Staff Pick
If there's one thing I've learned through my wayward attempts at gardening, it's the importance of starting small, and it doesn't get much smaller than this. In Terrarium Craft, Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant not only cover the basics of terrarium building (from container, soil, and plant selection to decorative elements and care), but also guide the reader through 50 imaginative and easy-to-follow projects, such as "Rock and Rose," a clever pairing of split-rock plants and river rocks, "Test Tube Babies," which makes artful use of clear glass test tubes to showcase diminutive succulents, and, my personal favorite, "Mr. Carlyle and the Grumpy Bunny," which features an old book, a stern porcelain rabbit, and a carnivorous plant known as the "angry bunny." Filled with useful information, delightful projects and stunning photography, Terrarium Craft is an absolute treasure. Recommended By Tove H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
A terrarium is nothing less than a miniature world — one that you can create yourself. It might be a tiny rainforest, with lush foliage and bright tropical flowers. Or a desert, with strange succulents planted among colorful stones. Or a Victorian fernery. Or a minimalist composition with a single, perfect plant.
Or it might not contain any plants at all. It might be made with crystals, feathers, bones, seashells, bits of wood, porcelain trinkets — anything that catches your fancy and helps create a mood or look. Whatever they contain, terrariums are the ultimate in modern, affordable, easy-care décor.
Terrarium Craft features fifty original designs that you can re-create or use as inspiration for your own design. Each entry comes with clear step-by-step directions on how to assemble and care for your terrarium. Youll also find helpful information about selecting a container, using appropriate materials, choosing the right plants, and maintaining your terrarium. (Hint: Its easy! In fact, many terrariums are self-sustaining, requiring no maintenance whatsoever!)
If youve always wanted to have a bit of nature in your own home, without the worry and labor of a garden, this book will show you exactly how to create your own unique, enchanting world. aste and style.
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“Simple growing tips and chic design know-how in an easy-to-follow, lovely-to-read format. Creating your own terrarium will definitely be next on your crafty to-do list.” Dwell
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"Recommended for indoor gardeners and crafters alike." Bonnie Poquette
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"Spark[s] your creativity and inspire[s] you to make your own magical little glass world." Library Journal
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"Original and fun [with] tons of 'why didn't I think of that?' ideas." CTLPerformingArts.com
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"Terrarium Craft will provide examples of how to turn a common houseplant into a striking showpiece." The Oregonian
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Crafty brown thumbs will appreciate the projects. SharingNaturesGarden.com
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These terrarium projects will be perfect for next fall/winter when I cant get outside to play in the garden! Fresh Home
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Stunning projects. Danger Garden Blog
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Terrariums are back, but in much more stylish forms than their aquarium-type predecessors. West Coast Crafty
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“The how-to projects in this creative book represent how much you can do with a container.” Akron Beacon Journal
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Terrarium Craft earned our admiration not only because of the elegance of design by Aiello and photos by Kate Baldwin, but also for the clarity brought to step-by-step instructions. The Oregonian
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a bevy of beautiful designs. The trouble will be choosing just one. The solution: Do several. The Oregonian
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Recommended for indoor gardeners and crafters alike. Dwell
Synopsis
Easy to make and a wonder to behold, jewel-like terrariums are winning over a new generation of crafters and gardeners. From the simplest of combinations, like a single bromeliad paired with tiny fragments of driftwood in a miniature globe, to incredibly intricate worlds of stones and bones, feathers and ferns, terrariums today marry gardening, fine-art, science, and a touch of modern whimsy, and they are the latest craze in crafting and indoor gardening.
Terrarium Craft is the first step-by-step project book for this new audience. Authors and nursery owners Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant offer up everything a beginning terrarium crafter needs to get started, from advice about tools and materials, information about plant choices and simple maintenance tips. 50 unique projects offer fantastical inspiration alongside easy-to-follow instructions and ingredients lists. From the nature-inspired combination of blue-tinted echevaria and a milky-white shell to the darkly beautiful pairing of pyrite, black moss, and begonias, there’s a terrarium for every taste and style.
About the Author
Amy Bryant Aiello spent her early childhood wandering around the forests and wetlands of Minnesota's Woodlake Nature Center, where her dad worked as a naturalist. Inspired by lessons gleaned in plants, animals, and the natural world, as well as the artists of her mother's family, Amy went on to study photography and installation art at the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Amy and her husband are the owners of Artemisia, a popular Portland, Oregon, boutique specializing in terrariums, indoor gardens, and fine art. Amy's terrariums are one-of-a-kind botanical worlds that are created with a palette of living plants, natural materials, and personal objects.
Kate Baldwin lives and gardens in Portland, Oregon. She has contributed to gardening books, newspapers, and magazines including Portland Monthly, where her column, Dig, and gardening blog, Plantwise, appear.Kate Bryant blends her love of writing and gardening in her work, having contributed to gardening books including the two-volume Flora encyclopedia and newspapers such as The Oregonian. She has also contributed to lifestyle magazines such as Portland Monthly, in which her column and gardening blog, Plantwise, appear.
Kate has worked in plant nurseries and volunteered for community garden projects, urban tree plantings, and local Master Gardener programs. She has also collected plants and gardened on several continents. Kate runs a garden design, maintenance, and consulting business focusing on sustainable landscapes, edibles, and container gardens in Portland, Oregon.