Exploring some of the world's eeriest places, Abandoned Islands features American civil war forts, Europe's last leper colony and South Atlantic whaling stations, along with once grand mansions and colonial settlements and churches, and much more. Arranged geographically, the book takes us from New York's East River to islands off Alaska, from a French Napoleonic-era fort off the coast of Normandy to deserted villages on remote Scottish isles, from Venetian sanatoria to Croatian penal colonies, Japanese mining colonies to Sudanese deserted ports and abandoned atolls in the Indian Ocean. Leafing through these pages, the reasons for abandonment are revealed: climate change sealing off fresh water or river channels, shifting economic forces making life too hard, religious conflict, or wars disrupting daily life - or the absence of war rendering a military settlement unnecessary. With more than 180 outstanding colour photographs and fascinating captions, Abandoned Islands is a brilliant pictorial exploration of lost worlds.

This fully colour illustrated work covers the most artistically progressive period for British table cutlery between 1870 and 1940, and maps its evolution through a series of artistic periods, including Art Deco and the Arts & Crafts revival, to the present day. For the humble spoon, the Arts & Craft period brought in new and exotic styles developed from the changing taste that sprang from the Great Exhibition of 1851. The artistic styles were largely based around natural form and many makers turned against the mass production of the industrial age. The golden age for Liberty & Company provided a platform for designers such as Archibald Knox, Oliver Baker, Bernard Cuzner and the Silver Studio with their bold, and often-colourful, designs for spoons. The rise of women who rivalled their male counterparts in design and craft, particularly in the fields of jewellery and small silverware, was particularly significant at this time.

This is the true story of a robin who lives in my garden among fences, hedges, shrubs, trees, stacks of pots and bricks and the vine on my balcony. Lickel Bird or LB, responded to human company and showed remarkable trust and attachment. During my daily contact with him I watched him perform many tasks. These observational snapshots have given me a window into his world and allowed me to share some of his busy life in all its ups and downs. He watched me in my garden long before he trusted me enough to see I was on the side of small birds and that I would be there for him in his hour of need and what he needed most in his life was food.

Packed with information and tips on materials and techniques, the book is a visual delight as well as a practical. Best-selling authors Tracy Boomer and Deborah Morbin said in their first book that they would decoupage the sky if they could reach it. Since then it's become even easier to decorate just about anything you can imagine with decoupage by making use of serviettes and the variety of special mediums for applying them to different base materials. With a text once again written with the infectious enthusiasm and humour that contributed to record sales on both their earlier books Tracy and Debbie guide you through the basics, share the results of their extensive experimenting with you by way of useful hints and tips, and tell you how to complete more than 30 projects using serviette decoupage. Decoupage with serviettes brings you as close to instant results as can be with some of the projects in this book taking no more than a couple of hours to complete. Packed with information and tips on materials and techniques, the book is a visual delight as well as a practical craft book with a wealth of innovative and original ideas. Projects have been carefully selected to cover a variety of base materials; each project is beautifully illustrated with specially commissioned photographs; steps are explained with easy to follow instructions; suggested alternatives help you create unique items; projects include paper tole and elevated images.

Following the same approach as the runaway bestseller, Jewellery in a jiffy, this follow up will not disappoint. Once again aimed at the impatient beader, it contains loads of original jewellery designs with the focus on crystals, pearls and gemstones. Some pieces can be completed in a few minutes while many others will take no more than an hour or two - quick results indeed. Pearls, crystals and gemstones all come in a dazzling variety of shapes and colours and were used either singly or in splendid combinations for necklaces, chokers, bracelets and earrings for every taste and occasion. Whether you want it glitzy and glamorous, sophisticated or casual, you will find suitable creative ideas and suggestions in this titel. Clear step by step instructions and photographs explain the amazingly simple techniques so anyone can achieve attractive results quickly and easily. A treasure trove of handcrafted jewellery, this title also has stunning commissioned photographs of all finished pieces.

