Day 82: Work, Sleep, Work, Sleep, Work, Party! 10 days to go!

Kat doodles about life:

Hello my dear followers, I guess everyone is wondering what happened to me in the last three days. Do not worry I am still doing the challenge, but it has been very hectic. I went to work on Friday night, got few hours sleep, went to work a day shift, came home, got few more hours of sleep, went to work to do the night shift and after I went out for a bit to finally celebrate end of this hectic work festive season. Well until next weekend, when I am doing four shifts. Brilliant! I ended up surrounded by seven security men (including two from my work) and had so much fun joking with the guys, I only just manage to get home at 7 am on Sunday morning. I love nights like this, it makes up the time when I am braving the cycling in the middle of the night, in the middle of the rain. And there was plenty of that this weekend for sure.

So anyway not much of a productive day, but on Friday I had a chat with one of my Czech friends planning our Christmas dinner together and we ended up talking about his smoking habit and how he is planning to stop next year. And I thought of this thing, which might be useful to some of You readers. I am doing this with my university debt. It is the way to remind you visually, where you are, how far you have come and have to go. He is also planning to buy new camera, so I said just imagine that every time you want to buy a packet of cigarettes or smoke one, put money aside and you are suddenly lot closer to it. It will be a great reward!

To see that something is happening and the price or target you are trying to achieve is not just some abstract number, I came up with this little visual help. We all know the little Ikea paper tape measures. So I took one and marked every centimeter line as a target and when I send it off to a special saving account each time, I mark off the amount in black. It is a gentle reminder it is still there, but working positively on your mind that you are getting there, not long to go and there is that celebration time when you reach zero. See my Champagne time arrow pointing. That is it for now. Back later. Kat xx

Day 16: My new interior design and diy corner of knowledge! 76 days to go!

Kat doodles about life:

So here it is, another addition to my white collection of furniture and white painted room. I have run out of space in my main two bookcases, so i thought I will keep my new bookcase just for my collection of interior design and diy knowledge. I have to go through and tidy it up properly, but I want to keep anything here from my inspiration scrapbooks, interiors design magazines (Elle Decoration and World of Interiors mainly), leaflets, brochures, books, list of stockists, wallpapers, paint samples etc. For the moment I put in also Domino Toolboxes for storing beads, buttons, sewing and modelmaking from Toolstation. For £5.40 each I think they are perfect for storage. The room starts to finally look more spacious and more organized with everything more on hand.

I am planning to do a post on bookcases, so feel free to take photographs of yours and send it to katerina.t.designer@gmail.com and you never know it may feature as a great example.

With love Kat xx

My Life Is Far Too Exciting!

Kat doodles about life:

Hello guys!

Thank You so much for all your support, liking, following and everything else You have done for me recently. I appreciate all the attention coming from all around the world!!! So now back to business. I know you have probably wondered, where I have gone, but believe me although I was, still am, very busy with making pots and pans clean and shiny, I did not forget. I have been thinking about the blog at all the times. Even when I walk to work every morning through Whiteladies Road here in Bristol! There are so many  amazing designer (mainly interior design and furniture) shops and I am thinking I have to tell you more!!! Now I have been making notes about little topics and articles I want to write about, so brace yourself and expect very soon me going on about these and many more subjects:

1. Young lady called Baduade. I came across her drawing as a feature in The Times newspaper. I will be posting more straight after this post.

2. I am learning French again. Well attempting! My beautiful French teacher Camille has got a lot of patience and I am introducing her to beauties of English language and magic of “being British”.

3. Newspaper Metro had recently very interesting article about Job Hunt Roulette by John Lees. So definitely one to follow for all of You looking for a job.

4. What else can be Ikea tape measure used for? (I know this not the answer, but did you get Your new Ikea catalogue through the door yet?…Ooooh I know what are You thinking:-)Better hide that debit card!

5. I have been thinking about this for years: People, who design dishwashers, have never been kitchen porters before! Otherwise….

6. Bookcases. I will be exploring this more as mine is overflowing. And whenever someone says bookcase I always think of my best friend Jan Sipek and his beautiful wall covered with books and simple wooden shelves. I will do my best to get a picture for You to see.

7. Mathmos lamp.  Magical geeky lamp. To me this is a symbol of a Czech film Samotari (Loners). I watch it everytime I feel homesick.

8. Sizes of rooms. How do we perceive them? Where is the door?  Can the double bed fit in it? Does it fit only in one corner? Do we look for the rooms with high ceilings or cosy little rooms with angled roof. I have been recently visiting few houses and it got me thinking. Size versus purpose of the room.

9. My friend’s blog- it is so cool! His actual nickname is a Good and he blogs in Czech, but definitely makes my days better. Once You find a good online translator, you will never want to stop reading his blog.

10. I got myself a design project!!! Redesigning a pad of two bachelors including sorting a lot of hoard. All of  You who know me, you can  imagine how excited how I am.

11. I am planning on posting few pictures from my garden. Otherwise getting ready for the autumn. Slugs definitely won this season!

12. I am obsessed with storage boxes and storage solutions, so there will be more of that coming up.

13. Ikea-once again. They have fantastic blog called Ikea Live.

14. This wonderful lady Michelle, who I admire very much, has been going  on about Coworking in Cardiff for the last few months and now finally something is happening. She has one husband, two businesses to take care of  and three awesome children, who I had the chance to babysit good few times. I don’t how she does it, but let me tell You, she is one to watch!

15. I passed Certificate of Proficiency in English! After eight years of waiting and trying to gain the confidence, here it is. Confirmed by Cambridge!

16. Start to my part-time course Designing for Interiors at City Bristol of College is in less than two weeks. I am sooo excited! Unbelievable!

That’s it for now! Now you cannot tell me I have not been thinking of YOU! Lots of love from Kat xxx