#amber prints studio

[amberprintsstudio]

Squirrel, Horse or Frog. If you like animals, then you'll love these cute stickers available on recyclable sticker sheets or as single vinyl stickers.

Ten percent off on your first order if you use the code PROMO10!

[amberfurj]

Extremely cute Cockatrice sketch for my Guardian Archives world.

[falling-star-cygnus]

i've finally exhausted my Link Click drafts, it's time -> i'm accepting requests for them too :D

the highly anticipated [four people asked for a continuation] pt.2 of the bleeding eyes Lu Guang fic✨ {could probably be read as a standalone tbh, but it'll make better sense if you read pt.1}

Qiao Ling and Cheng Xiaoshi's reactions who's excited for season three? >w<

Lu Guang was home alone.

He was far from helpless, even if the siblings were noticeably more offensively capable then he was, and he proved as much during the whole subway tunnel fiasco. Which Cheng Xiaoshi still kinda felt bad about, even if it was Lu Guang's desperation that drove him to switch places in the first place.

Regardless, Cheng Xiaoshi didn't like it.

Lu Guang hated being alone.

Normally- or, in the new normally- Qiao Ling would stay behind if his roommate was too busy to come out with him to run errands. But, given that it was nearing the time their city seemed to sleep, the two had decided it was better that he didn't go alone.

Cheng Xiaoshi didn't really like this either.

He hoped Lu Guang was doing ok, but he didn't really have the best track record of taking care of himself. Especially when left to his own devices.

"You're going to get wrinkles."

His sister poked insistently at his face. It sorta helped ease the uncomfortable wrongness itching his organs.

He bat her hands away regardless.

"Hey- cut it out, landlady! Not all of us need a twenty step skincare routine to avoid aging..."

Qiao Ling's offended gasp finally tethered him down to their surroundings; the amber flickering of a streetlight and the pale blue glow of a moth in moonlight. The comforting scuff of sidewalk under his feet.

Cheng Xiaoshi loosed a sigh, trying to dislodge the tangled knots that had made home in his chest. Lu Guang was fine. The siblings were going to get back to him, drink their milk tea, and enjoy a cheesy movie and everything was going to be fine.

"Are you worried about Lu Guang?"

He didn't bother responding this time.

"...Me too."

Thankfully, the studio was finally within reach. Cheng Xiaoshi's hands were full with their teas, so he left unlocking the door to his sister.

"We're back, Guang-Guang"

His call was met with silence. Awful, sticky, normal silence that did nothing to ease how tight his heart was feeling. He waited for his roommate to meander back from wherever he had disappeared to, which is what he normally did when he was too far from the entrance to greet them back at a comfortable volume, and set about freeing his hands.

Nothing.

No shock of white hair.

No quiet greeting to Qiao Ling as she made herself comfortable on their couch.

No soft footsteps coming down the stairs.

Cheng Xiaoshi made his way to their shared bathroom, trying to ignore the wheeze at the edges of his breathing.

Lu Guang was fine.

He knocks on the door.

"Lu? You in there?"

Silence. And then-

"Yeah."

The relief that crushes Cheng Xiaoshi's lungs is immeasurable. So dizzying that he feels like he could cry.

Lu Guang was fine.

"We're back. And we brought milk tea." "Welcome home. I'll be down in a second."

Feeling ten years younger, he heads back towards the stairs to claim his spot on the couch before his sister decides the whole thing was hers.

Cheng Xiaoshi almost misses the polaroid innocuously left outside the bathroom door. The white backing is the only part visible from where it oh so innocently lays.

It wasn't like Lu Guang to be so careless with their jobs, even less so with his own photos. Huh.

"Hey, Lu, you left-"

The photo is stained with brown red finger prints. Splatters of what had ruined their last couch coat at least a quarter of the waxy material, breaking apart and staining his fingers in a way that makes him sick.

Cheng Xiaoshi is jiggling the door handle before he even realizes he's moved.

"Lu Guang! Are you ok?"

This can't be happening. Not again, not so soon. Lu Guang was supposed to be ok-

"Open the door-!" "I'm fine."

He so clearly is not. The tremors that Cheng Xiaoshi had thought he was imagining before, or maybe were just side effects of being left alone so long, are more pronounced now. His soft voice is raised and panicked, cornered in a way Cheng Xiaoshi never wanted to hear directed at him.

"Let me in!" "Idiot, it's just a papercut!" "Then let me in-"

A papercut wouldn't make his unflappable roommate sound like that. Wouldn't make the sink run so frantically in the background. Cheng Xiaoshi doesn't have time to wait for Lu Guang to open it on his own.

He reaches up, fingers trailing along the very the top of the door frame until they catch on the thin metal rod up there. A good investment when the other took too long in the bathroom.

And a good investment when Cheng Xiaoshi's best friend could be in fatal danger again.

It takes far too long with his shaking hands to unlock the door, and he barely pries it open an inch before it clicks shut in his face. Lu Guang had thrown his body against it.

He had never been more grateful to be stronger than his twig of a roommate.

Cheng Xiaoshi throws his weight right back and manages to lodge his thigh in the opening before Lu can retaliate. From there, it's easy to shove it open the rest of the way and take his best friend into his arms.

It's a horrifying sight.

Thick, rivulets of burgundy drip out of his tear ducts, marring Lu Guang's pretty face into something out of those scary movies that Qiao Ling forces them to watch.

"Cheng Xiaoshi-"

Cheng Xiaoshi cups his face as carefully as he possibly can, trying to fight the panic clawing up his throat. He can't afford to freak out right now, not when the gentle touch he offers his best friend splinters him to pieces.

"What happened?" "I don't know- I don't know- this has never happened before. I don't- I was just looking through photos-"

Lu Guang's breath stutters and wheezes upon an inhale. His cattish grey eyes are wide an unseeing, or perhaps seeing too much, and he clings to Cheng Xiaoshi's arm in a way he only lets himself do when he's too deep in a panic to stop himself.

"It's ok- it's going to be okay. Lu Guang, breathe!"

He's so bad at this. So completely not equipped to deal with a panicking Lu Guang. Cheng Xiaoshi has never felt like worse of a friend than he does right now, unable to help the person that had carried him through many of his own panic attacks.

He forces himself to take his own advice and breathe. Lu Guang liked cleanliness, so- he could start there.

"It'll be okay."

Cheng Xiaoshi carefully keeps his grip on his best friend with one hand, rubbing between his shoulder blades to try and ground him to the present. With his other hand, he reaches for the rag left by the sink.

He hadn't noticed it before, too focused on just getting to Lu Guang and making sure he was alive, to really take in his surroundings properly.

Carefully, more gently than he's handled anything in his life, Cheng Xiaoshi soaks the rag and cleans away the blood- because he can no longer deny that's what it is- sticking to his best friend's face.

"It's okay."

