Here We Go...

Here we go...into some sleepless nights. I turn in my portfolio on Monday. This portfolio contains all of my projects from the current semester's studio. It's also a pass or fail. If you happen to stumble on this post feel free to send me some good luck karma, I'm going to need it.

I'm in process of completing my final project and have some final touches and boards to re-do from the previous 2 projects. Somehow all of this will be done before 10am on Monday. Oh, yeah I also work all day tomorrow. Fun times I swear!

I'm going to post the floorplan I've been working on all week. I don't think words can explain how excited I will be to do all floorplans by computer next semester. All of this drafting is too time consuming. Not to mention this final project has to be universal...wheelchair accessible, so there looks like lots of space but granny needs that 5' turn around for her u-turns;-)

Random Things About Me

1. I wanted to be a solid gold dancer when I grew up.
2. I still want to be a solid gold dancer.
3. I love 80s music.
4. I really don't like beer.
5. But I will drink it if I 'have' to.
6. I'm the queen procrastinator.
7. I'm supposed to be writing a term paper now;-)
8. I love to run.
9. I am a strong runner.
10. Maybe not the fastest.
11. I am always on time.
12. I'm scared to death of thunderstorms.
13. I would be a great private investigator.
14. I talk out loud TO movies. (as in 'He is not going to do that').
15. Maybe that's why my friends don't ask me to movies.
16. I can't sit still unless I'm really tired.
17. I hate to clean.
18. I love spring and fall.
19. I've lived in 6 cities and 4 states.
20. I'm commitment phobic.
21. I find it difficult to commit to things to far in advance.
22. I love to render.
23. I'm very observant.
24. I like numbers.
25. My alias is Bunny.
26. I plan to qualify for the Boston Marathon in December.
27. I love plain m&ms.
28. I love oreos & milk- they should be at the top of the food chain.
29. I don't like to drive.
30. Although if you're a slow driver I won't let you drive me.
31. I always drive over the speed limit.
32. I love to read.
33. I don't lose things.
34. It may take me a year to find it, it's still not lost.
35. I like small houses.
36. I love a good mexican martini.
37. I want to learn to speak Spanish fluently.
38. I want to live overseas, preferably Spain.
39. I love water (ocean, lakes & rivers).
40. I love dogs.
41. I can't decide how I want to remodel my bathroom.
42. I like hand written letters.
43. I can't seem to change my phone to 512.
44. I love to sleep.
45. I require sleep.
46. You will know if I haven't slept in a while;-)
47. I love a good story.
48. I like when my life creates a story, preferably a funny one.
49. I love friends who make me laugh.
50. I like to laugh so hard I cry or get the hiccups.
51. The Internet is my enemy.
52. I love Dr. McDreamy.
53. I found the writer's strike to be annoying.
54. Mint chocolate chip ice cream is my favorite.
55. Baskin Robbins please.
56. Sweet not salt.
57. Humidity doesn't agree with my hair.
58. I have super fine hair.
59. I think I'm 5'7".
60. I can't keep a calendar.
61. If I have to have a calendar I like the paper kind.
62. I wish I could sing.
63. My neighbors wish the same thing.
64. I am bossy.
65. I've had a python in my house, no it was not my pet.
66. I've almost stepped on a copperhead.
67. I've had a random snake wrap around my leg.
68. It was dark so I couldn't tell what kind.
69. I had my first car wreck at the age of 14.
70. Legal driving age was 15 in La.
71. I've rolled an explorer.
72. I've had to use doggy doors to get into houses.
73. None of these houses were mine.
74. No, I was not breaking and entering, all legit.
75. I'm great with directions, no GPS necessary.
76. I served on a triathlon board.
77. I've never done a triathlon.
78. I've made daiquiris with a food processor.
79. I couldn't find my parents blender.
80. Obviously, they were out of town and I was underage;-)
81. I was a Bearcat Belle.
82. I have good intuition.
83. I really need to write my term paper.
84. I'm excited to be pursuing something I love.
85. I am opinionated.
86. Sometimes I don't notice when I'm thinking out loud.
87. I have a love hate relationship with getting up early.
88. I drown my coffee in cream & sugar.
89. I don't like big meals.
90. I like a good glass of pinot noir.
91. My closet is extremely organized.
92. I've stayed up all night dancing and then went straight to the fish market.
93. It was fun.
94. I've stayed up all night for a school project.
95. Not so much fun.
96. I've always wanted curly hair of medium thickness.
97. I'm always reading 2-3 books at a time.
98. I'm at the half-way point with my Design degree.
99. I took piano lessons for 4 years.
100. I want to play the guitar.
101. I stayed in a relationship too long because HE could play a guitar;-)

Now, the procrastination must end, onto Modernism/Postmodernism!

