This visually stunning and technically detailed book is an in-depth analysis of the materials and techniques used on thirty eight of the V&A's Renaissance frames. The book will teach the reader to recognise frame style, structure and surface decoration of the period, as well as additions and alterations and later frames in the style.

* First detailed technical analysis of the V&A's most important Renaissance frames

* Highly illustrated with 100 + colour photos of front back and details, digital reconstructions, section profiles, and illustrations of frame types, joints and mouldings.

* Provides a comparative reference for Renaissance frames in other publications

Christine Powell has worked at the V&A since 1993. She is a Senior Furniture Conservator specialising in gilt wood European Furniture, mirror and picture frames. She has also worked at The National Gallery London for seven years as conservator working on European painted and gilt wood altarpieces and frames and The Wallace Collection for two years on European gilt wood frames and furniture. She has taught and published articles on the history, materials techniques and conservation of gilding. Christine studied furniture making and restoration of furniture at the London College of Furniture (latterly the Metropolitan University) including wood finishing, carving and gilding. Before this she worked in private practice for furniture restoration and special paint effects firms. She also attended Epsom School of Art and Design.

Zoe Allen first joined the V&A in 2000 to work on gilt wooden objects for the British Galleries and returned to the V&A in 2003 where she has worked since as Frames and Gilded Furniture Conservator. Before joining the V&A full time she worked as a conservator for both public institutions, such as English Heritage, and private practices including projects at the Royal Academy, St Paul s Cathedral and Somerset House. Zoe has published articles on her work. After a first degree in French Literature, Zoe studied conservation at the City & Guilds of London Art School. Her training covered the conservation of objects made from wood, stone and other sculptural materials, gilding and decorative surfaces. Internships included the National Institute for Restoration, Croatia, the Royal Collection, London and the Museum of London.

Awaken your child's imagination while lulling them into a peaceful sleep in Christine Powell's imaginative new children's book, My Bed is... With its colorful pictures and exciting storyline, this is sure to become a favorite bedtime story for kids ages four to seven When a young boy simply can't close his eyes, his patient mother coaxes him to envision his bed as something other than a simple place to sleep. This promptly sends him off on a magical, imaginary journey right there in his own room

Poems from the heart is an emotional poetry book on real or fantasy experiences by me or people I have come to know. I wrote my first poem when I was 12. I think that behind every poem lies a deep emotional story. This is a big help when it comes to writing novels as I can feel every bit of a poem. The cover consists of a heart with a dagger through it cracking it and a halo round one side. I think this cover describes every emotion within the book. For example the heart is where the poetry comes from, the dagger represents the anger and the hate, the crack represents weakness (a heart will crack under pressure) the redness of the heart is the passion and happiness and the halo represents the strength and the mending of a heart. The fear is represented by the crack as well. Most of these poems are based on true life experiences. My favourite poem is "My saviour dreams" as it describes me, I feel that I waste my mind working like a robot in a factory when my ambition and passion for writing is so strong. I decided that poems from the heart should be my first published book because it was poetry that I started off doing. I have set out the poems in order going from weak to strong, love to hate and back to love. I thought it was important to show a strength coming from a weakness and that love and hate can be so similar. That fear can make you more weary of the world and the people in it. I have really enjoyed writing poems from the heart as I am enjoying writing my novel. The poems towards the end of the book i.e. The London bombs, my single last tear and my saviour dreams are some of the most recent ones. I just hope that people will enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed writingthem.