating each of the featured homes primarily based on their locations -- "Urban houses," "Country houses," "Isolated houses," and finally "Unique houses." The latter designation -- which Corcuera deems as "the concrete and tangible result of a spark of genius" -- is perhaps the most interesting for those without any pre-existing interest in residential architecture; each of the architects in each of the designs deliberately experiments with both form and function to create a home that looks, to both the discerning and untrained eye, truly groundbreaking.

As thick and heavy as a college textbook, yet considerably more aesthetically pleasing, the end result is a 480-page, photo-filled compilation that serves as a global architectural compilation.
Located in an agricultural area of Kansas, the industrial-looking Porsch Residence is completely built around energy consumption, but that doesn’t make its elegant facade and modular interior any less impressive. Spanish architect Vicens Ramos’ House in Boadilla, not far from Madrid, imitates a geode and plays with stark geometry right down to its granite cave-like indoor pool.

Undoubtedly a highlight of the "Urban" section, David Adjaye’s austere-looking Electra House is able to solve an oft-cited problem of many city dwellers -- the lack of natural light -- with skylights and a glass-encased room. From the abstract-looking Caesar House (located near Munich) to the breathtaking House In Honda (which incorporates structural elements of an earlier home in a Colombian town), the "Country" section offers new twists on tried-and-true second or summer homes -- though these examples seem better suited to hosting a gallery exhibition than a backyard barbecue.

Though the high-quality photographs make "Contemporary Houses" perfect for coffee table book designation, the text itself (printed in English, German, French and Dutch) could use some improvement. Perhaps opting to let the full-color shots ad floor plans speak for themselves, the author’s thoughts are usually limited to small captions that offer little in the way of a comprehensive overview for each house.

Still, in "Contemporary Houses," Corcuera proves that, yet again, a man’s house is truly his castle. The sleek, uber-modern homes featured may not suit everyone’s tastes (I found myself longing to watch an episode of "This Old House," or any program emphasizing historic restoration over cool minimalism after reading) but the volume is nonetheless a stunning tribute to some respectable achievements in residential design.

PaperToy Monsters Book Review and GIVEAWAY

PAPERTOY MONSTERS
Make Your Very Own Amazing Papertoys!
By Brian Castleforte
Paperback , 124 pages
ISBN: 9780761158820 (0761158820)
Published by Workman Publishing


My Review (Video by 7yr old Max & his Daddy):

From the Publisher:
A breakthrough paper-folding book for kids—paper airplanes meet Origami meets Pokemon. Papertoys, the Internet phenomenon that’s hot among graphic designers and illustrators around the world, now comes to kids in the coolest new book. Created and curated by Brian Castleforte, a graphic designer and papertoy pioneer who rounded up 25 of the hottest papertoy designers from around the world (Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Italy, Croatia, Chile, even Jackson, Tennessee), Papertoy Monsters offers 50 fiendishly original die-cut designs that are ready to pop out, fold, and glue. The book interleaves card stock with paper stock for a unique craft package; the graphics are colorful and hip, combining the edginess of anime with the goofy fun of Uglydolls and other collectibles. Plus each character comes with its own back-story.

And the results are delicious: meet Pharaoh Thoth Amon, who once ruled Egypt but is now a mummy who practices dark magic in his sarcophagus. Or Zumbie the Zombie, who loves nothing more than a nice plate of brains and yams. NotSoScary, a little monster so useless at frightening people that he has to wear a scary mask. Yucky Chuck, the lunchbox creature born in the deepest depths of your school bag. Plus Zeke, the monster under your bed, Nom Nom, eater of cities, and Grumpy Gramps, the hairy grandpa monster with his very own moustache collection.

GIVEAWAY

1. US & Canada residents only, no PO Boxes.
2. Leave me a comment with your email address.
3. PaperToy Monsters provided by Workman Publishing, Shipping provided by Beachbrights.
4. It's that easy to enter! Contest ends Sunday, July, 17th @ Midnight.

