Garden Design

I had a really relaxed weekend after a bit of an annoying week. You see; I have been trying to get some sample urls from a client for three weeks now, to see what kind of design they would prefer and to get an appointment with them to go there and discuss things. I never received a response from the person who was supposed to contact me until Tuesday night, last week when JG. –her boss and friend of AS. who’s really eager to get things done- forwarded her email to me because she’d sent it to him instead of me.

So I read the email just after midnight when I was on my way to bed and noticed that she expected me to be in the office the next morning [I don’t think so!]. Ever since, I have sent emails, have been on the phone every day and left messages to call me back. No reaction… Here I am thinking: I’m doing you a big favour -I am actually- and you can’t find two minutes of your precious time to respond to my email or give me a call back? What on earth is your problem, do you want this deal or not?

In the meantime I’m getting more work in and I’ve about four websites to design so time is running out since this particular client needs to have it all done by the end of August. I’ve installed the software, played with it and I realised while checking it out that this is not going to be a simple job. Normally with this amount of work at least one developer and designer would be assigned and be given three or four months. I’ve been given less than two months, while other work needs to be done as well. See my point?…

To stay focused on the serious clients I arranged to meet up with K. over the weekend to get some input from him about what he would like. He’s a landscape gardener/designer and he is extremely creative so after our brainstorming session I left having all these ideas and images in my head and I couldn’t wait to get started. He showed me some amazing gardens that he did for these millionaire clients: owners of huge old Victorian houses with huge gardens in the West End and South End of London. Truly inspiring!

K. was extremely enthusiastic about having his website done and came up with really nice ideas. I took his portfolio with me so I can scan some of his drawings and I’ll have to do some research later today to see if I can find some leaves and stone structures. I’ll also have to redesign his business card once the website is done. K. was so enthusiastic that he had told a friend about it and this friend -who’s in education- is really interested in having his website done as well. So… things are picking up!

After the meeting with K. I went over to CS. to work in their garden. We’ve been cutting and trimming down a large bush to clear the path while enjoying the beautiful weather. Their garden is amazing but it’s all growing wild now since they haven’t done much maintenance. I helped cutting last year but they neglected it ever since while I offered my help so many times. I really love working in the garden, so I had a bit of a gardening theme going on all Saturday and a nice BBQ to end the day *hehe*

I was totally knackered when I came home, knackered but relaxed and Sunday… well… Sunday was just a typical Sunday…

P.S. CS. made a really interesting remark, she said: ‘those who are sincerely busy will always make time for you, those who are not busy at all need to pretend to appear to be busy thus won’t make time for you…’ I think she has an excellent point there!

Sentuh Hatiku

Matters from the heart today…

I received a lovely email last night from a sweet and very talented fellow blogger and friend: Ismoyo. We met up earlier this year when she came to London to work on her book and we spent a wonderful day chatting and walking around Chinatown, Soho and Covent Garden looking for all things Asian: I guess because it’s in our genes, as we’re both Eurasian Indos *hehe*. I love Asian design, especially package design and I have a super soft spot for Sanrio characters.

Ismoyo posted her 500+ post last week and organised a ‘Times Five Giveaway’ to thank her readers and guess what? I’m the extremely lucky winner of her extremely kawaii package #2 chock-full of wonderful Sanrio goodies *YAY!* Such a sweet gesture, I’m looking forward to receiving her beautiful gift! Like I said earlier: she is a very talented designer based in New York, so do go over and have a look at all her wonderful things!

When I moved to London I had to give up on most of my personal things, I’ve given away or thrown out furniture, crockery, treasures, books etc. etc. These days my whole life fits in about 30 cardboard removal boxes. I don’t have any crockery of my own anymore, it ended up near the garbage for someone to take. So I’ve decided to collect some treasures over time, that way I won’t have to spend money on it all at once; a treat to myself.

Since there is no Hema here I have to find things online and I’m getting good at it… Last week some of my treasures arrived in the mail and I’ve been extremely happy with it. I’ve paid a decent price [eBay]: compared to shop prices my things are cheap. I collect Chinese plates and bowls and I found a beautiful toast rack which is exceptional and I wonder about its history. I’ve never seen anything like it here in the UK and I suspect it’s a valuable antique.

The Chinese bowls are the same as the ones I used to eat from when I was a kid: I love the pattern and the dragon. So if you have these still, please please please don’t throw them out! Plates, bowls, spoons, tea cups with the rice grain and dragon… anything is welcome! I will keep them safe till the day I’ll be sitting at my own kitchen table, enjoying a meal and using these treasures for the first time. That’s the stuff that Dreams are made of…

Sentuh hatiku [touch my heart].

So detailed…

Not just a toast rack…

My Dragon and Rice

Waiting to be used…