Dear Sister

The Water

2011-01-11T01:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a pretty pretty song, by two lovely singers, Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling. Both of who I saw at Green Man this year, not together, but equally as beautiful by themselves...

Also Johnny Flynn is rather dishy!

More pretty and inspiring things coming soon!

Clothe me!

2011-01-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Hi long lost blog!

So it's a new year, and a new start for me. I'm looking forward to when I have my normal body back so I can wear pretty and inspiring clothes again. Here are some high street beauts that have caught my eye:

That's all for now! Lets start posting again!

revival?

2010-10-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Oh I feel ever so sorry for this little blog. We never post here, and perhaps we should. Sarie you could post me interesting things you find on the internet, since I'm not very good at looking and finding things!

Vic you can post some more ideas about making things!

I don't really know what I can post, but it makes me sad that we don't use this anymore!

I want to see more pictures of what you are doing, and updates, since you are so demanding of me!

xx

three-six-five

2010-08-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I recently decided to start a 365 photo a day project, seeing as I have not really done much in the past to document my days and my life in Barcelona...
I recently got a very shiny new iphone, which allows me to take photos easily. Oh and the hipstamatic app is a dream, every photo is all nice and tinged and pretty.
I have just completed 2 weeks of phototaking, so I'd thought I would document on here.
1/365

1st day puppy love of course
12/08/10
2/365

Bike to work, home, to work and then home again. Repeat x5
13/08/10
3/365

Bird watching whilst dog walking!
14/08/10
4/365

My lovely new shoes walked to el cine tonight to view toystory3 in 3d. A nice Sunday lunch was also had!
15/08/10
5/365

Sick day today, pup is being mr nursey!
16/08/10
6/365

I take the same route home daily, always keeping my eyes open for treasure and today I found this!!
17/08/10
7/365

Sisters here, falafel and doggy walks..
18/08/10
8/365

Lactuca day avec the sister!!
19/08/10
9/365

Fiesta time, being totally inspired by old shabby White interiors. Mojitos and pizza were consumed on this fine night!!
20/08/10
10/365

Hot hot day, swimming pool and family fun. The best way to cool off is a quick dip in the pool with some watermelon after!!
21/08/10
11/365

amazing day at the lake, picnic and friends! Lovely!
22/08/10
12/365

50's diner, ate too much ah!
23/08/10
13/365

Shopping with visitors, pretty pretty shopettes
24/08/10
14/365

Sister, Sally and Sarie (me!) on the metro... destination LACTUCA (and Oysho!)
25/08/10

I think you should do one too! WOuld be amazing to see your day to day lives again and compare them to mine... All the changes and amazing things!
♥
Sarie xxx

NEW NEW!

2010-07-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

hi!

I've started a new blog, well two. One is professional (ha!) one is a bit more personal, if you know what I mean..

http://abigailemilyoliver.blogspot.com/
http://abigailandthefuture.blogspot.com/

tell all your friends innit!

x

Last night i had the strangest dream

2010-07-16T00:50:00.000-07:00

Well indeed last night I did have the strangest dream, so strange infact, that I thought it fitting to share with you.

I had a dream about babies, about my baby. It was a she, of course. We were all hanging out, watching home videos, of us when we were children, but the baby was in them too. Also we were looking at pictures drawn by my baby. I think at one point we went to that big park that we used to go to in Essex somewhere, i forget the name. At this park the baby became a dog, and I couldn't tell the different between the baby and Came.

Then the baby became as small as a thunder bug, and Sarie was trying to convince me that's what baby Martina had looked like when she came out, which was not very reassuring.

I also dreamt that the baby was normal and lovely, and I couldn't stop cuddling and kissing her. It felt nice.

Lots of other strange things happened, like being at a dinner party with lots of rude annoying Americans, and i had a go at the lot of them (i think this is from watching celebrity come dine with me last night, which had Janice Dickinson on it, and she is well annoying, rude and american) Also I got upset because Rob had removed our 'in a relationship' thing from facebook, and then he went away somewhere for ages and came back with these big letters that were remote controlled to move and dance and light up. This is after we played an impromptu game of rugby of course.

Anyway, those were the delights on my Thursday night dreaming.

p.s oh i have a date with the NHS on tuesday at 2pm...Finally!

p.p.s I don't really think all American people are rude and annoying, just to clarify. It was just the ones in my dream, and it wasn't just because they were american. sozza!

Dear sisters

2010-07-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

What with all these weird wonderfull things going on at the moment, i think we should start a posting more!! Scabbers very well done on posting so far...i want you to document EVERYTHING!!! Typing on the iphone so i will keep this shortnsweet. I miss you both terribly and think you should both come over and frolic in the sun! I want to see lots of summertime posts from now on.... Xxxxxx

Kiss me on the cheek

2010-05-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

Some recent Holga captured adventuring in a surprisingly hot and sunny Wales (and some from my little trip to Canterbury)

On Sunday myself and Rob went on an adventure to find some outdoor wild swimming...and we found the most perfect little beautiful spot and had a picnic and a little swim..

Just Peachey

2010-05-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

hello little blogette!

I thought I would share with you the wonderful talents and delights of my dear my friend Llio's fashion designs..

I really love all of her designs, and the fabrics, and colours!

The pictures above are from her second year collection, which are beautiful, and which I love to caress..

For her final collection the idea behind it was the Welsh word Hiraeth, that doesn't directly translate to English but means something along the lines of :

desire for what is Welsh: longing or nostalgia, especially for things Welsh

And as Llio is from the seaside, (Swansea), she made her collection based around inspiration from that landscape and the water. For instance, fish hook jackets, scaly ruffles, aluminum fish scale shrugs and other wonders..

anyway I hope you enjoy it! here is the link to the flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nylecoj/sets/72157623931272637/

photographs by jocelyn allen: www.jocelynallen.co.uk Designer: Llio Peachey Model: Sarah Williams

PUPPY-VERSARIE

2010-05-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

YES! Thats right, yesterday marked 1 year that the little pup-o-more came into our lives and filled it with waggy tales, wetnoses, spoilt bratness and cuddling underblankets.

Here are some pictures of the wonder-hound on his very special birthday:

hand-made

2010-05-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Oh hello!

This is my final edit of images, and well the first you have seen of my third strategy of working for this project, but BUT I am actually happy with it..all I need now is a name...

Spring in the city..

2010-04-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

I've counted every Magnolia tree on my journeys.

Spring is here and I don't want it to leave.

It's time for change, for suspended hopefulness, and the knowing that things will only get better/nicer/last longer..

For me Summer comes to quickly and only leaves a trail of disappointment..a sense of underachievement and procrastination. Perhaps I should be more productive this summer..perhaps I won't be saying this when summer is actually here, but for now I'll await it with a causal regard..

Photographs from 'a day in the park with Sarah'. A day that started out civilly and ended well, not so civilly..

You make my world go round..

2010-04-11T00:56:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with Professor Brian Cox.

What can I say? He's amazing.

He never stops smiling. And he makes me interested in physics.

Hello long lost friend-blog!

2010-04-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Hello sisters,

The birds are a tweeting, the trees are blossoming and the sun is shining. Spring has finally arrived and it feels good. Everywhere smells like cut grass and Came has gone girl-crazy. Kittens and babies have been born.
This year I have really craved spring, which is strange because normally I love the autumn and winter seasons the most. I love being cosy and snuggled up warmly avec le pup and drinking copious ammounts of tea...
But I have craved pretty colour tones, pinks and peaches and other nice things. Its so nice that it is light out untill a lot later.

