On a Motorway...

Ok so I spoke too soon. We do have broadband at the flat and the study is coming on by leaps and bounds (thanks to ‘im outdoors), but there is something wrong with my computer which means that it is becoming very sluggish. And anyone who has ever tried to use Photoshop when your computer has slowed to the speed of the M25 in rush hour will know the sort of frustration I am struggling with.
Little does it know that this mean we will be wiping its brains and starting again (I’m writing this at work). Hopefully this will sort it out, as I’ve lots of projects that I am desperate to get started on, but there isn’t much point if I can’t get the thing to go.

Also as I’ve finished studying the CWI website design course (although I’m still waiting for paperwork from them about this) I’ve just signed up for A363 Advanced Creative Writing with the Open University. I’m so glad I’ve kept up my writing with the writers group at work. Which leads nicely into the fact that the group met for the last time this ‘year’ today. We’ll be meeting again in September. There were many people there so I didn’t get to read my work out but I’ll still post it below.
The starting point is the sentence; You're on a motorway and there's a car out of control coming towards you...

It’s not like in the movies; no car’s flying through the air or exploding. Most people have seen the black BMW coming towards them on the wrong side of the motorway, and moved out of the way.
There are a few bumps but no injuries and it looks like we might be able to stop this idiot before there are any fatalities.
We’ve stopped as much traffic as we can and now I’m standing in the shadow of my unmarked car with the stinger in my hands ready to deploy.
‘Ready Kate?’
That’s a tire deflation device in the handbook, but anyone who’s watched any sort of police TV programme should know what I’m talking about.
‘Yes sir.’
The problem is that too many people have seen these TV shows so I have to get my timing just right.
‘Suspect one mile away.’
If I fling it out in front of him too early and he sees it and knows what it is, he’ll try and go round it.
‘All units ready.’
If I do it too late, it won’t do its job and stop him. Of course it’s all going to happen really fast.
He’s travelling at well over 100 mph and from what I’ve heard he does not want to be caught, but then he has done a pretty nasty thing.
‘Suspect in sight!’
I can hear it now, the growl of his engine coming at super speed followed by two whaling squad cars. They know what’s coming so they are easing back so they don’t deflate too, but gently so he’s not aware of what’s coming.
I can normally see the drivers eyes by the time I do this, but this time his eyes are covered by the shades he is wearing, and I’m glad because I don’t want to look into these eyes.

The Uniform Project

I quite liked working at the supermarket when I was a student. Mostly because we got to eat the cheese off the deli. But also because we had a uniform and I didn’t have to think about what to wear everyday.
Now I work in an office and I’ve made up a kinda uniform out of pretty skirts and t shirts so getting dressed half asleep isn’t too much of a chore.
But what about having one dress and then reinventing that dress every day for a year?

This is what Sheena Matheiken has pledged to do.
Starting May 2009, she has pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Here’s how it works: There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day she will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies. Think of it as wearing a daily uniform with enough creative license to make it look like she just crawled out of the Marquis de Sade's boudoir.

The Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums.

The photos go up daily on The Uniform Project, and I’m amazed at the variety of outfits she has managed to put together over the last 2 ½ months.
I look forward to seeing what else she can come up with. Good luck Sheena.

Alien Planet Photos

At some point in the last couple of crazy months I know I mentioned the fact that ‘im outdoors was displaying his photos at the local Doctors. As I finally have a computer that works and have been able to download my photos at last I can finally show you how good they look.
To see more of his work go to Alien Planet.

Nearly Finished

How exciting is this? I am sitting in our ‘study’ typing on my computer which is all set up and connected to the internet!! Ok so the room still needs some work, but we’re connected to the net and that’s the thing I’ve really missed. It also means that I now have no excuse for not blogging and I can try and get more posts up this month than the four from June (and May).
The living room is pretty much finished, it just needs some pictures on the walls, but ‘im outdoors has so many we haven’t been able to decide which ones yet.
I can’t believe how much space we have, even with a table, six chairs, a sofa, a fish tank and all the shelving.

