La revedere

 

I am off to Bacau this evening, so La revedere (goodbye in Romanian) until the end of 2013!

Nothing even matters

Nature Bits

The time is near - Going to Romania on 25th September

So, here it is...

Clowning around, spring time in the village... yes, I'll have to wear a ridiculous wig and silly socks too!

After many many months of fundraising, preparation and getting well shit scared, I am off to the Bacau region of Romania at the end of this month (very early on 25th September, to be precise!)

If I stayed out there for my original plan of 3 months, it would make my return on Christmas day! In my head, as it stands, I intend to stay for 10 weeks, bringing me to the middle of December. I have currently raised enough funds for 8 weeks at £435. If I stay for only 8 weeks, then that is still a great achievement and I'll go home pretty damn stoked! If I do stay the whole 10 weeks and not be able to raise the remaining £165, then I will pay for that myself.
 

Everyone getting creative and messy! Can't wait to get involved!

If you've read some of my previous posts, you'll know this already, but if not...
I will be doing all sorts of creative mischievousness and fun shenanigans with the kids there, plus outreach work with surrounding marginalised groups in different villages and centre's in the Bacau region. The way it works is that, Ash Perrin, the Seagull ringleader (such an awesome man!) will see how I do with the long hard hours of fun, madness and creative chaos and then coming back to the accommodation in the cold night, with no running water or central heating... having to chop wood for the fire, fetch water from the well for drinking, cooking and washing (not much of that will happen!) and still have a smile on my face and not get grouchy with others! It is gonna be pretty hardcore! Think of it as a trial period for 4 weeks. I have absolutely no qualms, however, that I won't be able to stick it out for the whole 10 weeks :)

Anyway, that's a lot of writing. Thank you for reading up until now. I'm gonna leave a links to the Spring Carnival Art Fair, which I have and will continue to endevour to update (internet is pretty sketchy out there) with the goings on of the FSP Rural Arts Centre, as well as the Flying Seagull site itself, and my Just Giving page, if you so wish to donate any money to the cause.

Spring Carnival Art Fair:
http://springcarnival-artfair.tumblr.com/

FSP website:
http://www.theflyingseagullproject.com/

Just Giving site:
http://www.justgiving.com/harrietalana

Cruiser Board Project Worksheets

Here are the worksheets I made in order to make yourself  a bespoke Cruiser board with a DIY radicooool grip-job. Only a few weeks left of this project with the kids at Mile End. Stoked at how it's going despite not being able to make it in today for feeling ill (sorry guys!)
This project has been part of a youth work course I have been doing since January and I will be handing in my youth work folder tomorrow and will be a qualified level 2 youth work very soon! Unless they fail me, or just don't like the look of me! :P

Cruiser Board Grip-Job Poster

 

I have just started a project working with the young people at Mile End Skate park and here is he poster for it.

Flying Seagull Project T-shirts for sale!!

I'm selling these Romanian Celebration t-shirts, screen printed live by Horse Zine at the Spring Carnival Art Fair, to help me raise the funds I need to go out to Romania to help with the Flying Seagull Project's mission of spreading joy and happiness to isolated communities. They are £10 plus £2 p+p.

I need to raise £600 and so far I am at £332, so if you would like a t-shirt and to help me out, please email me, harrietalana@hotmail.co.uk

Alternatively, if you would like to sponsor me, check out my Just Giving page:
http://www.justgiving.com/harrietalana

For more info, the FSP website:
http://www.theflyingseagullproject.com/

And finally, thank you to the gorgeous Victoria Shephard (aka my sister) for modelling the shirts :)

St Ives, Seals and St Michael's Mount

 

A little bit late, but I wanted to put these pics up anyway, even just for me to look back on. In June, I went on holiday with my folks to the lovely St Ives in Cornwall. Despite the weather (should have gone during the July heatwave!) I had a blissful, relaxing time. Thanks Mum and Dad. Love you loads :)

Mary Sweet photography (Marie Dabbadie)

This awesoem photograph (and not because i'm in it!) was taken by the super talented Mary Sweet, a rad skater and photographer from France. Check her work on her fb page: https://www.facebook.com/marysweetphotography

Merci Marie! :)

Goodrich Castle and Symonds Yat

A day out to Herefordshire for my birthday. Can't go wrong with castles and rivers.

Spring Carnival Art Fair 2013!

A busier part of the day!

Me looking like a goon before my spreading-the-word mission down a busy market-fuelled Deptford High Street

Benjamin Phillips and Jazmine Miles-Long (and friend!) - some artists at the Fair

Nik Jones skateboard coaching

Calm & Collected - or not!

After my (unnecessary) worry and stress, Spring carnival Art Fair 2013 was a success! Above are just a few images of the day. More can be found on http://springcarnival-artfair.tumblr.com/

Apologies for the late blogging, since the fair happened at the end of May! Anyway, it was an awesome day and everyone had a whale of a time (I love whales!) Everyone was so supportive and I'm stoked that I managed to pull something like this off. People have even been asking me when am I going to do it again! I really didn't think I'd be up for organising anything else like this because it's so stressful. But it's only stressful because my mind made it so.

Next time, all I need to do is aim the event at the right demographic. All that could have made it better was to have more people turn up! That's down to the right sort of promotion at the 'right' people. I didn't fail at that, but I definitely could have done better. It's all learning, right?

Speaking of learning, (and in a fun way!) here's a reminder of why I did this Fair:
http://www.theflyingseagullproject.com/

Here is my Just Giving account:
https://www.justgiving.com/harrietalana

I will be going out to Romania for three months, at the end of September to volunteer with the Seagulls in their epic mission of spreading joy and laughter through fun, alternative education. Through this Art Fair and a few other donations,  I have currently raised half the amount (£300) I need to pay for my food and accommodation whilst out there. I wouldn't have been able to have done this without everyone's support, so once again thank you so much to everyone's help and support so far! :D