God save the (Netherlands) Queen

31st April sees The Netherlands celebrate their queen's birthday: QUEEN'S DAY! it would seem that she has a far more fun day of birth than old Elizabeth. Britain take note: here is how to make royal events fun.

The root vegetable bashing/cutting games were pretty genius.

Tea all live in a yellow submarine

I have wanted a lovely tea strainer so I can use tea leaves for ages now. Look at this one the I found on Frankie. How cute?

Walkies

The only item that featured on my brother's christmas list this year was a Husky puppy. Unsurprisingly, Father Christmas did not grant him his wish (he'll have to be nicer next year). He therefore refused to come on the Boxing Day walk (top 2 photographs) as it was apparently "pointless" as we didn't have the dog to walk.

That we bought him a Husky calendar and a pin badge was not taken in good favour either: "rubbing it in".

Anyway, enough of the dog loving... cats are much nicer. (3rd photograph is Phoebe, my Auntie Hilary's cat)

Christmas creations

Here are some christmas presents I made...

From the top: gingerbread stars for my Granny, aunties, cousins and the Timmins family; a IN/OUT timer for my Mum, who never knows when to take her creations out of the oven (she refuses to use the timer on the cooker); an A3 poster of the A-Z of Professions for my brother who is fairly clueless as to the direction he should take in life; a seasons chart for my lovely friend Ally, who works in fashion and yet does not understand the seasons!

Pecha-Kucha cheat

I was invited to present my work at to one of Think Public's design clinics. Last Wednesday was the day... I walked around in circles on Brushfield Street, looking for the studios. Eventually a nice boy making coffees pointed me in the right direction.

There was popcorn and beers and crisps and wine and brownies to welcome the eight nervous participants. All armed with a Pecha-Kucha presentation and a christmas gift to give to another.

The work and disciplines were wide-ranging, making for a diverse set of presentations. I had familiarised myself with the Pecha-Kucha format (20 images, with each lasting for 20 seconds, then automatically continuing to the next - there isn't much pausing for breath involved!) and so had added 8 slides to my presentation when I saw that my template only contained room for 12. Apparently everyone else had stuck to the 12 they had been given. Using my initiative made me look a bit of a cheater I think.

A discussion about the service design industry followed... I have lots to learn! But I did have a few points to make. I would really like for them to think I wasn't a cheat and give me an internship! You never know... it is christmas after all.

The snoel snowflake transfers were my present with a grey card to make my own snow scene.

Thank you nice friends and family

Today I am 23. Here are some of the lovely presents I received. I couldn't fit the beautiful chrome desk lamp and the guillotine in to the shot. Thank you nice friends and family.

Bed no.1

So, I am on the first of many dates with the floor tonight. My month of London floor-surfing begins tonight. All in the aid of a little job at Elle magazine until Christmas. 

Bed no.1: East London futon with flannel grey bedding.

Before I get washed away, I'm going to turn things around

Here is a storyboard I drew out the other day when I got home from work. Its for an animation I'm going to attempt. I'm not sure how, but I'm going to give it a go... watch this space. Well, watch this space in about a week.

Erm... BBC - look what I made for you

Over the summer a friend of mine did a typographic researching job for the BBC. The more I think about it, the more jealous I get... I LOVE researching and the library (which is where she spent the bulk of the time). So I decided to make the BBC a little something to introduce myself and make them see I would be a good little researcher to have on communication/design projects.

I climbed the few steps to the entrance of BBC Manchester, clutching the CV and hand-drawn intro I had packaged up in an A4 envolope so as not to fold my drawn HELLO. Only to be told by the lovely receptionist that they do not take any paperwork and they don't have a recruitment department that she could even hand it to. "Oh, ok" I replied with a dishartened smile.
Off I trundled, back down the steps with my silly envelope still in hand. So I am no closer to having a loving-the-library job and I wasted a good half hour of my life writing to people who aparantly don't exist.

APOLOGIES FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHS in this and the following few blog posts... no mac=no photoshop. Its all about levels.

"Look on the bright side..."

