Beds amongst books

25th July '09: PARIS

Shakespeare & Co. is a bookshop in Paris where traveling writers can stay (there are beds dotted around the rooms bursting with books) in exchange for an hours work in the shop. There are rooms where you can sit and read, nooks with typewriters, a piano which was been played while we browsed, notices of how to open a book correctly.

Hat Club

24th July '09: PARIS

Paris seemed daunting. We were a bit overwhelmed and not quite sure what was expected of us. On our way to find a drink in The Latin Quarter, we found a band busking on the corner of a street. Feet were tapping, hips were beginning to wiggle. We stopped to watch with the ever growing crowd. All the band were wearing hats. "We found Hat Club...and its a Friday" Lucy and I whispered to each other. Our grins grew.

The band were called 'The Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz band' - they are amazing! We felt suddenly at home, like we belonged. I knew then that we were going to be just fine. And so the trip began...

www.lostwandering.com

Explorer 200

Its been a long time. Blogging seems to have taken a bit of a back seat, but I have a good excuse: I have just returned from a wonderful 6 week trip around Europe. The ladies (Lucy Vann and myself) started in Paris on 24th July and from here went to Amsterdam, Flevostrand, Berlin, Dessau, Munich, Salzburg, Linz, Vienna, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Zagreb, Split, Hvar and Korcula. Phew.

So, get ready for quite a blog marathon! I'll do my best to let you cop a good feel for our trip.

Ok, this might take a while. Enjoy!

Graduation

Who thought throwing a hat could be so much fun? Another lovely day/evening/champagne fest with wonderful friends and family.

"Highlight of the crawl"

Our little reading room got rather busy in the end. It gave me a fuzzy feeling watching everyone line the room looking at the work of five girls who like making books.

It was described as "the highlight of the crawl" which was encouragement indeed. Lovely evening.

The Reading Room

My 'Mapping The Mundane' book gets a breath of air from its slip case on Thursday as part of The Reading Room exhibition. It is on at The Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester. Thanks to Caitlin Howard and Sophie Lee for letting my little creation in. Look at their blog (www.dancepicture.blogspot.com). Come. Books and booze. Doesn't get much better than that.

2 Sides stop-frame animation

2 Sides from Libby Scarlett on Vimeo.