8th December 2022

Today was our formative assessment presentation. I could post a copy of it but in fact I’m going to be honest. I’m exhausted.

I had Covid-19 a couple of weeks ago, and my son is off school with it now. This post isn’t about how great I’m doing, who I’ve researched and what inspires me.

This is about how I’m second guessing myself, how I think I was crazy running with this idea. Who am I kidding?

I work part time, have a family, horses and dogs. Christmas is literally around the corner. Postal strikes mean that if you order anything you have no idea when it will arrive. I have long term health conditions and it seems something else has decided to join that particular party, and I’m juggling hospital appointments as well.

How on earth am I going to find the time to source pigments in a timely fashion? Make my own handmade paper? Organise family Christmas? Fit my bookkeeping work in?

My life is actually part of my project. In all, it’s chaotic everything gets done even if its last minute style. It just means I need to work this out slightly differently.

After talking with my tutor, there were some pigment powders that had been given to the department and I was allowed to use them to start making my own paints. This resolved the problem of relying on postage, or the fact that I didn’t have time to take the dogs on long foraging walks.

The handmade paper? Well after researching I really like the company ethos of Khadi so in the new year I will look at ordering some.

Still stressed, still feel like I’m running out of time but my presentation went well and I received some good feedback. I also have a way forward to practice my paint making skills. A positive outcome.