The New Christmas Tree - 25 Dazzling Trees and Over 100 Handcrafted Projects

The New Christmas Tree empowers readers to go beyond red and green. Inspired by food, nature, fashion, folk art, typography, color and art history, Carrie Brown's whimsical tree designs breathe new life into the familiar form and turn a holiday standby into a design statement. A closer look at each tree reveals the real heart of these designs¿beautifully handcrafted ornaments, garlands, and more, from felted bumblebees to delicate papercraft flowers. Some use traditional Christmas materials in novel ways (antique mercury and clear glass ornaments take center stage in the dramatic Silver Tree; the Tinsel Tree takes a holiday standby up a notch), while others employ flea market finds, household objects¿even foodstuffs!¿to create something entirely unexpected. Each chapter takes readers through the process of constructing a beautifully balanced tree that is rich in texture and dimension from topper to trunk¿selecting the appropriate lights, making and assembling the decorations, and adding the finishing touches that pull the look together. Also included are chapters on the fundamentals of tree selection, installation, and design; basic crafting techniques; sources for products, tools, and equipment; and care information.

About the author

Carrie Brown is the author of The New Christmas Tree and the owner of the acclaimed Jimtown Store in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. She has celebrated every December for the past 23 years by decorating uncommon Christmas trees for the store, her home, and her clients. Feature articles on Carrie’s decorating style and recipes have appeared in Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Food & Wine, Country Home, and Sunset. Her kitchen design and store were featured on Food Network’s Ultimate Kitchens and HGTV’s Country at Home. She is the co-author of The Jimtown Store Cookbook (HarperCollins, 2002) and frequently works as a stylist for books, print, and other media.

Summary

This Christmas, consider everyday objects from a new point of view, embrace a fresh color palette, or give your children’s handmade ornaments or special family heirlooms a new life. The inspiration is endless here, with one-of-a-kind trees that celebrate food, nature, fashion, folk art, typography, color, and art history. Each spectacular design is easily replicated, with step-by-step instructions for crafting coordinating ornaments, garlands, and toppers, plus advice on selecting the right tree, choosing lights, and more. Whether you have space for a towering fir or a sweet tabletop creation, whether your taste skews modern or traditional, quirky or sophisticated, there’s something for everyone!

Additional text

"The New Christmas Tree is one of those fabulous books that inspires you to start making things right away—even if you're not crafty."
—Parade

“With her step-by-step ornament instructions, as well as advice on buying and maintaining trees and other decorations, Brown turns tree decorating into an intensely personal experience.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Carrie Brown's recently released The New Christmas Tree may be just what you need to get that creative sap flowing. Her book presents 24 ideas for rethinking the tree, starting with the basics: picking the tree, what types work best with certain designs and caring for your festive foliage. . . . Beautifully photographed and coffee-table ready, the book is also practical, containing detailed instructions on how to recreate the featured trees.”
—Associated Press

“A treasure trove of ideas for those looking to add a creative twist to their holiday cheer. Highlights include the paper white tree, inspired by the cut-paper banners in Mexico, the pin tree, which turns pincushions into ornaments, and the copper and cork tree, wrapped in wine-cork garlands. Brown includes directions on what to collect (such as the lights) and what to make; the latter includes everything from simple marshmallow garlands for a Hansel and Gretel tree to quilled paper birds on the birdland tree. There’s no shortage of clever ideas, especially for those who’d like to produce ornaments without much fuss. Brown is at her best in suggesting simple crafts that will make an impressive statement.”
—Publishers Weekly

Product details

• Authors: Carrie Brown
• Publisher: Artisan Publishing USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.10.2015
• EAN: 9781579655914
• ISBN: 978-1-57965-591-4
• No. of pages: 295
• Dimensions: 210 mm x 261 mm x 23 mm
• Series: Artisan
• Subjects: Guides > Hobby, home > Home improvement, DIY; Humanities, art, music > Art > Interior design, design