I'm now an art school drop out.Yes I'm fine*.No I don't want to talk about it*.(*Really)
Well it would seem I don't have to go cold turkey on the internet access while at Sturt: I've found the boarding house's computer suite.
I also don't need to worry about cold turkey on the white cotton bed sheet front either as a pile was waiting on my bed for me.
I'm not too sure about this whole having to make your own bed malarkey, though...
1. Decide on the final version of your costume, which involves knitted chain. And undertake a trial run to see if it's going to work.
2. Which makes you realise you probably should have a knitting project with you (apart from the chain). And sort that out.
3. Try to put together a punk compilation for the final party. Decide no one would really dance to a full on punk compilation so change it to a "deeply mainstream alternative early 80s mix as chosen by someone who was a DJ back then".
4. Try to decide: iPod or CD Walkman?
5. Run round trying to find your back up CDs for photos you suddenly remember you need prints of for class.
6. Chose a little something relevant to read if you happen to have a chance to loll in bed (or under a shady tree) with a book.
7. Finally decide what you plan to wear for the week. And wash it. Since, silly you, you've worn it in the last couple of days...
8. Wonder if the real estate agents would mind putting your flat inspection off for another week.
9. And if there's internet access at Sturt...
10. Blog all of the above instead of packing. Or printing. Or compiling.
In which case I did very well. I was at art school*, helping set up for classes which start on Monday. I arrived terribly early thus was able to take this picture of the calm before the storm:
(Nice cake, by the way. My first this year. And, in fact, last year too...)
Do you think I can add "covering wall to wall carpet in plastic" to the skills on my resume? I felt rather smugly Christo-ish until my partner and I worked out we were finding it so easy because we're both sewers and are used to cutting out large things on the floor to fit around awkward angles.
There would have been more photos but a) my camera battery died and I hadn't shifted any spares to the bag I took today and b) I was too busy wrapping floors (and shifting furniture and collating registrations, creating name tags and stuffing folders) to take anyway...
How was the start of your 2010?
When I said I wanted to go to art school I should have clarified my desire a little more fully. Yes, it's art school. Yes it's full time. But I was imagining slightly longer than 6 days.)
Today was another of those rare times when Taph and I were both off work on the same day and the op shops (except for Vinnies) were open. Plus we had Salvos cards that are due to expire on Thursday.
So there was only one thing to do: chose the car with the most spare space in it and do the rounds.
At (Big) Salvos in Queanbeyan I picked up this shirt for $3.50 (as part of our use of the first card):
Yes, I'm well aware it's not black and white but for I figured if I don't wear it it would make great a) hankies or b) dolls house bedding. Besides, when I tried it on it reminded me of my days in student radio back in the 80s. Or Adrian off The Collectors (not that I've watched a complete episode as yet). Enough reason to drop $3.50, I figured...
At Salvos Fyshwick I remembered I was in need of a punk costume. And I spotted this tail coat:
Home made. Green tagged (so $3 instead of the marked $15) and reminiscent of a tail coat I used to wear in the late 80s (see above).
Then there was this vintage Simona tartan shift dress: $4.50 with card:
I pulled it out. We (Taph, two lovely op shoppers who we'd been bumping into at every shop we visited (as you do) and the chap working at the shop) agreed it would be perfect under the tails at a punk party. But I put it back. The party is in mid summer. This reminds me more of winter.
Taph rescued it and made me see sense.
Then the chap that worked there came up with this which he said would work perfectly with the tails:
Homemade, fits perfectly, would be great for openings and $3.50 with card. Sold!
I was on a roll! Spotty vintage Equipment shirt (I swear I had the matching short sleeved shirt many years ago) $3.50 with card:
(I'm starting to feel the need to pull out my turntable and play Hüsker Dü)
But wait! There's more!
While waiting for the fitting rooms I perused the green rack (all items originally marked under $6 for $1, over $6: $3) and pulled out these for $1 each: 
Brand new daisy T (I plan to remove the pocket)
And Target Veronicas T shirt which, with a little tweaking , might just work under the tails with skinny jeans.
And maybe my bowler hat. For $1 it's worth taking the chance...
But we're not over yet. Salvos Jamison Centre has all short sleeved summer tops at $2. This is a little more scoop necked than I'm used to but for $2, worth trying out. Besides, it has spots:
Finally, Taph points out a full wool felted regimental dress uniform:
We laugh a bit. We admire it. She asks me to try it on. There's more giggling. Until I try the trousers and discover they fit perfectly. As in the length's spot on. So's the waist. Wool trousers (with a groovy red stripe up the leg) for $30? Sold to the mad woman in the fitting room!
Highlight of the day? The discovery that the larger Salvos stores now have itty bitty carts to fit their shopping baskets:
So friends can op shop with a basket each, space on the handle to hang coat hangers, and two free hands to explore the racks. Big thumbs up to Salvos!
Now, as seems a fitting end to a day like this, I'm off to watch Mary, Queen of Charity Shops. (While washing my work shirt for tomorrow, of course!)
looks like a bomb went off in it. (In the nicest possible way, of course...) 
If you look closely you can see the remnants of last week's stuff, layered with this week's creativity:
* Woolly biscuit tin from Trash and Treasure ($2).
* This year's Judy Horacek Avant card waiting to go into my visual diary.
* Completed baby hat waiting for pressing.
* Beads, wool and needles left over from the bracelet experiment.
* Vintage patterns that I've started playing with.
* My trip diary from Noumea. Which I've finally started printing photos for.
* Booties waiting for me to have the patience to practice my kitchener stitch.
* Map so I can find Sturt Summer School. I didn't mention that, did I? I'm off to learn how to draw next month.
* Cupcake hat pattern which I used to make the cupcake tea cosy with. And since I appear to have promised a cupcake tea cozy to Craft ACT for Christmas, I thought I should dig it out.
(I finally learnt to use the kneadable eraser that was on my materials list for class last year!)
(Which I discovered can be smudged and blended)
Tuesday: self portrait and perspective
(Interesting to compare this self portrait with my last attempt which was from almost the same angle...)
