*** having an excuse to bake ***

As it is christmas time I have been a-baking again... I must admit, for christmas time, I have been baking way too little. But even just these couple of cookie batches made me happy.

I must admit, usually I face some amount of guilt when I bake, because I do it for the act of baking and not the result: I tend to serously overspend on ingredients for something I don't even neccessarily want to eat. Now I have a REASON: It's Christmas! Baking belons Christmas...

Dark chocolate-chip vanilla cookies and white chocolate and rum cookies. Mmmmmm.

*** chickens ***

I've always wanted a chicken. A baby chick to raise into a prize winning, egg-laying, hen [priscilla]. This video makes me want a chicken even more.


Video from here.

*** diagrams ***

No need for explanations. Just two plain cool diagrams:






From here.

*** ...some things ***

Nothing profound, just, in the spirit of the nature of my blog: some things I liked...





Images from this blog I really liked too.

*** whimsical shit... ***

Today I was doing some frantic last minute christmas shopping before I leave for Germany tomorrow. One thing I dislike intensely about modern society (and for some reason I find this more poignant in the UK) is that the shopping experience is turning into such a monotonous one. All the shops in all the high streets are almost identical: McDonalds, WHSmith, Primark, Poundland, Greggs, Starbucks, Costa Coffee etc etc etc: the list is endless. Also more and more shiny glass malls are sprouting up inbetween the old fashioned builings Europe is lucky to have...

So today when I got out of the subway and a girl handed me a beautifully designed flyer I paid little attention to it, thinking "ag, just some party somewhere... again..." But then I fell for the quaint illustration on it and upon closer inspection I saw it was a flyer for a new shop that had recently opened.

I was very excited to find a "fun and accessible retail platform for indie craft & design- a quirky little cosmos of vintage lifestyle and culture..." called "Maisonette", tucked away in a vibey side street just off Byres Road in Glasgow. If you are a sucker for what I call 'whimsical shit' check it out.


Have a look at their website.

*** children's magic ***

Like I have said in a previous post: I really like children's drawings. There's something beautiful about the way children think: untainted by bad experience, unrestriced by logic and wildly imaginative. They are filled with magic you only get from this kind of perception... What more can I say?

I found these images "bringing children's drawings to life". Too awesome for words.




[click for larger image size]


Images from here.

*** this picture ***

For lack of a better title: I really like this picture. One of my best[est] friends sent me this link today on facebook. I canned myself. [Thanks Chanel x]

Image from the bored ninja.

*** learning new things ***

Not that I like my animation- it is so not my style I could vomit every time I look at it, but I thought it's about high time that I post something that I made... Working in Maya frustrates me endlessly and I miss doing things with my HANDS, working purely on a computer is against all beliefs I have relating to design. The next project I do will definately involve more "manual labour"!

In a more positive light though, it's great learning new skills and I feel privileged to be able to do a postgrad course. Another year of student life is the best choice I could have made. And Maya is slowly growing on me, the more I learn the more I enjoy it. Who knows, maybe in a couple of months I will love it. Too sad that this part of my life will be over in just 9 months.

Unfortunately the video uploads i tried on the blog are really bad quality, so here are just some stills. Have a look at the animation here.





























Animation done by me, brief by Glasgow School of Art, Audio by Kostas Masorakis.

*** funny coincidences ***

For the sequence of events to make sense that I am about to tell you about, it is important to know that for a while now I have been hearing about one of my flatmate’s friends whose very unfortunate name is “Guy Cockhead”. That is his real name. Poor Guy.

Anyway, the other day I went to a gig with my flatmate (Colin) where he introduced me to Guy. I was really glad to finally put a face to that name. Our conversation went something like this:

Colin: Guy, this is my flatmate, Julia. Julia, meet Guy.
Guy: Hi Julia.
Me: Ah, You’re Guy… Cockhead?
Guy: *Disgruntled* Uh-huh.

I consequently thought to myself how can Guy not have a chuckle every time someone says his name? I mean, he didn’t even flinch, not a hint of a smile. If it were my name I’d probably burst into histerical laughter every time someone said it out loud.

That is however besides the point.

About a week after the gig, I told Colin that I was so glad that I had finally met Guy Cockhead. Colin was a bit puzzled as to when I had met him. Of course I thought nothing of it and replied “the other night at that gig we went to, don’t you remember?”. Turns out that Guy wasn’t Guy Cockhead, but a different Guy altogether. No wonder he wasn’t amused when I called him cockhead… Ouch.

*** heart bokeh ***

I stumbled across this the other day. I haven't tried it yet. But I sure am going to... Try it too! [Click the link below for instructions]

Most people know: I love hearts...



Found here.

*** animation ***

I am busy doing an abstract animation for university. Much to my dismay it is not looking the way I am wanting it to, alas alas. But not to fret, like they say: good things come to those who wait. Hopefully by the end of next year I can produce some form of animation that is to my liking...

Anyway, while looking for inspiration for my work my flatmate showed me this video. I love it. It was made by sandwiching spraypaint between two sheets of acetate. So beautiful. Animation is a beautiful thing.

Enjoy.


Aerosol Aboeba found here.