I have been experimenting with my first attempts at Bokeh, a photographic method using a camera, a 50mm lens with an aperture of 1.8 and a black stencil with a small heart cut out of it. It makes the lights come out heart-shaped!  Isn’t it pretty??

It is a long time since I have been given a book which I cannot stop looking at.  Today Owen gave me a fantastic book and I was dipping into it all day!  It is called Information is Beautiful, by David Candless.  Owen must know me very well…  This is a book which I wouldn’t have known how to find, but which I love.  It basically presents statistics (some comical, some sobering) in a graphical/visual format.  Information graphics at their best.

Here is an example:

I cannot believe how much the war is Iraq is costing, compared to how much it would cost to lift 1 billion people out of extreme poverty!!

This book is brilliant… I am hooked!

Apart from the ability to spell, perhaps?

I am working on some fairytale doodles for a project at work…  I wish it was for an actual fairytale!

At Christmas the Trinity staff Christmas party was cancelled due to snow.  It was rescheduled and took place last night.  There was a fancy dress theme of “A night at the movies”.  After an agonising time of trying to decide who to go as (on zero budget), I decided to go with what was a predictable choice for me: Elle Woods (Legally Blonde).

The problem was… What to wear?  And more to the point… I didn’t have a chihuahua!  Could I make one??  I had made sock creatures but…  Hmmmm….

I went to my chest of drawers to look for something vaguely dog-coloured that could be shaped to look like a dog!  I couldn’t find anything until… Oooh!  A bra?!  I couldn’t…Could I?  It wasn’t a good fit anyway!

1.  Cut the straps off
2.  Cut the underwire off
3.  The cover of the cup separates itself from the foamy bit, creating a ball shape.
4.  Stuff with toy stuffing and form head/body shapes

I have used buttons for the eyes and nose and the underwire for a tail.

It was important for Bruiser to be wearing his Harvard sweater, which I made from a vest and some felt.

Bruiser’s legs are made from fabric, filled with beans and covered in tights.

Here he is!

Elle Woods at your service!

Hangin’ out with Audrey!

To all the people I love….. xxx