Woolly Hat Day

Friday 26th October is Woolly Hat Day 2012. St Mungo's (a homeless charity) are asking knitting enthusiasts to help them knit 5,678 orange woolly bobble hats. This represents the number of people that slept rough on the streets of London last year.

Here is my bobbly offering:

It's not quite too late to get involved, so check out their website for more info:

www.woollyhatday.org

Lots of Lavender

As you may or may not have gathered, my 'proper job' is in theatre. It's an ever changing career, and I'm always doing different shows and working with new people.

I've got into the habit of making presents for my company at the end of a run - I usually aim for something show relevant. I have recently finished a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream which was set on a Gypsy campsite, and so I decided it would be a great idea to make everyone a piece of lavender. This seemed like a brilliant idea until I realised how much lavender I would need to make - this was a large show, and so the cast and crew amounted to over 50 people!

What a lot of lavender-making. Definitely worth it though.

Photo Shoot!

So, the main reason I've been so slack of late with my blogging and shop-updating has been because I've been busying myself writing a book.

It's a pattern book that comes out next year, and I've enjoyed creating it ever so much.

Yesterday we did the photo shoot for the book. It was a completely new experience for me and so much fun. I was really lucky that I was able to use friends to be in the photos and work on the make-up, so we all had a really relaxed (but long) and silly day.

I can't show you any photos as yet, but here's a pic of a small part of the amazing Dalston Heights where we did the shoot.

I'll keep you updated on the progress of the book. I'm ever so excited!

Olympic Joy

Today is the last day of the Olympics here in London. Hasn't it been a joy? I have to admit, I'm a little bit sad that it's over. This is especially ironic, as in the lead up, as a Londoner, I was desperate for it to be done. I don't think I'm alone in this change of heart, so very well done London and all our brilliant athletes. 29 golds! Who'd have thunk it..?

My change of feeling for the event started as I watched the Opening Ceremony. Magnificent (and bravo to all I know who were involved). As the many countries bore their flags around the stadium, I made myself a little Olympic memento - an Olympics' rings necklace, which I have very proudly worn.

Roll on the Paralympics!

Music Video Beard

I'm delighted to be able to say that one of my beards has been featured in a new music video. It's for a song called Rocks Are Just Lonely Hearts by Bannerman, and it was directed by Daniel Batkin-Smith from the Mammal Group. It's a great video for a brilliant song, and Team Mammal have certainly been very lovely.

Check it out here:

http://vimeo.com/41252948

'Tasche-y Jumper

This mo-tastic jumper was an ongoing project for me for most of 2011.

It became the task of my idle hands whilst at prompt corner cueing shows on tour.

Sadly, it was quite a marathon, and so I've realised it's not something I can add to my products to sell. I do love wearing it very much though.

Moustaches!

I'm hoping to get back to some proper shop work soon, but at the moment I've been concentrating on the book like a mad hermit woman.

Here's the 'tasche-y outcome of recent endeavours:

Book Research

At the moment, my fingers are mostly busy working away at designs for my book of disguises.

Here's a picture of me doing some comedy research:

Beards Spotted Live on Stage...

Way back when, in the murky month of October, a few fuzzy treats found their way to the stage in a production of Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

The beards, and the Outlaws that wore them, have not been seen since...

Photograph by Robert Day