Most of us can tell the difference between a Blue Tit & a Blackbird or a Robin & a Wren but what happens if you close your eyes
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This is a guide for both beginner collectors & those who have already started on how where & what to buy in contemporary studio ceramics as a collector. It looks at the best venues from galleries & auctions to craft fairs & even car boot sales & explains what to look for or alternatively to avoid. It discusses the various types of studio pottery for the uninitiated as well as looking at the way people can collect items
- only buying pieces from a few specific potters or collecting just teapots from hundreds of places. Collecting Contemporary Ceramics examines the pros & cons of collecting for investment or for pleasure & how to go about doing both. It also discusses more abstract angles such as: Why do people collect? With interviews from a few noted collectors & makers this will open up a whole new world to those interested in collecting ceramics but without the knowledge of where to go & what to look for.
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This A-Z guide provides a wealth of information for every country in the world. Each entry gives a brief history & outlines contemporary social economic political & religious issues. In addition for each country there is a clear map & a quick-reference fact box containing data & statistics including languages population GDP capital city life expectancy & more. The inclusion of at least one web link for every country is a new feature to this edition & web links are conveniently accessible via the Guide to Countries of the World companion website. Invaluable supplementary material

Includes:: detailed indicator tables showing income & poverty health & population etc & list of international organizations such as the EU & the African Union with essential information about these groupings. Revised & fully up to date with the latest key facts this accessible guide is ideal for students & teachers of geography politics economics world religions & world history at all levels as well as anyone wanting a home reference book to accompany an atlas.

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Dry stone walling is one of the oldest of countryside crafts & these attractive structures form one of the most striking features of the rural landscape whether on upland pasture fell or moorl&. The author looks into the history of dry stone walling before demonstrating how to build a wall with step-by-step explanations accompanied by photographs & diagrams. Topics include: how to acquire suitable stone; tools of the trade; basic walling technique; building or repairing a curved wall; walling on slopes & gapping retaining walls & variations. ...

A complete & practical guide to setting precious & semi-precious stones in any metal The Jewellery-Maker's Guide to Gemstone Settings is a detailed technical guide to stone-setting for jewellers & jewellery students. It explores traditional modern & experimental approaches to stone-setting from the purely functional to design-led solutions for securing stones. It takes the reader through the entire process of setting stones from choosing a suitable stone & designing & making the setting to seating & setting the stone. The extensive setting techniques are combined with step-by-step demonstrations precise diagrams & images of contemporary work from international jewellers. A comprehensive reference section featuring an illustrated glossary makes this book the essential stone-setting resource for both students & professional jewellers. Demonstrations produced using 3D modelling software provide the most up-to-date reflection of current practice & technology & allow explanations of skills & techniques to be presented with expert accuracy. The perfect resource for jewellers of all levels. ...

For 10 years Jeff Howell has been answering readers' queries about property through his very popular ' Ask Jeff' column in the Sunday Telegraph. This book in user-friendly Question & Answer format addresses all the issues every home owner needs to know. Packed with expert tips Jeff Howell offers comprehensive & authoritative advice on everything from boilers & builders to central heating condensation damp proofing dry rot plumbing & woodworm. Using readers' stories as case histories this authoritative book is the key to understanding how to maintain your home properly. How do you decide what needs doing & when? How do you find a decent builder? How do you judge if the work has been done to the right standard? All the answers & more are here in this clearly presented accessible & practical book. For all the latest information visit Jeff Howell's website: www.askjeff.co.uk ...

This is a guide to everything supernatural paranormal folkloric eccentric & above all mysterious that has occurred in the Scottish county of Stirlingshire & is a fascinating introduction to the heritage of this spectacular part of Scotl&. This is a guide that the armchair adventurer or the on-location visitor can revel in. Comprehensive entries covering Stirlingshires historic sites ruins churches tombstones & archaeological curiosities are complemented by more than 100 photographs. This book also

Includes:: notes & cross-references to enable the reader to follow up the sources.

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Christina Strutt of Cabbages & Roses reveals how to have a calmer healthier eco-friendly home. Saving the planet for future generations is a laudable aim but what about the current populace? Why wait when even quite small lifestyle changes can make a big difference now? A Guide to Natural Housekeeping is full of advice & information to help you take a more sustainable path. Recycling reusing & shopping at farmers markets are a good start but cutting down on the use of poisonous chemicals is just as important
- its perfectly possible to clean a house using nothing more than lemons bicarbonate of soda vinegar & plain water. Here old-fashioned methods are complemented by newer ideas & innovations & applied not only to cleaning but also to caring for clothes furniture & even silver & glassware. Growing some of your own vegetables fruit & herbs can be very satisfying & you can use any extras to make jams oils & chutneys using the handy tips & delicious recipes. Make beauty preparations & bath oils too for soothing effective treatments to enhance everyday health & wellbeing. To become eco-friendly doesnt require self-sacrifice
- just some readjustment; & by following the advice in this valuable guide you will find yourself living a calmer greener life.

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Business failure is not limited to start ups. Industry Watch" (published by BDO Stoy Hayward an accounting firm) 'predicts that 17 043 businesses will fail (in the UK) in 2006 a further 4 per cent increase from 2005'. In America between 1990 & 2000 there were over 6.3 million business start-ups & over 5.7 million business shut-downs. Risk of failure can be greatly reduced through effective organisational design that encourages high performance & adaptability to changing circumstances. Organisation design is a straightforward business process but curiously managers rarely talk about it & even more rarely take steps to consciously design or redesign their business for success. This new Economist guide explores the five principles of effective organisation design which are that it must: be driven by the business strategy & the operating context (not by a new IT system a new leader wanting to make an impact or some other non-business reason); involve holistic thinking about the organisation; be for the future rather than for now; not to be undertaken lightly
- it is resource intensive even when going well; & be seen as a fundamental process not a repair job (Racing cars are designed & built. They are then kept in good repair)."
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Michael Breins travel guides make city public transport simple. Maps include how to get to the top 50 sights in the area by public transit ultra- large transit maps detailed mini-area maps of attractions & instructions on how to get to places. ...