Monsters from Socks

Posted on 15/08/2006 by bighair63

I never knew it could be so therapeutic to sit, sewing little creatures out of socks after a long day at work!

I bought my other half a book for Christmas (’05) called ‘Sock Monsters’ but it’s not until now that we’ve opened it with the intention of being creative. I can’t remember who the book is by, but I found this website http://www.stupidcreatures.com/gallery.html which gives you an idea of the variety of monsters that can evolve from manky, old, worn socks! We do seem to have a large number of old socks or socks who’ve lost their life long partners but, if you’re like me, you’ll get really excited and rush out to buy the craziest socks you can find at the cheapest prices… Woolworths has done me proud!

I’ve spent the last two days covered in bits of thread and sock oddments, irresponsibly putting my freelance work to one side for several hours of crafty fun!
So, here are a couple of my sock monsters – the picture quality is a little poor but that’s because I used my phone.

Short rant – Shaving Closer

Posted on 15/08/2006 by bighair63

At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old woman – is it just me or is there something ridiculous about Gillette’s new 5-blade Razor!!? Apparently it shaves 30% closer than the last Mach 3, which in my eyes does legs very well! I mean, THIRTY percent closer!? I just don’t understand! My legs are as smooth as a baby’s bum with the Mach 3 and if the shave got any closer I’d be walking around with exposed muscle.

Marketing is an extraordinary thing – take for instance babies nappies! Every so often you get a new type of diaper that helps your child walk better or crawl better while sucking it dry. They pull up and down, you can go swimming in them, mop the floor effciently… what happened to good ol’ fashioned fold-and-fix-with-a pin diapers? Anyway, if parents aren’t careful, by process of osmosis, they will have a prune crawling around their living room instead of a child.

Interestingly the slogan is always ‘The Best EVER’ – so the last ‘best’ wasn’t ‘best’ at all?? I suppose this is the sort of thing I’ll have to deal with when I’m a fully fledged designer working for a big corporation. I’ll be employed to come up with witty ways of selling a product that nobody really needs because the last one worked perfectly well. I suspect by the time I graduate, Gillette will be marketing the MACH 10-Blade with the slogan ‘Close to the Bone’.

In the beginning…

Posted on 11/08/2006 by bighair63

Just two weeks ago I handed in my resignation after making the decision to return to University as a Mature Student! Now I’m counting down the days before my life changes and I start out on a different path, to a different career and a whole new me!

For those of you who’ve ever had to decide whether to give up the security and comfort of full time employment or face the ‘unknown’ as a poor, beans-on-toast-eating student, then I tip my hat to you. It certainly isn’t easy! BUT I’VE DONE IT – ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!

I can, without a doubt, say this has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make, and if it hadn’t been for my long suffering other half, the advice of caring friends and family then this choice could never have been made.

Now, I’m sure there are much bigger, more difficult decisions to be made by other people, in other places with far worse consequences e.g. Blair and Bush sendin’ us to war but sorry, this is about ME … me and my decisions, me and my worries, me and my journey…. This is all starting to sound rather egotistical!

Anyway, what better way to let your thoughts take shape than by writing it all down and, hey, if you’re going to write it down, why not let everyone else (and his dog) see it.