Yay! Another lovely collaboration between animator Charlotte Blacker and musician-for-kids Caspar Babypants (a.k.a. Chris Ballew from The Presidents of the United States of America). Caspar says:

"Charlotte Blacker (Stompy the Bear) is back and made this little dreamy world for a little girl who LOVES mud to romp around in. I love that she has red hair just like Rachel Flotard who sings with me on this song. Enjoy and stay dirty kids!"
 

SONG OF THE DAY: BMX Bandits - Getting Dirty *

A group of Big Issue vendors have got together with ad agency M&C Saatchi and independent typographer Stephen Kenny of A Two Pipe Problem Letterpress to design and create their own adverts, using 19th century letterpress equipment.

The national print and outdoor campaign, #SupportLocalBusiness, aims to highlight the fact that Big Issue vendors are small businesses in their own right, earning their living rather than receiving charity. The video above documents the project and includes interviews with the vendor designers.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Towa Tei & Kylie Minogue - GBI (German Bold Italic) *

The Heartsease project is a collaboration between R&B Handknit Designs, The UK Hand Knitting Association and the charity Kids Company (www.kidsco.org.uk). Kids Company supports 18,000 children and young people who live in exceptional poverty and have experienced chronic neglect and abuse.

Through Heartsease, knitters can extend care to children they have never met by sending them special heart-shaped bags. There are two patterns, one very simple and one slightly more advanced - you can download them from the Heartease website. You can add any trimmings you like to make them really special, and even include an encouraging note for a young person if you want to.

The bags will be used by the Kids Company team in therapy sessions with the young people they are working with. The bags will contain messages of hope and the 'pockets' can hold small keepsakes and treasures.

Heartsease runs until 14th February 2014 (Valentine's Day).

* SONG OF THE DAY: Adele - To Make You Feel My Love *

Images 1&3 (c) R&B Handknit Designs, Image 2 (c) Kids Company

In which our vertically illustrious heroine appears as Yoko ("I'm Japanese..."), assistant to Nathan Lane's Lagerfeld-esque gallery owner. Love that sequinned beret. Not sure about the monobrow.

* SONG OF THE DAY: The Pet Shop Boys - Absolutely Fabulous *

Miranda Hart in BBC's Absolutely Fabulous (c) BBC

Cathy's favourite film is The Wizard of Oz, and she does seem a long way from her English home now she has a new one in Alberta, Canada - but there's still no-one like her.

The Bible verses I included are Psalm 139:13 and Luke 12:6-7 (I like the The Message translation).

* SONG OF THE DAY: Elvis Costello - Red Shoes *

This is my beautiful new brooch, handmade by Gabi Reith of Small Stories. I've been ogling her work for a while now, especially her limited edition, handpainted wooden brooches, which are inspired by fairy tales and nursery rhymes.

I promised myself that if I got some birthday money I would buy one! I did, so this 'The Bear Went Over The Mountain' brooch is all mine. It's gone on my new winter coat and it makes me happy every time I look at it.

You can buy Gabi's work on Etsy and Folksy.

* SONG OF THE DAY: The Shamen - Move Any Mountain *

Black Holes from Grace Helmer on Vimeo

This witty hand-drawn animation presents some seriously weird science in a way even I can understand! You can see more of Grace's illustration work on her website: www.gracehelmer.co.uk

* SONG OF THE DAY: Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science *

Today I stopped off at the hospice shop's cafe for a brew. Sat by myself, I was gazing round the room when I suddenly noticed my own reflection in my steel teapot! I don't usually like taking my own picture but here I am almost unrecognisable... and I love that my teacup is in the shot. I *am* a pretty dedicated tea drinker :) 

* SONG OF THE DAY: Elbow - Mirrorball *

All images (c) Save the Children 2012

Save the Children would love you to knit your own Christmas Jumper and have unique patterns available (see below) to download from their website, when you register for Christmas Jumper Day. Wear it yourself, give it to a friend or family member in return for a donation, sell it on eBay, or donate it to a Save the Children shop to sell on.

For more ideas on how to knit for charity, visit my Knitting for UK Charities page.

*SONG OF THE DAY: Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews - Baby It's Cold Outside*

This is a gift for Sean and Aileen on their first anniversary. Aileen loves sheep.

