I love her other installations as well, especially the Infinity Mirror, you should check out her amazing work at her official -website-

Image credit to Mark Sherwood and Stuart Addelsee via Thisiscolossal

Not to leave you in the dark for too long, I went with my class to America! New York  to be precise.

First impression was that everything was big and noisy, with lots of friendly (and talkative) people!

We stayed at the Herald Square hotel, which was perfect. Central locations, nice staff, big fluffy beds and a free coffee machine! Can’t ask for anything more really.

First thing we did after arriving was to go straig to Empire State building.

King Kong plushie ♥

Since it was a late thursdag evening, there was no queuing!

I’m always awestruck by city views, especially at night.

It’s like the biggest jewelry box you’ll ever see. The Chrysler building is one of my favorites, love the Art Deco style.

The wind was crazy thought, I felt I was going to be thrown over the fence at times. Tallest building I’ve been too so far! I’m not sure if I shall top that by going to Tokyo Sky Tree next year. oO The felt tall enought, kept swaying the rest of the evening.

Friday

Friday was the time for sightseeing. Our schedule took us to the garment distric and fashion avenue to visit the fabric shops!

Store with only fashion publications!

We visited Mood and stayed there for a couple of hours. For those who are not familiar it’s a big fabric shop (seen in Project Runway) they had quite a lot of fabrics, found three fabrics, two for the next project and another just to make a scarf for myself. I felt a bit dissapointed with Moods in the end, it was quite hyped up, but it’s just that nothing really beats Japan with Fabric Town and Okadaya when it comes to fabrics. Why settle for 3 floors of fabric when you can have 8 floors of awesomeness! xD And you’ll get quality fabrics for a better price there too, still, everything is cheaper that Norway at this point.

There where other shops too, but they where scattered all around and not easy to find on that didn’t have sequin lycra only. xD

Picture says it all.

After that our teacher had arranged for us to talk to a furrier in his shop.

It was great hearing him talk how his made the fur and who he sold it too. Apparently he had worked and still does, work with huge designers all over the world such as Yves Saint Laurent. And he also makes hats, (He showed us a model he made for Queen Elisabeth and another for Kate Middleton) and the other girls got to try on coats and hats as much as they liked.

Though, I’ve  always been against wearing fur, still am, but I’m not pinning up pictures of foxes on peoples closets anymore. Of course  making them is a difficult and intricate job and being in a fashion course where most is obsessing about the wonders of fur from time to time I have to remind my self that I’m agains it. I could never wear fur for vanity.

After that we visited the Museum of fashion and technology, and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Huge impressive place. Got some sewing equpiment from next door.

After that we just took a walk around the area and ended up in Times Square.

I just love how the police even has a little neon sign. It amused me so much that they were just like you see them on tv, standing at the corners eating donuts from the coffee shop. ^^

Saturday

Started the day off trying to find the flea marked at Hell’s Kitchen.

They had lot’s of lovely stuff.

Then we where supposed do visit the designer shops at 5th avenue for inspiration and garment finishing “inspection.”

Me strolling 5th avenue. (Photo by Ioanna)

Plenty of posh stores with interesting window displays.

It highly amused me when we went into Michael Kors and one of the staff approached me and announced that he just loved my bag!  Here’s a guy who sells bags to 500 punds, who loves my little River Island one! (and I thought he was going to ask me to leave.) That just made my day.

Love the contrast, you’d have curches like these pop up now an then.

This amused me alot.

Ingvild and Ioanna.

Dinner at a nice chinese restaurant.

We reached Central Park but the end of the day, exhaused. Me and Ingvild had a quiet evening just chilling out in the room with snacks and watching Modern Family. xD

Sunday

Sunday was the day for the Meatpacking district and Soho.

Very cool place.

I loved the Highe line. Definetivly my favorite place in New York. I Could have spend half a day there in the serene atmosphere, I’m sure.

This place got to be beautiful, at any season.

Quick sweep throught China Town after some shopping in Soho.

I thought I would be a bit more interesting, but perhaps we just didn’t find the right places to go.

