'It was a difficult but nostalgic time, being 15'.

Hello, art blog! Long time, no see!

This month has been veeeery busy. Sorting out student finance and accommodation, having a part-time job, stuff at home as well as getting college work done! I don't mind, though, it certainly keeps me occupied.

I almost went nuts yesterday, because I thought my memory card had broken. My computer was registering it (as in, it would make the 'new hardware detected' beep) but it wasn't showing up under My Computer and Windows Media Centre hadn't kicked in, so I thought my card had kicked the bucket. Apparently ... it hasn't quite as I tried again tonight and it's fine; but as it's been playing up for a while now I think I'd better start using my spare one.

These photos of my table in progress were taken ... ooh, a couple of weeks ago now, I'd think:




Ah, maybe it was later on as the bottom of the table was already papered with words. Today I managed to complete papering the table, and it's in the process of being varnished now so everything's all nice and sealed. What are the words, you ask?



They're all handwritten memories, written on crinkly brown paper towels. I love the texture of these things, and paired with written 'diary entries' or memories - it gives a really nice historical feel. As part of my final major project I'm covering - or rather, covered, as it's now done - a table in this, and in it a doll will be displayed along with battery-powered lighting. A handmade book with lino-prints will be with it, too - a fairytale story about a prince and a flower-girl.

And now for something less twee: this table's compartment was lined with green padded satin with tassels. This looked pretty tacky, in my opinion (I'm sure someone out there would have loved it, but it wasn't me). However, the appearance was nothing compared to the odour - the previous owner had left in a couple of mothballs, and the smell of them was awful. Really, really overpowering. Thankfully there's a candle shop near the college, and I ended up going down there in my afternoon break to get a wax tart (what?! That's what Yankee Candle call them!) just to freshen this thing up, and even then I had to leave the table open for a while. It's worked a huge treat in there, and also worked quite nicely on the doll I made for the exhibition too (who had to be stained and made to look less neat - this included various types of coffee, tea, asking my friends who smoked to stub their cigarettes out on her clothing after they were done, and bits of charcoal).






Aaaand some shots of my studio diary, which is a converted old photo album I had. I love sticking samples and photos into it.

(Yes, the words Lino Printing are meant to be backwards.)