Resource Links:
PaperToy Monsters on YouTube
Brian Castleforte

Simple Stitches: Sewing 25 Projects for the New Stitcher **Book Review**

Simple Stitches Sewing

25 Projects for the New Stitcher

by Cheryl Owen

Lark Crafts / Sterling Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-60059-905-7

My Review:

From the Publisher:

Simple Stitches: the needlearts series for the modern beginner!
New sewers can be stitching in no time, building their skills to create any of 25 fabulous projects. With the help of informative how-to-photography, novices can learn the basic techniques, from using templates to adding binding and piping. Projects include simple home décor items (such as cushions and a cheery buttoned blind) to thoughtful gifts (like a potpourri sachet and a journal cover).

CHERYL OWEN is an author and experienced crafter, dressmaker, fashion designer, and embroiderer. She lives in the UK.

The latest in the “Simple Stitches” series focuses on basic projects for machine sewing. Owen (Candle Making) collects projects for a variety of housewares and accessories and provides step-by-step photographs to boost beginners’ confidence. Though the projects are aimed at beginners and the sewing is simple, the finished goods are attractive. - Library Journal

Additional Resources:
Lark Crafts

Stash Happy Patchwork by Cynthia Shaffer **Sewing Book Review**

Stash Happy Patchwork

25 sewing projects for fabric lovers

by Cynthia Shaffer

Lark Crafts / Sterling Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-60059-612-4

My Review:

From the Publisher:

Lark's new Stash Happy series is the cure for the crafter's dilemma: what to do with all those scraps and leftover fabric, felt, and yarn, beads! Each book is full of know-how, fun ideas, and super-cute projects-and the series kicks off with Patchwork, one of today's hottest sewing and quilting trends. The collection offers inspiring twists on classic favorites plus practical items for the home, including a patchy panda doll, pieced cactus pincushion, or a set of nesting patchwork bowls.

CYNTHIA SHAFFER currently lives in ORANGE, CALIFORNIA, with her husband, two sons, and dogs.

Resource Links:
Binding Tutorial w/ Cynthia Shaffer
Hexagon Tutorial w/ Cynthia Shaffer

Dozens of Ways to Repurpose Scarves **Review, 5 STARS!**

Dozens of Ways to Repurpose Scarves

by Nathalie Mornu

Lark Crafts / Sterling Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-60059-777-0

My Review:

From the Publisher:

It's like magic! With an abracadabra and 30 simple projects, crafters can transform almost any scarf into a luxe pillow, plush bunny, breezy curtains, and other wonderful things. A basics section explains all the techniques, how-to-illustrations serve as a guide, and, where necessary, templates are included.

5 STARS!!

The Happy Home Project by Jean Nayar **Book Review**

The Happy Home Project
by Jean Nayar
Filipacchi Publishing
ISBN 13: 978-1-936297-48-1
*Courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing 2011*

My Review:

From the Publisher:
We all want a beautiful home that reflects our personal style. But the happiest homes don’t just look good, they also help us feel good. In The Happy Home Project, author Jean Nayar explores the fundamentals that contribute to a dwelling’s beauty and style, as well as the hidden elements and intangibles that add to its substance and soul.

Brimming with beautiful photos and expert advice from architects, designers, organizing experts, and contractors, the book offers easy-to-follow guidance on creating inspiring, stylish rooms. Practical tips on how to invest wisely in furniture and improvements will teach you how to add value to your home—and your quality of life. With a focus on comfort and harmony with nature, the book also reveals some of the subtler steps that anyone can take to turn an ordinary, impersonal house into an uplifting, personal sanctuary.

With helpful hints on everything from corralling clutter, picking paint and arranging furniture to refinishing floors, replacing windows and remodeling a kitchen, this is a practical go-to guide for home improvement projects, large and small. Whatever your home needs, the ideas, solutions and tips in the book will help you increase its happiness quotient—and help you live well in any dwelling and at any stage of life.

Also available as an ebook from online retailers.

Resource Links:
Jean Nayar Interview
The Happy Home Workshop
Desire to Inspire's Review
Design Wonderland's Review

Flirt Skirts by Seryn Potter and Patti Gilstrap ~Review~

Flirt Skirts
by Potter & Gilstrap
Potter Craft / Random House


My Review:

From the Publisher:
Here is the long-awaited sewing book from Flirt, the fabulous Brooklyn boutique known for its fresh outlook and flattering designs. Since opening in 2000, the creative team behind Flirt, Patti Gilstrap and Seryn Potter, have designed hundreds of unique skirts through the store’s immensely popular Custom Skirt program—they have also seemingly taught half of Brooklyn to sew in their Home Ec Sewing Studio. Now it all comes together with this must-have collection of skirts that anyone can sew!