Then I was pretty much fed up with shops, that I persuaded Ingvild to go towards Hudson River for a stroll.

Beautiful. I would have loved to see it from the other side too.

We walked by the river quite a while to see the sun go down, before taking a cab to time square and catch the Brodway musical Mamma Mia!

When I were on our way home after the show, we were suddenly surrounded by people on Times Square, apparently it was the end of Superbowl. And just when we where there the Giants won, and the crowd burst into excitment, it was incredible, (and a tad scary, what if they had lost, wouldn’t like to see the same guys get upset. xD ) Taxies stopped and jumped out, and the police put they’re sirens on. It was crazy, can’t believe we where there so see it all!

Monday. I don’t have any pictures of start of the day, since we just whent back to Mood to buy the fabrics we saw last time and some more shopping.

This is what I got!

The fabric I’m making into a scarf, Shawl from Wool Wool (Urban Outfitters,) Forever21 tee, Zara top and a pair of shorts by Adriano Goldschmied, almost everything on sale. Round applause for afforable prices.

Sparkle all the way! Love the Kat von D eye pencil, I always wanted something from her line, glad I didn’t by a new pencil before I left. Awesomeness.

As most wanted to do some more shopping, I just couldn’t go into another store, I was seriously sick of shopping. So I whent on my own to see Kleinfeld, the bridal store that I’ve been seeing on the show Say Yes to the Dress. I was quite a walk. (Dear gps 4 minutes is not the same as 25.) But it was worth just walking and taking in the different parts of the city. I think you’ll have to have an appointment to go in thought, It would have been nice to look at the dresses thought and maybe I would have been hit by sudden luck and they would have taken me to see the people that make the dresses downstairs. 8D

Our teachers wanted us to have a last meal togheter at Hard Rock Cafe before we whent back home.

Loved these lanterns.

Sorry for the dark pictures, it’s the only ones i have featuring people. xD

My class! (Plus an additional 40 back in Britain thought)

Tuesday

The last day, we quite impulsive ran off to see Brooklyn Bridge before we were supposed to leave the hotel at 2 O’clock in the afternoon.

We didn’t manage to get up to the actual bridge. Everything was cut off because of the Giants parade which started 12 in the afternoon the same day.

Hundreds of people showed up, it was fun to experience the atmosphere of such an event. Then we just took a cab back to do some packing.

I knew that we lived near Korea Town, but I didn’t realise that we where practically in it! I could have been eating yakiniku and other awesome stuff everyday T.T But I didn’t realise until right before we left!

HOWEVER, we did have lunch at this wonderful little Korean bakery (Paris bakery) They had the the best cakes, croissans and yummy stuff I haven’t seen since Japan.  (Maybe it was a good thing we didn’t go there everyday…)

Gaah strawberry short cake with youghurt cream! And the portions where perfect compared to the humoungus ones we’de seen so far. (Is it a muffin or a house? Can’t really tell.)

On our way to the airport we drove over Queens Cementary. It was mind bogglingly huge. Of course it would be big in such a big city, but still. :O

That pretty much rounds up our trip to New York, short but intensive. I had a wonderful time, I quite liked it. Thought I might not want to move there,  as some  already decided they want to.  ^^

We didn’t see Central Park in daylight, nor the Statue of liberty, but here’s a small version, complete with inapropriate baby wear, enjoy.

They sent up lanterns at uni in the evening,  and we rounded it all up with ordering chinese take away. xD

Our new classes dosen’t’ start until next week, but I feel quite exited about it, finally some more sewing. We’re already making choices in what we’ll specialize in 3d or 2d. I chose 3d, can’t imagine anything else. It’ll be ecxiting to see who else in our class choses the same option.

I’m currently doing corsetry classes on the side and I’m enjoying it very much. We’ll all make the same basic corcet, but we can choose whatever fabric and decorations. I might look for fabric in New York. Can’t believe we’re going next week. :O Haven’t sunk in yet. We’ll have a meeting tomorrow, so then I’ll know more.