Look at these pretty spring/summer photos! I can't wait for more outsideness. Especially as we have the new flat, which= walks up the rambla, nearby friends, icecream and horxata visits, lots of local deli's and bars, the B E A C H!!
1st of all, BABIES! The stork brought this little beaut right in time for lambies, chicks and other such babythings..

Baby Martina, what a sweet chub-lamb one!

Warm swims in outside pools, and amazing erratic April weather complete with rainbows!

Summer shoes and nice fresh produce

Outings and adventures, family viists and blue skies!

I can't wait to get out and live more. BTW We signed for the flat and it was Came's birthday..but those both deserve their own posties.

Abigail at the Beach

2010-04-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Today was sunny, and today I went for a run in a graveyard. I also did two loads of washing, and sat on the roof with my friends eating ice-lollies. I took photographs of wrinkly hands, shaped by years of weaving and spinning wool. I also picked up a hitch-hiker.

Yesterday I woke up at 6 am, and watched half a series of sex and the city. I walked in a park, and took photographs of my friend surrounded by Daffodils. I got a job in a library, and then I got drunk at 3pm. Then I cried and felt sorry for myself. It was tragic.

The day before that I ate pasta bake, watched programmes about space, then watched spaced. I was supposed to go the cinema, but I got dumped instead. So I cried and drunk some Baileys.
I read today in some silly online horoscope thing, that I should be travelling, and be near water. I went to the beach on Sunday, it was sunny, but cold. On Saturday I'm going to be travelling and hopefully go near some water.

I'm also going to start looking after myself, and be healthier. I've let it slide, and have got too caught up in trying to find another person.

But things are looking up! The Magnolia blossom is slowly opening more and more...

I would rather go to the beach with my family and build sand fortresses to ward off the alien invasion...

Hang on a minute!

2010-04-01T03:19:00.001-07:00

oh hello..

i've had a sudden change of heart...when faced with the idea of failure I stood my ground and said NO!

When it looked as though i might run out of time, and slipped into my running shoes and took flight with the allusive bastard..

In other words i might have changed my photographic strategy for my aforementioned projects on lost skills and crafts and that..

I will now indeed hopefully be photographing hands, and hand tools. The hands of crafts people (i'm politically correct don't you know) in all their aged, worked glory.

So i'm going to lock myself away in my laboratory and do some tests. You may be seeing an appearance of my christmas chipolata hands here soon..

In the meantime, April is being tricksy and believe it or not its bloody snowing again...

(I feel that I may be going slightly insane, and potentially need to run away somewhere soon to stretch my tired welsh legs)

and also on one final note, i have about a month left of my university career. See what i mean about our dear friend time, he is a bastard.

Asleep on a Sunbeam

2010-03-31T07:34:00.000-07:00

tulips/magnolia
roses
blouses/moonstone pendants
tulips

Window Cleaning

2010-03-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

There's a Magnolia tree outside my bedroom window.

I saw it last summer, when I lived in my room for two weeks by myself in the big empty house. Since we had only been acquainted in the spring, i didn't completely recognise the dear Magnolia, but had a slight inkling that it would be what i secretly hoped it would, come spring again. And at last Spring is saying hello, with Daffodils, longer days, and babies and kittens being born.

During conversations with friends I get easily side-tracked if i see a tree budding, or pass a front garden of grass, longing to lie down on it.

Today i bought myself some tulips, to add to my collection of buying flowers for myself. It's something that I hope to uphold, as it makes me smile that I need no-one else to buy flowers for me.

Today I spring cleaned my house, and stood and watched my washing drying on the line.

The easter holidays are coming up, and most of my friend's are leaving. I think i'll just have to amuse myself for the next two weeks by watching blossom arrive..

Scrabble with Stephen

2010-03-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

So!

Every week at university we have visiting lecturers, who give lectures about their work. mainly they are photographers, sometimes art photographers. It is an amazing opportunity to hear professionals talk about their work, and especially when some 'big name' people come to talk, and photographers who you really like. Also when a photographer comes and you have a new found respect for, and really get into their work after.

This happened last week. I had seen some of the work before, and heard the photographers name, but never associated the two together. The photographer was Stephen Gill. He was amazing, he had a really quite, gentle voice, and used slides with an old slide projector (most people just to powerpoint presentations). He had a funny posture, and long arms, and it felt like you just wanted to invite him round for tea and a game of scrabble. Anyway, it was really inspiring, and he works in many ways like i do, or at least thinks in similar ways. He also has his own publishing company (my main aspiration) and champions hand-made objects, especially books.

He showed us quite a few bodies of work, but my favourites were the Billboards (of which i had seen and liked before but not known the photographer) and the Hackney Flowers. Billboards is a body of work of photographs taken of the backs of billboards. They are then simply captioned with the tag line of the advert. The other work is Hackney flowers, which are photographs of the area of Hackney, with Gill's collections of flowers and seeds from the area placed ontop of the original photo. I really love both, and his other work, and him! look at his stuff! http://www.stephengill.co.uk/portfolio/news

I will try and talk about some of the other photographers who have been to visit because there have been some other really good ones!

Post if you have been inspired recently by an artist/photographer/person/whatever! i like to be inspired too!

L'Oreal Paris. Because you're worth it.

(Left) Fight the cold. Practice self defence – Danone Actimel.
(Right) It's time to leave the country – Thomas Cook

Lost

2010-03-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

so it's been a while, and I'm going to drag this poor dear little blog out of its grave, and feed it with some loving words, and even some photographs! I am kind, I know.

Today I brought myself flowers. It was an impulse buy, but one that makes me extremely happy when I see their gleeful faces smiling out by my bed, happy to be loved.

Anyway, I have been working HARD recently, visiting interesting places and meeting interesting people. This term I have been adventuring to the Museum of Welsh life to meet with crafts people, who are still practicing traditional skills and crafts. I have so far photographed a weaver, a saddler maker, a cobbler and a thatcher. (the thatcher wasn't at the museum, but in West Wales)

so sister's pleeease post!

The jacket Potatoes

2010-01-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

On sunday, once again i made my way to the wonderful Abergavenny, with the promise of meeting up with old university friends for a day of catching up, eating amazing food, and walking in the Welsh countryside. And that we did!

Lucy and Steve made us amazing jacket potatoes with home-made chilli and grated goats cheese..we then chatted and i showed my current work, with blushing cheeks i may add.

We then drove in the cars to the Skirrid mountain, and had a strenuous hours walk to the top of the mountain where the views were as beautiful as ever.

It was good to go and clear my head, and be out of Newport, as i have been sucked into it for a good while now...

It made me sad that everyone is doing differnt things and moving away (Robyn is leaving for London on saturday to live, Steve and Lucy are planning to go to South America) but it also made me incredibly happy to know i have such lovely friends from my old university life who we can all meet and have a lovely time with!

It also makes me have INCREDIBLE itchy feet!

Family Secrets

2010-01-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

I have chosen to write on the family album. Since I was young photography has always fascinated me, it was a way of viewing a world that was different from mine, but viewing it privately, where I could look all I wanted without anyone knowing. I have always been drawn to photography that shows the real, the everyday, and the normal moments that happen in our lives. Photographs that show beauty where you wouldn’t expect to find it, that makes an occasion out of the banal. This is why I have always been drawn to domestic photography and photographers who photograph their own families. From studying these I have in turn come back to my own photographs, and to my history, that has always been photographed and then placed in my family album.