Finally, after what feels of years of gentle words and even gentler ministrations, the blood stops crawling out of his roommates face. Cheng Xiaoshi had carefully settled Lu Guang's hand against his chest, hoping his pulse- however erratic it was- would bring some comfort to him.

It had worked in the past, when the nightmares Lu denied having threw him around too harshly and he needed real proof that Cheng Xiaoshi was alive. It seemed to be the right call.

Lu Guang's stilted breathing had evened out into something closer to a strenuous hike before finally calming into something just slightly too fast. Improvement was improvement.

"...I'm-"

Cheng Xiaoshi pulls his best friend into his chest to cut him off, realizing the two had somehow ended up on the bathroom floor at some point during this whole debacle.

"Don't you dare apologize."

Lu Guang keeps quiet on his chest.

Cheng Xiaoshi pretends not to notice his shaking shoulders.

[llunapastell-reads]

ᴄʜ. ᴛᴡᴏ || ʀᴇᴅ ʟɪɴᴇ (ʜ.ʜᴊ) ──

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 :･ hwang hyunjin x fem reader | hyunjin pov 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 :･ warm n fluffy | comfort 𝗖𝗛. 𝗪.𝗖 :･ 1.5k 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 :･ profanity | implied smut

𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘 :･ this could be read as a standalone story tbh. Also story undercut is in regular size font for all the folks like me that enjoy tiny print aesthetic but struggle to stare at it for too long ...

✧.* 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 & 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚

Pale moonlight spills across Y/N’s bare shoulders and down streaks of hair that pool upon her pillow. Her silhouette has darkened against its bluish hue, but the curve of her body is illuminated so perfectly by the light; what a shame it is that she's facing away from me, how ethereal her face must appear under this thin veil of moonshine. I always give her a hard time about sleeping with the windows open, the perpetual buzz of spring is so much louder without a barrier separating us from its seething. But tonight, I’m thankful there is nothing to obstruct the stream of light that pours into this compact bedroom and along her skin. 

Although reluctant to shift my eyes away from her serene form, there is a ritual to finish: a challenge to sketch a new pattern in the textured ceiling above us. With my hands propped behind my head, I imagine myself plotting a new constellation— a fresh body of stars only visible when my back is flush against her sheets. My eyes will retrace the image until my consciousness finally slips away, hopefully sooner than later. We both usually sleep well through the night after we untangle our bodies from on e another, but as soon as spring came and that damn window cracked open, I’ve been slowly turning into one of those nocturnal creatures I hear outside. 

I sigh, the interrupted rest is bothersome, but I wouldn’t dare take away her natural lullaby. She falls into such a deep slumber amongst the noise, and I’d be lying if I said her tranquility wasn’t endearing to witness. As I inch closer to Y/N, my lips ghost against her shoulder; the soft skin smells like warm amber and sex, a scent so comforting in my lungs it almost feels like touching cashmere to my bare chest. I snake my arms around her sleeping form, careful not to disturb her dreams. She exhales deeply from the diaphragm, and I can’t help the smile that forms. I pride myself on the idea of bringing her comfort and ease. 

If you told me all those months ago that my life would change at midnight, I would laugh in your face and encourage you to shove that fortune cookie bullshit back up your ass. A mere recollection of New Year's Eve still leaves me bewildered; It doesn’t take much, just recalling the resonance of bright laughter in that diner, or her hands lost in my hair, the weight of her body pressed on top of mine—I still catch myself considering if it was just a fever dream my subconscious fabricated. But then Y/N cradles my face with a memorizing smile crinkling the corner of her eyes. That knowing look I’m convinced I could find even in the middle of Shibuya Crossing. A language of empathy unspoken between us: one she taught me, one only we can comprehend. 

We have spent almost every day together since then, teaching each other different things over endless cups of coffee and wine, some days at my art studio while I’m painting or hidden in the tiny reading nook by her living room window. Or in the dead of night, when the only sounds you hear are ragged pants and shy giggles. She’s entrusted me with roadmaps to her past, where her hopes and aspirations are leading her. I’m creating some guides of my own, like charting all the tender spots on her body, with pure delight and fascination.

Her presence reminds me of the calm after the rain. It’s so soothing and light, I marvel at the phenomenon whenever I pause to notice. It takes me aback how unaware she is, she exudes such a comforting aura without even realizing it, sometimes without uttering a word. In the moments when I seem to return a fraction of the consolation she offers, I rejoice. 

“Hmm… Jinnie?” A tiny voice reverberates under the palm of my hand. My  lips nuzzle into her hair as I tighten my grip, reassuring the sleepy girl of my presence. She leans into me before a placid yawn disturbs the stillness.

“It’s the window, isn’t it?” 

I bite my lip to suppress a chuckle. She can read my mind even in her sleep. “It’s fine, angel. Go back to bed.”

Her form shifts under my hold until her cheek brushes against my nose. I mindlessly peck the corner of her mouth, a habitual occurrence when our faces are within this proximity. My lips linger, enjoying the way her mouth faintly curls upwards in response to my gesture. 

“Should I distract you? From the noise?” She whispers and shifts again, gentle fingers trailing heat in their wake up the skin of my neck. The lethargic caress earns a hum of satisfaction from me, which she celebrates with a hungry kiss. We are getting better at not being consumed by lust whenever our lips meet, but this is our safe place. Holding back would be nearly impossible when only cotton sheets separate our bodies. 

I’m proud that my movements have become less crass—Y/N likes to believe she has made me a more disciplined lover—but truthfully, I want to savor every moment of getting lost in her. Her smell, touch, and taste have an intoxicating effect: overwhelming but in a kind of dazzling way. Maybe it’s how her musk smells sweeter when blush blossoms under her skin, or the friction of her hips rolling against mine that sends electricity through all my nerves, her melody of moans and praises that exhilarate me, always encouraging me to be greedier and luxuriate in the act even more. If only I could bottle it up and indulge like an addict whenever I wanted. I would float in our unique brand of euphoria forever if I could.

“You are sadistic, Hwang Hyunjin...” I can tell by the elevated tone that she's smiling as she whines. My mouth pauses its careful pursuit down the torso beneath me to chuckle against her. Y/N squirms and another laugh slips passed my lips. 

“Isn’t the torture always worth it in the end?” I feel goosebumps awakening every time I exhale. My breath must feel cool on the part of her skin I’ve nipped at. Hasty fingers thread themselves through my hair while she mulls over a confession.

“Yes… but it's 3:32 AM, and the more you tease me, the louder I’ll be. Think of my poor neighbors!” A slight tug on the strands in her grasp prompts me to meet her hooded gaze.

“That’ll teach you to sleep with your window open now, wouldn’t it?” With a smirk, I tickle her sides playfully. Twinkling laughter fills the space as Y/N tries to wiggle out of my hold to no avail. 

“Hahah— stop! You’re evil! You—“ a quick hand is clasped over her mouth to muffle the shrill exclamation.