Time

How did it happen? I swear ever since spring break came and went time has been on fast forward. Everytime I look up to breathe an entire week has gone by. I really can not make myself think beyond the day at hand it makes my heart rate sky rocket. The end of semester is approaching fast. It's scary and exciting all at once. This is a make or break semester. I'm in my first residential studio, which is secretly referred to as the 'weed-out class' meaning this is where they get rid of real crappy designers. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. I still need to make some changes to my original projects and complete the final one I'm currently working on...not sure how this is all going to pan out since I'm on the verge of a burn out at the same time;-) I will spare you of my meltdown from last week, emotions were on overdrive!

A few things I've learned about myself or have actually known for a long time and now need to face these facts. I am a very aggressive woman. What does this mean? Not much for the majority of you as long as you don't spend much time with me. I HAVE to find a way to run. It's no longer an option to skip, even if it's only for 20 minutes I have to run, period, end of story! When I don't let's just say it gets a tad ugly. I am a brutally honest woman so when I don't get rid of my energy it comes out in words so please be careful what you ask me, I will answer.

Last but not least I have decided to start training again. Ok, it doesn't officially begin until May 27th but I will be following through this time. I have some unfinished business with the marathon and plan to stake my claim in December!!!


Now to get through today, left, right, left;-)

The Perfect Sunday

The perfect Sunday involves a good run, great friends & champagne...does it get any better than this...I think not!!! It really is that simple. Today, this Sunday, it's perfect and now I'll finish this floorplan for school...I'm happy and complete, ok a little tipsy too, but that totally helps the school work.

This morning involved feeding a herd of dogs for friends out of town, a run in the rain with M, and brunch/mimosas with Jane...this is my idea of a perfect Sunday. I love it!!!

Jane- party shuffle playing 'Long Day,' MB20...oh, yeah!!! I love the poster...I think it needs to hang in my loft;-)

36 Hours

When I think of pulling an all nighter I think of a dance floor with good friends, margaritas and 80s music. Unfortunately, me being up for 36 straight hours didn't involve any of that. So sad that model building takes forever + a day.

Since going back to school my 8hour nights of sleep are something of the past. It's normal for me to go to bed around 2am (again no dance floor, margaritas or music) and sleep for 4-5 hours. I knew this field required insane hours but seriously. There are plenty of gals that always talk about 'I was up all night getting this done'...I just thought 'what a dumb ass, who wants to stay up all night for school?' Ok, as they say you will eat your words. I have officially done just that. When it came time for me to turn in my project I couldn't remember if I had brushed my teeth, showered or eaten I was so confused as to what day any of the aforementioned was done...I opted to shower and my brush my teeth again just to be safe;-)

Without further ado here is my final stuff. I forgot to take a pic of my rendering that accompanied the model. Remember I was no longer firing on all 4 cylinders.

Also, stuff in the house that would be built-in had to be done in 3-D (kitchen cabinets) things such as living room furniture could be done in 2-D. I swear this makes sense!

More Model Building

It's time to convert the 2-D model to a 3-D model. This part intimidates me, it's also the point at which I get to see my minuscule mistakes that yes, the professor will notice too.



If you're paying attention there is still an exterior wall missing;-) I haven't had the guts to conquer that wall yet. It has a fireplace that isn't your normal box on the exterior portion of the house it's got some funky zig-zag thingy and I am not ready to face this challenge. The interior portion has a few too many book shelves going as well, and my moments are numbered before I have to face this challenge.

I'm drinking an Enviga drink this should keep me charged for another 10 hours and hopefully I will be near completion.

Model Building

Model building is for the birds. I don't think words can convey my dislike of these things. I didn't like them this summer and I sure as heck don't like them now. I swear for every 1 step I take forward there are about 7 back...it makes no sense.

I have no idea what happens with foamcore between the time I measure it, draw a line and then take the knife to it...somewhere in those steps it shrinks??? Guess what if it's too short back to square 1 until it's right...trust me there are several wrongs before you make a right.