Patti and Seryn’s philosophy is simple: All you need is 3 basic skirt patterns—A-line, Pencil, and Flare. Then add unique details to each skirt to create your own, one-of-a-kind designs. Flirt Skirts pairs these basic skirts with 20 fabulous projects, so you’ll soon have your own wardrobe of flattering, wear-anywhere skirts.

With photographs of finished projects, step-by-step instructions, easy-to-follow diagrams, pattern templates, perfect fit how-tos, and styling tips, you’ll find that every skirt in this indispensable book is utterly sewable and totally wearable, suiting every figure, lifestyle, and level of sewing skill. You will want to make them all!

1 -> 2 -> 3 Sew

1-> 2-> 3 Sew
by Ellen Luckett Baker
Chronicle Publishing
ISBN 9780811876490


My Review:

From the Publisher:
Sewing is as easy as 1-2-3! In this creative teaching book, craft blogger Ellen Luckett Baker offers a wholly unique approach to sewing: she presents projects in groups of three, each building on the techniques used in the project before. Baker shows, for example, how to sew a glasses case, then build on those skills to create a zippered pouch, and from there, make a more advanced cosmetics bag. There are 33 delightful projects in all, ranging from clothing to décor and accessories. With easy-to-follow instructions, how-to illustrations, and 12 patterns tucked into an enclosed envelope, 1, 2, 3 Sew is an essential resource for beginning and intermediate sewers alike.

Ellen Luckett Baker is the founder of Thelongthread.com, which receives 75,000 unique visitors monthly. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Laura Malek is a photographer and artist living in Atlanta, Georgia.

~XOXO~

Resource Links:
the Long Thread
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr

The Pruning Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face **GIVEAWAY**

I leave for New York City this week. I'm scared. I've been to NYC before, just never by myself.  I am so excited to be attending Book Expo America and Book Blogger Convention.  So, in celebration of these events, I will be posting book reviews all week!  So, if you are one of my friends who could care less about my book reviews, hang tight, I'll be back with my normal nonsense next week.  Thanks for all the support lately. You guys are the best.

The Pruning Answer Book

by Lewis Hill & Penelope O'Sullivan

Storey Publishing

My Review:

From the Publisher:
When should you prune? How much should you remove? What’s the difference between pinching and heading back? How can you be sure that you’re not harming your plants? For all of your pruning questions, The Pruning Answer Book has the answers. Clear instructions, expert advice, and detailed illustrations give you everything you need to successfully prune flowering trees, fruit and nut trees, shrubs, brambles, evergreens, vines, groundcovers, and more.

**GIVEAWAY**

1. US residents only, no PO Boxes.
2. Leave me a comment with your email address.
3. The Pruning Answer Book provided by Storey Publishing, Shipping provided by Beachbrights.
4. It's that easy to enter! Contest ends Sunday, May, 29th @ Midnight.

For Cod and Country: Simple, Delicious, Sustainable Cooking (GIVEAWAY!!)

I leave for New York City this week. I'm scared. I've been to NYC before, just never by myself.  I am so excited to be attending Book Expo America and Book Blogger Convention.  So, in celebration of these events, I will be posting book reviews all week!  So, if you are one of my friends who could care less about my book reviews, hang tight, I'll be back with my normal nonsense next week.  Thanks for all the support lately. You guys are the best.

For Cod and Country

by Barton Seaver

Sterling Publishing

My Review: 

From the Publisher:
Even though there are hundreds of types of fish for sale, most chefs know only a few varieties. That's where Barton Seaver comes in with his unique approach: By combining all manner of fish (not just the familiar standbys) with loads of fresh vegetables, he fosters sustainability both in the sea and on the farm. Organized by season, For Cod and Country features only fish caught in those months (plus “a fifth season” for farmed fish), along with ideas for preparation, seasonings, and lists of alternate fish to substitute in inventive new dishes.