“You brat...” I can’t help but laugh along, her eyes are so cute when they curve into crescent moon shapes and the hushed giggles tickle my palm. As her breathing settles, my hand is replaced by eager lips. She leans up into the kiss, trying her damndest to hold in the laughter attempting to escape.

It doesn’t take long for her body to remember where we left off. It’s comical to think about how we always end up like this; no matter how the intimacy begins—whether a result of playful banter while we make pancakes at midnight, or pinned in a coat closet because her hips look too damn entrancing hugged in a little black dress—calculated caresses or frantic gropes, it’s the same: always fingers laced in my own, eyes locked onto mine as we chase our highs harmoniously. 

A piece of the universe feels confined to these moments with her, like tonight, as I fixated on all the specks in her irises until Y/N’s eyelids flutter close in sheer ecstasy. When her kiss-bitten lips part and she whimpers my name, I again question if she came from another realm. Just how can she make something so small and mundane become profound all of a sudden? Like a spell, my name meant nothing until she uttered it, and now it’s this heavenly sound pushing me over the edge to join her in bliss. 

We exchange light puffs of giddiness and drift back to reality with smiles etched into our faces. I revel in how the faintest mist of sweat causes her body to practically shimmer beneath me. Her chest heaving up and down, desperate to steady her breath while draped in this soft glow—it’s a luscious sight imprinted on me, worthy of capturing on canvas. 

“I could fall asleep like this, ya’know….” She drowsily twirls strands of my hair around her fingers after the serenity of night floods the room once more. My ear is pressed to her chest, her even heartbeat the perfect soundtrack to my view of the sleepy cityscape. 

“Don’t you always?” I counter with a smirk.

Y/N just hums a pleasant tune in response. The soft vibrations against my cheek relax me completely, and my eyelids grow heavier with every passing second. My smirk softens to a small smile; the buzz of spring is just no match for the rhythmic thumping lulling me to sleep.

[docgold13]

hey. Those Jack Kirby Lord of Light pictures that you posted. Are those based on the book by Roger Zelazny? Have you read that book? It's awesome.

yes and yes.  

Roger Zelazny was a fantastic author.  Lord of Light is a great read; I also loved Zelazny’s Amber chronicles.  He's an author I strongly recommend. Great stuff!

A Hollywood studio was going to make a movie based on Lord of Light back in the 70’s.  Jack Kirby was hired to draw up concept art for the movie (the pictures I posted (curtesy of an issue of Heavy Metal magazine which re-printed them a few years back)).  

Sadly, the movie was deemed too expensive and never made it beyond the concept stage… 

...Although that is not where the story ended.  Kirby’s art for Lord of Light was utilized as a part of the so-called ‘Canadian Caper,’ a joint rescue mission between the Canadian Government and the CIA wherein six American diplomats were helped to escape Iran following the 1979 Revolution.  

In short, a plan was devised were agents pretended to be Canadian filmmakers who wanted to shoot a science fiction movie in Iran.  They used Kirby’s work as the basis of a movie to be called Argo.  The scheme worked and the agents were able to trick the Iranian government into allowing the diplomats to flee Iran using fake identities posing as members of the film team.  

A more sensationalized version of the Canadian Caper was the plot of the 2012 movie ‘Argo’ directed by Ben Affleck.  

[somediyprojects]

Poinsettias stitched by Jen Upton. Framed by Jill Rensel and Amber Hansen of Rensel Studio.

I am SO excited! Last year I finished this gorgeous poinsettia cross stitch on a fabric printed with the music for Oh Holy Night. I shipped it off to rensel studio in Utah for framing, and I am completely amazed and in love with the work that they did to make this a truly unique piece. I specifically requested the Holy family and the Star of Bethlehem to be incorporated on the mat, and I don't think I could be any happier with how this all came together ❤️ It will be home for Christmas this year! Thank you so much for your hard work and attention to detail Amber!! I can't wait to see it in person!

[insane-control-room]

crooked grin

He needs to perfect it. It's driving him mad.

ink demonth - obsession Rated: G Warnings: death at end, obsession, ocd, obsession turning into madness, fire mention AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58831696/ Length: 500

Crooked smiles. It was such a small, insignificant thing. And yet... they seemed to be the source of all of Shawn's problems. Extraordinarily simple- all he had to do was make a stamp, a mold, and then he would be able to print those smiles sans issue. Quick and efficient, too.

There was one tiny, miniscule issue with that, though.

Something about the simple, curved grin of the damn devil pulled him in; like a fly drawn to sap, ensnared and then encased in amber. It was perfectly even, with four teeth on each side, seven perfect strokes. A genteel slope, elegantly curved.

What a gorgeous smile.

Too bad he could not get it right. Each and every time Shawn believed that he had accomplished replicating that straight smile, he was left with a crooked grin. It was maddening, to be so enticed and yet never fulfilled, a modern era tantalusian task reserved solely for the toy maker.

Straining for perfection, he painted over and over, only to find himself constantly dissatisfied and frustrated by that stupid smile. The beatific lines of teeth shifted to look like frustrating prison bars, locking Shawn behind their uneven, imperfect alignment. He had to get it right. There was no escape or reprieve from this calling, the black eyes above the twisted grin appearing malicious and taunting.

Shawn's frustration increased exponentially, beginning as a small ember and quickly morphing into a blazing, raging inferno. As time went on and he failed to replicate the smile repeatedly, dozens and dozens of misprints growing behind him, the desire to engulf those toys in the fire in his heart stoked as well; to destroy them in the flame to be rid of them all, freeing himself of their ghastly, overwhelming gaze. Yet they were still taken up the conveyors and to shops and sold, somehow infuriating Shawn even further. Yes, he had received critique on those crooked smiles, but they were still stolen from him and distributed to unknowing children. Those wrong dolls, those broken souls unable to scream behind the prison bars of warbled teeth.

Shawn felt the unbearable urge to correct that wrong. To fix the smiles, to get rid of the taunting, wicked grins and never have them plague another living being. Shawn was aware that the root of the matter was not the dolls, though, but rather the original smiling demon that spawned in the studio.

And the studio was wooden. And ink burns.

With the cunning of a man thoroughly gripped by a singleminded passion, Shawn began his preparations. Day by day he took a strand of cotton and wove it, dipped it in ink, and hid it along the inside of the conveyor belt system. Painstakingly slowly, he found the end again at the end of the month, satisfying him. Each shelf was filled to the brim with those evil smiling things.

Eager to culminate his goal, Shawn struck a match.

When they found it, his corpse' smile was perfectly straight. 

