Etsy.com

living abroad for a year has been incredibly amazing. breathtaking and a previously unimaginable experience...  but definitely somewhat unreal!

When I moved to NYC on summer of 2006, I started working like there was no tomorrow. I worked for a stocktraiding/softwaredeveloping firm where I was -basically-the only female. I went to school-FIT- on the evenings and on saturdays and life was just a bit insane. On the summers and winters following, I took courses at FIT and had about 3 jobs at a time.... you become a jack of all trades(I worked as a "sales associates" at BEBE stores, as 

a waitress-in two restaurants at the same time-, a bartender, and my favorite.... a freelance sketch artist!... )During the following school semester I realized I was not enjoying my work as much as before and i reduced my hours at one of my jobs and started working also in school as a student ambassador and became the coordinator of the program....to sum it all up... 

NYC life = work life... 

I ♥ it... don't get me wrong! That is why I went there... 

But coming to Italy for a year and knowing that I was not going to have working permissions etc.. I saved and relaxed... But money is running short and I have decided to stay here-well, in Milano- for another year, so in founding money problems solutions... I've decided to join ETSY.COM and have created my own little shop:

www.zagb.etsy.com

It is not up yet... more towards the end of June... but keep

 your fingers crossed and send my your great vibes... the are always kindly recieved... actually-more than kindly... LONG  for them!!!

>.<

-la zaidina!

Technical Priorities Survey

Work package 4 of the new project is looking to build and implement a variety of technical tools and services to develop and enhance repository infrastructure and usage. A large number of possible tools were suggested within the original project bid:

Workflow

Copyright checking by journal title integrated into the workflow process

Automated metadata completion e.g. gathering journal metadata from external databases

Automatic cover sheet generation for repository deposits

Embargo management

Enhanced metadata collection (author affiliation etc. etc.?)

Import/Export of metadata

Generation of online CVs bibliography web pages from repository content

Export/import of publication information from repository to chosen citation software

Export/import of publication information into other university systems e.g. library catalogue

Export/import of publication information into other repositories

Repository management

Improvement of repository statistics and reporting

Integration of repository in REF requirements for reporting and statistical analysis

Integrating preservation services into the repository

Handling storage capacity for large items such as data and multimedia

User experience

Shopping basket facility allowing users to collect items together and download as a single package

Embedded players and streaming for display of multimedia deposits

We are currently surveying the WRN community as to which of these developments they see as priority for the project team to work on. Project partners should submit their choices by email by Friday 22nd May 2009.

Milano ... Politecnico di Milano... Knitwear

One more chapter... a very new and unexpected one...

After a long debate with myself, friends and colleagues (believe me, more intense than I thought) I have decided that I will be attending the POLITECNICO DI MILANO next year for my 1st semester of Bachelor's degree and  will specialize in Knitwear... Yes, I know. a 360˚ turn, but the decision is made and I am so up for it. 

You see, I've been in FLORENCE this year and loved being abroad so much that I really didn't want to go back to NY yet...I know its an amazing place to be, but I want to explore the unexplored a bit more before deciding to stay in the BIG apple for a couple of years..(we were all afraid that this would happen)-my mom said that I would never come back- >.<

...so I applied for the Central Saint Martins (a very good art school in LONDON) program through FIT; but considering they ONLY recommend 2 people (including the applicants from NY) I was selected as a "stand by"-- which means I am the ONLY person on a "one person waiting-list" because every year prior-one of the two people selected has bailed out last minute... 

THIS IS what I REALLY wanted to do- but I had to plan as if ''I wasn't going'' to be more realistic.. and if the spot opened up... LONDON HERE I COME-its just for a semester- but a great one!

However   > > >  

As A SECOND and last minute option, I had also applied to the MILAN program - in case I didn't get in to LONDON- This one lasts for a whole year and its specialization specific(and takes place at The Politecnico di Milano). Initially, I have to admit, I was disappointed and very much uninterested in the MILAN program. But little by little it became more attractive AND I considered:

On the YES side:

-I WOULD LOVE to stay in Italy for one more year -since I am already here,

-I could perfect my italian,

- I already understand how things work, know my way around, could travel MORE, etc....

- Milan is not only one of the main fashion capitals of the world but also the economic capital of Italy! 

- Knitwear can be a broadening of my "surface-able" horizons, meaning its a completely NEW material/dimension/texture, that contributes to my visual and tactical repertoire... also, to become an expert in ONE more field... is not BAD at all! as the director of the program here in Florence said:

 "Anything is possible in knitwear that is possible in sportswear, and even if you intend to go into sportswear, in depth knitwear knowledge is an enormous advantage for the sportswear market, as all sportswear collections include knitwear"

take a look: 

http://www.sandrabacklund.com/

(It is the work of British Designer Sandra Backlund, one of the most directional knitwear designers currently)

On the NO:

-I am a bit scared about not taking full advantage of my time in MILAN because the program maybe isn't as great (challenging/well organized/resources...etc) because its fairly new!~5 years?

