midnight oil

I can't believe how quick the last three months have gone by- it seemed there was ages to get all the work for college done.  I don't know what happened really, I had such good intentions about blogging, I was going to post once a week, and take lots of photos, reflect on all my work, and then life got in the way.  I was doing alright at the beginning of term, but got more and more behind, started to feel despondent, didn't have anything to blog about, and felt generally negative about everything for a while, until the weather improved and the gardening season kicked off.  After that I was so busy doing hard work and getting dirty that I had not much inclination to blog after dinner- I kept trying to but found myself waking up with the laptop humming on my lap and my hands hovering over the keys, having started to write something and fallen asleep in the process.  
A spell of rainy weather allowed time to catch up with Andy's project, but the fashion design stuff stalled instead.  Have had financial problems as well, which has at least stopped me from running around like an idiot burning diesel, but has left me a bit isolated, not seen any friends or my uncle, sister, anyone for months, hardly even seen my kids, and keep running out of essential things, like logs, and food!!  
Starting a new job was good, it's a great job, but it's hard to get it all done in the time i'm paid for, I have been putting in extra hours so I don't get a massive backlog or have to dump it on someone else, which will be ok after tomorrow, but has meant even less time to draw and design. 
On the bright side.  If it weren't for the blog being neglected for so long I would have got finished on time, and been able to hand in sketchbooks with dry glue in them for a change.  I finished the exhibition project last weekend, all done and dusted and packed up ready to go, which is a first for me, usually it is up all night and still frantically sticking things in up to the last minute, as there is never enough time to do all the things I had in mind to begin with.  
I now have evolved a rough system which assumes sketchbook taking a day, and using all the bits that didn't make it on the board to illustrate it.  I love making the book covers and arranging all the contents, it's like making scrapbooks as a kid.  I prefer to leave assembling the sketchbook until the last minute, as it is all fresh in my mind for the presentation and means I don't have to rehearse or think about what to say- I use the book as prompt notes, and because it goes together at the end I can be sure it is in a logical order.  fairly sure. 
I have been more realistic about time planning this term, I became aware of how long there was left, and how that was going to coincide with lots of work and demands on time, so I simplified the plans for both projects.  I would have loved to make a film for the exhibition project, but to do it justice would have taken too much time, too much to learn all in one go, so i used the storyboard i'd already begun to make a poster display instead.  it's halfway there! i know it is not the challenge it should be as far as my development is concerned, but it did make it possible to hit the deadline, and i'm happy with the result.  if i'd made a video and it had gone horribly wrong i'd have had to abandon the course it think, it was hard to keep going this term, i just felt the whole time that i was behind, didn't know what i was doing, why i'm doing this to myself, how on earth i was goin to get finished.  came within a gnat's whisker of giving up altogether, but remembered how miserable i was before i started, and how much it helps to see college friends, (that is so good, it's a really supportive environment, i feel i can really be myself at college, and be accepted, it's marvelous!) and how good it is to have challenges set, things to do, researching, drawing, doing all the things i love to do, but never have time for unless they are for college! so i got on and did what i could.  very sorry about the punctuation, spelling and lack of caps.  really tired and need to stop as it is almost 2 am.  zzzz

customer service

This week I have had two experiences of customer service, one really good and one dreadful, well, the corporate side of it anyway.  I don't think this is terribly relevant as far as design is concerned, but as a hopeful internet trader, I thought these different experiences and the way they made me feel are useful to observe.

Make Do and Mend Part Two

Ready to sew on the binding and repair the rips, used some trimmings left over from corset making to cover the tear and hold the edges together, and put another piece on the other side to nearly match - the rips were pointing in different directions on each side.

Make Do and Mend, a practical exercise

The job so far- inside.

While contemplating college projects and getting nowhere, I thought it would help to do something practical, and remembered the cloak i started in 2009 when it was snowy for ages and i was frozen. i had bought a luxury lambskin coat for £2 at a charity sale, absolutely gorgeously soft and warm, but about 3" too short for my etiolated arms, so i decided to make it into a cloak, as i have been wanting one for ages.

Snow in Barton le Street

 Seeking inspiration and fresh air I went for a walk up the hill in the snow.

first post - austerity

Well, here goes!

austerity supper

potatoes selected to fit ovens

reflecting on my research into austerity in 1941, I find I am living it! my life seems to consist of making do and mending, a good deal of thrift, and occasional food shortages! especially when the fridge is kaput and I have to use the big one outside (aka carrier bag in hanging basket).  I'm SO happy that coffee is not rationed.