[littlequeenies]

BEDSITTER GIRL JANE ASHER [1966]

I'm sure that many of you are already quite familiar with this photograph of Jane Asher, it has been reproduced several times in various fashion books over the years, but it was originally published in a magazine editorial called The Time, The Place, The Dress, and (if you still need it) The Food, by Molly Parkin for Nova in 1966, and printed poster-sized over a double-page layout, measuring 51.5 cm x 34cm for full visual impact! Molly commissioned Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell to design the dress especially for the feature, she specifically wanted something which represented not only the fast-paced, disposable, transient nature of the current youthful attitude towards fashion trends but also something with enough decorative value to end up on the wall in a bedsitter as pop paraphernalia after it had been worn at the weekend, rather than thrown out with the trash!

So what better candidate for potential 'wall art' than a printed paper dress! Celia painted her initial ideas in gouache, inspired by the work of Paul Poiret and illustrations from La Gazzete du Bon Ton. The finished designs were then printed onto a suitable Johnson & Johnson manufactured paper by the 'Art to Wear' company of Zika Ascher, and the dresses were made to order for the sum of 17s 6d each. I love the fact that Celia also took it upon herself to paint the vinyl floor tiles in the mock-up bedsit, mirroring the design detail from the border of the garment to complete the overall look. And that Molly (a woman after my own heart), attributed just about every single item on display in the magazine feature to its original source, from the Biba beads right down to the Woolworth lollipops and sticks of rock!

On the floor: Jane Asher in a dress designed by Ossie Clark made of printed paper fabric designed by Celia Birtwell; made to order in small, medium and large sizes, approximately 17s 6d. Bangle at Woolworths, 2s 9d. Vinyl floor tiles painted by Celia Birtwell. Lilac patent shoe by Russell & Bromley, 7½ gns. Amber patent shoe by Elliot, 8 gns. Coloured cigarette by Sobraine, 7s 2d for twenty. Coloured crepe stockings by Russell & Bromley, 6s 11d. Pop tin tray by Goods & Chattels. 9s 6d.

Close-up of the design detail from the border of the dress. 

Above: One of Celia's initial designs for the paper dress rendered in gouache, inspired by the work produced at the Martine School of Decorative Arts in Paris. The school was set up by designer Paul Poiret in 1911 at 'La Maison Poiret' in an endeavour to realise his dream of creating a decorative arts movement in France which would be on par with the new developments in the arts taking place in Vienna and Germany at this time. The students mainly consisted of young working class girls between the ages of 12-15 years old, Poiret encouraged them to work freely from nature, organising trips to the countryside and conservatories whenever possible, but apart from this input they were otherwise without artistic supervision. His role was merely to stimulate their artistic taste without influencing or criticising them, in order to maintain the purity of the original source of inspiration in the work. He would then select a range from the finished designs which were suitable for reproduction and have them applied to fabrics, wallpapers, carpets, cushions and ceramics.

The work received an excellent response amongst art circles, and following an exhibition at the Salon d'Automne in 1912 the demand was such that Poiret opened a retail outlet called 'Atelier Martine' on Rue du Faubourg St Honoré. With a very favourable review in Vogue, the Martines went from strength to strength, also using their designs to create magnificent large scale murals, transforming hotels, shops, offices, private houses and the studio of dancer Isadora Duncan into exotic oriental palaces in the process. An international reputation was quickly established, however, the gathering momentum of the Martines success was  stopped in its tracks by the outbreak of WW1 in 1914. The school closed for the duration of the war, with many of the students relocated to a safer environment. Business eventually resumed as normal in the aftermath, but although Poiret tried several times to re-establish his career and the Martine style, most notably in the mid 1920s with an extravagant display at the International Art Deco Fair in Paris, both failed to ever regain the immense popularity of their glory days. 

Three designs for round carpets, typical of the Martine style, from the workbooks of the School of Decorative Arts.  

The Table: green paper drum table by Hull Traders Ltd, £3 13s. On the table: Large glass jar, £2, full of Smarties, Liquorice Allsorts and Barratt's assorted sweets; glass-topped storage jar, 6s 6d, containing dolls' eyes from Pedigree Dolls; spice jars, 2s 9d; glass dish, 7s 6d a pair, contain bath oils at Boots, 6s 6d. All the glassware from The Scientific Glassblowing Co Ltd. Hexagonal coloured boxes by Goods & Chattels, £1 17s 6d a set.

On the wall: wooden beads at Biba's, 11s. Striped shoes at Fifth Avenue, £3 19s 11d. Red and green shoe by Walter Steiger for Bally, 9½ gns. Bead bracelet at Biba's, 5s 6d. Dress designed by Ossie Clark of printed paper fabric designed by Celia Birtwell, made to order, 17s 6d. Plastic earrings by Paco Rabanne, £1 10s. Bangle at Woolworth, 2s 9d. Pink patent shoe by Russell & Bromley, £3 19s 11d. Woolworth lollipops. Paper roses from Portobello Road market. Dried flowers at Natural Fern Display Ltd, from 3s 6d each. Large wooden beads at Biba's, £1 2s 6d. Pearly Queen dress from Hector Binney stall, Bermondsey market.

The Bed: emerald green wooden bed by Gary Griffiths at Vasa, approximately £30. Green sheets at John Lewis, £5 19s 6d a set. Orange and red shoe by Walter Steiger at Bally, 9½ gns. Leather and suede shoe by Salvatore Ferragamo, 14 gns. Woolworth's rock, 1s a stick.

IMAGE CREDITS

All content scanned and transcribed by Sweet Jane from an original article by Molly Parkin for NOVA, September 1966. Model; Jane Asher. All Photographs by Duffy. Celia Birtwell design in gouache scanned from Celia Birtwell by Celia Birtwell.  *The Close-up of border design detail on the printed dress courtesy of the V&A collection. Carpet designs from the Martine School of Decorative Arts were scanned from A Fashion For Extravagance by Sara Bowman.

LINKS

Visit the Celia Birtwell website here. Listen to Molly Parkin on Desert Island Discs here. Watch Great Lives: The Molly Parkin Documentary here. Read about the life and times of of Zika Ascher here. View an issue of La Gazette du Bon Ton from 1914 here. And finally, read more about the career of designer Paul Poiret  and view examples of his work here.

From @sweetjanespopboutique blogspot

[houseofbrat]

Among the many ways that the internet has destroyed traditional Hollywood: What used to constitute public relations doesn’t really work anymore. The notion of a celebrity persona crafted solely via occasional media appearances seems about as quaint and outdated as a black-and-white movie or a print magazine. What matters now, in many circles, is the conversation, the constant churn of a carefully curated digital profile: media hits, social chatter and comments, video clips, and searchable content—both seeded and unseeded—that together comprise an evolving perception of a public person.  

The old P.R. system obviously had its flaws. But it has been replaced by, essentially, guerrilla warfare—a 24/7 battle for attention, impressions, and sentiment, all of it subject to manipulation and, in moments of crisis or vulnerability, outright implosion. The new, expanded battlefield has also empowered some of the world’s worst people, trained in the dark arts of media machinations and less constrained by the guardrails of traditional journalists and other gatekeepers. They call themselves crisis communications experts or reputation management consultants, but they are really a subset of those people, political operatives trained to attack, obfuscate, misinform, flood the zone, and, if necessary, to destroy for a price.   

