Cicada Books strana 4 z 4

Rosalind Miller is an up-and-coming name in the world of cake baking and decorating. The winner of Wedding Cake Designer of the Year for two years running, her cake creations are remarkable for their versatility and attention to detail. The beautifully assembled tiers are intricately decorated with an impressive variety of themes ranging from fairy tales to Georgian architecture to Art Deco motifs. Each sculptural cake shows ample evidence of Miller's past as a design lecturer at Central St. Martin's School of Art. This book is a luxuriously produced how-to of wedding-cake baking and decorating. With clear, accessible instructions and attractive step-by-step photography it takes the baker through the construction of each individual sugar paste flower and ribbon, with further mood-boards and tips for creating personalized wedding cake designs. The author's warm personal voice makes the journey especially enjoyable. Since the ascent of the cupcake, baking has been on an inexorable rise for the past five years, and has never been so fashionable; this publication takes the trend to its next level of artistry and excellence. The book itself is beautifully presented, bound in fabric with a sprayed fore-edge and varied high-quality paper stocks. This indispensable reference and inspiration is a must-have for the more ambitious bakery enthusiast.

Taxidermy is back in fashion again. It seems that almost every bar, restaurant or new boutique you walk into these days sports the mounted head of some animal or other gazing down from on high. For those of us who are--for whatever reason--reluctant to decorate our walls with the heads of decapitated mammals, a happy alternative has finally presented itself. Now, using sewing, crochet, knitting and papier-mache--and, in some cases, just cutting and pasting--the spirit of taxidermy can be summoned with none of the morbid overtones. Combining the twin pleasures of craft and taxidermy, "Craftydermy" presents the reader with a cabinet of curiosities to amuse, delight and inspire. Projects include a knitted fur stole, papier-mache antlers, a crocheted moose head and a felt tiger rug. The book is edited by Tracey Benton, a well-known figure in the UK crafting community who runs the Atelier Gallery in Southwest England and has been curating and exhibiting the work of emerging craft-oriented artists--including ceramicists, textile artists and sculptors--for the past ten years. Fun and offbeat, "Craftydermy" follows on from--and has a similar tactile feel to--"You Are Awesome: 21 Crafts to Make You Happy," and is sure to appeal to the gift/craft market.

The subject of table presentation has been revived in recent decades by the likes of Martha Stewart, but the amateur chef and cookery markets are well overdue an interesting, alternative take on the topic. "The Set Table: The Art of Small Gatherings" is a beautiful book of imaginative ideas for small gatherings, from supper for two on a candlelit urban roof terrace to a picnic lunch for friends on the living-room carpet. And don't worry: there's no need to invest in expensive dishes and flatware; instead, you will be inspired to use what is already at hand: to repurpose old tiles for butter dishes, say, or use a rolled-down brown paper bag for a bread basket. From linens to glasses, flowers to serving platters, you will learn how to make a handsome table with scant resources. With clever tips on how to unearth treasures in junk shops, easy guides for simple things to make at home, ingenious ideas for simple flower arrangements and recipes for delicious homemade condiments--every table you lay will be special. The favored look is simple, artistic and uncomplicated, celebrating the wonderful experience of eating well with the people you love. Beautiful photography and illustrations lend "The Set Table" an engagingly bohemian feel and the text by Hannah Shuckburgh--Feature Editor for Conde Nast's "Easy Living" magazine and popular blogger at Hanpicked--brings the subject matter to life, reflecting the effortless, informal styling of her tables.

Abbey Hendrickson writes the highly trafficked blog Aesthetic Outburst, which documents her life in an old farmhouse in rural New York. In between DIY disasters, childcare catastrophes, book obsessions and cultural consumption, Abbey makes some fantastic and funky craft projects, which she sells through her online Etsy shop. "You Are Awesome" collects together 21 of her craft ideas from her blog and her "20 in 20" challenge (for which she made 20 crafts in 20 days), each one presented in color and clearly explained step by step. They range from an embroidery sampler to a bookshelf to a laptop toy made from a cardboard box. The projects are fairly simple, but all distinctive and quirky, and will appeal to novices and crafting professionals alike. Each one captures the warmth and humor that Abbey herself radiates and which has made her and her blog so popular. "You Are Awesome" follows Cicada Books' recent publication, "State of Craft," and will appeal to a new generation of young crafters seeking fresh inspiration for cultivating their own individual aesthetic. Small and chunky, with a hard-cut gray board cover and overflowing with illustrations and photography, it is itself a crafty object you will want to have and to hold, and makes a perfect feel-good gift for the holiday season.