Scales of Gold by Dorthy Dunnett, ISBN 0375704809
With the bravura storytelling and pungent authenticity of detail she brought to her acclaimed Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett, grande dame of the historical novel, presents The House of Niccolo series. The time is the 15th century, when intrepid merchants became the new knighthood of Europe. Among them, none is bolder or more cunning than Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges, the good-natured dyer's apprentice who schemes and swashbuckles his way to the helm of a mercantile empire.
The year 1464 finds Nicholas back in Venice. Plagued by enemies bent on dissolving his assets and smearing his character, he sets sail for Africa, legendary location of the Fountain of Youth, home to a descendant of Sheba and Solomon, and the source of gold in such abundance that men prefer to barter in shells. He will learn firsthand the brutality and grandeur of the Dark Continent, from the horror of the slave trade to the austere nobility of Islamic Timbuktu. He will discover, too, the charms of the beautiful Gelis van Borselen--a woman whose passion for Nicholas is rivaled only by her desire to punish him for his role in her sister s death. Erotic and lush with detail, Scales of Gold embraces the complexity of the Renaissance, where mercantile adventure couples with more personal quests behind the silken curtains of the Age of Discovery.
Sewing with Fabulous Vintage Fabrics
Luxurious linens, lovely old lace, charming chenille and cross-stitch, and timeless textiles: collectors who love beautiful antique fabrics and seamstresses who have classic clothing they'd like to repurpose will find inspiration in these 30 superb designs. There's something for everyone, including an exquisite christening gown adorned with lace, a denim jacket with a vintage fur collar, and a jaunty set of 1950s patterned cafe curtains. A blouse made from an elegant sheer curtain panel even has three variations; one is elegant and sophisticated, another features a cute strawberry print, and a third style showcases latticework from an old nightdress. Layout sketches for every article show clearly how each vintage textile, whether a doily or mid-century tablecloth, has undergone its transformation. "A Selection of the Crafters Choice Book Club.
Sewing with Fabulous Vintage Fabrics 
Curtains and draperies > Sewing with Fabulous Vintage Fabrics
C. F. A. Voysey by Wendy Hitchmough, ISBN 0714837121
From the 1890s until the outbreak of the First World War, C F A Voysey was one of the most successful and renowned British architects. His elegant, white-rendered houses with stone window dressings and sweeping green-slate roofs combined clarity with a sensual appreciation of natural materials. A designer of all things domestic, as well as an architect, he was often involved in every aspect of a house's interior from wallpaper, curtains and furniture to fire grates. Moreover, the fluid curves of his decorative designs and the elongated simplicity of his furniture prove him to be a vital historical link between the Arts and Crafts and the Modern movements.
As the first definitive account of Voysey's architectural career, this book combines contemporary sources -- photographs, quotations, original wallpaper designs and watercolour perspectives -- with specially commissioned photography of his houses.
C. F. A. Voysey by Wendy Hitchmough, ISBN 0714837121
Curtains and draperies > C. F. A. Voysey by Wendy Hitchmough, ISBN 0714837121
How to Bring the Outside Inside: Let Your Home Reflect the Seasons
Hip and contemporary, combining humor with comfort, Helen Ellery's signature look is inspired by the land and achieved through the use of texture, color, and witty literal references--such as a bright green carpet "growing" up the stairs like a strip of lawn. Presenting a fresh take on home design, Outside Inside is full of creative ways to make your home as uplifting as a garden, with inspiring images, sketches and step-by-step projects for changing your home easily and inexpensively with the seasons. Covering the entire creative process - from cultivating ideas to turning them into reality-it shows how to achieve a neutral backdrop with walls, floors, fixtures and fittings, and change the look with elements like curtains, blinds, cushions and throws.
How to Bring the Outside Inside: Let Your Home Reflect the Seasons
Curtains and draperies > How to Bring the Outside Inside: Let Your Home Reflect the Seasons
Stooge, The
Money isn't everything and Bill Miller is the guy who keeps proving it. He's carved out a modest niche as a singer in the off-off-vaudeville circuit. But suddenly his act is big news. Well not just his act. He's now teamed with a manic comic. Yet Bill can't admit that the reason for his success is The Stooge. One sings, one clowns...sounds like anyone you know? Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis bring their straightman-funnyman act to this show biz story set in the 1930s. Songs include "Who's Your Little Whozis?" and comedy moments include just about any time Lewis is on screen. Don't miss the fun when he turns Dino's "Just One More Chance" into a zany production number of rising curtains, falling sandbags and a flying comic-on-a-rope.
Stooge, The
Curtains and draperies > Stooge, The