3/12/09:: Busy Beez

It's been an insane week here in Apartment 322! Josh has been gone for the week, so I've had the place to myself-- frantically working away in anticipation for my week in NYC. The goal was to finish reworking pieces for my portfolio as well as complete the coursework I'll be missing next week. *Wipes sweat off of brow*

Ollie and I have been spending loads of quality time together too. Movie nights and early morning coffees by the window.



Reworked version of my 3-DIMENSIONAL poster from my Advanced VisCom I last semester. It's a crappy screenshot + photo mockup of what the finished thing will look like. New layout and typography.


An original typeface I'm creating for my Typography IV class this semester. This is the very first sketch/drawing-- we had to just form the letters for 'Yankee Doodle went to town.' We had to choose an object, location, or event to inspire the typeface. My typeface is inspired my coffee sessions in Edinburgh. :D


Snuggling down with my bebes <3




Courtney and I went shoppppinngggg. I got some new things for spring! :)

9/26/09:: Oh, I'm getting one of these.

"Almost as much freedom as a birthday suit!!  Like a birthday suit, it stretches, twists, bends, and is wrinkle-resistant."

We really were doing it right in the 70s.

6/3/9:: Design Fail and The Bachelor

Another day of lazing.  I got up around 1pm, and I walked my unshowered self to HMV on Princes Street to buy the new PWolf album that was released on June 1st.  After seeing him perform it live and hearing it on myspace, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect-- I'd already memorized most of the tracks.  Still, I am floored by how powerful it is.  Can't wait to get it home and listen to it in my car.  I know at first I had my doubts about this new super-produced sound, but now I can't get enough of it.  Favorites: Hard Times, The Sun is Often Out, The Bachelor, Count of Casualty.

It was another day of watching my phone for Andy's call and trying to ignore the turning of the calendar.  

In other news, I have a motion piece due on Friday-- a title sequence for a television show called Get A Move On... a program about people buying and selling homes/property.  Since I don't have any video equipment here, I did a solid effort on putting together a stop-motion piece.  I was gutted to find that after three hours of work, I had made something shit-awful.  The camera was bouncing, the composition was stink, and the flash murdered everything.  I really hope I'm able to relocate my design talent over the summer...

Regardless, I've decided to give up on it and find something better to do on Friday than go to the critique.  I feel guilty, but it's not being assessed, and I know it won't matter.  Every time I get myself worked up over a project here, I am furious to find that it means nothing.  I guess I'm used to the pummeling CCS always gives to half-assed effort.  Also, I'm still a bit miffed at ECA about how I was treated when I turned in my assessment work.  I'll just make sure to make Friday count in some other way.

Speaking of assessment though... I go to view the senior's degree show tomorrow, as well as get my final marks for the two terms.  Should be an interesting day to say the least... 

We are the makers of music.

We are the dreamers of dreams.

2/18/9 :: New Reads

Three new books today.  Starting with Burgess, and then moving into Kafka shortly after.  Got new shoes too.  No more soles flopping off for me.   Saw Slumdog Millionaire at the Odeon with friends at 8:15pm.  I am SO tired of the childhood-friends-destined-to-be-lovers theme.  It seems to be the hottest new STD in Hollywood, and I'm bored.  

NEXT.

Need to do a proper update with photos of some of my clothing purchases-- of which there have been many.  For someone who is as unfashionable as I am, I sure can spend a lot of dough.

1/27/9 :: Analogue Fetish

I was only in the studio for a short bit today before I decided to head into town.  I went back to my favorite bookstore here, Analogue, and bought two new design books-- including the one above.  When I walked in the store, the store owner was listening to Jens Lekman.  I told him he had great taste.  I've gone in about twice a week since I arrived in this city.  I think he thinks I'm a creep.

  I'm going to be designing a website as part of my corporate identity project, and considering the company is an ecommerce site, the web portion of the project is vital.  The book was only 5 pounds, and it's pretty good.  Thumbs up.

1/25/9 :: Burn's Day

I slept in today, and then had the most lovely day.  I planned some activities for myself, starting with going to The Royal Museum of Scotland.  I took pictures from the terrace on top of the building, including the one above.  The views from up there are aaaamazing, but unfortunately, they keep you gated so far from the edge that it's hard to get a picture without a load of concrete at the bottom.  Also, it helps if you take notice that you've set your camera on manual focus.  Most of my pictures were blurry-- I'm such a turd.

Today was Burn's day, a holiday in celebration of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.  It's tradition to read his poetry and eat the national dish, haggis.  I didn't have any haggis today though-- for shame.  The museum was packed because of it, so I didn't stay long.  I bought some postcards for everyone back home, and took myself grocery shopping.  I made myself a proper lunch and just relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

In the evening, I joined Joe, Shonagh, Sarah, Kirtsen, and Anna at a gorrrrgeous italian restaurant on George Street called Gusto.  I ordered the most delicious pasta with salmon and lots of cocktails!  Afterward, we went to my favorite pub, The Tron.  I don't think I've ever laughed so much.  I love it here.  I don't think I'm ever going to want to leave.

1/24/9 :: Practical Matters

Today was a lazy day.  I was meant to go out with some of the girls, but I spent the day in recovery from the past few nights.  I walked up to Princes Street (above), but I convinced myself not to buy anything.  The shops on Princes Street are lethal, especially this great paper shop called Paper Chase.  I spent 50 quid (the equivalent of 75 dollars) there the other day.  I might be developing a bit of a paper problem.

1/17/9 :: Shopping and The One Below

Today was probably my best day in Edinburgh to date. Couldn't possibly just choose one, so I chose two pictures for today:  the bottom picture is me and two of my classmates at the club "The One Below."  Shonagh (left) and Shannon (right).  The top one is of me and Joe, who you've already heard loads about.

During the day, Shonagh took me shopping around Princes Street and George Street.  I got a great dress, a pair of heels, a tank, and a belt.  I'm so glad that Shonagh was with me because they take fashion here seriously, and I haven't got a clue.

Afterward, again, there was another fabulous meal prepared by Joe, getting ready, and then drinks.  Not as many people showed up to go out as we'd expected, but for me, it was just right.  We drank at home because the bar was going to be very expensive.  When we got there, we piled into this little glowing booth, hooked my ipod into the wall, and played my music.  (Haley, that mix you made for me came in especially handy!)  Every one kept complimenting me on my dress, which made me feel great, and Joe gave me encouragement about wearing heels when drunk throughout the night.  I almost made it the whole way home in them, but changed them just before we left the bar.  I'm glad I remembered to stash a pair of flats in my purse. 

After a bit of dancing and many, many photos, I headed back to Joe's flat to pass out on the sofa.  I fell asleep just after the 'Sweet Transvestite' portion of Rocky Horror.  Perfect end to any night.

1/16/9 :: Escape

When you are little, the best days are the ones where you wake up, flip on the tv, and see glorious news that school has been cancelled.  Well, as you get older, the novelty of getting out of school never really wears off.  Today, after our morning crit, Joe and I escaped the studio for a day of shopping and relaxing.  We decided early on that we owed ourselves a night out.

We paraded around Princes Street and got properly cold and wet in the gorgeous Edinburgh weather.  I tried on some clothes at a really fun shop here called Top Shop.  I bought the shirt-dress that I'm wearing in the picture above.  Also, feel free to squint and perv on Joe's room. 

When we got back to Joe's flat, he made me a wonderful dinner followed by drinks.  We went over to Jesse and Tamsyn's  flat, and I think this was my first night out with friends where I never felt uncomfortable or excluded.  It was woooonderful.  I am, however, coming down with what seems to be an awful cold.  Euro germs!