At the same time, film and television stardom is much more ephemeral, both financially and culturally, than it used to be. The celebrity industrial complex pot of gold can now generally be found at the end of the personal brand rainbow, via the leveraging of those amorphous qualities: public persona, goodwill, aspiration, and, for some, talent. Commoditization has always been a mostly beneficial byproduct of celebrity, but now the cultivation of a personal brand is what matters above all else. It creates value amid the noise and, when managed particularly well, can turn average celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez and Ryan Reynolds into billionaires.

This is all a long way of explaining why the wars of perception being waged online matter so much. Or why astroturfing—flooding the web with content that appears to be organically produced but is actually part of a paid campaign to push an agenda, often to smear someone or fire back against an attempted smearing—is now a service that certain P.R. firms casually offer on their menu, like a side of fries with a Double Double. And it’s why the battle behind the scenes, and now completely engulfing, the summer hit movie It Ends With Us has become the saddest, nastiest, and unfortunately most cutting-edge public relations war of 2024. 

For these reasons, the publicists leading this fight—mostly the team allegedly smearing star Blake Lively on behalf of her co-star and producer-director Justin Baldoni, but also many others involved here, both directly and tangentially—are Hollywood’s Villains of the Year.  

Have you actually read the complaint in Blake Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC et al.? Grossness all around. Yes, there are the scheming texts from the Baldoni operatives, including Melissa Nathan—last seen sliming Amber Heard out of Hollywood on behalf of Johnny Depp during their defamation trial—and Jen Abel, who worked alongside my old buddy Stephanie Jones, a publicist so vindictive and dishonest that Business Insider recently devoted 3,500 words to her behavior. The texts seem lifted from a mustache-twirling cartoon nemesis: “We can bury anyone” … “I think we need to put the social combat plan into motion” … “We can’t write we will destroy her.” Plus Jed Wallace! A notorious figure in crisis P.R. who positions himself as a master manipulator of “the narrative,” all on behalf of a guy, Baldoni, who stands accused of sexual harassment (which his lawyer denies) despite repeatedly calling himself a “feminist ally” and hosting a podcast where he talks about his activism all the time. Can’t make this stuff up.

As enjoyable as it is to see gross texts and awful people exposed in The New York Times and now across the media, their strategies aren’t too shocking given the modern realities of high-stakes P.R. wars. Maybe I’m jaded because I’ve been on the receiving end of these campaigns, but lots of publicists and lawyers are aggressive in a crisis—you get fired these days if you aren’t—and Abel claimed in a Facebook post that the machinations were mostly preparation: “There was no ‘smear’ implemented.” 

I seriously doubt that… Case in point: On August 10, the day after It Ends With Us came out, Nathan’s team reported that they had “started to see [a] shift on social, due largely to Jed and his team’s efforts to shift the narrative.” That sure sounds like implementation. But even the Times acknowledges it’s “impossible” to determine whether any of the alleged sliming was actually responsible for that shift in sentiment, or the ultimate damage to Lively’s brands. Sales of those brands tanked after the Baldoni onslaught is said to have begun, but how much is provably his team’s fault?

What’s most interesting—and, frankly, a little bit gross, if also understandable—is how Lively’s team has chosen to fight back. Her lawyers at Manatt and Willkie Farr & Gallagher filed this matter as a 10-count complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department. It’s not an actual lawsuit, but a first step toward a suit. And it encourages the state to investigate on its own, but it also allows for some rare pre-complaint discovery—a similar strategy to the one Willkie is deploying on behalf of Drake in his ongoing war with Universal Music Group.

That led to the early “subpoena” of these private and highly inflammatory text messages… not from Abel or Baldoni or anyone at Wayfarer, but from none other than Stephanie Jones, who terminated Abel in late August and, by all accounts, hates her guts. Jones and Abel split shortly after the release of It Ends With Us and the publication of that Business Insider story, though Jones continued to rep Wayfarer. Multiple sources told me that Jones confiscated Abel’s work phone as part of that split, which was particularly heated because Abel was leaving to start her own firm. Since then, Jones has been on a crusade against her former colleague—and those who know Jones well have told me she will stop at nothing to harm a perceived enemy. (When Jones didn’t like a story I wrote about her clients Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos, this Page Six story calling me “sexist” appeared days later, written by Sarah Nathan, Melissa’s sister. When Dwayne Johnson split with Jones last year, negative media coverage began appearing about him. At the time, Jones denied she was responsible.)

So, all of a sudden, Jones was “subpoenaed” for Abel’s private communications, which were then leaked to the Times for an article that absolutely buried Abel? At the very least, it appears that Jones maybe volunteered those texts to harm her nemesis, even if they also hurt Wayfarer, and Lively’s lawyers maybe laundered the source via the “subpoena.” (Compliance with the subpoena could also free Jones from confidentiality obligations she had to Abel.) 

It also maybe seems notable that neither Jones nor her company, Jonesworks, is mentioned a single time in either the Lively complaint or the Times story, despite being a Wayfarer publicist and Abel’s employer when much of the allegedly nefarious activities went down. The Times noted that Nathan’s P.R. firm was backed by Scooter Braun, but that tidbit would have been even more interesting had the story mentioned that Braun has also been repped by… you guessed it, Steph Jones. Braun’s passive involvement in a slime campaign against Lively, a B.F.F. of his nemesis Taylor Swift, herself a master of her own media narrative, adds another incestuous element to this sordid affair. As does the fact that Jones’s husband is Jason Hodes, an agent at WME, which reps both Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and which just dropped Baldoni, no doubt under pressure from the Reynolds-Livelys. Keeping up? (Disclosure: WME represents Puck, but not me personally.)  

Speaking of WME: Let’s not pretend that the agency, whose parent company continues to employ caught-on-video wife beater Dana White, cut Baldoni due to anything other than financial considerations. I’ve had several conversations with WME agents this year about how they don’t just quickly cancel people. They consider accusations carefully and convene a “client action committee” of stakeholders before they drop anyone, as they did with Morgan Wallen in 2021 after his racist comments surfaced. 

And yet, no such committee was convened before Baldoni was booted. Why? Optics, yes, and both Sony and SAG-AFTRA have since put out statements supporting Lively. But Lively and Reynolds, a massive WME client, are almost certainly calling the shots. Remember when J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, basically demanded that CAA fire agent Adam Berkowitz after he was accused of inappropriate conduct? Similar vibes here. 

Anyway, knowing that this Steph Jones angle would all come out during the litigation, Lively’s lawyers admitted to me today that her company was the source of the texts. “The subpoena disclosed and referenced in the complaint was served on Jonesworks LLC,” they said in a statement. “The internal documents referred to in the complaint were produced subject to that subpoena.” They say more information is forthcoming but declined to comment further.