Harsjuwele is baie maklik om te maak en die tegniek is ongelooflik veelsydig. Sara Naumann, 'n gewilde handwerkskrywer, wys jou hoe om pragtige harsjuwele met eenvoudige tegnieke en goedkoop materiaal vir mans en vroue te maak. Die juwele kan in 'n japtrap gemaak word en jy kan papier, lap, foto's, skulpe, droe blomme, naelpolitoer en ander materiaal by die hars voeg om unieke harsjuwele met 'n professionele, stylvolle voorkoms te skep. Meer as 50 projekte sal jou inspireer om jou eie harsjuwele vir jouself of as geskenke vir familie en vriende te maak. Dit is ideaal vir beginners en meer bedrewe handwerkers, maar wees gewaarsku - dit is verslawend! Wat hierdie boek uniek maak, is dat papier ingesluit word - die skeppings is dus eintlik papierjuwele. Ou papier soos kaarte en bladmusiek skep 'n vintage voorkoms terwyl fotoplakwerk- of origami-papier vars en kontemporer lyk. Die boek sal dus byval vind by papier- sowel as juweelhandwerkers.

Wax carving is like sculpture for jewellery and allows enormous creativity, as so many different forms can be made. This practical guide introduces the techniques to this age-old method through a series of guided exercises and projects, and demonstrates how exciting it can be. Drawing on the experience of two master wax-carvers, it also gives invaluable advice on the finish of your cast pieces and how to reproduce them. With over 400 colour photos, it give advice on setting up for wax carving, tools, tool-making and materials. There are exercises that introduce the beginner to using wax and then build ideas and confidence to try more complex designs. Included are advanced techniques that show how to use stones in a carving and how to add texture and surface detail. Finally, finished examples demonstrate the potential, excitement and versality of the method.

This collection of beautifully crafted decorative and functional items, from candleholders and wall clocks to fruit bowls and lampshades, finished with style and panache takes you where other mosaics books simply never arrived. With six previous best-selling craft books still in print, Deborah Morbin and Tracy Boomer have turned their undeniable talents toward the resurgence of the ancient craft of mosaics, bringing fresh, creative ideas that will appeal to all hobbyists. They know what works, they know what doesn't and they share this research and knowledge with you. Using their trademark humour and less-is-more approach, they take you through a range of projects that will instantly appeal. Their detailed instructions and helpful hints virtually guarantee success in either reproducing the projects in this book or using them as a basis for your own ideas, irrespective of your level of expertise.

Haiku - seventeen-syllable poems that evoke worlds despite their brevity - have captivated Japanese readers since the seventeenth century. Today the form is practiced worldwide and has become established as part of our common global heritage. This beautiful traditionally hand-bound volume presents new English translations of classic poems by the four great masters of Japanese haiku - Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki - accompanied by both the original Japanese and a phonetic transcription, and a photograph or artwork highlighting or echoing the poem's theme. With a timeless design, Haiku Illustrated is an expert introduction and celebration of one of the most beautiful and accessible forms of poetry in the world.

Retreats, hideaways, escape spaces - call them what you will, such havens offer us a personal, private and peaceful place to nest, nurture and take time out. These spaces offer the chance to create a completely unique interior. Be it a simple garden room, a homely shepherd's hut, a yoga-lover's cabin, a fishing lodge or summer house, a treehouse, a circus wagon, a purpose-designed garden smart pod or even a canal boat, the glorious retreats showcased here will provide inspiration for creating your very own place for escape or somewhere to enjoy favourite activities. Author Sara Bird reveals the essential elements of a soulful hideaway, from building materials to decorative details, and then explores 14 remarkable retreats in three chapters: Close to Home, On the Water and In the Wild. These are spaces designed for rest, relaxation, play and daydreaming either alone or en famille, as well as for their effects on our mental and physical wellbeing.