You may be thinking, what is this book about? Is it about edible flowers? Is it a book of recipes of how to add flowers to your food? That sounds like something trendy that would be happening in LA, but no, that's not what this book is about. In the book's introduction, Carly tells a charming story about how she misspelled orchid as orchard during her first week working at an LA florist. Years later, her skill and confidence have blossomed (see what I did there?) and she's now created a gorgeous book sharing her passion for the wonderful world of flowers, encouraging others to take the plunge into the creative, sensory experience of flower arranging.
What's great about this book is that it's easy to follow, much like a great recipe book. It's incredibly informative, detailed, and carefully curated. Carly goes over flower care, flower types, how to buy flowers, what supplies are needed, etc. Each flower has it's own preparation instructions, which are gone over in detail. (Umm, I didn't know carnations had to be prepped differently than billy balls, did you? Yes, billy balls. Google it. I promise, it's safe :)) Much like a recipe book, in The Flower Chef, ingredients are laid out, prep time is estimated, and "cook time" or time it will take to create the arrangement, is all laid out for you, as well as an estimate of how much it will cost so you know what you're getting in to before you head to the store. I love the comparison of flower arranging to cooking -- both are wonderful rituals that give pleasure and happiness to both the chef and those who enjoy his or her creations.
Carly's passion for flowers is written on every page of her book. The photos are exquisite and leave you feeling inspired and happy. You might be thinking, well that's great, of course her photos look good, but will mine look like the "Pinterest Fails" I find on the internet? Carly has difficulty levels from 1 - to 4, 1 being the easiest and 4 the most advanced. I encourage you to start out with a level 1 project so you can start small and work your way up to more ambitious projects. There's a level 3 difficulty arrangement where you get to use artichokes and plums :) I can't wait to try that one! Another thing I appreciate about this book is that budget is taken into account. You don't have to be going to farmer's market or specialist to get exquisite flowers for your arrangements. Carly explains she herself often buy grocery store flowers, and it's okay if you do, too.
I'm happy to say this book has my stamp of approval! I hope you feel inspired, happy, and rejuvenated by reading this book! I'm giving you the chance to win a copy of The Flower Chef and with Mother's Day coming up, there really couldn't be better timing!! This book is the perfect Mother's Day gift for any mom who loves and appreciates flowers. Or maybe you're hosting a bridal shower or a graduation party? You'll want this book by your side. Enter below for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
In addition to entering the giveaway, I also encourage you to enter the Spring #DIYFloralArrangement Pinterest Contest with The Flower Chef & Luna Bazaar! There are two ways to win. The first is by creating a DIY floral arrangement and sharing it on your blog or social media accounts to win one of three prize packages. The second is to create a #DIYFloralArrangement Pinterest board with 5 items from Luna Bazaar's website and 5 repins from The Flower Chef. Go to bloggerbabes.com/diyfloralcontest to submit your entry by 11:59pm PCT on April 22, 2016 or for more information. See below for details:
Good luck to everyone who enters and make sure to tell your friends and family about The Flower Chef!! Thank you to Blogger Babes for including me in this book tour! Have a great day everyone!!
This post was made possible by Blogger Babes. I received a complimentary copy of The Flower Chef in exchange for my honest review. Thoughts are 100% my own.
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