BARTON SEAVER has created three highly rated restaurants in WASHINGTON, DC. Seaver has been lauded as a leader in sustainability by Seafood Choices Alliance, was named a Fellow with the Blue Ocean Institute, and works with the Ocean Now program at the National Geographic Society to influence large corporations and consumers toward a more responsible and sustainable sourcing ethic. He is currently working on a television series entitled Turing the Tide for National Geographic. Learn more about him at http://www.bartonseaver.org and http://www.forcodandcountry.org.

“You want to save more fish? Eat more broccoli.” -Barton Seaver

**GIVEAWAY**

1. US residents only, no PO Boxes.
2. Leave me a comment with your email address.
3. For Cod and Country provided by Sterling Publishing, Shipping provided by Beachbrights.
4. It's that easy to enter! Contest ends Sunday, May, 29th @ Midnight.

Grilling --GIVEAWAY--

**GIVEAWAY**

This would make a great Father's Day gift!

Good Housekeeping Grilling

More than 275 perfect year-round recipes

Hearst Books/Sterling Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-58816-714-9

*this book was given to me by the publisher for my honest review*

My Review:

From the Publisher:

Fire up the grill-and everyone's appetite! America's favorite test kitchens and cooking method come together in Good Housekeeping's cornerstone title that serves up more than 275 delectable recipes to prepare both indoors and out. From panini to pizzas to 35 kinds of burgers--plus advice on techniques and informative sidebars--this is truly the complete grilling guide.

~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. US residents only, no PO Boxes.
2. Leave me a comment with your email address.
3. Good Housekeeping Grilling provided by Hearst/Sterling, Shipping provided by Beachbrights.
4. It's that easy to enter! Contest ends Sunday, May, 22nd @ Midnight.

Signature Styles

Signature Styles

by Jenny Doh

Lark Crafts / Sterling Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-60059-791-6

*this book was given to me by the publisher*



My Review:

From the Publisher:
Twenty top stitchers take readers on an exclusive tour of their homes and studios-graciously offering their signature techniques and a step-by-step project along the way.

This unique book presents informational, inspirational profiles of creative and crafty women, complete with stunning images of them surrounded by the style components that define their work and art. The profilees include such best-selling authors such as Betz White, Kayte Terry, Megan Nicolay, and Kathy Cano Murillo as well as popular bloggers such as Heather Bailey.

~XOXO~

Kelly Wearstler Must Have Books - Guest Post -

Kelly Wearstler is a goddess among interior designers and fans the world over. Perhaps thatís because she is fearless and fun in her designs. Or it could be because sheís credited, along with a handful of other famous designers, for bringing back the Hollywood Regency style; a style not seen since the 1950s designs of Dorothy Draper and William Haines.  If you're a fan, consider buying and snatching up a few of her monographs. She ís published several throughout her career, but here ís a list of the must-haves.

Modern Glamour

Published in 2004, this book shows a refined selection of her residential and commercial designs. In it, she demonstrates the art of mixing styles, eras and color for an unexpected yet chic look. The image on the left is the lounge at the Viceroy Santa Monica.

This shot is of the bar and lounge at Viceroy Santa Monica. Her love of grandeur, glamour and color are apparent here with the forest green sofa paired with a white chandelier right above it.

Here she is shopping for fabric. Love the matching ribbon detail seen on that light fixture and on the chair!

Hue

As its title suggests, Hue explores the power of color. In this monograph, published in 2009, are more images from her residential and commercial projects.

Detail showing how even color can tie together the craziest of elements.

Domicilium Decoratus

Fans of Wearstler ís personal taste will love this book as it depicts the designs of her own home at Hillcrest Estate.

Shown here on the left is the detail of a statue and to the right is an eclectic, yet chic, living room. The couch flanked by table lamps, the salon-style hanging of the pictures, and the large sculptural cluster of grapes, can be taken as odd or weird, yet itís a look that works!

All of her books are available through Amazon.com or at your local bookstore. Make sure to visit her website for updates on other projects sheís involved in, whether itís her fashion line, working as a guest judge for a T.V. show on Bravo or working with new clients.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today! All images accredited to kellywearstler.com.