Um ... Hello?

Hi potential blog readers ...

I have never really had a blog before (except one for school in order to document and turn in assignments, so I don't really count that one) ... so I don't really know where to start.  Should I jump in and pretend that I have been doing this forever?  That doesn't really seem like me at all.  Should I introduce myself? Well, I am leaning towards that so...

I'm Carol, but you can call me Duckie.  I accidentally branded myself with ducks, and I decided to run with it.  I even use Duck as a pet name for my boyfriend, so I am kind of stuck with it, not that I mind.  I love ducks, I think they are adorable and I absolutely love rubber ducks ... so I am smitten.

One of my previous assignments.  Did I mention I am smitten with Steampunk too? And pin-ups?

I love to create, and that's what I love to do.  I have been an avid crafter since I was a little kid, I have been sewing for a veeeeery long time, and I love to dabble in anything fun and creative (hence the name!).  Coincidentally, I found out that when a duck sticks it little butt in the air and forages below the water's surface it is called a dabbling duck!  I thought that was just perfect, but I am getting off topic.  I have chosen a major at university that fits me, Industrial Design. As most of you probably don't know what that is, I will explain.

Industrial designers are the middle "men" between engineers and the consumer.  They will either innovate designs and propose them to engineers for feedback or they will take schematics from the engineers and make them appealing to the consumers.  Industrial designers can do anything from automotive design, medical design, product design, to toy design.  That is what I want to do, toy design.  I would love to work with engineers and children to make kids everywhere happy.  Kind of a nice dream right?

A prototype toy I made in one of my classes ... sensing a theme?

Well, I am at the tipping point of my schooling for Industrial Design, or as my fellow students and I often call it, ID. I am just finishing up my lower division classes and now I basically have to audition to get into the upper division classes and graduate with a degree in ID.  If I fail to pass this "audition" I will get bumped down from ID to a degree in general Design. Still a degree but not as specialized, so definitely not the end of the world. This audition is a submission of my portfolio of work I have completed in my lower division classes. I have to impress a gaggle of professors and professions and earn a place in the upper division classes.

Whew!  That is a lot of information.  But that's what I plan to blog about.  My adventure through Portfolio Review, crafting, sewing, baking, and being myself ... who knows where this is going to go?