I have become increasingly interested in this subject, and the more I study it, the more I learn about the concept of the family album, the more I start to look for all the patterns and clichés in my own albums, and I try and analyse my family photographs on this academic level. But the one underlying reason that keeps on coming back to me every time I think about looking at the family album, is that I’m really trying to work out what my family photographs mean, what stories they are telling, and what they are hiding. I want to know everything behind every photograph, behind every look, but more importantly I want to know what happens next. As the history of my family keeps on evolving I want to know what will happen to these albums that have held so much mystery and knowledge, I need to know how they will continue.

I have looked at and read a great deal about what the family album means, why we construct them in the way we do, how we look at the photographs, and what they can mean, but I have come to realise that the material is old and outdated, which in turn leads me to ask the question of where the family album is now? Where does it sit in our modern society, and above all, does it still exist?

Storytelling

2009-12-28T03:16:00.000-08:00

This is my project about Welsh Storytellers.

I met five storytellers, who all work in Wales and tell stories about or derive from Wales, and Welsh folklore. I asked each storyteller to tell me a story that for them is about a specific place or landscape in Wales, or where they could imagine somewhere that represented parts of the story.
Each of the storytellers I met found that it is really important to link story to land, and to keep the tradition of oral storytelling alive.

i'm alive, are you alive?

2009-11-20T10:20:00.000-08:00

some more photographs from a shoot in wales. i spent a day and a bit at this amazing small holding, run by this couple, who take on woofers to work. they have built the place up over the last tens years, and it's ridiculously inspiring! it's on of the best places i have been to!

yesterday i made an amazing sweet potato, leek and goats cheese pie! lush!

I'm going to see eddie izzard tonight in cardiff, with tilly! i'm so excited!

let me know what you think of the photographs!

neglect

2009-11-09T14:30:00.001-08:00

hello dear sisters, we have been neglecting little bloggy a bit! post more post more!

anyway to start us of on the epic journey of blog posting i thought i would show you some new photographs. these were taken at a community in pembrokshire, a new place in wales that i had never been to and had the joy of driving there, my my wales is beautiful! every new place i go to, i fall inlove!

this is for my project on self-sufficiency, where i want to show the different aspects of living self-sufficiently. so its not about communities, but for now they are a good place to start to show this! i want them to be sort of propaganda posters, like war propaganda in a way, showing these people as heros. i'm using large format and a lighting kit! this is something that is SCARY for me! but its so much fun, and makes me love photography all over again...

Tonight i went to a storytelling meeting, and met 2 more storytellers, who are going to be involved in my project. it was great and really inspiring, vic you would have loved it!

Anyway that's all for now as i'm really tired and i'm going to sleep innit! i can see my breathe, bugs!

Will you marry me rose?

2009-10-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend mam and andy came to visit me! we went to the beach, in the gower, to a place called rossili..we got blustered and blown by the wind, but it was sehr schone!

then we had tea and cake..

How to Birdwatch Successfully

2009-10-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Take one grey rainy Saturday with nothing to do. Add a text from a lovely friend with binoculars and a shared passion for birds. Get in your car and go search for bird hides whilst commenting that the rain is like 'fairy piss'. Don't forget to pack some essentials:

Lots of notebooks

Pens, pencils, charcoal and crayons

Into The Wild (book)

Egg mayo sandwiches from the Deli

A sore heart and heavy mind

Camera

Imagination

Coins for the carpark

Mobile phone turned to silent

Wellies (not needed)

Talk, watch, learn and soak up the peace whilst your hands get cold and your mind full.

Talk to the birdwatching man about why all the birds on the beach are suddenly flying and look through his very powerful piece of equipment at the sparrow hawk tearing apart its catch.

Come back stare at the bathroom wall and get inspired. Revist your pictures, realise you need a nice camera and resort to google:

'flying flock of birds sillouette'

Print, resise and cut out birds. Stick them to the wall with BluTack until they look pretty.

Print final pictures onto card to make stencils.

Get tired and decide to paint in the morning...

To be continued...

snow-snow-snowdonia

2009-10-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

hello! this weekend I went to north Wales, to Snowdonia, with my housemate Sarah who was taking photographs...

We nearly cried a few times because the scenery and nature was so stunningly beautiful. We took some small roads on the journey up there and we were rewarded by amazing lakes and mountains. Also the colours of the trees was amazing! I didn't take that many photos myself, only on my phone! But we will be returning to Snowdonia next weekend to take more photos, for my project and for sarahs!

I've had a lot of amazing adventures recently, and hopefully this year I will go on many more! Hooray for photography taking you to exciting places!

Scribbles and piccys

2009-10-16T08:08:00.001-07:00

Here are some photographs taken by my phone, that arn't any good, of Berlin. They start from the end, and end at the start...

1) florence from florence + the machine (monday night)
2) massive gold harp from florence + the machine
3) florence
4) Robyn and her housemates, elenor and amy, in tierpark, east Berlin (sunday)
5) beautiful autumn sunlight, tierpark (sunday)
6) amazing food market north berlin ( i think) (saturday)
7) same
8) same
9) my feet and pretty floor at Nan Goldin exhibition (friday night)
10) autumn sunshine and river near east side gallery (friday)
11) second hand stores and cafes, kreuzberg (friday)
12) same
13) street outside art museum (thursday)
14) my tired legs after 5 hours of walking around the art museum (thursday)
15) the art museum, it was once a station
16) same
17) litchenburg s-bahn platform (thursday)
18) s- bahn on the way into berlin from airport (wednesday)
19) waiting to go through passport control, airport (wednesday)

Here are some notes from my notebook from uni about my ideas:

xxx

india again...oh and nepal!

2009-10-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

India

2009-09-30T12:31:00.001-07:00

Legship hotsprings, Sikkim

Legship, Buddhist monastry, Sikkim

View from our room, Sikkim 3rd highest mountain in the world: Kanchenjunga

Rishikesh

Road to Leh
Leh, Ladakh

On the road to Leh, the second highest road in the world, this is its highest point, at 17,480 ft!

Road to Leh

Lea at Buddhist stupa, Leh

Me, Leh

Backstreets of Leh

Leh

Darjeeling market, West Bengal

Darjeeling Market

Women protesting for Gurkaland, Darjeeling

Sikkim, North India
Sikkim

It took me a while to get round to developing some films from India, but i finally did all the colour ones! I just scanned in a few films today, there are lots more! I'm going to try and get them all done! Then I have about 25 black and white films to do!

Anyway it was wonderful to see these photographs, i'd forgotten about so many of them, and it was amazing to see them after all this time, because it really took me back to that point, and I could remember being there taking the photograph, and what I was thinking at the time.

Looking at these photos and thinking about India makes me feel strange. I can't believe the person I shared this with is so different and far from me now. But it makes me happy that we did share this amazing experience together.

so more to come soon!

p.s click on them to view the bigger!

Ahha!

2009-09-21T00:54:00.001-07:00

I'm starting university again today!

Bonjour:

2009-09-07T13:17:00.001-07:00

Hola Hermanas.
Vic its nice to see you posting here, and Abbi I have enjoyed your updates!
Abbi greenman looked/sounded amazing and Im really jealous of all your new loot especially that amazing floral beaut of a jacket. Good find sister, good find! Vic I really love your box idea, reminds me a little bit of Amelie. I can't wait to see the pics and I wish I could be there..

Well Mum came and visited with Andy and it was really good. We visited loads of places and did a lot, I shall show you both some pics another time. I have also had Tilly visiting, it was really good. She visited at the right time because Gracia festival street party thing was on and it was GREAT! It really felt like summer then with live music and cheap cold beer and lots of decorations. I think next year you should both visit.