For its part, the Times story—whose byline includes Megan Twohey, of Harvey Weinstein Pulitzer fame, further elevating the allegations—revealed only that the private communications were “subpoenaed,” neglecting to mention that they were subpoenaed from Jones, who has a clear axe to grind in this situation. That’s maybe interesting, too.

Adding yet more fuel to the fire, Bryan Freedman, the litigator for Wayfarer, Baldoni, Nathan, and Abel, is now claiming that the complete set of texts from Abel’s phone will show that Lively’s team cherry-picked communications that are “deliberately misleading, altered and are taken completely out of context.” The irony, he said, “will be that the ‘smear campaign’ is Lively’s team purposely withholding texts that prove that no smear campaign ever took place.” Hmmm. The texts out there already are pretty bad. Regardless, Freedman is now planning to sue Jones, personally. Steph did not respond to my request for comment.

Despite all this, you may still be asking, What’s the big deal?—at least legally. After all, social manipulation and astroturfing are just part of the crisis playbook these days. It’s all noise online, right? Baldoni’s team may have supercharged negative sentiment or boosted unflattering interviews of Lively, but they didn’t create those interviews out of thin air. That’s why Lively’s complaint includes breach of contract and retaliation claims. Essentially, the aggressive P.R. tactics might not be actionable… except for the fact that she had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and his company agreed in writing that it wouldn’t attack her in response.

That broad side-letter contract stemmed from Lively’s claims of harassment on-set, after which she got Baldoni and Wayfarer to agree to refrain from 30 separate categories of bad behavior, everything from unwanted touching and dirty talk to “no more adding of sex scenes, oral sex, or on-camera climaxing by Lively outside the scope of the script she approved when signing on to the project.”

That agreement laid the groundwork for her current harassment claim, and it also allowed her to argue a breach of the provision that called for “no retaliation of any kind” against Lively, “including during publicity and promotional work.” Even if Lively spread dirt on Baldoni (which she maintains she didn’t), she was under no such constraint.  A pretty smart strategy, though this case is certainly in the early stages. With Freedman promising to sue Jones, a fiery response from Baldoni’s team expected as soon as this week, and a full civil lawsuit likely from Lively, this situation could unmask the rat-fucking underworld of Hollywood crisis P.R. like nothing since the Weinstein exposés. “The allegations in the complaint are head-turning, but I think it’s nothing compared to the litigation that’s coming,” Puck’s legal expert, Eriq Gardner, slacked me today. (He’ll have more on Thursday.) Indeed, 2024 may end up as a turning point when the cold war over public perception of celebrities turned hot.   

[ivogfan]

Ivo's done an article for iNews!! It should be in tomorrow's print/digital editions!

"I learnt the names and constituencies of all 650 MPs. I’ll never do it again" - Ivo Graham (iNews)

"As a champion procrastinator addicted to trivia and games, I loved it."

Where were you on the night of the last general election, 12 December 2019? Whether you were appalled or somehow delighted by the scale of that night’s landslide, it probably came as more of a surprise than its widely-forecasted reversal this time around.

And I was processing that surprise in the same way I have spent far too much of my adult life: isolating myself from those around me and preparing a quiz.

The ploughing of this frankly baffling furrow had begun in 2017, when, after three cheery but repetitive solo stand-up shows about Mario Kart, Nokia 3210s and the other mainstays of my emotionally repressed boarding school adolescence, I’d decided to launch myself into current affairs with, by the very loosest of definitions, a “political show”.

Of course, 2016 had provided various jumping-off points for this, but while Brexit and Trump had prompted many of my peers to interrogate the big issues more passionately than ever, I, a filibustering coward with an audience still largely made up of family friends, had decided to turn the whole thing into an actual exam. I miss exams! I found them very stressful at the time but I find actual adulthood much more so!

And so I began “work” on Educated Guess (not a bad title TBF), a show where I used my guilt about not knowing enough about politics as a very mealy-mouthed segue to its central “stunt”, that I’d learned all 650 MPs of the UK.

Or, as a popular meme format might have it:

No one:

No one:

No one:

Ivo: OK, so I’ve learned all 650 MPs of the UK.

As a champion procrastinator addicted to trivia and games, I loved learning the 650 MPs of the UK. Finally, an actual project for the long, doomscrolling trains and coaches home from gigs: uploading the full House of Commons onto the Quizlet revision app, and testing myself in every spare moment I could, preparing for the thrilling/baffling denouement of the show in Edinburgh that August, where audiences would be invited to shout out their home constituency and I would bellow back their MP as fast as I could.

This whole exercise, a frenetic mind palace of word-association shortcuts like “James Cleverly – Braintree”, was accurately assessed by multiple reviewers as “not technically comedy”, but my own pathetic adrenaline levels have rarely spiked as high as during those quizzes, or in the bar after the show, where the geographical heckles continued to come thick and fast.

“Glasgow East?”

“Paul Sweeney!”

“No, that’s Glasgow North East!”

“OK, sorry, thanks for coming!”

The “class of 2017” had had to be hastily revised that summer after Theresa May’s majestic squandering of her majority in June, and many of my exhaustively-revised new intake would not see out a full term either, when two and a half years later, in December 2019, 43.6 per cent of British voters shuffled, shivering, to the polls, to give the fridge-dwelling party king a fat mandate for his oven-ready deal.

I witnessed those results from a TV studio in west London, where my unique history of comedy-adjacent data regurgitation had seen me generously, if optimistically, invited to be part of Channel 4’s election coverage. I was set the challenge of learning all the new MPs, as they came in, in time for a heavily caffeinated quiz at 5am.

Unfortunately, the exit polls proved so atmosphere-inhalingly depressing in both the Channel 4 studio and green room that most of the comedy comms, including my own, were abandoned, replaced by extended round-table analysis such as Stanley Johnson riffing about pilots in burqas and Amber Rudd threatening to deport Nish Kumar.

What possible light relief could an Old Etonian comedian, however apologetic, bring to this most gracious of victory parades? So needless to say I was quite colossally relieved not to have to bring my “let’s see if I’ve managed to remember all the new Red Wall Tories!” cul de sac to the table in the wee smalls.

That being said, DOA as it clearly was from the moment Huw Edwards revealed the scores, my bit wasn’t fully and finally confirmed to have been cancelled until 2am, so I was still there in the green room for hours, the loneliest character of the whole enterprise, not even attempting any gallows humour with the rest of the jilted jokers, because I was sat on my own updating my Quizlet Premium, just in case. It was the night I learned the name Jonathan Gullis. It was a truly miserable night.

Today’s election will, we can only hope, begin a political era less dismal than the last. There are going to be a lot of new MPs and they will have a hell of a job on their hands. I am going to take a keen interest in how they get on. But I am not going to learn all of their names.