We’ve also decorated our kitchen, so instead of dreading to go in there, I quite like it now~

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

The changes dosen’t look so dramatic in pictures, but the whole feel of the kitchen has gone from cold to varm, so it’s very different to us. I actually want to spend time there now.

and we’re all geeks at the moment. ♥

So cute! Draft stopper, always wondered what those pillows was for. x3

Nothing else going on at the moment, we have a little in-between week right now, only having workshops and essay feedbacks on thursday, which I try not to feel too panicky about. >.<

Anywho, going use this time to fiddle with the Diana Mini Camera, at last~ Expect update about N.Y tomorrow. ♥

Happy New years everyone, hope you all had a lovely evening~

I had a wonderful night with good company.

a crackling fire.

and yummy food. ^^

Our awesome hosts, Lisa and Oda, even  arranged a “paint 2011″

Group photo by Benny Hernes

For the first time in my life we whent into town to look at the fireworks there.

It turned out to be slightly chaotic at the end, and I think I yelled “I don’t want to die” more than one time.  Ah,  I’m so very found of drunk people with explosives.

Anyhow,  we had a nice view of thel fire works from the oprea house roof.

Yes, I still don’t manage to take pictures in the dark.

Things I’m looking forward to in 2012 so far: 

- First of all the rest of the 2nd season of BBC Sherlock. 8D

- New York trip with Uni in February (Moods :]~~)

- The time around march when I will have stopped writing 2011 on everything

-  Brave from Pixar

-  Finnsihing the 1 year of  Fashion Studies

- Starting 2nd year!

- Michael McIntyre show? (planned)

- The Hobbit!

And any other awesome event that will turn up this year. ^^

I’m planning to:

- keep this journal more updated (yeah, yeah if I had a penny..)

- learning how to use my Diana Mini camera <3

- generally be more productive and especially sew more. (we’re planning a weekly sewing club!)

- language of the year: french

- improve my memory, if possible

- keep in touch with people, write more letters!

That’s my 2012 so far, sounds good to me!

At the end of every year it think “what did acctually happen?” An as always I  conclude with that it couldn’t have been much, until I start to check folders and files (yes I have a bad memory, main reason I keep a journal.)

Last year I had only one resolution: Focus and DON’T PANIC. Which I think I did pretty well. I focused and I didn’t panic, too badly, but it might be a case of needing larger and friendlier letters.

2011 has been a very eventful year, both good and bad. There’s been personal challenges such as changing studies and moving to another country. There’s been disasters and tradegies challenging and changing everyone of us. It’s been a year of reflection.

My summary of the year

-  I rarely quit something withouth finishing, but I decided enought was enought and quitted Chinese, which was a huge relief for my stress levels. Now I had the time and enegry to do what I wanted and intended all along.

- Applied for a bachelor in  fashion in England

- Chose to go to Art University College at Bournemouth

- Started working full time at Sign Text while waiting

- The earthquake and tsunami tradegy in Japan

- Red Cross found raising for Japan

- Visit to Katrine in Krakow with Helene

- Work, work, work

- Harry Potter movie premiere

- Security crew at Desucon

- Weekend with Lisa and Marte in Barcelona

- 22 of July

- Moved to England

- Working hard and meeting a lot of awesome people in Bournemouth ♥

With that I want to wish everybody a Happy New Year tomorrow!

Last weekend I went to Swanage and Corfe with these two awesome ladies! Kiera and Liv!

Swanage is a little town which lies on the opposite side of  Bournemouth, about an hour away.

It’s a real sweet town~ Here’s the art club!

It’s s a quite small town, with lot’s of small shops, alleyways and adorable houses. The amosphere is so calm, and lovely,  I could imagine if I where a writer or and artist, to just come here an live for a while when working.  Apparently this was the inspiration for Noddy’s toy town.

And most of it’s built on a  hill.