Now on to the pics (only a few as I have more to come for another update):

Amazing old typewriter I found on the street, sadly had to leave it as we were going to visit Picasso and I dont think they would've allowed me to cart it in :(

Very hot weather, plaiting hair is the only way haha!

The trees are very pretty at the moment with pretty pink berries.

My half painted found table thing, on top is the drawing I did for Borjas birthday present

Tilly on one of our picnics in ciutatvella park, was very nice. We got food from "La Bocaria" market.

Yummy food that I have eaten, homemadepizza and gazpacho.

Came says hi. He has been a bit poorly today :( He had a poo (squity poo) on Borjas leg haha. Poor Mr Camers!

Im glad its starting to cool down a bit, I can't wait for colder weather. Its been so gross and hot here.
Im also searching and searching for a job, I want to get my teacher cert like Sally did. Im off to watch "The Hills" as Im slightly addicted, its awfull but I love it.
I want updates from you both soon!
♥ you both xxxx

2009-09-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Sisters...

I thought I would tell you a little about the project I am working on...

The Story Box

...She noticed something poking out the gap in the wall. Reaching inside she pulled out a small box. Making sure no one had seen she decided to open it. Wide eyed in anticipation she undid the latch and lifted the lid...

Three boxes are still waiting to be found, each box has its own story that you can be part of if you can find them. Wide Eyed Theatre will transform these stories in a performance exclusively for and about Folkestone.

Basically people have to go on a treasure hunt to find the boxes then leave objects from their pockets in the boxes and we make stories up from them. Its all to do with collecting stories from a place a bit like your storytelling project idea I guess scabbers. It will be creating stories literally taken from the landscape.

We will be performing on the 14th November, maybe you can come along? Abbi you could take pictures for us!

A very long ramble

2009-09-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

Hello! So I thought I would share some new charity shop finds with you! (and other news!)

The other day on my way home from Lucy's I stopped at this shed/hall place just outside of a town called Usk near to Abergavenny, where on the 1st Tuesday of every month they have a sale, like a jumble sale i guess! Lucy told me about it last winter and we always forgot to go, but this time i remembered but went alone. We also went to the salvation army charity shop in Abvergavenny, which was great, and this house clearance shop full of old furniture and books.

I bought two birdy pictures for the living room, and two old books, one which is hand printed on painting (d.i.y painting, not art painting! but still amazing) I will take pictures of them and of the living room!

In the charity shop I bought a nice silky white blouse: and a floral jacket thing with puffy sleeve's:From the jumble sale i bought a floral shirt: a knitted white sleeveless cardigan:
a big purple jumper: a floral skirt and a denim shirt: all for £1 each!

Also my new buys include 3 pairs of shoes from ebay! All very cheap!

In other news I'm going on a detox diet, where I'm cutting out dairy, wheat, sugar, salt, alcohol and smoking. I haven't smoked for about a week now, which is good! Lucy is helping me because she does a nutritional healing course. i remember i did this when i was younger, so i think i can do it again!

Robyn came over to Wales on Wednesday and we went to Lucy's together. The weather was horrible so we decided to have a baking and watching movies day. So we went shopping in Waitrose, which was exciting because its so posh! We decided to make wheat free chocolate brownies, and wheat free banana loaf. We also made dairy free and wheat free veggie lasagne! We watched the secret garden, then played scatagories. It was lovely! We stayed over and the next day me, Robyn and Lucy went for a walk, and we walked into a field with a family of horses and the two young horses came over and we gave them a tickle! Then we walked through a wood and found lots of blackberry's, and spent ages picking until our hands were scratched and purple! Then it started to rain so we hurried home, stroking some sheep on the way!

We then had potato cakes and scrambled eggs with banana bread for dessert for lunch, and then we departed! It was such a lovely couple of days, it always is when we visit Lucy!
I'm very glad that they are staying around until spring! We just giggled and chatted and were busy in the kitchen drinking tea and eating snacks, it made me very happy!

So on Monday I'm going to go to Cambridge because Fran is leaving for Spain and is having a goodbye thing, so I'll get to see her and Jonty, and hopefully Anna! which will be a very nice way to end the summer!

I'm looking forward to autumn though, wearing coats, boats, tights and hats and scarfs! And starting university and being busy!

My aims for this year are:
work really hard on my projects and dissertation
go to Spanish classes
join the gym
go swimming every week
make more things
keep busy!

So everything is very good and exciting at the moment, and I've had such a wonderful summer! I couldn't ask for anything more!

Right, whoa, such a long post! I'm going to make so lunch then some pear and blackberry crumble!

So here are some outfit photos:white shoes with bow £7 Ebay
Skirt; Sarie's long term borrow, belt thrifted?
Floral Shirt, thrifted £1

p.s a few photos from greenman to show you show beautiful it was!

Listening to Andrew Bird and Peter Broderick

Storytelling Ideas

2009-09-04T04:42:00.000-07:00

dear sisters (are you there vic?)

I thought I would write a post about a potential idea for my welsh project that I have to do this year.

Going on from what we were talking about, to do with the way people look like the landscape and environment where they have grown up.

Because Wales has a history of folk-lore and stories inspired by the landscape of Wales, I think it would be interesting to photograph some welsh story-tellers who are keeping the traditions and stories alive today. Also it maybe interesting to incorporate both ideas, and still look at landscapes to go with the portraits of the story tellers. These could either be the landscapes that one of their particular stories is about, or inspired by. Or it could be the landscape that inspired the teller to get in telling stories in the first place, or just a place that they have a connection too.

So what do you think?

Dear Sister

2009-08-30T02:23:00.000-07:00

Finally, it's been about a month since either of us has posted! where are you?

i took some rubbish phone photos of my book to show you, eventually.
I really wish that we had got the photos professionally printed, because they really let the book down i feel.

last night i went to the cinema by myself, and saw the time travellers wife. i cried, but i think i cried mainly because of remembering the book. it was strange but good going to the cinema by myself!

Anyway, everything is really good with me at the moment. i had such an amazing time at greenman festival. it is the best festival i've ever been to! it was small, and the music was great, i was there with great people, you could see the mountains all around, and the food was amazing! everything about it was perfect, and it didn't really rain! i just have to wait another year now!

anyway, here are the photos:

i love charity shops

2009-07-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

so i went for a little wander today to post some letters and found this little charity shop along the way, just opposite the pub where i'm working. So i thought i would show you my purchases and the ones from womad!

riding boots, ebay £7
leather backpack £2

Flannel shirt: £3, Denim shirt dress £2

denim shirt dress, leather bag £1
denim dress

hair cut, free!
blue hat £2.50, denim shirt, leather bag
fake fur coat £3

i feel silly taking pictures of myself, so i took some of my room too...

wooooaah mad

2009-07-28T03:05:00.001-07:00

hello sister!

so i'm back from womad, and i had a wonderful time! it was really nice to spend time with jonty!

we were working as campaigners for oxfam, so we had to go around the festival talking to people, and painting their faces blue. this was because we were trying to form this big visual petition of people with blue faces, to send to gorden brown and the world leaders who are having a big UN summit on climate change in december. people were being painted blue because of the slogan ' demand action on climte change until you are blue in the face' it was really fun, and really interesting to learn all about what was happening about climate change, and speaking to peolple about it. But we were covered in blue facepaint for the whole festival. We met some other nice campaigners and spent time with them too!

The music was amazing, i didnt know anyone who was playing before hand so everything i saw was new and exciting! my favourite by far i think was this guy called Shlomo, from the uk, who is a beatboxer. he's worked with bjork and damon alburn and jarvis cocker and was just amazing! The music by its self was so good, but then you remember its all just coming from his mouth! Then he had this group called the vocal orchestra come on with him, which was made up of other beat boxers and vocalists, and they did improvisations and it was just amazing! such talented people!

