I've been slow in writing up my experience of week 5 of the Lilla's MATS course as there's been so much to think about. My brain is trying to process everything and needs to have a spa break or similar.

So Gift week was another area I had little experience in but was looking forward to immensely. The mini was to think about collections. I gathered up what I felt were the most interesting collections ( as I have far too many lurking all over the house)

The bowls especially had some great patterns and linework. Also the patterns within the Burmese laquer work were so beautiful and I loved the way they repeated outwards. For some more research into this market so I paid a visit to my favourite gift shops.

When the assignment came through it was the create a zipper pouch based on a trend that Lilla felt was emerging. Something she called 'hyperlush' seen in catwalk fashion, and would soon be filtering down to other design fields. Once again flowers were going to be large part of this look, so I asked some very kind local florists if I could photograph their beautiful displays.

I realised at this stage I would be called upon to work with Photoshop a great deal in order to incorporate & manipulate the pics I'd taken. It was enormously frustrating to begin with as I hardly venture into Photoshop- I had to Google so many basic techniques about masks and changing hues.

I won't bore you with the details but I had a deadline of Friday night due to a very hectic family week end. I was so pleased with he end result - the ONLY piece that turned out the way I had imagined when I first made sketches. Despite having left my home country over 30 years ago I grew up surrounded by Burmese craft and I wanted to combine this with my vague memories of living there. I called it 'The Road to Mandalay' after Kiplings famous poem about exoctic Asia.

When Lilla chose this in her assessment I ran round the office screaming that I didn't hear what she actually said about it !!! I never imagined that I would have client ready art after all these years out from the creative industry. All those late nights and self doubt - well I never believed it until then. OK I'm ready to believe I can do this.