Ivo will be performing his shows Grand Designs and Carousel at the Edinburgh Fringe from 31 July to 25 August ivograham.com

(Photo: Matthew Stronge)

[amankumar1018]

Offbeat Rajasthan: Unveiling Hidden Gems and Secret Destinations

Have you ever dreamt of embarking on a journey that transcends the ordinary tourist trails? Rajasthan, the land of vibrant colors, majestic forts, and desert landscapes, offers more than what meets the eye. Beyond the well-trodden paths lies a realm of enchanting hidden gems and secret destinations things to do in rajasthan. If you're looking to immerse yourself in the authentic Rajasthani experience, look no further than the Rajasthani packages that promise to take you on a voyage of discovery. In this blog, we unveil the lesser-known facets of this remarkable land, highlighting the essence of Rajasthan through unique encounters and unforgettable adventures.

Your Gateway to the Unseen

As you delve into the heart of Rajasthan, let the Rajasthani packages be your guiding light to the lesser-explored corners. These thoughtfully crafted packages not only showcase the quintessential tourist spots but also pave the way to offbeat destinations that are sure to leave you awe-struck. Picture yourself in the midst of breathtaking landscapes, surrounded by the tranquility of nature and the echoes of history. These packages offer an authentic glimpse into the daily lives of the locals, their traditions, and their heartwarming hospitality.

Things To Do In Rajasthan: A Kaleidoscope of Experiences

Explore the Mystique of Desert Life: Rajasthan's iconic sand dunes are known to all, but have you ever considered living amidst them? Opt for a desert homestay as part of the Rajasthani packages and let the allure of desert life mesmerize you. Engage in camel treks across the undulating dunes, witness the ethereal sunrise and sunset, and spend your evenings under the star-studded desert sky.

Unearth the Secrets of Ancient Forts: Rajasthan's forts are a testament to its regal history. While names like Amber Fort and Mehrangarh Fort grace travel guides, there are hidden forts that whisper tales of valor and romance. Explore these lesser-known fortresses as part of your Rajasthani package, and you'll find yourself transported back in time.

Village Sojourn: Immerse yourself in the simplicity of rural Rajasthan. Indulge in pottery workshops, savor traditional culinary delights, and engage with local artisans. The Rajasthani packages offer opportunities to stay in quaint village accommodations, providing a glimpse into the heart and soul of Rajasthan's rural life.

Wildlife Encounters: Rajasthan's wildlife goes beyond camels and peacocks. With national parks and sanctuaries spread across the state, wildlife enthusiasts can rejoice in spotting rare and endangered species. Your Rajasthani package might surprise you with a rendezvous with tigers, leopards, and migratory birds.

Culinary Expeditions: Your journey through Rajasthan is incomplete without savoring its diverse cuisine. While the packages ensure you relish the well-known dishes, they also introduce you to hidden eateries where generations have perfected recipes that have stood the test of time.

Art and Craft Reverie: Rajasthan's artistic heritage is renowned worldwide. However, as part of the Rajasthani packages, you can witness artists at work in tucked-away studios. Learn the intricate art of block printing, witness the creation of stunning jewelry, and carry home a piece of Rajasthan's creativity.

Relive Legends: Have you heard the legend of Panna Meena ki Baori? Or the eerie story behind the Kuldhara village? The packages often include visits to such lesser-known sites, where local legends come to life, sending shivers down your spine.

Rural Retreats: Swap luxurious hotels for rustic lodgings. Live in mud huts, amidst lush farms. Wake up to the call of the rooster and take a stroll through the fields as the first rays of sun kiss the earth.

Fairs and Festivals: Rajasthan's fairs are celebrations of life. While Pushkar Fair is well-famed, smaller fairs dot the landscape year-round. Your package might just coincide with one, offering you a chance to immerse yourself in vibrant festivities.

Stargazing Nights: Far from the city lights, Rajasthan's offbeat locations offer clear skies perfect for stargazing. Camp under the celestial canopy and witness constellations come alive like never before.

A Sojourn Unlike Any Other

As you traverse the roads less taken through the Rajasthani packages, you'll find yourself falling in love with the state all over again. The 'Things To Do In Rajasthan' become not just a list of activities but a kaleidoscope of experiences that weave together to create an unforgettable journey. Each interaction, each vista, and each flavor will etch itself into your memory, making you yearn for more.

So, if you're ready to embrace Rajasthan beyond the conventional, let the Rajasthani packages be your ticket to an expedition filled with hidden gems and secret destinations. Discover the magic that lies beyond the familiar, and let Rajasthan cast its spell on you in ways you never thought possible.

[amberprintsstudio]

The stock is in and the store is live! If you like stickers, take a browse and see if anything tickles your fancy!

Visit Amber Prints Studio

[amberfurj]

Silly ten minute sketch based on an incorrect quote I saw and featuring Isaac and Bea from my Guardian Archives.

Bea hasn't heard of tiger sharks before but takes the duty of protecting monsters seriously.

[tesmare]

Fabric Selection Guide for Cushion Covers: Finding the Perfect Texture and Material

Throw cushions are the key to bringing life to your bear-themed sofa. Because they are inexpensive and the cushion covers are simple to exchange or modify, they are the ideal accessories to rapidly upgrade the appearance of your area. Consequently, for today's everything about cushion covers fabric, we have compiled the greatest advice to help you select the appropriate fabric for your Throw Pillows cover.

There are obviously a tone of different design options for cushion covers or in general, but I believe the most popular ones right now for pillows are boho, vintage look, and glam. The boho look is much more of a casual look; it features a lot of whites and textures but sticks with those same colours.

The second category is vintage, which is very fashionable right now when you consider things like studio mcgee or amber interiors that have that vintage collective aesthetic. I just think this style is very high quality, elegant, and not overly colourful.Then there's the glam theme, which includes glittery cushion coverings and fur pillows. This is another incredibly distinctive appearance, but everyone is going to have their own preferences.

When it comes to selecting the right fabric for cushion covers, several factors need to be considered, including durability, texture, comfort, and the overall aesthetic of the space. Here is a fabric selection guide to help you find the perfect texture and material for your cushion covers:

Cotton: Cotton is a versatile and popular fabric choice for cushion covers. It is breathable, soft, and easy to care for. Cotton cushion covers are available in various weaves, such as plain, twill, or canvas, offering different textures and looks. Tesmare cotton cushion covers they are suitable for both casual and formal settings.

Linen: Linen fabric is known for its natural, textured appearance. It has a slightly rougher feel compared to cotton but offers a sophisticated and relaxed look. Linen cushion covers are highly breathable, durable, and have a luxurious appeal. They work well in contemporary and rustic interiors.