When she was getting married, Aileen sent me a swatch of the fabric of her dress, so I could match it with some satin flowers I was making for her (to be fashioned into a beautiful hairslide - see below - by our friend Cathy). I still had this little piece of material a year later, so I used it to back a heart cut-out on the reverse of this loveheart (but I seem to have forgotten to take a pic of this view before I put it in the post!).

* SONG OF THE DAY: The Housemartins - Sheep *

Mother and baby doing well thanks to the Freedom from Fistula Foundation

The goal of the new maternity clinic is to provide mothers in Sierra Leone with quality care during childbirth which will have the double benefit of reducing the number of childbirth injuries, as well as helping to reach the worldwide Millennium Development Goal #5 which aims to reduce maternal mortality across the developing world.

The Aberdeen Women's Centre now has the capacity to: deliver 1,500 babies each year in the maternity clinic; treat up to 500 women each year in the fistula clinic; and treat more than 6,000 children each year in the outpatient clinic.

The Freedom From Fistula Foundation has pledged to give each new baby a cardigan, jumper or blanket as a gift before they leave the hospital. They're extremely grateful for all donations in all colours* and sizes!

Completed garments can be sent to:

Freedom from Fistula Foundation
Robertson House
1 Whitefriars Crescent
Perth PH2 0PA

For more ideas on how to knit for charity, visit my Knitting for UK Charities page.

* Please avoid white, as it is associated with mourning in many African cultures.

This lovely animation tells the tale of Aleksandr, the last knitter in a community who live above the clouds. They've been up there for so long, they can't remember why...

I've been watching the box set of Early Doors again for the first time in ages. There are a gazillion beautiful one-liners I could quote you, but here's a gorgeous belly laugh courtesy of pub regulars Joan and Eddie:

Joan: "Did you hear about Giro Jim?"
Eddie: "Oooooooh, can I tell the story Joan?"
Joan: "No."
Eddie: "Oh."
Joan: "He was in here on Saturday night, and he was feeling peckish, so he called the Peking Palace and ordered his chicken and eggy fried rice to be delivered to his house. He then walked round and went in and said 'Have you get a delivery for Giro Jim? Yes they said - Well, I'm Giro Jim... will you give me a lift?"
Eddie: "And ate his eggy fried rice on the way!!"

* SONG OF THE DAY: Lily Allen - Chinese *

Happy 70th birthday old chap! Kxxx

Friend-of-a-friend, Paul Smith, has been living and working in China for several years and recently decided to move back to the UK. But he hasn't bought a plane ticket... he's cycling home!

One of the reasons he's doing this is to raise funds for Parkinson's UK, the charity leading research into finding a cure for Parkinson's, a progressive neurological condition which affects about 127,000 people in the UK, including Paul's dad.

Paul has cycled over 12,000km so far and has just arrived in Kiev, Ukraine, after travelling through China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia. He set off from SW China on 7 March and hopes to be home in SE England by the end of September. 

You can follow Paul's adventures on two wheels via his blog, On The Road Again.

Please give what you can to Parkinsons UK, via Paul's JustGiving page.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Simon & Garfunkel - Homeward Bound *

* SONG OF THE DAY: The Rolling Stones - She's Like A Rainbow *

Shade Aid are collecting sunglasses to distribute to people in developing countries. Sunglasses cost as much as a year’s salary for people in Africa. Next time you buy a new pair, why not donate an old pair for someone in need? For a list of collection points, and a postal address, visit the Shade Aid website.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Tracey Ullman - Sunglasses *

Sarah and Tim love travelling round Switzerland, so for Sarah's 30th birthday I thought I'd try and recreate a Swiss landscape for her in a diorama, with some Swiss-style road signs for her name and age. She loves it - hooray! (Or yodelay-hee-hoo!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Kate Bush - King of the Mountain *

'Stompy The Bear' is a joymaking collaboration between singer songwriter Caspar Babypants and knitting animator Charlotte Blacker (see my previous post about her short film 'Little Red Plane'.)

Thanks go to Charlotte's dad, Roy, for contacting me to tell me about it! (My dad is also called Roy... aww.) And now for some more bear-based fun with everyone's favourite quirky Quebecoises...

* SONG OF THE DAY: Tricot Machine - L'Ours *