Terrarium Craft One of NYT’s “Notable 100 Books of 2011” Giveaway
…so we’re having a book giveaway. Celebrate with us!
Posted by: Kate Bryant on Dec 08, 2011 at 12:38AM
21 Comments
Update: contest now closed – winner has been picked! Thanks to all who entered and commented.
We were thrilled to learn last week that our book Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds was one of the New York Times Sunday Book Review’s 100 Notable Books of 2011.
Four other Timber Press gardening books were also listed in the gardening section… each of which I am eager to dig into during the coming long, cold nights of winter.
Terrarium Craft is a collaboration between three women with almost comically overlapping names: Amy Aiello-Bryant, who designed and created all the terrariums in the book; Kate Baldwin, who photographed them; and yours truly, the writer for the book.
Amidst occasional confusion over which Kate was being referred to, and whether Amy and I are sisters (we are not, biologically, although we have been known to pretend we are!), our book was a deliciously creative collaboration that we’re all just tickled pink to have made together. To have the book now appear in Dominique Browning’s New York Times Book Review feature as one of the year’s notable books has given us a happy boost. We hope our book will soon be in the hands of more people across the country who will find in its pages the inspiration to make beautiful, evocative and fun terrarium creations for themselves.
With that said, let the giveaway begin! To enter the giveaway, just let me know what kind of experience you have with making terrariums, whether recent or historical, good or bad, for yourself or as a gift for another. Contribute your comment by 5 pm, Monday December 12, 2011 to enter. The randomly-selected winner will receive a copy of Terrarium Craft.
Needless to say, no purchase is necessary. One winner will be chosen at random. Open to residents of the US, 18 years or older, as of 12/12/2011. Entries must be received by 5 pm Pacific Time on 12/12/2011. Void where prohibited.
My first encounter with terrariums goes back to the early 70’s when it was popular to make elaborate & colorful sand art at the bottom of glass containers of all sorts. The colors were very MOD to say the least. Adding plants to the mix seem to harmonize the riot and give the whole project a purpose. Back then the plants were limited to small house plants (kept in their tiny pots which were buried in the sand) but I loved adding fairly-like embellishments such as moss, bark, stones and delicate ferns gathered from the woods behind my home. When the terrarium was finished I added little ceramic fairly girls from my vast collection (another trend of the times) to inhabit the magical world I had created. Many hours of storytelling ensued…
Congratulations, Kate. I always thought you were notable! My experience with terrariums was also in the late ’60’s-early ’70’s, but were more for providing a miniature habitat for some tiny creature to roam around in so I could watch. Usually a cricket, or a tiny toad. They would always end up escaping. My poor mother.
Yay for you! Congratulations, what a wonderful nod to your beautiful book. May this be just the beginning to a long and successful authorship career! (no need to enter me in your giveaway, since I already have a copy…).
I am so tickled that terrariums are getting their due. Thank you for being a part of that movement. I have seen beautiful ones in the last couple of years and been completely charmed. I remember making terrariums as a kid in the 70s with my parents, sisters cousins, etc… They were school projects, presents etc… We were so in love with plants that our house was filled with them – both common and exotic. And I even thought that I would go into biology, forestry, agricultural sciences – alas the passions of youth… In any even, I will admit that we were even so cliche as to sometimes combine MACRAME and terrariums (should the proper plural be terraria?) probably while in bell bottoms and with completely unironic peace-sign necklaces. (Seriously.) Clearly my 70s recollections and biases need to be better informed by and updated by your book!
I have never made a terrarium, but your book sure does make me want to give it a go, Kate!
My gramma used to have terrariums in large glass jugs when I was a kid. I loved playing with those long tweezer things that were for placing the plants while I was visiting her. I had little miniature animals that I moved around the “garden” and made up little stories about them. We used this cool little atomizer to spray water into the jug and it was always kind of steamy in there. Needless to say, I have very fond memories of those terrarium gardens.
Terrariums! Takes me back to my college days when they were all the rage. The plants are long gone, but I still have that big jar with the clunky lid, and it is full of bird seed. If you win the prize, I will surely give it another go and follow your wise advice and create a beautiful terrarium. Congratulations on making the NYT list!
Congratulations! I do not have any experience with terrariums, but find them beautiful, compelling, and baffling. How do you do it? I’d love to learn more. How inspiring. Keep up the good writing and designing.
Helped a friend select plants for his terrarium this year but the bugleweed and painted fern did not thrive. He (and I) would love to learn more!
Do you remember the cracked fishtank I dragged home from the dump when you were 5years old, and then you “helped me” plant and “populate” it with flora and fauna that devoured each other, and eventually became a three-layered fungus cake? Your father, the relentless optimist who can’t stand female hysteria, tried to quell the floods of tears (yours) by insisting that his little genius daughter was a budding scientist who had created penicillin in a fish-tank. Just one question: Who gets the bragging rights for your success? My pick(s) are : three fabulous & talented women named Amy,Kate and Kate, who know a thing or two about collaboration and gracious sharing of praise.
Great looking book! I hope to get a copy soon!
Alas, I am not on correct continent for entering competitions- so just a congratulations to you and your colleagues, for what looks like a gorgeous informative, and inspiring little book. And Hi Mum!, I remember that tank well! xx Susan
Growing up in Portland my mom and I used to make terrariums together and we had a giant fishbowl terrarium with a little glass frog in it that I was particularly fascinated by. I was thinking about this recently and decided to try making terrariums on my own. I have had some limited sucess using small glass fishbowls and I’ve been encouraged to continue experimenting with different plants and different sized containers. I would love to have a copy of this book for further inspiration!
I’ve been obsessed with terrariums for over a year and when I recently moved to Portland, it became my mission to make the perfect terrarium! I went to the east side and built the perfect terrarium— complete with pink sand and a rose quartz stone! I love it and would love to expand my collection!
My grandma had a beautiful closed terrarium when I was a kid. I’m fascinated with the new open air options. Would love to win a copy of the book!
When I was little and living in arid Utah, we used to make terrariums in fish bowls with little cacti and colored sands/rocks. I remember getting poked a lot while trying to plant them but they looked great and were really easy to take care of. Later, when we moved back to misty, moisty Portland, we started using brandy snifters and other unusual containers to plant juicy succulents. It was also fun to add little creatures or fairies to complement this magical world. I still love making terrariums for gifts. Everyone loves having one because they’re so special and obviously made with love by hand.
I’ve never made a terrarium before, but I asked my husband for one for Christmas! I’ve seen them everywhere lately, and I love them. This book would be a great start for my new-found love of terrariums.
My only terrarium experience is really an airarium experience due to the fact that I just use air plants and twigs. Heading towards braving the real deal soon though. The book looks fab FYI
As a seller of mosses and terrarium plants, I have to say this book is wonderful! Congratulation on making it on the New York Times list!
I’m impressed!!! Really informative blog post on www.portlandmonthlymag.com my friend. I just wanted to comment & say keep up the quality work.