Anyhoo that's the boring stuff. I accomplished my goal of the day for my model...it's a small one but the first one to complete on the day I wanted it complete...yay! me!!!

Here's an idea of my private hell. All the pieces on the left are the rejects the tiny pile on the right are going to make the exterior of this house model.


Now for the complete dining room. It will look strange but in my teenie tiny world this is huge...I'm finally moving to the interior part of this model. Once complete this will be more clear, or that's the goal.



Tomorrow I'll work a little more then off to SXSW for the rest of the day/night...this is supposed to be my spring break. Break means build a model, draw/render a kitchen, write 2 papers and start preparing for a test the week after spring break;-)

LAZY

At what point do you say, get off your ass and go run??? Honestly, I've started a few runs a week, slow & ugly runs mind you. Cedar season was NOT kind to me and no I didn't venture outdoors for about 2 months. Now I'm finding it darn near impossible to get out the door for a run. I have gotten back in the weight room and am slowly starting to work on my core but SERIOUSLY, I have to find a way to make myself run. It's hard to qualify for Boston without ever running.

Today I just kept putting it off blaming all the tests I have next week (good 'ole mid-term week). I finally blew it off and did core work with the promise to get up early tomorrow and log some miles. I did get a TON of lighting done today;-)

Anyone interested in swimming at Stacy pool? Maybe I need a change of pace/cardio. I go through this after every marathon.

NYC Marathon

You have been entered into the lottery for the
2008 ING New York City Marathon!

Entry #218561
Please use this number for any correspondence relating to your marathon entry
Entry #218561
Katie Johnson

Processing Fee: $11.00
Total: $11.00
The following fees will be charged to your account ONLY if you are accepted into the race.
Entry Fee: $155.00
Total: $155.00

Well, I've entered the lottery for the NY Marathon. If my entry # is 218561 is that how many people have entered their name as well??? That's a ton of people. I wish I had been entering the lottery for the past 3 years...I think that's guaranteed entry or is it 4 years??? Oh, well I'm starting now;-)

All Done

Finally by 2am Wednesday night my project was complete. I worked 18 straight hours on it that day and let me tell you my back is still hurting from being slumped over my drafting table. I think this design thing is going to put me in the grave a tad sooner than I thought. I'm glad it's over and my meltdown on Tuesday as usual was not necessary. Tuesday was the first time I thought maybe I don't have what it takes to design. After yesterday's presentations I think I'm doing ok, not too mention I will improve as this semester progresses.

Slowly but surely...

I'm going to get to the end of this...it may be in the wee hours of the night BUT it's going to happen.

Another step done.

Another step complete...

Granted I have about 400 more steps to go to completion but another step done!!!

And the fun continues...

Well, I'd like to say my first studio project is going well but that would be a lie. I have no idea how everything will be done by tomorrow's presentation. Yes, blogging about it is a good use of my time...actually my back needs a break from being hunched over my drafting table. Also, I think I will take some advice from a friend's blog and run this afternoon. I think even 20 minutes will help keep my head clear and keep me from going insane.

So here are a few more drawings that I've completed...

Here we go...

And so it begins...my first studio project is due on Thursday and well, I have a long way to go before it's ready for presentation. I did finally finish the perspective part of the project and let's just hope this was the most time consuming part of it. It took 18 hours to draw...I now get to shrink it from 24"X36" to 8"X11".



I realize this is hard to see since it's a pencil drawing right now. This is the den of a house we are remodeling for our project. I've got quite a few sleepless nights ahead of me a test to study for and a paper to write...I heart school;-)

My Holiday

My X-mas holiday consisted of working for the catering company and dog sitting, 5 dogs. I won't bore you with the catering stuff as I don't have any stories from those gigs. What I will tell you about is my 1st night to feed the dogs.

These are 5 hungry dogs. I had already met them and gone through the feeding instructions with Ron. What I didn't do before the Perry's left town is check the key to make sure it worked. I have a long history of copied keys & front doors & nothing working, apparently, this information is buried somewhere in my subconscious...

Friday evening I was meeting a girlfriend of mine in town for the holiday. My plan was HH with Christine then swing by the doghouse on my way home. Everything was fine & dandy until Christine managed to spill my red wine on me. (Why does time stand still when red wine is in mid-air and taking direct aim at a white shirt?) Needless to say we were done catching up.

