Inventive, essential, whimsical and Practical – Come and upscale!

Hurrah for wonderful people who do things with originality and humour.. Check out Out of the Ordinary a workshop in East London where you can make beautiful and useful things from the flotsam and jetsam of everyday life.

Their blogspot homepage says – “Imagine an urban habitat for people who like to tinker with a bit of ironmongery and a lot of imagination, a new kind of social space combining creative and practical skills.

Drop in and you’ll find our team of artists and technicians happy to help you hem your trousers, reupholster a sofa, turn a bicycle into a chandelier, or build a spaceship with your kids”

These are nice people. I want to go play.

The link was sent to me by my friend Fiona, who together with her husband Neil financed my first album with a daring loan. We met in a papiermache evening class in South London many years ago..

So, a bit of bonding with paper and glue can truly change your life and society, so go and investigate how to take part in developping an Orphanage for Furniture and a Wall of Tools that will make DIY a cheaper and more joyful affair.

They are looking for volunteers NOW, SO if you haven’t yet made your decisive move during this BardFest (1st to 14th February) to try your hand at something new, creative, gorgeous, meaningful, life and planet-saving, aesthetically pleasing and truly merry, then this, I would suggest is an obvious opportunity.

Here’s that blogspot again for those within cycling distance of Whitechapel..

I’m loving the Reading Room..

and there’s a video on how to make books..

This is part of my mission to encourage joyful collaborations with creative and fun people in our City who you haven’t discovered yet…for example..have you found the magazine “Oh Comely” in WH Smith’s yet! go find.. Well done those people. Let’s have tea at the Biscuit Factory where their magazine began.

If you discover wonderful cafes and projects that bards should be singing, writing, designing and cooking at then just send them to the bardschool blog and let’s keep the Fest rolling.