Other than them we saw this amazing Indian gypsy band, this hip-hop brass band from the US, an amazing singer from mali, a crazy mongolian man and various instruments, a amazing chinese man with lots of instruments making weird sounds, portico quartet that my friend from college duncan is in! and many other people!

There was also a steam powered funfair, where me and jonty went on the dodgems, and laughed in the hall of mirrors and attempted to win a coconut on the coconut shy. (but we're rubbish)

We ate amazing food including cake from a tent called the cake hole, churros!, sunday roast, curry, had lovely hot fresh ginger and apple with rum! The weather was really good, with occasional bits of rain, until sunday when it rained nearly all day, but it wasn't that bad!

I bought a nice hat, a fake fur coat and a flannel shirt from oxfam. on the last day they had a massive sale of all the stock! it was amazing!

So all in all i had an amazing time! i definatly would go again! i can't wait for greenman festival! i forgot how good festivals are!

I hopefully have a job in a pub down the road from me, i'm going to go in this afternoon and speak with the women. Today i'm also going to go into town and try and look for more jobs.

It's nice being in my house, in my cosy room. Last night i watched a few episodes of this show called 'kirsties homemade house' which has the women from location, location, location doing up this abandoned house she bought. but she was getting all the furniture from second hand places like antiques markets and scrap yards and street markets. she was also going to local crafts people and learning how to make special items for her house, like blowing glass, pottery, blacksmithing, spinning, knitting, stained glass windows and all types of things like that! which sort of goes along with what i want to show in my project, so i may be able to find these people or ones like them.

Anyway this is what i've been up to! I'm really looking foreward to greenman and seeing jonty and owen again, and going to see mum in cardiff! and everyone coming back here and starting uni!

speak soon lots of love!

July

2009-07-19T04:48:00.001-07:00

So my time in barcelona is very nearly over! how quickly three whole weeks has gone! i can't believe it!

i have enjoyed it very much, and had some very much needed time away from home. My favourites have been:

walking around shops in bourne, the beach, picnics in the park, claras in nice bars, talking to my sister, driving outside the city with the whole family (borja and came!), dinners round the spanish families, cooking meals, visiting art exhibitions, meeting with friends for bbq's and swimming, finding nice cafes and bars and just enjoying the sunshine!

So here are some pictures of some of the things we did together:

picnics in the park!

homemade sushi in the park..

homemade cupcakes!

pretty floor in the cafe..

cacolat in a lovely old cafe..

treats!

The amazing counter and lights of the old cafe..

In an exhibition of photography about India, not your sterotypical photography of India, but rather, insightful looks into different parts of the culture, and taken by people actually from there, each exploring their own concepts...really inspiring!

amazing bar/teashop with lovely old furniture!

barbequed salmon..

the weekend

2009-07-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

yesterday we took the car into the mountains with borja and pup on high windey roads..(not too good for puppy)

we stopped in this amazing little village and sat eating our packed lunch of sandwiches. then we wondered up the hill and found a beautiful resturant and quenched our thirst with some cokes.

After this it was back in le car and we drove to a buddhist monestry in the hills and walked around in the peacefulness.

On saturday night we went to a friends apartment where we sat on the balcony listening to music, talking and drinking wine. it was very nice! then i got a much needed haircut for free, i originally wanted all my hair chopped off, but we all decided to keep it a bit long! I´m very pleased with the results.

This week we have made a plan of action to stop procrastinating and do fun FREE things, like walk around different areas of barcelona (ravel, el bourne, gracia) go to the beach, to a free outside cinema screening with picnic, to go to the market to buy fabric to sew things, and to see friends!

sunsetty

2009-07-03T12:46:00.001-07:00

outfit number 2:

2009-07-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

enjoying some hot weather in bcn!

OUTFITS:

2009-06-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

1. Sarie, wearing Abigails shirt and her own skirt.
2. Abigail wearing a vintage playsuit and sarie's sandals

music

2009-06-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Abigail's list of music for Sarie:

Acoustic Ladyland;
Animal Collective;
Architecture In Helsinki;
Band Ane;
Bat For Lashes;
Beirut;
Bon Iver;
Bowerbirds;
British Sea Power;
Camille;
Campfire Songs;
Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah;
CocoRosie;
Cold War Kids;
David Bowie;
Deerhoof;
Dr. Dog;
Efterklang;
Ella Fitzgerald;
Feist;
Grizzly Bear;
Guilemots;
Hercules & Love Affair;
Imogen Heap;
Joanna Newsom;
Joni Mitchell;
Kate Bush;
Kid Harpoon;
Kim Hiorthoy;
Kings Of Convenience;
Kings Of Leon;
The Knife;
Kraftwerk;
Laura Marling;
Laura Veirs;
LCD Soundsystem;
Little Dragon;
Lou Rhodes;
Lykke Li;
Mice Parade;
The Microphones;
Neutral Milk Hotel;
Nick Drake;
Noah And The Whale;
Patrick Wolf;
People Under The Stairs;
Radiohead;
The Roots;
Seu Jorge;
The Shins;
The Smiths;
Talib Kweli;
The Tallest Man On Earth;
Thom Yorke;
Tom Vek;
Tom Waits;
The White Stripes;
The Whitest Boy Alive...

Hola!!

2009-06-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

first day:

Holidays!

2009-06-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

DEAR SCABBERS:

2009-06-03T05:15:00.000-07:00

SARIE-FLOSS!

DEAR ABIGAIL:

2009-06-03T04:12:00.000-07:00

A day at the fair, we went 2 and came back 3. Later was rowdy football and sunburnt noses! Puppy lovin' Summer lovin'

Dear Abigail:

2009-06-02T03:51:00.000-07:00

Numero dos photos:

More summer colour!
1. My "teabag" sketchbook sitting on the shelf
2. The view from my kitchen window!
3. Pretty hazy summer light
4. Pretty teapot and summer light
5. Madalenas/cupcakes
6. Plants and body forms
7. Messy messy kitchen table that needs tidying up!
8. Pretty jar that vic gave me!
9. tangled clean sheets

Dear Abbi:

2009-06-02T00:20:00.000-07:00

Summers here!:

Its already been scorching, sweaty and summery here! We have already had our first summer storm, Camé hated it!
1. Eating lots of lovely watermelon/sandia*
2. My new basil plant
3. Making lovely bean salads
4. Building pizza's
5. Summer naps with Camé on the sofa
6&7. Hot dog siesta-ing.

I will see you on friday, so excited! Is there anything from here you want?

*sandia=watermelon in spanish.

Dear friend squarer...

2009-05-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hola! well, i would very much like to come to these events, but i'm not sure when i'm coming yet.
Actually i needed to ask you about that because me and robyn were thinking about going away somewhere, maybe portugal, but then she has never been to barcelona so we thought that it would be good if we came there? so would it be ok if we stayed with you? it will only be for about 5 or six days, at the end of july/ beggining of august? it's just that we can't really afford to stay anywhere!

It's my exhibition tonight! i'm quite excited!