Now off to feed the herd of hungry dogs. Get to the house and it's pitch dark. Thanks Ron for NOT leaving the porch light on. Fumble for the key start feeling around for the doorknob. Turn key, nothing. Wiggle key, nothing. Curse key, nothing. Finally, some movement...oh, that's the direction to lock the door, not unlock. First F-bomb dropped while being serenaded by hungry dogs. Call Ron (I'm real grumpy at this point), did you check this key? He says, yeah, it should work, but if not walk to the side of the house and the gate door is held by a sandbag you should be able to move it if you push hard enough. Did I mention the outfit I was wearing? Well, my cute fitted jeans with snake skin heels. This is not an outfit meant for 'off-roading.' Just to give you a better picture.

I try to move sandbag...again, nothing. I look at the gate and think I can scale this thing. I climb it heels and all. Get to the top assess the situation and make sure the dogs aren't the protective kind. All's clear in the backyard...start to go down the other side. Wait there's a nail caught in the crotch of my jeans. Another F-bomb is dropped. Do a little maneuvering and jeans are cleared. Now I'm in the backyard. Let's just say they could stand to level the yard a little or post a sign saying- you may not want to wear your cute high heels in yard...just a thought.

Now I've made it to the back door. I opt to stick my hand through the doggie door to triple check these aren't protective dogs. Nothing. Alright, I'm now crawling through the doggie door (this ain't my first rodeo...I have crawled through a doggie door before). Whew! I'm finally in.

Now it's the sprint to feed 5 dogs, keep them separated and I don't know what else. I'm real sure it looked like a 3 ring circus going on. I'm starting to relax a bit and think yippee, Ron showed me how to use the tv...I can enjoy some cable. This I considered an evening of luxury. Right, minus the fact I can't get the tv on. More F-bombs are dropped. Now, I think I will just relax on the comfy looking couch.

Let me explain this comfy looking couch. It's L-shaped and wide with some strange looking plastic runner thing on it. I think this is some nifty thing to keep the dogs from getting on it. OH, and nifty that little plastic thing was. I decide to fall into the couch without moving nifty plastic thing because I'm that lazy. This proves to be a poor decision on my part. I take the Nestea plunge into the couch. Oh, sh$t, f***, damn. This nifty plastic thing is shocking the hell out of my backside. WTF??? I can't even begin to explain the curse words flying out of my mouth and the worst part is the way I fell into the couch did not make for an easy get-off the couch movement. Everywhere I touch to lift myself up gets shocked. OH, DEAR LORD...it was like a butt/pet taser thing. I literally was going into cardiac arrest trying to free myself of this nifty little plastic thing.

When I was finally standing again I announced to the dogs my day sucked!!!

Just Because...

just thought i would revisit this post;-)

Ostrich (NYE '07)

I really don't know what title I should use for this post...Ostrich was so kind to throw a party at his place for NYE but I've got an unfortunate "party favor," no it's not some strange cootie- get your heads out of the gutter.

I stopped by Ostrich's house around 10:30 or so after I had been at a party that was hosted in a parking lot, this totally brings back memories of NYE in high school. The downfall this evening is it was in the 30's a little chilly for my blood. Get to The Shire and there is tasty guacomole dip- yummy, and tons of other little foodie items. As the evening progresses Ostrich keeps pulling things out of the oven. The last thing was a spinach & artichoke dip. I was stoked, grab my little sourdough bread scoop and dig in. Let me preface that I'm standing by some people that don't know me very well, God Bless Them and there are tons of other people I just don't know at all. Bite into my bread thingy this dip is so effin' hot and what happens the dip super glues to the roof of my mouth. The curse words running through my head are frightening. I can't get it unstuck at all. I turn towards the kitchen another wad of people i don't know. I'm now facing the wall as my eyes well up with tear. Dear God It Won't get off the roof. I'm freaking out & if my mouth weren't full of food I would scream bloody murder. Finally I find a way to un-stick this f*n dip from my mouth and a blister immediately forms. GRODY!!! Who gets a blister on the roof of their mouth????

It's now Wednesday and putting anything remotely warm in my mouth still burns like heck...this may be a 2nd degree burn for all I know. I know one thing for sure I'm not standing near the food table at parties anymore. It still hurts to eat, more importantly it really hurts when i try to drink my coffee...

Thanks Ostrich, Really!!!

