Diana Mini

I gave into temptation and bought a diana mini from lomography. I decided it was time i learnt how to take photographs and with the diana being a VERY simple camera, I couldn't go wrong! But I was mistaken. Its not that it's hard, more that i'm very unpracticed when it come to film photography. Ah well, at least most of the shots ca me out in one way or another. Here are some of my favourites x

Bunting

As I am on a very logn summer break, and un-employed, I decicded I would try my hand at making some paper bunting out of old maps. I think this new infatuation started when I saw this...

(It's a random window in Amsterdam, jealous of the pile of globes)

So i decided that as im definatly too poor too afford REAL globes of all sizes that I would channel my new love in a new way- bunting. pretty school fete/kids party I know, but I like it makes any boring wall more exciting instantly.

I found these maps in one of the local charity shops. The red and cream one is an ordinance survey map of the Torquay area and I think it's from 1946. Im not sure how old the other one is but it was slightly cheaper so im guessing not as old, its a 'Bartholomews revised half inch contoured map' of Exmoor. I used the old map of the two to make the bunting.

It was easy to make, just used a template I made of two triangles joined together and drew around it loads of times on the map then cut them out. I then folded them so they would hang over the sting. I measured the string and started using a bit of PVA glue to attach the flags at even intervals. I needed a bit more glue to stick the two halves of each flag together as the folds of the map were making them hang crooked and bent. Below are a few photos of them hanging in my room, I think I need to find a better home for them !!! x

New location

The floor is definatly better than a desk. Any day x

Darwin and things in cases.

My obsession with birds and beautiful things in cases has continued with a visit to Manchester Museum to see the Darwin exhibition and there general collection. Hundreds of perfectly preserved birds and many other creatures all stored in the dark cases at the back of the museum. May sound morbid to some of you but it fascinates me no end! Wish I had some better pictures, but I have some from the Darwin exhibition. x

http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/

Degree show

Well, tonight was my first experience of the infamous degree show, where three years worth of work comes to a close. We went along mainly to see some of the work that the third years had been producing as I haven't previously seen anything from them. The night proved to be very interesting. I was most taken by the nice little area of the handmade publications. There was a wide variety, some more professional looking than others, but to me it looked like a lovely little treasure trove, sadly I have no photos of it! I also like the branding on the D&AD third year show. They all produced work along the theme of the ampersand (&). There was also a lovely exhibition catalogue which was free!!! It contained information on all the students including a small selection of their work. The designing of the catalogue was done by some of the third years, and the cover folds out to create an exhibition poster.

I also picked up a nice selection of the business cards that were on offer. They were all very nice and made you want to read them, they all defiantly showed off peoples skills and personal styles well! (front and back views)

www.design-and.com

There were some other nice pieces from a few 3D design students, including soap jewelry an some kind of patterned plastic curtain/wall hanging. There was also a very amusing piece by one of the foundation students with very cute illustration, images below.

Vintage Printable

I have been lusting after Edward Lear's, The Parrots. A book with numerous hand drawn studies of al kinds of exotic parrots. Its being sold on Taschen books for £60 which is WAYYY out of my price range. I was admitting defeat until I came across a lovely little site- Vintage Printable. This site contains thousands of botanical and study drawings which are able to be printed free of charge! x

www.vintageprintable.com

Papermash

Heard of this website after reading through Living Etc where they had used some of their coloured tapes in an article. Its a really nice website which is really worth a look. I want everything! x

http://www.papermash.co.uk/