Window Wanderland – Bristol February

I recently took part in a brilliant community event in North Bristol called Window Wanderland, created by Lucy Reeves, the inspiration for this project. The aim of the project was to shine light on a dark February night, by decorating, illuminating, jazzing up your front window and getting the local community out to mingle and view the window creations. I loved the night – we built in a tea break at Boston Tea Party and I had a hot water bottle to cuddle up to to keep me warm. we meet old neighbours and new and it was a really busy socialbel evening. Some used as an opprotunity to raise funds for a local charity - see WW website for details. 

I spent time planning and working out what I wanted to do, made sure I kept out some Christmas lights and paced myself with all the intricate cutting that I’d set myself to do. I went for a woodland theme, with the characters of Red Riding Hood taking central stage.

Here’s a collage of all the other amazing windows. You can see a gallery of photos of all the windows in the Window Wanderland site, here.

We look forward to taking part in WW 2016! Maybe you'll do something too or set something up where you live?

Alli

:)

PS - My display is still up!

Briswool! M-shed 4-5th October 2014

This weekend you have the opportunity to see Briswool, Bristol knitted, crocheted & felted by volunteers, in its full splendor at the M-Shed Bristol.

The project has been organised & co-ordinated by the lovely Vic from Paper Village in Bedminster. 

Here are some pics I took when it went on display at Paper Village in May this year.

Tottering houses - Totterdown or Hotwells?

Knitted allotment

Look at these tiny boats on the river!

Brunel would be proud of these creatives!

It wouldn't be Bristol
without this famous pair!

 Here's what Vic has to say about the project and the weekend ahead, taken directly from Paper Village website:

BRISWOOL at M Shed

The City of Briswool is a project to knit, crochet and needlfelt a huge model representing Bristol . When the part we have completed so far went on display at Paper Village it attracted 4,000 visitors in just 10 days. It has been seen in the press all over the world ! Over 90 people across the city have been involved sop far . Some made tiny knitted squares, others came to tree workshops and some designed buildings – there has been something for everyone. 4.000 hours of work ,10 free workshops ,Hundreds of cups of tea

The Model will go on display at M Shed on 4th and 5th October 2014 from 11am - 4pm - YOUR CHANCE TO GET INVOLVED

Like any city BRISWOOL will grow and develop. This is now your chance to be involved. We will be holding two free workshops called “How to Craft a City” alongside the model . You need to be able to knit or crochet . Just bring along size 4mm hook or needles and a big eye wool needle
We will be:
o Making Colston Hall and The Old Duke pub as a group – possibly more. just bring size 4mm crochet hook or needles. You will learn all kinds of techniques for designing and making buildings for BRISWOOL
o Helping to sew together queens square, king street , the town centre and park street and position existing parts and plan what else to make
o Helping you identify what you would like to make – there are still many interesting buildings and features
o Signing you up for groups such as BRISWOOL makes Easton or BRISWOOL makes Gloucester road etc

The Carpet Forest

The Carpet Forest has come to Bristol and can be seen at All Hallows Hall in Easton until 15th June. It is running as part of the Easton Arts Trail 2014. The installation is a creation of artists, musicians and sound artists using empty carpet card rolls, carpets, card and print to create a magical forest. (The Carpet Forest commissioned for Kidderminster Arts Festival and created by Jo and Kate Deburgh fromPlanet Art washttp://www.planetart.org.uk/ with music created by Andrew Edwards and funded by Arts Council England)

Find out all about it by popping in or watch this film and be transported.

When we went there were two children playing hide n seek and running around madly. I imagined some fantastic storytelling taking place in the space.

Opening times:

Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th by appointment only of local groups such as nurseries

Wednesday 11th to Friday 13th 12 noon until 7pm

Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th 11am until 5pm

Enjoy getting lost in the forest. Alli x

Story Trail news!

We made it into Bishopston matters - Ruth, look at your shoes!

Shoes and storytelling 4 - Night 1 of creations!

The elves gathered at my house one night and made about 6 complete pairs of shoes. What do you think?

Shoes and storytelling - 1. Prototypes

I've been mocking up prototypes of paper shoes this weekend. Why? Well, there's a lovely storytelling festival in Bristol this month, Bristol Storytelling Festival 2013,  and I've got involved in re-writing a story for the Gloucester Road Story Trail part of the festival. The story trail starts on Feb 1st with a storytelling event at a local cafe,Bubalu. 

I've gone for high heels, a baby Mary-Jane
and a slipper shoe!

'Family storytelling to celebrate the new Gloucester Road Story Trail with storyteller Paula Brown and friends.

The Gloucester Road Story Trail was inspired by the success of the local art trails and aims to link local authors and storytellers, shopkeepers and artists with stories about our area to create a trail that children and adults alike can follow and collect. Look out for the letters on the gingerbread man’s tummy, piece them together and jiggle them about ‘til they make a word!

From the end of January 2013 you can follow the map to find the stories, some traditional tales and some invented. The full set will be posted here soon to make your own book at home.' Taken from here.

I've re-worked 'The 12 Dancing Princesses' which will be displayed in local fabric, haberdashery, sewing space, Flo-Jo Boutique, run by Erika and Dee. 

As well as displaying the story as a poster, we are also planning a fab display for the window of shoes (read the original story here) fashioned from card, paper, fabric and ribbons.

A team of friends will be making the shoes and I've been doing some research and mocking up the prototypes to kick things going.

Here's what I've made and sources:

1) High heels from Ellen Hutson at Keepsakes

Oo lala!

2) I couldn't resist these cute baby shoes from www.scribd.com 

So very cute...but I'm not sure that
a princess wearing these won't be
walking, let alone dancing!

3) These beautiful slippers, 'These are the ones I imagine them to be wearing' says my 10 year old, which I found at Artful Affirmations. I've played around with the shaping of the toe part and heel.

Watch this space to see how this project and the creations develop - I'm hoping that we'll be taken away on a magic carpet with our imaginations and produce some beautiful shoes!

Toodle-pip

 

Alli x