* An exciting approach to botanical illustration featuring exotic & extraordinary plant specimens. * Striking plants flowers fruits & vegetables provide new challenges in colour texture & form. * stunning finished paintings accompany simple instructions & step-by-step projects for a beautiful book that both guides & inspires. Strange & unusual specimens have never been more accessible
- as more & more exotic fruit & vegetables appear regularly in our shopping baskets & our florists fill with flowers from every corner of the globe this practical & beautiful guide to capturing strange & striking plants on paper has never been more timely. There is something for beginners & more experienced botanical illustrators alike whether you wish to paint more familiar bananas pineapples & other exotic fruits that are now widely available or more complex orchids & even carnivorous plants. Acclaimed artists Rosie Martin & Meriel Thurstan (authors of the bestselling Contemporary Botanical Illustration & Botanical Illustration Course) run the popular botanical painting course at the Eden Project & are thus uniquely placed for this exciting take on the genre. The unusual colours & complex textures of exotic plants present a new challenge to the botanical artist but this book guides you through each stage of the painting process with plenty of exercises & step-by-step projects. Fantastically illustrated with worksheets colour swatches sketches & stunning finished paintings this practical & inspirational guide is a must-have for botanical artists of all levels.
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This is the first in a series of books that will explore the history lore evaluation geographic sources & identifying properties of lesser-known gems. This volume has 288 colour photographs of mounted & loose tanzanite ammolite zultanite rhodochrosite sunstone moonstone labradorite spectrolite andesine amazonite bytownite orthoclase & oligoclase. Some of the pictures are close-up shots that show how to make visual judgements about clarity transparency colour cut quality & brilliance. A few pictures show how the gems are cut & many others show creative jewellery designs with these stones. The book also provides tips on caring for the gems selecting an appraiser & detecting imitations & gem treatments. The healing & metaphysical properties of the gems are also addressed. Written for both consumers & professionals its easy to read well-organised & packed with fascinating information & photos. If you are interested in coloured gemstones you will find this to be a valuable resource that will help you discover & buy unusual gem varieties you may never have seen before. ...

Kate Moore is an expat mum newly transplanted from Washington D.C. In the cobblestoned streets of Luxembourg her days are filled with play dates & coffee mornings her weekends spent in Paris or skiing in the Alps. Kate is also guarding a secret
- one so momentous it could destroy her neat little expat life
- & she suspects that another American couple are not who they claim to be; plus her husband is acting suspiciously. As she travels around Europe she finds herself looking over her shoulder terrified her past is catching up with her. As Kate begins to dig to uncover the secrets of those around her she finds herself buried in layers of deceit so thick they threaten her family her marriage
- & her life.


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Becoming a dad can be a daunting time
- especially when most pregnancy & parenting information is targeted towards women. This
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From buying buggies & cutting the cord to dealing with your wife's breastfeeding in public
- the life of a first-time father will
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An unnamed spy
- perhaps the same reluctant hero of The Ipcress File
- is sent to Paris to deliver a file of nuclear secrets

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In this remarkable work of autobiography the son of the great comic novelist Kingsley Amis explores his relationship with his father & writes about the various crises of Kingsleys life including the final one of his death. Amis also reflects on the life & legacy of his cousin Lucy Partington who disappeared without trace in 1973 & was exhumed twenty years later from the basement of Frederick West one of Britains most prolific serial murderers. ...

About the series The Access to History series is the most popular & trusted series for advanced level history students offering: -Authoritative engaging & accessible content -Comprehensive coverage of the AS & A level history specifications -Design features study guides & web support to help students achieve exam success. About the book This title covers the experience of warfare in Britain & the social & political effects that had in the late nineteenth & early twentieth centuries. It examines major questions such as:
- What was the impact of the Crimean War?
- What was the impact of the Second Boer War?
- What was the experience of war on the Western Front?
- What was the impact of the First World War on the Home Front? Throughout the book key dates terms & issues are highlighted & historical interpretations of key debates are outlined. Summary diagrams are included to consolidate knowledge & understanding of the period & exam-style questions & tips written by a senior examiner provide the opportunity to develop exam skills.



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Domestic violence experienced in childhood continues to have an enduring emotional impact into adulthood. The scars it leaves can impact on family lives employment & long-term emotional & mental health. This accessible book explores the experiences of adult survivors of domestic violence in childhood with personal accounts & poems featuring throughout. The author draws on 40 years experience at the forefront of the field to bring together current research best practice guidance for those working with both adults & children & personal testimonies from survivors. It covers interventions to help children exposed to domestic violence to avoid problems later in life as well as guidance on & ideas for working with adult survivors. This important book will be essential reading for all those working with survivors of domestic violence in childhood including counsellors social workers & therapists as well as students academics & policy makers. ...

Early Education internationally is the focus of much challenge & debate. Various approaches to teaching young children are being developed & advocated but the focus is often on curriculum content with the processes of learning as a secondary issue. The most important consideration in early education is the way in which young children learn. Their transferable skills of communication collaboration & investigation can underpin all aspects of learning. These elements form the main focus of work in a group of pre-schools in an area of Northern Italy which has earned an international reputation for innovative practice & pedagogy. The experience of Reggio Emilia in providing challenges to accepted approaches to early childhood education in many countries is widely acknowledged. Since 1963 when the Italian municipality of Reggio Emilia began setting up its network of educational services for 0-6 year olds the Reggio Approach has gained worldwide recognition. Numerous visitors have been impressed by the acknowledgement given to the potential of children the organisation & quality of the environments created the promotion of collegiality & a climate of co-participation of families in the educational project. This book reflects the impressions & experiences of the Reggio Emilia approach gained by a range of early childhood educators following a study visit to the region. It focusses on key issues such as staffing training working with parents play learning the culture of early childhood & special educational needs from a variety of perspectives & will provide a welcome challenge to thinking for both practitioners & policy makers. ...