Breaking the Law

Hello all. I would like to apologise to anyone who read my last blog, which ended "watch this space" in regards to finishing the law assignment. That was a hell of a long space and I hope you weren't watching. Why did I think I could do that in one day? I seem to have all sorts of ambitious deadlines at the moment, that never seem to be met. Must try and be more realistic from now on.
I ended up doing the law assignment over four days, in the evenings only, as I hated giving up more than one day for it. I trotted off to the post office with it this morning. Was I glad to see that one go, I tell you.

So now, I appear to have only one subject to complete. To an outsider this would probably seem like a very achievable task.....maybe even an easy one. But no, it is the most difficult thing I have attempted to do in my life and I aint got much time left in which to do it. Thank God for all my fellow sufferers and the blogging system. Reading all those messages and thoughts certainly makes you feel part of a team (even if that team is full of quivering wrecks and alcoholics! I love you guys!)

Anyway, I can never post a blog without a picture, so this is one of my precedent images,(for my large body of reflective water) and it is a photo of the lake near my Mums house in Oz. Maybe one day I will see it (and her) again?

Bye!

Paradise by Way of Kensal Green

I did not know it at the time, but Saturday was the last day off I am having until June. I am now extremely glad that I got out and about in the rare sunshine, because it probably topped up my vitamin D levels enough to prevent me from becoming completely anaemic and depressed by then.

It was a lovely day and I went for a walk through Kensal Green cemetery, which is near where I live. It runs along side the canal and is very beautiful. It looks especially amazing at the moment as there are carpets of spring flowers swamping the crooked headstones. They are literally pushing up daisy's in there. If this course kills me, this is where I want to go!

Today I am up and tackling the law assignment. Hopefully it is possible to do in one day, cos that is how long I have given myself. I will post a blog if I am successful....watch this space.

Here are some photos of Kensal Green and an interesting detail on a gate at Ladbroke Grove that I have always liked. Simple but effective.

Bye!

The Monday Blues

Well, the first Monday back was as much of a blow to me as it would be for Jamie arriving to find everyones work beautifully annotated. i.e: A complete shock.
My head is spinning with everything I need to do, but I am determined not to shed another tear over this degree, so I am trying to toughen up and not get overwhelmed by all the work yet to do. However, whilst at Avery Hill this afternoon, I was so overwhelmed that I quit my job a month earlier than planned. I will be cash poor, but slightly time richer, so it will be worth it really. Jackie figured out we have 24 days until D day and that gave me all the reason I needed to lose the job and gain some sanity (or was that insanity?). That is not even a month.....how scary is that?
OK, that is enough freaking out. The second glass of red is starting to reduce my stress levels, in a very effective way, so by glass three I should be fine. (If I am not a not an alcoholic by the end of this degree, I will be very suprised)

Cheers!

Back to work.

Just posting another sequential image, to prove I didn't spend the whole weekend looking for chicken cartoons. This one is of the ornamental gardens leading up to the garden festival area. I have spent nearly a day arranging my sequential images on A1 sheets. Presentation is just as time consuming as producing the work. Tomorrow I have to go to work, then come home to tackle finishing the planting plan, which needs annotation. I am starting to tick things off the very long list I have. I am just scared that the list will be added to again after going back to Uni next Monday.......scary thought. Roll on June (but not too quickly)

Easter Prayer

Well here I am on Easter Sunday attending the Church of Blog, of which I am a devout follower. It is great because it is Easter all year with the blog religion, at least thats what it feels like with all the constant chocolate.
After I have worshipped at the blog alter, I am going to give an offering to Photoshop, and then take the afternoon off and have lunch with friends (oh, and eat more chocolate)

I wasn't planning on getting up early this morning, but there is a bird in our neighbourhood, that makes the most annoying sound. It is pitched at such a level which, without fail, wakes me up before any alarms. Maybe Richard can identify the bird if I describe the sound. It is like either a squeaky bicycle wheel going around and round, or someone inflating an air mattress with a leak. I can't seem to spot the bloody thing, so it must be small, but the sound permeates the whole area. I am thinking about getting a cat. My boyfriend says he thinks it is looking for a mate and that the noise will stop when it gets laid.

My prayer to the Church of Blog this morning is 'please get this bird a bird, before I get a shotgun' Amen

Sequential images

Once again I find myself spending way too much time on one particular task. Often when I have spent a couple of hours rendering in photoshop, I find I don't like the result. After a few false starts I have found the style that I am going to use for my imagery on this project. I am posting the first sequential image I have been happy with. Now that I have made the mistakes, hopefully the rest will be alot less time consuming.

Walking down the main avenue to the ornamental gardens.

Leaflet

Here is the outer half of my leaflet. The tree is the front cover, the small leaves and details are the back and the larger leaves and text are the first inner fold.
Although it was really time consuming I enjoyed doing it, as it was a break from all the other work and like they say a change is as good as a holiday (although I don't feel that way about the law assignment).

and then everyone came back!

Just when I was worrying it was all going quiet there in Cyberspace, all my fellow GD's hop back on board. Let it be said that you can always count on a Garden Designer! Nice to see all the leaflets too. There seems to be a range of styles, and interesting ideas. I have finished mine and will post an image next time.
I sent off for Graduation tickets today (please God, don't let this be a jinx to my actually completing this degree) Felt very weird to be perfectly honest, but it is a light at the end of the tunnel, so I am staying positive. Hope you all have sent off as well cos I don't want to wear that ridiculous hat all on my ownsome!

Is anyone out there?

Well things are pretty quiet on the blogging front. I keep procrastinating from more pressing matters and have a quick browse of the blogs, and no-one is writing anything......is this because you are all being way more disciplined than me or are you all on holidays?
I have been spending way to long on the rendering of my plan.....days in fact. Stupid really, but I find rendering with photoshop a trying process, as what looks great on the screen, generally looks crap when I print it out. I also phaffed around experimenting with an abstract approach, which I liked, but I couldn't decide what colour to make the large body of water in my design. Everything I tried ended up being to overpowering, so I ended up going full circle and back to choosing colours with more realism. I am posting what I have done so far. Still need to put in people and my show garden (and of course annotation!)
I am also attempting my setting out drawing (why did I put in so many curves?) and so far it aint going too smoothly. I am going to pencil in and then show Jamie or Andrew, before it gets inked. As for drainage overlays......so uninspiring, I just end up cleaning the flat instead. In fact the place has never looked so clean and tidy (amazing what a few deadlines looming over your head does for housework)