After wandering around town for an hour, eating scones and coffee, we wanted to ride a steam train! (and yes the conductor laughed at us while taking this picture)

A real steam train! Meet Eddie~

I loved it! A proper old steam train. We chatted with the conductor for a while, since he thought it was so amuzing that a Norweigan girl, a Danish girl and a Irish girl where on the train to Corfe togheter. xD

It’s almost like taking the Hogwarts express! 8D Exept that everybody is overly exited tourists taking pictures  and locals thinking “Oh God, overly exited tourists taking pictures.”

Finally arriving at Corfe

I love how on the station you can buy books of these trolleys, and there’s old fashioned suitcases on display. That would just have been stolen or brokwn in Oslo. oO

I just love all these small little houses. Just as in Swanage, I would have loved to just live here for a little while.

Corfe Castle~ If anyone remember, we were here on the school trip we had the first week, but I didn’t have the opportunity to go in last time.

It’s supposed to be packed with ghosties.

Corfe castle where a big symbol of power back in the day, a big fortress on the top of a hill. The first stone is supposed to be about 1,000 years old. It was one of the stronges fortresses in the country and it was demolished after the civil war for that very reason.

Nice scenery at the top thought.

Yes, somebody just told me about the miniture effect. Couldn’t let that pass, could I?

‘

And that’s the end of our little trip, It was great to just take a day off and relaxe and put my head of the white shirt project for a while.

I’ll  update about that next tuesday when everythings finnished and I’ll pictures from our planned catwalk show~

Bournemouth square

The pier.

Chloe moved in yesterday and today she and I went shopping to our sunday roast dinner, which is an traditional british sunday dinner apparently. Chicken with vegetables roasted in the oven.

Zoheb also moved in yesterday, so now we’re a full house! Two British girls, one Norwegian girl and  one Swedish boy. Await the television-show.

Sophie, my first english person!

Lovely cooked meal by Chloe, brilliant, we must make a tradition of this!

Tomorrow’s enrollment day, and we’ll meet the rest of the class, quite excited and a bit nervous about that, it’ll be an interesting update tomorrow!

My first sight arriving at Bournemouth station

Alton Road, my street.

This is our lovely house

aand my room~  Bought the shelfs are Argos, it’s basically like Ikea, except they don’t have anything in the shop, you  just go there and pick things out a ginormous catalog. They have about everything you can think off, then you recive the goods over a counter, it’s feels quite strange, almost like fast food, only fast  interior shopping. oO

it’s quite big,  nice bed, the windows are a bit drafty thought.

My view

This is our dark stairs, I’ll fall down one off these days, you can’t see anything when the lights are off.

our amazing hoover Hetty!

and we have a Harry Potter bathroom, in the cupboard under the stairs!

I like our kithchen, thought it’s the coldest room in the house, it’s very new.

And I will of course continue buying ridicules cute kitchen utsensils.

It’s an ice cream scooper, but it’s a walrus!

And this is our “living room”

And we have a garden!

Our next door neighbours is a church  house that’s used as a kindergarden, but we barely hear any sounds from there at all.

This is the road  I have to cross to get to my house, it’s terrifying.

Speaking of terrifying, I hate walking here at night, I just imagine someone will jump out of the bushes and kill me.

I have a few camups pics, there’ll be more next week, when freshers fair starts.

This is the main square, with all the classrooms and library surrounding it. I just love the library, Imgagine a whole corridor filled with Vouge from 1930 and beyond till today. Everything is art related, you can rent dvd’s, they record fashion programs from television, they  buy dusins of  magazines everytime something new publishes, art and culture history books, illustrations books, and so on and so forth.

Our cafeteria/bar.

This is our class room, as you can see we are first priority of the uni.

nah :p this is our fashion studios, They are big and filled with scary industrial equipment. The teachers all have their offices next to the class room, so you don’t have to go searching for them if you need them.  They seemed really great, they don’t have that  typical “we’ll break you down and build you back up” attitude, they said that they want to see everybodys individual talents, and countinue building our strong sides and develope that to it’s fullest. It was awesome meeting them.

Free student stuff we keep getting. look they have their own aucb candy!

Later today or tomorrow I’ll post pictures from the field trip we took today~