Velvet: Velvet fabric adds a touch of luxury and elegance to cushion covers. It has a soft and plush texture, with a slight sheen. Velvet cushion covers create a cosy and inviting ambiance, making them ideal for formal and opulent settings. However, it's important to note that velvet may require special care and attention.

Silk: Silk cushion covers exude luxury and sophistication. They have a smooth and lustrous texture that adds a touch of glamour to any space. Silk is delicate and may require more care, but it offers a refined and opulent look. Silk covers work well in formal or eclectic settings.

Wool: Wool is a warm and cosy fabric option for cushion covers, particularly in colder climates or during the winter season. It has a soft and textured feel that adds depth and warmth to a room. Wool covers are durable and offer excellent insulation. They work well in rustic or cosy interior styles.

Synthetic Fabrics: Synthetic fabrics like polyester or microfiber are popular choices for cushion covers due to their durability, affordability, and easy maintenance. They come in a wide range of textures and can mimic the look of natural fabrics. Synthetic covers are suitable for high-traffic areas or households with children or pets.

Outdoor Fabrics: If you're looking for cushion covers for outdoor spaces, consider fabrics specifically designed for outdoor use. Outdoor fabrics are typically water-resistant, fade-resistant, and durable. They can withstand exposure to sunlight, moisture, and mildew. Common outdoor fabric options include faux leather, polyester blends, acrylics, or solution-dyed fabrics.

Patterned or Textured Fabrics: Adding patterned or textured cushion covers can enhance the visual interest of your space. Fabrics with prints, stripes, geometric designs, or embroidery can make a bold statement and add texture to your cushions. Consider the existing decor and color scheme when selecting patterns or textures.

Conclusion: Remember to consider the intended use, maintenance requirements, and the overall style of your space when choosing the fabric for your cushion covers. Swatches or samples can help you assess the texture and feel of the fabric in person before making a decision.

Uncover the secrets of selecting the perfect fabric for your cushion covers with Tesmare www.tesmare.com premium collection! Dive into the world of textures and materials to find the ideal choice that suits your style and preferences. From cosy and soft options like velvet and chenille to durable and practical choices like cotton and linen, we'll walk you through each of the fabrics. Discover how different textures can add depth and visual interest to your cushions. Whether you're aiming for a luxurious feel or a casual vibe, our fabric selection guide will help you make an informed decision. Elevate your cushion game.

[laylaart]

Week 9 - Final Week!

Tuesday 21st March -

Today we planned to finish printing the book, confirm the order of the pages, bind the book entirely together, test the video projection and sound, and finalise the set up of the performance. We began by using Leila's account on the pc to print the rest of the book. We somehow miscalculated the amount of paper we needed and so spent time scouring the studio for more of the same kind, which luckily we managed to find. We then continued to print off the pages so we had the whole book fully printed now. With the pages that we had we hand wrote any remaining poems on the corresponding pages. We wanted to use the robot writing tool and the software, to write using each our mothers hand written font, however, there was some sort of technical error and despite Sarah replacing the motor in the machine, it wasn't able to work again. We instead printed a few and continued to hand write the rest in.

The studio was fairly busy today with everyone setting up and getting the remaining jobs done for Fridays session. We ran through the set up of the performance and even got the lights programmed to the colour and setting we liked. We chose a soft amber colour at a dimmed level as we felt it mimicked a golden sunset and enhanced a certain ambience which felt calming, ultimately how we want our audience to feel. We also finalised where we wanted the audience positioned and the kind of stances/positioning we would be as the performers. We also practiced projecting the video that I had taken as a practice for the final video that Meg is making. This was all successful and so we were closer to being complete and ready for the performance.

Once the set up was established we had come to the end of the day, we had to bind the book and configure the order of poems and art work. We made a plan to come in tomorrow to ensure it is all put together and rehearsed ready for Friday.

Wednesday 22nd March

Today we came in for a few hours and made a plan for the final presentation, we worked on this on a google slide document as this meant we could work communally from different locations. We planned through the presentation and what we wished to include. We also finished binding the book together so that it was now complete and ready to be displayed. We set up the stage space with the seating how we wanted it, in a semi circle surrounding the stage. We chose to have the majority of the audience on the bean bags as we wanted it ti feel as if we were almost telling the audience a story in the same way you may read a child a bedtime story. This was to highlight the sense of comfort to the audience. We had our performance objects in front of us so that the audience could see the inspiration for some of the poems. One of these objects being Leila's oil diffuser which was on as it added a scent to the scene which further enhances the sensory experience we were curating. We were happy with the set up and so began rehearsing the poems and checking for timings, ensuring the book was fixed in a place accessible to all and it was fully functioning. After a few runs we were happy with the performance and just had left the presentation to complete. We were adapting the presentation that we had added to throughout the project and so it wasn't too difficult. We wanted to make it as visual as possible and so used mostly images so that we could speak through each. I prepared queue cards so that I could remember the important points I wanted to make for each slide. Each slide has a little illustration that indicates which of us is to discuss that slide and so we can each make our own notes.

Friday 24th March - Performance Day!

Today was the day of the performance and presentations. I felt our performance went well. There were no big technical difficulties and though it was very nerve-racking, I felt the group and I were successful and delivered in the way we each intended. It was a very interesting day watching what each had come up with. There were various different performances, from interactive games to acting and storytelling. It was really nice to see such a different style of art and design in practice. Our presentation also went well. I did feel it was fairly evident who within the group may have not thought out what they were going to say beforehand, however, I think that the information we discussed was relevant, and that the use of images meant that it was easier to follow too.

Group Miro:

Final Presentation:

[acdtjessicaowen]

WC- 20th March

Tuesday 21st March-

Today was our last day to put our book together before now we completed the front and back cover with all of the internal pages printed out.

Today we each had to write our poems out by hand this process was quite long but it's something I enjoyed and I really liked the outcome as I thought it was quite interesting and nice to look at. The outcome of my pages is shown below.

Once everyone had written their poems in we had to bind the book together; recently we had researched Japanese book binding which is a simple way of bookbinding using four holes and no glue. However again due to the thickness of the book, it was much easier for us to use our died string in two binding holes which were quite strong holding the book up. However as we would flick through the book the pages would get progressively weak when they where rubbing against the string therefore we had to be very fragile with them until the performance so it didn't break.

Wednesday 22nd March

Today as a group we came into the studio to run through our piece using the lighting and background music. This day helped us so much in making sure we were prepared for the piece on Friday.

Friday 25th March

Today we performed our final piece I am really happy with the outcome of it and I think our presentation went well. I really enjoyed completing the performance and nature Lab I also think that we worked well as a group.

Images below show final perfomance...

We decided to have the audience sitting on bean bags so they felt comfortable fitting in with our initial theme of the piece. we also laid our made paper out for people to touch if they wanted.

During the performance, we choose to have amber lighting as we wanted something that would highlight the book but also quite dark so people felt comfortable while watching the piece I think this lighting did that job.