quick update

I cannot believe that its a month since my last posting. All I can say in my own defence is that the last few weeks have been manic with work and the only reason that I've got around to this today is because I've been on the computer to send work to one of my tutors.
In the interim I have been working on developing my samples and academic work for my personal specialism module, refining my dissertation, sorting out stuff as level 3 rep. for the course and beginning to try and draw all my graduating class together to begin the organisation of our exhibition (less than a year now) as well as booking rooms to be used for sessions by ERTF and IFA. Factor in hospital appts. with my father-in-law, hospital appts and uni stuff for my daughter,Gas leaks, visits to V&A and PRISM, Material Girls stuff as well as a little thing called everyday life and I suppose that's why there has been so little time for blogging.
Quick update on the course- dissertation is going on OK I think ( tutorial tonight to see if I'm about there), Personal Specialism has been a bit bumpy. Some modules are written very loosely to allow for 'personal interpretation' but that often seems to lead to misunderstanding between tutor and student leading to confusion and frustration , still I think I'm heading in the right direction now. There isn't much to show picture wise as its books full of sampling but I'll try and find something to tempt you.
PRISM was good as usual but I did feel this year that there was a lot of 'seen that before!' and not quite the spark it usually has still it was probably just one of those down years that happen every so often.
I'm off on holiday for a week in Dorset soon- I sooo need the break after the awful last 12 months so I expect it will a while before I blog again. Daughter not coming this year so it will be our holiday as a couple for 18 years- I'm just hoping I'll have a house left to come back to.

So much to do so little time

Help- where's all the time going! Having had a lovely couple of weeks just sewing for my own pleasure I am now back to full out degree work and this semester it's 2 modules simultaneously which is a bit full on. However this will be the last time that occurs and next year will just (just who am I kidding!) the big push to the end.
The dissertation is going (cautiously) OK. I've had feedback on the first draft from Sarah and she's pleased. There's a lot of smoothing out to do and I think I'm going to re-write the conclusion slightly but on the whole it looks like all the extra work during the first semester has paid off and I can spend time on refining this semester.
I have also had my first couple of tutorials for the personal specialism. I wish I knew why they call it this as it never seems to be something 'you' want to do. I know they need to push you but by this stage I think you should know what direction you want to go and the pushing should be about reaching that direction to the very best of your potential. I have a lovely tutor for this module- I've worked with her before and she always brings the best out in me but she does sometimes seem to go a bit off track. perhaps it's just me -perhaps I'm not explaining myself properly,that's the trouble with distance learning. Also she's so nice I don't want to upset her by saying "I don't want to do that".
It would also help if the modules were written in plain English not arty eduspeak- or maybe I'm just a bit thick.
Anyhow this module has given me the perfect excuse to spend time in the lovely bluebell woods nearby as I am working on a theme of nature and layers of protection (yep folks its felt again). I did try to take some recordings on Saturday of birdsong as I want to try and interpret this in stitch but all I could get was the sound of the airfield next door where someone was standing on top of a biplane and doing tricks. And people think I'm crazy!

Ups and Downs

Its been a funny old week. It started well with the ERTF AGM/Conference in Chelmsford. Really nice to meet up with people and some interesting talks by a designer from Courtaulds
Middlesex Uni and a great team from the Fashion and Textile Museum. I esp. enjoyed the talk by one of our own ERTF members, Juliet Bryson.
There was a good response also to the selling project idea we are working on so I am now moving on to the next step and hope we an get something more substantial off the ground. It also spurred me on to help Janette Bright, our area rep., to set something up for a local meet in the Autumn and as I was organising something for the IFA I decided to book a studio in our local arts centre for this as well.
Monday was not so good as I have changed dentists and he suggested that I have quite a few crowns sorted out (something that has needed doing). It will probably take about a year altogether and I hate the dentist so needless to say I am not looking forward to all this.
Tuesday I managed to injure my foot but that did not stop another trip up to the V&A to see the Grace Kelly exhibition -which was rather disappointing so Marie and I decided to visit the Quilt exhibition again as well to make up for it (God bless V&A membership).
On returning home I found out my father-in-law had had a bad fall and I couldn't locate my other half so several hours in A&E and 18 stitches later he didn't seem too bad but I had to spend all Friday morning with him at the eye casualty checking that he hadn't damaged his eye - which fortunately he hadn't.
More traumas with the dd over the weekend were slightly alleviated by some good news that my dissertation was looking good so far (although she could just be being nice) and shes off to a conference in Seoul for a week so I haven't got to worry about it for another week.
Goodness knows what this week will bring as the Easter break is over and JCS work begins again in earnest. Think its best just to take little steps and take each thing as it comes.