Before:

After:

We’ve painted the kitchen and given the hall a freshen up and except for some shelving in cupboards that we need to add, and finishing sorting my junk at my parents house we are very nearly there. It’s a good feeling.

(Does Ikea furniture count as hand made if we put it all together ourselves?)

Reading the Post

Sorry I haven’t blogged for a bit. We’ve got Graduation at work this week so I've been rather busy with student results and transcripts in the last couple of weeks. At home we’ve been busy painting and finally have a living room which looks like a home. I’ll be posting photos as soon as I have access to a computer to down load them!
The last room to do is the ‘study’ and I’m really excited. 1. I’m really excited about having it all finished (after the ‘study’ we just need to give the hall a quick coat of paint then its all done – well except for the garden!) and 2. I can’t wait to have a proper room to work in, with lots of space and a place for everything. And a computer with internet at home. It’s amazing how much I’ve missed it.

Anyway today we had a writer’s group meeting. A smaller meeting than normal as most students have gone home and people are busy with Graduation but it was still a good session. Last times home work was to ‘describe or invent a time you (or a character you're writing about, if that makes it easier) read someone else's post. What did it reveal to you about the person? And how did you feel about yourself?’
This is what I wrote. I meant to write more but ran out of time.

I had to really shove the door to get it open, and when there was finally enough room for me to squeeze through the gap I could see why. Envelopes and newspapers were piled up behind it in a multi coloured heap.
I started to collect it, trying to sort it as I went, but in the end there was just too much so I gathered it to my chest and walked it into the kitchen, leaving a trail of plastic covered brochures which had slithered out of my arms.
I couldn’t believe how much post and junk mail a little old lady could receive in two weeks. Ten daily news papers – the daily mail, as well as the mail on Sunday with all its supplements. Begging letters from every charity under the sun, full of free pens to help you write that cheque and photos of suffering children/cats/dogs/donkeys/bears/whales, select as appropriate, to make you feel as guilty as hell.
I’d gone back and picked up all the brochures and magazines that I’d dropped. National Trust, RHS, RSPB, cloths/travel/food for the over 60s.
And then to one side a small pile of serious brown envelops which would all need to be read carefully and then replied to, mostly with the sad news that my grandma had died.

This months group really reminded me how much I like to write. I hope that I'll have much more time for it over the summer - its ages since I've sent anything out, or even writen anything that would be good enough to send out.

A Brand New Bed

Before...

After...
So the bedroom has been painted and best of all the new bed has arrived.
As you can see we’ve gone from a deep pink to a lovely light green and have matched our curtains and bedding, as you do.
Best of all the bed is hand made so keeping in line with the handmade pledge.
Ours is an Apple bed from Warren Evans. I got the big king sized so ‘im outdoors won’t have his feet hanging over the edge and it only took 10 days to be delivered. I was very impressed with the service, from ordering to arrival, they were very helpful and ‘im outdoors said he didn’t even have time to open all the post before they had the bed up and ready.
Tonight is the first sleep. Fingers crossed that its as comfy as it looks!

Trunkt

I’ve just found another fab website. It’s called trunkt and is an online portfolio for people to display their work. There are some really lovely things on here and it’s the sort of place wholesalers would look for stock for their shop. If you’ve been on etsy I’m sure you’ll recognise some of the products on show too.
If nothing else it’s a great place to get ideas about how to photograph things, like my books, to get the best out of them.

Alien Planet photo gallery

I thought you might like to know that ‘im outdoors has just started his first exhibition! The local doctor agreed to let him display his work in the waiting room of the surgery along with some business cards. It’s like having his very own gallery. Lucky boy.
I haven’t seen the prints in situ yet, but they looked stunning in the kitchen, so hanging in their own space they must look fab. I know that they have all had a very positive reception so far, and I can’t wait to have my own viewing.
Good work chicken.