Annette Joseph, Today Show entertaining expert, knows how to throw a party. Her motto: Make it simple and make it gorgeous! She is able to combine down-to-earth gusto with do-it-yourself brilliance to create an entertaining cookbook for people who want to entertain more and with panache. PICTURE PERFECT PARTIES provides an arsenal of tricks for a year’s worth of get-togethers, holidays, and special occasions—including Easter brunch, Cinco de Mayo, summer grill-outs, picnics and barbecues, holiday cocktails, and the Super Bowl— guaranteed to make at-home entertaining easy. Annette Joseph’s tasty recipes and fool-proof advice will ensure that you can throw parties with a sense of ease and flair. Joseph is able to show readers how to ingeniously transform the ordinary into the extraordinary without spending a lot of money, and without sacrificing style. Each chapter of PICTURE PERFECT PARTIESshows how to create a total environment around a unique theme. The recipes and menus are not only delicious, and focused on seasonal ingredients, but are designed so that they can be made in advance and portioned individually—a time-management must for the host or hostess. Among the recipes, you will find some that will become everyday favorites, such as White Bean Farro Soup, Parmesan Crisps, Lemony Risotto, and Tuscan Sweet and Sour Kale. Sidebars sprinkled throughout give step-by-step instructions for the inventive trappings that make an event memorable, such as centerpieces, place cards, takeaway containers, and linens. From simple to lavish, PICTURE PERFECT PARTIES delivers brilliant solutions to create fabulous parties.

Ever wish you could host a glamorous bash like the ones covered in People magazine? You can—with tips and ideas from Linnea Johansson, party planner extraordinaire. She's thrown celebrations hosting some of the biggest names in the Big Apple, including Jennifer Lopez, Donald Trump, Reese Witherspoon, Sean Combs, and Martha Stewart. And on these fully-illustrated and festive pages is her best advice for planning a fabulous event. She covers everything from invitations to decorating, from hors d'oeuvres to cocktails. So look no further for ways to create a New Year's Eve extravaganza, birthday blowout, or even just a very special night out with friends. Whatever questions you have, Linnea has the answers.

From the invitations to the suggested books, games, activities, and themed party snacks, this book makes it easy to plan a fun literacy event from start to finish. Picture books, storytime readings, and parties are always popular with children because they find them highly entertaining. These activities can also be very educational. When children are engaged and enjoying themselves, the learning process is naturally enhanced. Picture Book Parties! contains 25 fun, storytime party ideas that will help teachers, librarians, parents, and students celebrate popular picture books, supplying all of the ideas and guidance to have great picture book parties in a classroom, school, library, or home setting. Each of the book's chapters is dedicated to a storytime subject and party theme, containing a themed party invitation template, suggested picture books, party games, party center activities, and themed party refreshment ideas and recipes. Picture Book Parties! also includes a bonus chapter that offers a multitude of ways for teachers, librarians, and literacy coaches to connect students to their favorite authors.

Georgie the cat loves throwing parties for his friends. All his parties have balloons, lights, delicious cake, and most importantly, everyone has an unforgettable time. One day, Georgie decides to throw the ultimate bash, so he puts on his party hat and races through the city to invite his best buds... who are all too busy to come. But Georgie soon learns that you can always count on your friends to be there for you... and sometimes they might even bring cake! With a heartwarming story and adorable art, this charming, funny, super cute picture book debut invites readers to meet Georgie and Friends—and find the answer to the most important question of the day: Where's the Party?

"Ideas, inspirations, and tips on how to plan the perfect party"--

Annette Joseph’s years in Italy revealed this truth: Italy, in all its multifaceted, glorious history and culture has to be experienced in full. Over almost three decades, Italy has fed, entertained, confused, excited, lured, promised, lied, satisfied, occasionally disappointed, and utterly enchanted her. She’s left, but can't stay away—she’ll always return. Always. Just like a beloved partner…Italy Is My Boyfriend will take you through the journey of finding love, life, and a sense of home. While often times a lonely, challenging place, never once did the love for this special place waiver. See how one very determined lady finds her dream place in the Tuscan sun.

Photographer, author, and educator Roberto Valenzuela has a proven track record for teaching and explaining difficult concepts to photographers of all skill levels. His remarkable ability to break down complicated ideas into understandable, approachable elements that photographers can truly grasp–and then use their newfound knowledge to improve their photography–made his first book, Picture Perfect Practice, a breakout success. In Picture Perfect Posing, Roberto takes on the art of posing. For many photographers, after learning to compose an image and even light it properly, a portrait can still easily be a failure if the pose is not natural, elegant, and serving the needs of both the subject and the photographer. Instead of just showing page after page of poses–like most posing books on the market–Roberto actually breaks down the concept of posing by examining the anatomy, starting with the core foundation: the spinal chord and neck. Building from there, Roberto discusses every component of what makes poses work, as well as fail. How should the model hold her hands? Bend her elbows? Position her fingers? Should the model look toward or away from the camera, and why? It all depends on what the photographer wants for the shot, and Roberto discusses the entire process, from the intent of the photographer through the execution of the pose. For those who have been discouraged by an inability to pose their subjects, or who have simply not known where to start in order to "figure it out," Picture Perfect Posing is the essential resource they need to learn how posing truly works, and how they can learn to direct the exact pose they need for the shot they want.