Camera (and Birthday) Update!

Not that anyone cares, but my camera isn’t broken! I’m so happy! One of the buttons was stuck and was making it go mad. Hooray!

Happy Birthday Dan. Love.

My Camera is (sort of) Broken

The camera that has been with me through everything, through being attacked by stupid girls in the street to every night out I’ve ever been to, to every day when I see something inspiring, has broken. It’s rubbish.

It’s fine in video mode, voice record mode and best shot photograph mode, but if I turn the dial to auto picture or manual exposure mode it will show me the live picture on the screen for two seconds, and then it’ll turn to black. The annoying thing is it’s nothing wrong with the shutter because it will still take photos and even let me look at them afterwards. I am overdramatizing really, as I could use the viewfinder, but I am worried it is on the way out. I suppose it’s good practise for when I get my lomography camera. However, this is the time when I definitely cannot afford another digital camera. But I definitely cannot live without one. Dilemma (sad face)

Handbags at Dawn

This is very true.

I have three hand bags: one my Dad bought me from America, a vintage Waldybag in disrepair but still loved, and a black brocade type thing from TK Maxx. Who needs designer really? I don’t want the same things as everyone else, and I am definitely NEVER going to spend the same amount of money needed for a house deposit on a bag.

Buried Treasure

There are so many skips in this area, I am going to go forage later. We need firewood for the party and also the stuff people put in skips is just astonishing. My friend’s Mum found a huge vintage pristine mirror in a skip. I am hoping for something good but doubt it will be that good.

I Have My Question!

Brillaint news: I have my dissertation question. After talking to Fynes about it today it has suddenly taken shape out of the chaos.

The Links Between Innovation and Jewellery

It doesn’t sound like much, but it will cover such topics as:

Why doesn’t the jewellery industry move as fast as the fashion industry?

Why isn’t high street jewellery more innovative?

The differences between innovation in costume and fine/precious jewellery,

How does the use of valuable gems influence innovation?

How does the use of found objects influence innovation?

Does innovation affect the quality of the jewellery?

Does innovation vary from the high street to boutiques to bespoke jewellery?

Does the price band affect innovation and vice versa?

Why isn’t there more marketing focus on high street jewellery?

How does the jewellery shop environment support and market innovation and products?

How have ethical considerations affected innovation?

I am really excited, it should be a good topic. Now all I have to do is write the proposal in a way that sounds exciting. It’s fantastic because I feel like I’m writing on a new area rather than rehashing known facts.

Dissertation

I am really struggling with this. Formulating a research topic is so so hard. I really don’t know what to do, really am at wit’s end. I emailed Fynes and told him this and bless him he was so nice as to give me a hint about what to do, suggesting I do something to do with the jewellery industry. I did my business plan last year on this area and apparently Grahame was impressed with it, which was very nice of Fynes to say. I do feel a bit bad like he thinks I am just asking to be spoonfed a topic, but honestly I really can’t think of anything to research. But as of tomorrow I’m going to stop whining, pull myself together and get on with it. To the library! (After the gym)

Banksy

*smile*

I love our house.

Briefs

So we almost have all of our briefs now, and some of them are difficult. Well, it is our third year. For one module we can choose from several briefs on the RSA website. I am torn between two – sustainable packaging and domestic greenclean. They both deal with issues I am familiar with and care about, yet sustainable packaging is probably easier to do in the time available as there is so much scope within it. The ‘domestic greenclean’ project is more complex and my initial ideas involve a lot of architecture and external additions to buildings, which may not be so easy to execute in the time available. I’m going to think about it now.

For the research project there are really no limitations except it has to be within the field of design and design management, which spans business, marketing, graphic design and design in general. That’s why it is so difficult. I am considering adapting one of the RSA briefs to go with, not passing it off as my own idea but going through the research thoroughly and reaching an outcome that may not be covered by the requirements of the brief.

I was quite disappointed with my marks for last year, as apparently my designs lacked ‘finesse’, which was a disappointing outcome. But I suppose that’s what you get for not being supervised by the tutors all the time. I would rather be wrong than be spoon fed. It was very surprising that I got the highest mark for the business plan, when I thought I would get the lowest. It was probably because I did wicked packaging for it (I will upload photos another time) and that boosted my marks. I just have to make sure this year I knuckle down (even harder than last year) and get it right. Or as near to right as possible, while staying on target with the brief.

Unhappiness

I am so sick of being told that to be successful you need to sell shit to people they don’t need. I’m so tired of meaningless mission statements and branding just cluttering up the world. I am so tired of the boredom.

I want to make a difference. I want to do something to help. But it’s not other countries that need changing, it’s people’s attitudes here. We can’t afford to be so wasteful any more but no one seems to care. I really shouldn’t think like this because I either get angry or upset or often both, and that’s no help to anyone.