Theme Project

I'm not going to publish my submissions for Urban Trees. The first presentation I did was so awful. I got a D and was asked to resubmit. I had completely misinterpreted the brief and thought that so long as I used Sketch-up, (I had never used it before!) and stuck in a few photoshop trees that would do. Oh dear. The thing is that they just didn't really like the concept of planting trees in front of St. Pauls Covent Garden. When I represented, Grant, Simon and Ben had to crit me and gave me a really hard time. It was deserved and left me feeling like I would never get anything right! However, nice Benz put me in for a pass for trying.

The next was Noise Pollution. The above shows one of the before and after sketch designs. Although there isn't really room at Blackfriars embankment for this installation I got a pass. The funny thing is through, that although I used Sketch-up in all 4 Urban Theme presentations, my best illustrations were when I just stuck to good old photoshop. You find a style that works and stick.

However, I think my visual looks like an illustration from an 1960's Ladybird factual book and not at all contemporary.

September 2011 Wood Wharf

Talk about backtracking with this, but I need to get up to speed. The first task for the MA/Diploma students was to create a design for Wood Wharf and come up with a quick concept. We all seemed to be flummoxed. I presented the following a week later which Tom Turner quite rightly said,' Looks like Skegness!', It was such rubbish!

The competition, run by the Landscape Institute for all UK students was eventually won by Aleck and Danny on our course. Quite rightly so, brilliant work and look forward to seeing something a bit like their final design on the Wharf this Summer. I never actually entered the real competition but probably should have found the time to send something in. I must remember to enter all competitions from now on. Although, when I told my husband about the prize being an internship for a few weeks, (Plus the cash and prestige), he said I wouldn't have had time to do that anyway. Also, have remembered how to deal with the picture quality now. Must remember to chose the size and position before I upload.

Last Term

Just to update on where I got to at the end of my degree in summer 2010. I was so exhausted and that's when the Blog got neglected. Here's some of Farindons Estate.

The main problem with all this is the quality of these sections. I have condensed the file sizes for upload speed but you can barely see them. Feels like years ago that I did these now, but that's cos it was. ......Later.....I know why I didn't like this blogg stuff before. I thought that everything that went in couldn't be edited. Has it changed? I thought it was a bit like sending those drunken e-mails or texts which you regret in the morning. There's an app for that now. It's called 'The morning after'. So long as your messages haven't been opened they can be deleted forever. Might have to get it in case I need it one day!

Back on the Blogg!

I can't believe I completely let this one go at the end of Summer 2010. Now well into the second semester of my Diploma Course at Greenwich, (The course that I thought I would never have the guts to do) - a what a great time we are having? Despite the hard work, still managaging to fit in family/ running home and a very healthy social life! I do think that maybe not for long. We are always being encouraged to blog and I always think that I don't have the time. Well, with a shiny new smart phone I have no excuses.
The amount of time I waste texting and mailing friends while I'm working, just to get a bit of love and support and I should be doing this instead.
A big thank you to truely inspirational Grant with whom we have a bit of a mutual appreciation society - however, I know I'm not the only one! Last evening, he just told me that he uses his just to vent is spleen, so to speak. This is what I shall be doing and it's great to see a live record of how the work has improved across the months. It won't be all about landscape, but other things too - but in my mind, they are all connected anyway.

I have created a huge double A1 of sequential sketches. Unfortunately, the resolution is not great on this upload. They are all annotated in real life.

Top tips for Students with Childcare issues!

If any year 1 or 2 students are reading this - especially the ones with a family to look after.

Please get buckets of childcare, cleaners, support etc. in place in advance of the last month of the

course. My children are pretty self sufficient at 10 and 12, however, they have had no homework help for the past few months. My husband is a very busy man and if I have to use him too much, our whole stability will go out of the window. He is taking a week off, half term week from the 31st May so I am free to be in and out of Hadlow.

If your children are over the age of 9 or 10, teach them to cook. My 12 year old can create pasta dishes, chocolate cake, pizza from scratch and fantastic Nigella inspired steaks. Don't tell the authorities that she is running my kitchen! I also changed our saved Tesco vouchers into £200 of Pizza Express and Strada vouchers so that everyone can go out and eat at weekends - except for me. I just grab a sandwich!

Been up since four. Could not get back to sleep. Last few weeks on about 5-6 hours per night. Why does this production take so long? I worked out that I can hand finish/render an A1 in 6 hours. I have at least 8 to do. 48 hours solid work does not seem too bad for the next 2 weeks.
However, it's all the other planting plans and construction drawings that need to be completed too.
I now have 3 completed A1 sheets for my exhibition with 13 to go. I expect to have another 3 completed by the end of the weekend. There are some new drawings that Jamie has requested for the exhibition, (Axios etc), so I had better get started.
I made the mistake of looking at Paul Hadley's website - whoops - Mine is soo.....basic but I handed something in so should get a pass. I would love to aspire to more things, however, I am the lady who had never touched photoshop until the first year so I think David Watson sees me as a success story. Ask Ralley, I did not know what to do with a memory stick in my first week! My IT skills are now off the scale in comparison, although I think I had better spend next year doing some top-up IT courses before I look for a proper job.

So glad I got lucky number 7 in the exhibition hall.

My own garden is looking

pretty fab at the moment.

Designed and planted by me in Spring 2006. Actually designed on scrappy paper, before I had even dreamed of Landscape Degree.

I put these on, because it takes so long for my drawings to upload and at least you can see a finished design here. We opened to the public last June and helped raise £1500 for the local hospice. I'll have another go at uploading my drawings soon, but I am not having an open day this year.