So, fellow high-achiever, Mandi Goodier and myself were invited back to MMU last week to give a talk entitled 'How to do 3rd Year' to Graphic Design and Illustration 3rd Years. We rather enjoyed ourselves - chattering away about our favourite year wasn't too taxing. And we were quite popular in the aftermath: "What are you doing now?" was the prevalent question. Erm...don't ask. You might wonder the point in getting a 1st. No, instead I explained the need to get back on your feet and try to get yourself 'out there'. I was there to inspire, not make half the year drop out.

I am ever realising that you have to do some not-so-great-things in order to be able to do the great stuff. The not-so-great phase I am experiencing at present is all part of the process. Smiling fakely at guests whilst working at a hotel, cutting up fruit and buttering bread in a sandwich shop is the reality of a recent graduate, I suppose. That I continually want to scream "WHAT AM I DOING?" just has to be pushed down.

I am trying my best to be patient.

It could be worse. As my Mum recently said "look on the bright side, you could have a disability". Yes, Mum, yes I could.

Image: book and illustration by NJ (2008 Design and Art Direction graduate)

Who needs a studio?

I spent the morning re-photographing all my work so that my website is viewable. However, with no studio or lighting, my garden was my make-shift shoot area.

After having to re-wash all my clothes after a bad bird excrement/washing line incident not so long ago, I did fear for my new photography area, or worse, work. Luckily I was not in their firing line today.

Have a look at my website with all new images. www.libbyscarlett.co.uk

I think I grew up

My (temporary) move back to my parent's house was made even more traumatic by my bedroom that was still 16-year-old Libby. No more: new and old things on my walls, bare floor boards, organised boxes. Somewhere during university, I think I grew up.

My room is me once more. I am now ready to work.

Collaboration with The Vann

Done. Trip posts finished.

Today, Lucy and I begun to do some project work with our travels acting as the content. Exciting.

Already it is good to look back on our rather extensive journals. We don't do things by halves, you know. And neither will we with our first collaborative project. I'm not giving anything away just yet...

Hey Ladies; Ray Bans; Shhhhhh; Mwah

Back to the trip posts...

2nd Aug '09: BERLIN

The black and white strip photograph booths in Berlin are the best.

Getting old and moving to the big smoke

The lack of funds situation also means I have been making cards. It was my mum's birthday yesterday (I made sausages roasted with cherry tomatoes, garlic, onions, rosemary and thyme and mashed potato - success!) and my friend Alex (who showed me how to make the concoction) starts his internship today. However, he is Mr Got-no-credit and so has not managed to tell me his London town address. The card is therefore still being kept flat in my moleskine.

Punched Paper

25th July '09: PARIS

Outside the Jardin du Luxemburg we came across a man with a rather impressive portable music box. Look how lovely the punched paper that he is feeding in is. Lucy (Mrs Music Box herself) was especially taken with it.

Going to dinner with the world

My friend, Lucy and I are booked in to attend one of Jim Haynes' Sunday Dinners in Paris at the beginning of our summer travels in July. He has been hosting the weekly event for over 25 years with 70 friends and strangers attending each time (more if it is fine, as the gathering can spill into the garden). Haynes explains wanting to introduce people to people and have them break bread together. 'We should all know one another. After all, we are all connected'. Wonderful philosophy. Very excited that I am to be a part of it soon.

In The Loop

Went to see 'In The Loop' at the Cornerhouse last night. So funny. 

Stick to and see through what you believe in.

please can I be a 1-day-a-week trend forecaster

I was asked to do a presentation on communications for a trend forecaster based in Brighton who was working with a brand based in Manchester. I really enjoyed the whole day - the workshop in the afternoon was really interesting - working with people from the brand to come up with ideas in line with their products and the trends identified in the morning presentations. Very good. 

Birthday Bunting

It was my dear friend, Brigitta's birthday so we had a little tea party. The rediculous castle cake felt like it needed a little more than a candle, so my freind, Lucy and I spent a last Sunday evening creating cocktail stick flags in Trof. I then decided it was essential that I made bunting to brighten our garden. Not so essential, but enjoyable all the same. It now hangs in my bedroom.