Some time ago I had planned a web site called Cheltonia.  Imagine my surprise, whenI discovered a blog called Cheltonia!  This web site is way better than what I wanted to do with it, so hats off.  I found it fascinating.

I don’t know if you remember our sitting room….?

Lemon yellow padded wallpaper, with a blue and pink border, a vile poo and custard ‘pub’ carpet, a monstrocity of a glass yellowed lampshade and some curtains made out of, well, bandage plaster?!

Here is a quick refresh:

carpet – mmmmm!

monster/wallpaper and border

appalling curtains.

We are making progress.  The wallpaper has come off (along with half the wall, so lining paper has been hung….) a new lampshade has been fitted (will show you later), new curtains and a free (but originally very expensive) brushed chrome curtain pole has been hung (how I love freecycle!).  We have done one layer of white paint and peeled back the carpet to reveal bare floorboards (belt sander here we come!) and some rather nice tiles.  I think I will re-patch them and design some kind of little feature…

Ahhhh the difference without that minging carpet is astonishing!!

The interesting tiles.  I will have to think of something creative here.
My first savings project after I start work is for a new sofa, after I have paid off my iMac.  I am hugely grateful for the rust coloured freecycle old peoples’ home style ones we have at the moment (at least they are comfortable and in good condition!) but it will be nice when we can get a more fitting one.

Total cost of living room so far:  1 tin of paint, one bucket of wallpaper paste, 2 rolls of lining paper, one pair of curtains, one lampshade (£5 in B&Q sale – winner!).  BARGAIN!

It is one month today until I finish uni …. PANIC!!!!!  Things are coming together, slowly but surely.  After I have finished, we have a degree show at the campus (29th May onwwards – come to the private view!!)  Then we have a show at Elmwood, Soho on 10th June, D&AD at Earl’s Court from 29th June- 1st July then a show at Centrespace Bristol on 2nd July.  Phew!

I got this through today on University email… (edited by moi in pink)

Dr David Biggs, our Post Grad Director in Occupational Psychology will be discussing amid other things, the pending release of Terminator 4 which in turns (how many turns, exactly?) sparks debate about the varying forms of artificial intelligence and expert systems writing out psychometric profile reports for people from ethnic minorities…(WHAT?!?!?!  Why do you need an ‘expert system’ to write out a psychometric profile report for people from ethnic minorities??  Dare I suggest that you go and TALK to a person from an ethnic minority?!?!  Oooh shock horror!  These three subjects have little to do with one another as I can see and therefore require clarification, rather than just reeling them off as if you will know exactly what the tenuous link should be!) More information to follow, but for now, please pencil this date in your diaries!  (er… No thanks!)

• Open to all – bring a friend/neighbour!  (especially if they are an ethnic minority – keeps our equal opps stats up)
• Admission is free (I am not surprised!)
• Bar food available
• First drink is kindly sponsored by The University of Gloucestershire. (Only the one mind, whoever gets it is he lucky one!)
  

I have been taken some sneaky photos around Cheltenham today of people enjoying the sunshine for one of my projects.  Old people always amuse me the most…

Hasn’t this sweet little old lady got the most wrinkly face you have EVER seen? ?  The poor old dear looks like a brain!  Love it.

I was driving the other day and noticed how many people were wearing high visibility jackets for no real reason.  For example, a group of men standing on the pavement counting cars going up Albert Road.  Why wear flourescent jackets?  I mean, I can understand if you are putting out traffic cones on the motorway at night, that it might be a good idea to “Be Safe Be Seen”, but really, in broad daylight, on the pavement, whilst standing still counting cars???!

So I am starting a series on my blog for as and when I can catch the culprits of unnecessary high-viz.   Today’s culprit….  The milkman.  Dude, you are driving a milk float.  It goes at about 10mph max.  People WILL notice you.  When you get out of it, you go onto the pavement and up someone’s driveway.  Do you need one?  No.

Where’s Wally?

I drew this sketch of Paul Weller as part of my YCN entry… I won’t post the rest of the entry as it has not yet been judged!!  The brief was for Beck’s Fusions – festivals by Beck’s that amalgamate music and art in a live experience.  The brief was to visually represent the fusion of music and art to be used across all promotional aspects: print, outdoor, packaging, new media, signage etc etc.

I produced a series of ‘iconic’ miniatures of pop heroes to appear under the bottle tops of the beers…  I shall say no more.

Every now and again I get friendship requests on Facebook from people that I don’t know from Adam.  I get a little fed up – they are usually men, with no reason to add me.  Today’s was a classic and I felt it was time to name and shame the culprit….(Yes my Facebook is pink)…

Mmmm attractive.  Not exactly an oil painting is he?  Apart from that, would you give this man a job?  His political opinions are his own and his religion is alcoholism.  Such prospects.

Sorry mate.  <click> IGNORE </click>

Today is Lucy’s birthday.  Lucy is one of the best people I know.  We headed to B-Ten for a curry and much hilarity ensued.  We all had a lovely time and then the birthday cake came out….

With it, was a card, from the curry house.  How sweet!  Lucy opened it and then we all saw her face adopt a slightly confused expression before she exploded with laughter.  We all passed the card round…

I am not sure if you can read it…. But it says “To a very special niece” !!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  I actually wept.

Hope you had a great day Lucy Lu!

This did make me laugh…..