Oh oh i've had a lovely couple of days. on saturday i helped hang my work in the exhibtion space, then we went o this vegetarian food festival thing in cardiff, with lots of people from my old year, and lots of people from my new year..which was fun!
Then the next day, me and my friends ivar and leon (who i used to live with), went to the beach, because it was such an amazing day, really hot and clear blue sky. We went swimming in the sea! it actually wasn't that cold! and when i drove home we all smelt of the sea and suncream and it made me nostalgic and excited for the summer. then in the evening i drove to bristol to go and see Anthony and the Johnsons, and it was amazing! it was one of the best gigs i've ever been too. it was in this theatre and was seated, and we were on the balcony. I went with this boy and he put I feel quite happy at the moment, and a lot more like me, and i'm excited for the summer, and the festivals and seeing all of my friends, and you...i'm excited about being able to be me, and do the things i am interested in, and love the things that inspire me, without feeling guilty or ashamed.
last weekend i went back to coed to see lea, and i asked him where he had been staying, and he said with the girl, but nothing had happened. i got upset, and packed my things and left, and havn't spoken to him since. I know that we are split up, but it just makes it hard because i know that i can't go back there because they will be together and i feel it's quite unfair that i have been pushed out of my home. but i guess it's for the best because it has shown me things about the way lea is and i know i dont want that now, and i feel good for being by myself.

anyway, it would be lovely to speak again soon.
keep doing inspiring things! lots of love xxx

DEAR ABIGAIL:

2009-05-27T01:40:00.000-07:00

Just letting you know you should come to both these advents in July:
pulgasmix
lost and found!
They are both fleamarkets/art fairs and swapmeets!

DEAR ABISNAIL:

2009-05-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hi sister,

Thanks for our chat this morning, it made me think alot. I know we seem to have the same chat alot where I am feeling like I am unable to do things, make and create. I know you are right and that I need to get on with things.
I wanted to show you some pictures from May;

1&2. Prince Camé pup in the park, enjoying the shade and the spring air
3. Old signs in my "barrio"
4. Sculpture by Joan Miro, at the Miro foundation. (this is actually from Vic's visit!)
5. Camé and I went to this amazing park, it was a like a spiral to the bottom with beautiful purple plants with butterflies hiding in them!
6&7. Nice spring tree's, its nice to see the sun and leaves. Spring is so lovely here!
8. Nice lights strung up at the beach
9. Nice sunset and net curtain
10. The big wheel at the fair where we found Puppy amore!
11. Perfect picture: coffee, satchel and camera with amazing tiles.

Hope you like!

Dear friend sarah

2009-05-22T04:14:00.000-07:00

Hola!

so these are the 4 images i' using for the exhibition I'm having next Wednesday in Cardiff. I'm quite excited! I've never been in a proper exhibition before!

"In this project I am looking at the domestic space and how it helps to define who we are.
I’m looking at the unit of the family home and the spaces we inhabit and the objects we use and associate with the home.
I will concentrate on my own family with the reason that we all used to live in one house, as one family unit with one set of domestic spaces and one set of homely objects within them. But with the break up of my family and the growing up and moving on of its members, the homes have multiplied and therefore so have the spaces and the objects.
I want to look at the relationship we have to those domestic spaces that everyone can recognise from their own homes. I also want to see what memories we hold and recall about growing up and family life from these inanimate objects that become so personal to the family and us.
Within each of our own five different homes I have chosen five spaces that I feel sum up or signify domestic family life. Each area holds different meanings of what makes up the family for me, but everyone may have different experiences and reactions to that space.
Then in these five spaces I have chosen five objects that I feel further suggest the idea of domesticity. These are inanimate objects that have no specific link to my own family, but are objects that we can all relate to and hold various connotations to the home. On these objects I will ask my family members to write memories and stories on them. These memories are hopefully brought up by the objects but are not specific to the object, and can be related to the area where the object is placed.
In the series of photographs you will be able to determine who is who by the writing, the memories and the look of their domestic spaces. Maybe you will be able to determine people’s relationships with each other and the similarities in the memories shared."

love you xxxx

Dear Abigail:

2009-05-21T03:04:00.000-07:00

Pictures from outsapop. I just thought I would share this blog with you as its all about fashion and using recycled stuff. Its really inspiring to see that its not all tacky and crafty and it actually looks good and like highfashion.
Here is what the blogger says about herself "´m a crafty fashionaddicted girl from Finland. I´ve studied clothes making for four years and graduated in 2000. My studies included pattern making, sewing, fabric printing, fashion drawing, ect. Nowadays I´m most into customizing clothes for myself. Repair reuse recycle."
I hope you like, here is the link: http://www.outsapop.com/

Dear Friend Sarah

2009-05-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, i think i may have something you want...

do you like?

I've had a nice weekend! on thursday i went to a Diana Arbus exhibition in Cardiff where Robyn, Hannah and I quickly guzzled some champagne and went to look around the exhibition. which was good.

Then because it was the day that the 3rd years handed in their last project (i could have been with them meep!) we went out to a bar a drank some cocktails! then we went to Newport and met up with most of the people who used to be in my year and we danced and were silly! Then me lucy and steve went home and made pan-cakes and watched gavin and stacy (we're so obsessed with it, you should watch it if you can!) at 4 in the morning...

The next day my brain wouldn't work and Steve (Lucy's boy) had to help me make scrambled eggs. Then i wearily drove to uni and handed in my essay (that i wrote in 2 days! 3,500 words!) Then i drank tea with Robyn and listented to silly stories about the previous night.

That evening Robyn and Hannah came over to Lucy's and Lucy and Steve made Mussaka whih was amazing, and we sat outside and toasted marshmallows on steve's home made stove. We talked about disney movies and Roald Dahl books...Then we watched the cartoon version of Robin Hood, but i fell asleep and took myself off to bed.

Then yesterday (saturday) we ate breakfast then we got in the car and drove around the beautiful welsh countryside and parked by this old church which was wonky and old and amazing! Then we walked up this HUGE hill and all shouted as loudly as we could at the top! We saw lots of wild horses aswell! On the way home we got some chips! Then came home and Lucy made carrot and corander soup, then robyn and hannah went home. In the evening I made enchiladas and we watched the last episodes of Gavin and Stacy and then we watched Somerstown by Shane Meadows, the guy who made This is England.

And, and today I slept for a long time! Then I drove us to a car boot sale down the road! i didnt really get anything, other than a wind-up torch for 30p! But still it was exciting to go! I love carboot sales so much!

I've got a few more bits of work to do, but i've very nearly finished! I hand in my work on tuesday then thats it!

On thursday I'm going to London to see Yann Tiersan, the man who composed the music to Amelie. and then on the next day i'm going to meet with Fran and Jonty and Robyn and go to an exhibition. It' going to be FUN!

When i get back i'm going to drive to the Valley to see lea, then we are going to go camping around north wales and spend some time together and work out what we are going to do.

Anyway! where are you? how's the pup? i thought you were going to do things to the blog?

i'll try and get some pictures of the book!

lots of lovexxxx

Dear Sarie

2009-05-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

hello! sorry i've been really busy!
Everyone's gone pet mad! i cant believe that you have a dog! and vic is getting a new kitten, and the women has offered her a puppy jack russel too!

So i've only got a week and a bit left of uni this year! Me and my designer are printing the photos for the book tommorow then she is going to bind them. She was doing screen printing last week for the chapter pages, which is one tissue paper. Hopefully it's going to look really good! I'll try and take some pictures and show you! I've finished all my final printing so i just have to write my essay, which i have left to the LAST minute, it's due inthis fFriday...eeek!

So this weekend i drove to bristol because i felt i had to see lea face to face and couldn't contact him, so i decided to go there. I'm glad i did, i just felt like i couldn't sit around anymore just thinking and thinking about him and us, that i needed to go and do something about it.

We had a nice time, we stayed in the cave one night which was really nice, then we went on a walk the next day through this wood and to a place called paradise, where all the wild garlic was in flower and the bluebells were out.

