Ok, so you don’t particularly need to meet me as such, I’ve been blogging here for a few months now. But I haven’t really spoken about who I am, what I do and how I consider myself as a designer.

So lets start at the very beguinning. My name as you know is Lauren, as of writing this I’m 21, Welsh, currently studying in south west London (Third year and terrified) and I’m obviously female.

I’ve lived in London for almost three years now, and had the incredible luck to work with some fairly well known companies (I’m currently working on a brief set by design studio G.H.B. which is both terrifying and amazing.) But personally I find that larger design companies lack the relationship that smaller ones have with their clients, it’s sometimes difficult to understand the clients needs when you’re not directly working with them, but rather with a company liaison. United Design is to date the friendliest company I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and would love it if they gave me a job. Hint.

As a designer I’m very process led, I’m happiest when up to my elbows in sludge trying to work out ‘What happens if I do this?’

(For the record, never mix P.V.A. and washing powder, it creates something I like to call Dino-snot.)

I enjoy working with materials, not just necessarily computers. and I find sometimes that designers often forget that the computer is only a tool, a medium, and not always the most useful device. Good ideas create interesting design, good software doesn’t necessarily generate good ideas.

So, I guess I should show you some of my university work?

For this project I worked with artist Owen Thackeray and blacksmith Gavin Fraser

This project was a collaboration between designers Anette Valle (model) ,Kasia Sniegocka, Pegah Redjai Sani and myself.

And my personal work?

My personal work revolves mostly around gift giving, I enjoy making things that other people love, I do this for weddings mainly. But I also make beautiful things on commission…

Paper wedding cake wreath made as gift for bride.

Paper Wreath made for commission.

I like to keep myself busy, tending to work on several projects at once As well as working for university, various competitions and submitting to galleries I also write for this blog, keep up with twitter, have my own Tumblr and I am writing a thesis on ethics in Graphic Design (titled ‘With Great Design comes Great Responsibility’. Thank you Spiderman.)

Phew, no wonder I haven’t had time to bake recently…

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Third track from work experience Mal.. Acoustic Thug! Click here to download.

Second tune from Malik….. Flute! Click Here

Hi my names Maik, I’m here working with the boys from UGD for my work placement for work experience. I’m intrested in taking my enthusiasm for design to the next level and experience the work place. My intrest is music, I am mainly in to hip-hop and dubstep.

Bet you didn’t know presents from Japan was a two-parter!

After promising UGD that I’d post their kitkats to them I decided that I had to do more! I couldn’t just send them a boring little package with a few kitkats in it!… So I sent a few other knicknacks. I’m so glad I did because the photo’s (in particular the reaction shots) are PRICELESS!

Obviously some of the Japanese sweets weren’t quite to Ant and Petes’ taste…

To quote Ant:

Those sweets were dead fish coated in pot pouri, they were beyond foul, I gagged. what they were exactly were slugs rolled in wet grass tasted like, they caused illness.

I think that they’re rice based? I’m so glad I gave them to you…Although I have more here. I may have to eat one and update you on my findings.

Follow Lauren on Twitter

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Now whilst twitter is king and UGD is a close second, there are other very, very good websites out in the internet ether.

“NO” I hear you cry “It can’t be true!”

But my dear reader it is so. And today I introduce you to a website so superiour, so perfect that images, not words are needed to express its awesomness:

Available to buy Here.

The website of which I speak is of course Etsy. WHAT? you mean you don’t know what Etsy is? For shame gentle reader, for shame. Etsy is, at it’s most basic Ebay for crafters, artists, designers and all round makers of beautiful/funny/incredible things. Where else, I ask you, could you buy a replica of Jayne Cobb (from firefly) ’s hat?

Here

That not your style? What about an antique Victorian French embroidered dress applique?

Because you can find one Here

Am I still not tickling your fancy? Well, you could always go for  a Roman inspired helmet?

Found Here

Yeah, I think I’d go with the helmet too…

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Fantastic campaign where King James tortured unicorns, fairies, and bunnies to promote the Eagle Awards.

Via.

Everyone Likes to get presents right? And I’m no exception, so when a friend shows up at my door with a goody bag full of sweets for me I get excited. When I realise that the goody bag is full of sweets from Japan, I get a little over excited and start to make interesting exclamatory noises.

But wouldn’t you if you where presented with the lovelyness that is this:

(Sorry about the awful photograph. It was midnight and I needed to photograph them quickly before I started taring into the packaging. And yes those are my curtains, yes I like them too.)

So UGD a promise is a promise and these beauties:

Will be posted to you shortly… Although the box may have accidentally opened, and I may have eaten two…

But there’s plenty left for you guys!

Follow Lauren on Twitter

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Now that I’ve moved back into London (for university) I obviously need to re-evaluate my home security system, I may live in the south-west, but theieves are sneeky and may notice my obiously welthy spending habits (yeah right).

So if you too are thinking ‘How can I hide my designer possessions from shifty bike messengers and thieving house guests while appearing to live modestly during this time of economic recession.’ Our friend Lunchbreath may have just what you need:

View more at Lunchbreaths Flikr Here.

Follow Lauren on twitter!

The First World War was a war dominated by high explosives and heavy artillery. Battlefield casualties included an unprecedented number with horrific facial injuries – injuries so severe the men were commonly unrecognizable to loved ones and friends. Often unable to see, hear, speak eat or drink, they struggled to re-assimilate back into civilian life. This secondary tragedy – the living unable to “live” – catalyzed Surgeon Sir Harold Gillies to transform the fledgling discipline of plastic surgery based on his unrivalled observation of the profoundly wounded and his ability to push the parameters of the profession beyond all known techniques.

Since 2004, Artist and Project Façade Leader Paddy Hartley has researched, responded to and interpreted the personal and surgical stories of some of the servicemen who underwent this pioneering surgical reconstruction under Sir Harold Gillies.

Hartley works from original patient and surgical notes, sketches and photographs of the men that form part of The Gillies Archive, Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup along with personal testimony from the families of some of the men. He produces digital and hand embroidered sculptures using uniforms similar to those worn by the injured men, to present fragmented personal histories of the men who endured long and painful reconstructive surgery developed by Sir Harold Gillies and his surgical team.

Hartley works in partnership with Gillies Archive Curator Dr Andrew Bamji at Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup and Biomaterial Scientist Dr Ian Thompson in the Oral Maxillofacial Dept, Guys Hospital London, This ground-breaking project provides a unique opportunity for Paddy Hartley to examine and respond artistically to the origins of surgical facial reconstruction with a view to tracing further Gillies Veterans families and seeking a greater acknowledgment of the experiences, sacrifices and of the patients and medical staff in the care of Sir Harold Gillies.

This is an incredibly beautiful and emotive project, something that captures its concept perfectly. It’s a shame more art isn’t like this. Find out more Here. Via