Kenny + Rendering/Annoying= A+

Who knew it was possible...that I could make an A+ on my rendering. I didn't like them so I really had no expectations. However, the following pic got me an A+ and a compliment from my professor. I'm learning in the design world of teachers nothing is good enough. Trust me I'm well aware of how picky I am but these people make me look like a pleasable (not sure that's a word but you get my drift) person. Goodness gracious. Well, without further ado the A+ is...



PS- Rudolph's kitchen was an A. Not too shabby if I don't say so myself!!!

PPS- IPM it probably is crooked. Depends on how I run the 24X36 page through the plotter (the shrinking part) if it will come out straight.

Kenny- Rendering/Annoying

I've been wondering what takes up all of my time where I don't even have 1 hour to deal with laundry...it's dawned on me that my rendering class controls my entire world. I have been hunched over my drafting table since 9am today...it's now 6:30pm. I did take 1 1/2 hours to run AND shower. The world is a better place since I did both run AND shower. The sad news is I started the rendering part of this project on Thursday and I'm still not done. We have to render 2 of the same drawing. If I wasn't at work between thurs & now I was rendering. I was supposed to do LAB for my run this weekend, yep, you guessed it didn't happen. This is the point of every weekend where I get thororoughly annoyed. How much time is enough??? To top it off this drawing sux ass!!! I'm tired and need to run a few errands. I will post this scary kitchen...it looks like I hurled highlight and shades all over the place but I get into trouble if I don't do it...Personally i think it looks better with less, whatev!



I'm going to get a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream. I've earned it;-)

Kenny- Project 2

Ok, since the current drawings I'm working on for Monday's class are about to kill me I thought I would torture you 4 kind souls once again;-) BTW- thanks for the kind comments...they were nice!

I am now going to tell you all about my first large project in Design Development (the course I took in a 5 week session of summer school). This is a courtyard designed for a dentist's office. The obstacles given to us are a running path straight down the middle of the building (being a runner I thought piece of cake I get this). Next obstacle is a 16ft of mass (WTF?) that you can only cut a 1/3 into or move. This made NO sense to me whatsoever. Thank goodness we had to draw plans of our ideas before the actual building was to take place. This saved me bookoodles of money and the headache of having to restart the damn thing. I couldn't wrap my head around this dumb ass blob thing Nance kept referring to. I would like to say I was NEVER operating on all 4 cylinders during this 5 week period. Sleep- well 4 hours a night seemed like a luxury. Ok, this explanation is going to be super long so as always skip to the pic;-) Next hurdle is there has to be 2 walking paths through the courtyard, excluding the running path, needs to be this column ass thing you can't cut into, 2 separate rooms or cornered off and one of the rooms needs to be a meditation area...this is one weird courtyard.

without further ado I will introduce my final courtyard piece. The blue piece of paper on one of the walls is a water wall...ew and ah if you must;-p

PS- before I load the pix...the crap around the courtyard is the dentist's office.
PPS- it's cut in 2 because we had to do a section view which means building the 2 pieces separately, hence the reason they don't fit perfectly together.

Ok Kenny...

You asked for it;-)

Kenny seems to think it would be a great idea to show the 4 people who check my blog what I do while in school. I will post these things that I've taken pictures of...they will probably be hard to see and the lighting on them well, not so great;-p

I'll start from the beginning, way back in Jan of '07. My very first 'concept' board. Apparently we make these to show clients to hopefully woo them into using me as their interior designer. The best news ever for me at least is I LOVE putting together concept boards. Something about it just makes me happy;-)

Before loading these suckers let me preface that they've been sitting up in my loft getting quite a bit of sunlight so they aren't in the stellar condition they once were. No, really at one time the looked fantastic. Ok, just humor me!!!

On to the summer school projects and introduce the very sharp cutting tools which to this day I still have all 10 fingers and toes. I consider this a major success in my life especially since one of the projects I will post was built on NO sleep.





The above project was my introduction to various materials I will use to build models during my adventure in school. Needless to say these are very kindergarden. The first day Nance (professor that taught Design Development) mentioned some very foreign words to me.

Nance: "Class the next project we will be using chipboard, foamcore & bass wood."
My thoughts: chip WHO???
My next thought: bass and I'm back in the 2nd grade down at the pond fishing. Yes, people i couldn't figure out how bass could make wood. I didn't say I knew much about design other than that's what I want to do so quite a few words are foreign to me. Foam core I knew. whew!!!

That's all the torture I have for today...stay tuned as I will slowly but surely reveal some of my projects. Next semester there will be more house models...so exciting I know!!!