Then we came back to aberganvenny where i'm staying and watched a film. Then yesterday we went into town and walked around the old castle, then we drove to the countryside and walked pretty much all the way up this mountain called 'the sugarloaf mountain'. we just talked lots and enjoyed eachothers company.

I think things are ok. for everything that i feel is wrong about our relationship i just don't feel it's right for us to split up, we both love eachother too much. and i feel i can get over the things i need to get over with lea, and that we can help eachother. it just felt right when were together and wrong when we are apart. Maybe it won't work out in the end, but for now i'm willing to try and make it work. But i'm just going to concentrate on making myself happy, and not depending on lea for that, and trying to get over my horrid social paranioa that i seem to have developed.

So when i finish on the 12th i'm going to go to london to see Jan Tiersan the man who composed the music to amelie. I think im going to meet up with fran and jonty. then me and lea are going to go travelling around north wales for a couple of weeks in my little car. Then i guess we are just going to see how things go from there.

Anyway here are some rubbish photos of paradise!

p.s the picture at the top is from this scrap yard where i went to get something for my car, and they had this massive pile of greasy hubcabs and then i really feminine lamp shade, i thought it was amazing!

Dear Abigail!

2009-05-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

Where are you sister one? I want to know whats happening with you. Im going to redesign this blog this coming this week. I have nice plans. Any photos you have send them to me so I can use them.
This weekend has been scorching hot, summers arrived here well and truely!
I want to show you my little mate baby pup!

.
He is lovely and follows me everywhere I go. I can't believe he was abandoned at the fair!

Dear Abigail:

2009-04-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Hello, me again. Just wanted to share some silly scribbles with you. Pages are from my sketchbook. I really want to start making more as I miss making sketchbooks so much. I love a full sketchbook bursting with experiments and ideas.

How is your book-making going? Any photos yet?

♥ Sarie xx

Dear abigail:

2009-04-30T03:01:00.000-07:00

HI! Sorry I have not written in a long time! I have been making my self super busy with going swimming and tidying and going for really long walks.
The weather has purked up a bit here and I can feel he sun warming me old bones and freckles popping out on my skin. Its good! I get weird in the summer though, its like a long parched drag and I think I get a bit overheated and itchy.

I can't wait to visit, look I wanted to show you the fold up bike Andy did up for me! Isn't it pretty? She needs a name I think...

I can't wait to ride it around the city! With a basket and a puppy-amore!
Tonight or tomorrow we are going to the "feria de abril" (april fair!). Its traditional for "sevillanas" and for Andalucians to go all dressed up (like you were, infact that dress was made especially for this occasion.) Borja's Mum was amazing and so beautiful. People spend hundreds on their outfits. I can't wait to go!

We saw a flat the other day, I have really mixed feelings. I mean it would be amazing to have a big old flat right off the Rambla de Poble Nou. However Im quite comfy in this sweet little flat and also its a lot of work, money and stress.

How is uni going? What have you been up to.
I have an idea for a photo challenge soon!

♥ you,
Sarie xxx

Dear Friend Sarah

2009-04-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

hello! I'm staying at lucy's house at the moment and its a wonderfully sunny morning!

i had such a lovely weekend with tilly! First on friday i picked her up from the train station with my little car! (after getting hopelessly lost in cardiff!) then we went to my favourite indian restuarant in cardiff, they sell the best food just like in india! not like english indians!

then we went home and there was an art exhibition opening at coed so we listened to the opening talks, but didn't feel particularly sociable so we took our wine to the stone circle and watched the sun go down and talked. then we watched a movie in bed. later i phoned lea because he was supposed to be back after going to the valley for the day, and he was stuck somewhere with no way of getting home, so i went out in the car in my pyjamas driving for the first time at night to pick him up! it was a good experience!

on saturday lea made us breakfast in bed then we got up and took the goats for a long walk in the woods. it was such lovely weather! then me and tilly made a thermos of tea and set out to the beaches near to where i live. we drove around little country lanes in the sunshine listening to nice music and finding beautiful beaches. then we got chips and ate them on the cliff top.

when we got home i lit a fire and we drank wine and knitted and talked until we were a bit wobbly and weary eyed!

in the morning we got up early and i drove to the nearest town for a car boot sale! the weather was amazing, not a cloud in the sky! i got lots of treasures! then we went for a full breakfast in this nice cafe in cowbridge and sat in the garden in the sun!

then we went home and helped in the garden and it was the little boy who lives at coed, birthday and his mum had made an amazing picnic with homemade pizza's and lemonade and hummous and salsa and we all sat on the grass in the sun and had a lovely lunch! after that we played then we party games, where we had a balloon attached to our bums and had to try and burst other peoples by hitting them! then we played whats the time mr. wolf.

then it was suddenly time for tilly to go get her train, so i drove her into cardiff and sent her off!

after that i went to a park in cardiff, but felt a bit lonely and rubbish because tilly had gone and there were lots of happy couples walking around! oh well...

so things have been weird with lea, at first i was trying to be nice to him in a hope that he would still want to be with me, then i suddenly woke up and realised what i was doing and how wrong it was and that actually i dont want that at all and realised how things have been and how he has treated me these last two years and how utterly selfish he is. so i didnt speak to him all of sunday and i left and havn't been back since. not that he has cared! he hasn't rung to see where i am or if i'm ok, but that's typical of him only thinking about himself!

i'm going to the cinema with hannah tonight to watch the reader! after that i'm going to go back to coed, but only to get some thins because i'm going to stay with lucy in her house for a couple of weeks just whilst i finish uni and to get away from lea and this girl because i can't stand the sight of either of them, and don't want to put myself through all of this for no reason!

so its going to be good to have some space and concentrate on uni and spend time with my friends here!

anyway hope you had a nice time with vic! let me know what you have been up to!

i used that poladroid thing and here are some pictures of mine and tillys weekend!

Dear Friend Sarah

2009-04-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

thank you for ringing me earlier it was lovely to speak with you both, and it made me really want to come and see you again. I feel much better and have spoken to quite a few people now about things so i feel that i know what's right and what i have to do. it's also nice to know that there are lots of people there for me!

this morning mumma brought me breakfast in bed, with a boiled egg and marmite on toast and a kinder egg for easter! last night we made felt and today we sewed it into a bag and a purse.

here are some photos:

Dear friend sarah

2009-04-11T09:56:00.001-07:00

hello, I'm at mum's house at the moment, taking photographs.

Things are a bit weird because I'm not sure if me and Lea are splitting up. He's not sure if we are right for each other anymore and that maybe our relationship has reached an end. But he says that he still loves me, so he's not sure what to do. I think a bit of space will help us. For me i think that maybe it will be a good thing if we do, possibly. Because i have become rather dependent on him for my happiness and confidence, and feel that is not good for both of us, and i really don't need to do it because i can survive by myself, and get on with people just fine, and find good loving friends without him. But i do still love him very much and therefore i still want to be with him. But the conclusion that i have come to is that either way if we stay together or split up that i'm going to start thinking of myself more, and doing what makes me happy and being more confident and independent. I don't want to feel like i need lea, i should just want to enjoy his company and that's it. So even though these last couple of days have been hard, i think they have been immensely good for me.

So this week coming up, i may go and see Robyn in Bristol for a lovely catch up, then i've got my driving test on thursday, then tilly is coming to visit on friday for the weekend, which i am really looking foreward to. It will be nice to see an old friend, one who knows me quite well. And hopefully i pass my test so we can drive around doing nice things!

I'm going to help mum learn how to use her new Macbook! And we are going to do some felt making. Also I hemmed the floral dress and finished it, FINALLY!