-The other thing is that there was only space left for the KNITWEAR SPECIALIZATION... which is something I had never considered doing but definitely maybe worth exploring...I would have to do knitwear for 2 years and was not so sure of wanting to commit to something I don't know if I will love- In NY, we to choose our specialization on 6th SEMESTER and I would probably choose "sportswear" because Its more vesatile and broad... however there is the risk on not getting it (because of number of spots)

-Also...The milan program makes me spend more (because in NY I pay in-state-TUITION. And considering I pay for school myself- Unless I found some job/even if its selling stuff on ETSY (online); Milan would be a bit harder...

BUT coming back at another time (TO Italy) might not be that easy and investing a bit now might be well worth for the future!!!♥

Eveningwear-ING... la natura morta

I said NATURA MORTA....

taking ricci's -and Olivier Theysken's-haute couture|eveningwear airs... my collection takes up on exceptional materials, structural details, bold spirit, and wonderful darkness. 

  think...

-poetic imagery

-evocative

-botanical

-impressionistic nature

-limpid

-rippling

-finely veined

-harmonious| color tints

-idyllic

very inspiring... quick| experimentation... a fastly concepted collection and one of my best illustrations yet. I decided to draw on brown canson® paper. I drew on tracing paper, then passed it to the dark paper with indigoblue carbon paper(the one i use for draping)-and colored with guache|watercolor|colored pencils. Unfortunately, I did the head, torso and skirt on different format|sizes|pieces of paper... thinking I could make a photomontage... but instead when you put it on the computer.. you loose the crisp, texture of paint|paper....

ENJOY!

Gregynog Repositories Strand 2009

Booking for this year’s Gregynog Colloquium is now open and the WRN project is able to fund the attendance of two delegates from each WRN HEI to the organised Repository Stream. The stream will take place from Tuesday lunchtime through to Wednesday afternoon and will comprise of practical workshops, presentations and a face- to- face WRN business meeting to be held on the Wednesday afternoon.

Tuesday 9th June

2.00 - 3.15
Copyright Workshop: Jackie Knowles and Hannah Payne, WRN (AU)

3.15 – 3.45
Tea

3.45 - 5.00
Multimedia Deposits Presentation & Workshop: HannahPayne, WRN (AU)


Wednesday 10th June

9.30 - 10.00
'EThOS and the Aberystwyth Experience’ Dr. Nicky Cashman, Aberystwyth University

10.00 -10.30
‘Repository@Bangor and the REF pilot’ Lyndsey Savage, Bangor University

10.30 -11.00
‘Integrating ORCA’ Tracey Andrews/ Anne Bell, Cardiff University

11.00 - 11.30
Tea

11.30 - 12.00
‘The Welsh Repository Network: Where do we go from here?’ Jackie Knowles, WRN (AU)

12.00 -1.00
‘Repository Management: the University of Liverpool experience’ Shirley Yearwood- Jackman, University of Liverpool

1.00 – 2.00
Lunch

2.00 – 3.30
WRN Business Meeting

Full Colloquium programme details and the booking forms are available from http://www.gregynog.ac.uk/HEWIT/index.asp?Page=2.

To take advantage of a funded place please register and provide contact details for invoicing as instructed in previous emails from your project team, alternatively contact us via wrnstaff@aber.ac.uk for further details.

Introducing the Welsh Repository Network (WRN) Enhancement Project!

The Welsh Repository Network (WRN) Enhancement Project is looking to sustain and build upon the technical infrastructure and support network established between all twelve Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) within Wales during the WRN Start-Up project (http://whelf.ac.uk/wrn/index.shtml).

The Director of this new WRN project is Bill Hines, Assistant Director (Library Services) at Aberystwyth University. Jackie Knowles will take the role of Project Manager, and will be supported by Hannah Payne as Repository Support Officer (Organisational) and a yet to be recruited Technical Support Officer.


Within the WRN Start-Up Project support was delivered face- to- face through quarterly site visits and via e-mail and telephone support. Within the Enhancement Project we are looking to continue to provide support through these methods as well as by providing support through Web 2.0 technologies such as live chat via an interactive support website. The project team will also create and deliver via this website a range of interactive learning tools including mini tutorials, news feeds, and online demonstrations allowing WRN partners to utilise these materials in their own time.

Within this project we will also be exploring the idea of a centralised mediated deposit service for the WRN. It is hoped that provision of such a service by project staff will determine whether outsourcing item record creation enhances the rate of material being deposited within a repository; and whether the concept of remote mediation results in a successful workflow which embeds into the culture and policy framework of institutions.

The project team will look to work with WRN partners and other JISC repository projects to build and implement a variety of tools and services to develop and enhance repository infrastructure and usage. The following key areas for development have been identified: Workflow; Import/Export of metadata; Repository management; User experience. Based on feedback from WRN partners we will develop those tools and services which have been identified as the priority enhancements to their repositories.

The last element of this project will look to develop a thesis harvesting service within the National Library of Wales (NLW) providing a central hub and searchable interface for theses produced within the HEIs of the WRN. Working in liaison with the British Library’s EThOS project, the NLW will be the national point for providing Welsh e-theses content for the EThOS repository.

Welcome message

Welcome to the Welsh Repository Network Enhancement Project blog. The project team will be adding content to these pages very soon.