Day 320: Burning up the sun...

Today has been one of those beautiful days where the sun's been shining all day long. So the best thing to do on a bank holiday is to get out in the sunshine.


We are about to head down to the beach and have a BBQ. Now as I'm writing a creative blog, I'm going to pose this question, is making a fire on the beach classed as creative? I mean, all we're going to do is destroy it, so can it be called creative?

Well, either way, when the weather's like this if you can claim anything outside is creative, then do it. The sun might go in tomorrow, so best make the most of it, eh?

Enjoy the sunshine!

Day 319: Royal Wedding Creative Competition!

As it gets closer and closer to the Royal Wedding the whole country seems to be getting in the patriotic spirit. Everyone's flying their Union Jack to show their support for Will and his wife-to-be, Kate.

This got me thinking about our flag and how it's used all over the place. You can get posters, t-shirts, mugs, cushions, I've even seen a sofa covered with it! Sometimes its in different colours or using textures. Sometimes there's flowers added or that worn leather look...It's been used over and over again, but the all the creative ways in which its changed astounds me. For a flag, it's a pretty elaborate anyway, so to use that as a base it a difficult one I reckon.

What would you do with it? How would you change it to make it unique? Have a think and a play, then send me your creative flag pictures and your name to emma.fowler@bathspa.org by 28th April 2011. I'll put the best one on my blog on the day of the Royal Wedding to celebrate. Have a go at getting creative and share it with the whole world at the wedding!

Day 318: Working with Windmills

Here is a story all about a windmill. This windmill:

But this story starts partway through, as I, the story-teller can only retell the second chapter of it's life. It was found, broken and discarded outside a house. Its sails had fallen off, its paint chipped and old. The windmill had been forgotten, in a state of disrepair, or was it?

The lady who found it decided it wasn't the end for this windmill and took it home. With a bit of glue and a few coats of paint, the battered windmill was restored to it's former glory and sits in a sunny garden for all to admire.

And now it's found its way onto a creative blog! What a wonderful example of using forgotten things to make beautiful creations. You know what they say, one man's rubbish is another man's treasure. So keep your eyes pealed. You never know what could be waiting for you to restore. It's a great way to get creative and use your talents...

What will you create?

As for the first chapter of this windmills story, well, I'll leave that up to your creative imagination to discover...

Day 317: The Story of Stuff

I have to tell you, I'm pretty into green stuff. You know, caring for the planet and all that. I think it's a pretty important thing to do, but when you tell people that they just switch off like I'm some sort of hippy or something.

Yesterday I got sent this video about the production of stuff we buy (sound boring I know). When I saw it was 21 minutes long I thought, there's no way I'm watching all of that, but after a few minutes, I was hooked.  Annie Leonard uses this cool animation thing to visualise what she's talking about and I think everyone should watch it.

It's amazing what a bit of creativity can do when you want people to listen, eh? (ps, sorry about the little music video at the beginning...creativity's everywhere!)

Day 316: David Gatward

So, I've written an article about David Gatward, the horror writer who is judging my competition at Ralph Allen Secondary School. It's on this website called blogcritics. Check it out if you want to know what being a published writer is really all about...

Day 315: Break Dancing Mickey

First off, I'd like to ask, who is NOT inspired by Mickey Mouse? I mean, come on, a giant mouse, who can talk and has single handedly (with the help of Walt) revolutionised animation!

But how is he on the dance floor? Look no further, people. Mickey's got the moves here!

Could you beat Mickey in a dance-off? I don't think I'd dare challenge him! Pretty inspiring stuff though, right? It's made me look at Mickey Mouse in an entirely different (creative) light.

Day 314: the London Marathon

When I was a kid, my grandparents used to take us on the train to watch the thousands of people running through the streets of London for the marathon. Nanny would lead us to the side of the road, where we'd park up for 20 minutes to watch the fastest runners check their watches and quicken their pace. Then she'd march us off through the side streets to catch another flow of runners.

My grandad who cheer, 'Come on John,' but whenever I asked him who he was cheering for he'd say anyone and everyone. There were people holding up big banners and hunches of balloons. Some had shakers. There was even a steel-tinned drumming band one year.

The best bit was the fun runners. People dressed up as rhinos, clowns and soldiers. Anything goes with the fun runners.

Eventually, we'd get to the finish line and watch hundred of people run past Buckingham Palace and across the finish line. Beyond it, there were fields of silver sheets, keeping the runners warm as their hearts slow back to the pace of the rest of us.

By the end of the day, we would squeeze onto the crowded Underground, back to Liverpool Street. Occasionally, someone would get up and let a runner sit down in their place, Becca and I would gorp at their medallion in awe. They'd just run for 26 miles!

That's my memory of the marathon. Do you have one?