I took some rubbish phonecamera photos:

lots of love, hope you have fun with vic xxxx

Dear Abigail (Hannah!)

2009-04-06T01:54:00.000-07:00

After lasts weeks rain its been really nice to get outside. We had really lovely weekend. First of all we went for dinner at a friends house and there was lots of martini and kareoke. We got home very late. Yesterday we had a nice lunch at Borjas parents and then went to the beach and later for Bocadillos in some horrid bar but it was fun!
This week Im going to be so busy running around trying to get all the things I need to do done.
Love you

Dear friend sarah,

2009-04-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

brrrrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooom broooooom. I just bought this car....

Hello Spring!

2009-03-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Sarie,
thanks for your letter, Madrid sounds amazing! your description sort of reminded me of San Sebastian with all the tapas bars and things like that. i think you would like it there too!

I hope you are feeling ok, just remember all the things that make you happy and concentrate on those! and you have vic's visit to look forward to, and i may have to come and visit again and take photos!

I'm at vic's house at the moment. last night we went to carole's dinner for inspirational women. it was quite good but we arrived late because my bus from cardiff was late getting in. we were supposed to be sitting on specific tables but we arrived to late and had to sit on this near empty table but for one women. we also missed the bit where everyone mingled i guess which would have been interesting to speak with some of the other women. they had a leaflet that had a small biography about everyone who was there. i didnt have time to write mine so carole and grace wrote mine, it said:
"yurt dwelling photographer, traveller and sister" hah! i thought that was quite good!
i spoke to this one women who said that she lives in a yurt in the summer time. she was really nice! she was really interested to know what it was like to do the winter in the yurt. she was also on a raw food diet and had been for quite a long time i think, and does yoga. there were quite a lot of interesting sounding women but we didnt get to speak to them! oh well...

I've been feeling happy about the return of spring, and glad to see it as we missed it last year beause we were in india. Last week or so me and lea went for a walk in this huge park in the middle of Cardiff called Bute Park, which is an arbiritum (which means it has lots of different trees from all over the world). We were adrmiring all the daffodils and blossoms and collected them. then we stumbled upon the flowering Magnolia tree which we could see from the other side of the park, bright pink. then we walked over to it andstood underneathe it and found these amazing skeletal lacy leaves which we colllected. Then yesterday on the bus into london i kept on spotting these amazing trees in peoples little front gardens, so bright and beautiful. All of the blossom was out and the trees are getting thier buds and turning into leaves. it made me feel very happy!

Dear Abigail:

2009-03-27T01:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been a while little sister, I've been hermitting away at home doing nothing and feeling sorry for my self as usual.

First of all let me tell you about Madrid:

These photos were taken on one of our many stops on the way. We started off leaving the city quite late and it was very very windy so we had to drive quite slowly. We stopped of at many weird roadside cafes in anonymous towns. I liked that a lot though. This one town/village was amazing and had these weird old rock buildings (like caves or something from the flintstones). It also had this old bar that looked like it had closed for a while. It was like the house of horrors at Disney. It had all these old signs and other things made out of old junk and metal. It was amazing and had cobwebs and old wooden steps and art deco styling. I really want it to be open again and to visit there again.
We finally arrived in Madrid very tired indeed. It was all very different and made Barcelona feel very small indeed. We were met by Borja's friends as we were going to be staying there. We chatted with them for a while and then went out on the strange metro to the city centre. The buildings were so big and old and amazing. I really liked it. We went out for drinks in these old busy bars. In Madrid you get a free tapas when you buy a drink. So with each drink you get this different plate. We had paella and fish things. They were very tasty indeed. We were really tired so we went back to the house we were staying at and promptly fell asleep. Borja had to wake up really early to go and take his exam. I slept more and then woke up and met Borja in the centre. We walked around in the sun (the weathers better in Madrid!) and then went for more tapas and for lunch. We then headed back still really tired and had a siesta and later went out to a packed bar to watch football haha. On Sunday we had another late start and then went to have an amazing tapas feast. It was really different, its more "Spanish/European" culture there than Barcelona. It was nice to see everyone out on a Sunday enjoying tapas with all the family. It was then time to head off and we drove solidly and just had one stop and then finally got into Barcelona. It was so nice to be back with its smaller roads, the sea and little buildings.

I hope you're well and I will update more with other new things

Pictures from Home

2009-03-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

dear sarie,
so me and my design partner had a meeting yesterday with some tutors about the book design. They didn't really think that the idea that we had come up with for the book was going to work with the photographs so we sort of had to scrap that idea. But it was fine after the meeting me and my partner sat down and came up with a new idea which i think will look and work a lot better! We are still going to use the family album idea, but just make it bigger with big thick pages with one photo on each page with tissue paper separating them. I'll try and get some scans of the mock book so you can see! Today we went fabric shopping for the cover of the book. We found some amazing stuff that will hopefully work, because we are hoping to emboss the title into it for the cover and spine.

Other than that there was a caberet here at the weekend, which was hectic and tiring and fun. The weather here has been lovely, sunny all the time!

Tommorow I'm going to London to go to Aunty Caroles dinner that she has arranged for 'inspirational women'. I'm not really sure what it is about, but it sounds quite interesting, and might be good for me to meet women who are doing inspirational things, and maybe i can make some contacts for furture projects for portiats of women that i'm interested in.

Anyway I'm still waiting to hear about madrid, and about school, do you have any photos of the work you are doing? and photos of your travels and days please!

thanks!

memories from home

2009-03-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

dear Sarie,

So I have been doing some more work, scanning in my pictures to show you!

I've nearly finished hopefully, well I'm going to Vic's next week to do a re-shoot, and then I need to go to mum's. Also I have been working with a graphic designer for my book. We've got lots of the same ideas which is great! We are going to make a mock photo album, with a fabric cover and lovely floral print for the inside and to go on top of the photos, as well as some tissue paper.

Also we are going to have a little brown paper or leather pocket (like in moleskins!) on the other side of the cover. The photos are going to go top to bottom, and you have to lift them up to look at them, like in a photo album! My designer has already made this amazing mock-book and it looks lovely!

For the pocket I'm going to go into the studio and shoot all of the objects so you can read exactly what they say on them. Then these will just be little photos that you can take out of the pocket and look at them.

work work work

2009-03-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

dear sarie,
I have been working hard for my project, I developed my films from the shoot at your house the other day, and I feel that they have turned out quite well. also I had a presentation last week to be put with a design partner, with who I'm going to be working with to design my book. This was pretty helpful as it made me think about and narrow down what my idea ACTUALLY is.
This is the long and short of what my idea is:
My project is looking atthe concept of 'the home'. I want to see how you can make a portrait of someone just using their surroundings and objects to describe them. I'm focusing on my own family and all of our separate homes. I'm interested in the sets of objects and specific areas of the home, ones that we can all recognise from our own homes. In this project I want to discuss the break up of my family and how we all used to live togehther in one house, with one set of objects like plates, bath towels and bed sheets, etc..But now since my family has moved on and joined with other people , these sets of simple things you find have mulitplied with the paths we have taken and the lifestlyes we lead.

I have chosen five specific areas within each home that I feel sum up what the home is and the roles within it. These are the kitchen sink, the dining table, the bath, the washing line and the bed. Within these areas I have selected individual items that further signify the idea of 'the home'. These objects are innamanate and have no personal link to my family, but I have asked my family members to write personal memories on these that are brought up by the type of object or within the area it is placed. I hope this can help the viewer understand something about my family and the individual personalities through looking at the places in the home and reading what they have written.

These images are some of the ones from Dad's house and Vic's.

Lots of love