The First Ever Camel Bazaar!

[Before this there was a work weekend but i keep forgetting to get the pictures off Frankie, so I'll post more on that later. Thanks to Ric for these photos...]

Last weekend the house of Random Camel hosted our first ever Camel Bazaar! It started with the idea of holding a craft fair/yard sale to raise some money and support friends who want to sell the things they create. By the time it happened, it had turned into an event where friends, family, and camels also shared our skills, performed, and ran on bartering as well as exchanging money. The only 'rules' were that the goal was not for commercial profit but mutual aid [all of us needed either money or stuff we didn't have], and that everything had to be hand made, local & ethically produced by the stall holder, or else second hand.

It was a great day. For the first time our house was open to lots of people socially in the daytime, and we started to glimpse what shape it might begin to take in our community. Here are a few pictures...

Getting ready...

A friend who makes toys and bags out of recycled clothes, and behind, Jewelry made from fabric remnants by my mum

After a beautiful dance by Helen [which i sadly have no pictures of right now], the Bazaar is open! 

Camel stall, featuring Frankie's ring pull jewelry, cake, knitted scarves, various adornments, local music, and lavender bags for a local mental health charity. Our friend Amy is in the background with the commercially impossible and fantastic tetra pack lampshades she learned to make, giving demonstrations and selling other artwork of hers.

[one she made earlier from tetra pack and old vinyl sleeves...]

Herbal remedies and simple ethical home-made soaps

The blue fabric behind the camel stall operated as a posting place for people to trade or share projects and skills

Elly Tree, a great local folk band who have given us lots of support, playing in our living room to close the bazaar :)

A chair made by their lead singer. She also carves beautiful walking sticks and staffs

Mandy getting rid of bric-a-brac in, well, a garage sale

People from Orchard Barn, a local sustainable building project, running a workshop on how to make roof tiles from green wood

The Decibel Kid! Or, Ric from down the road who also happens to be a brilliant DJ and friend of vegans & anarchists. He was joined on the music by long-time Camel Collective member, Dan

Radical Routes banners & props we've stolen-I mean borrowed temporarily...

Our wall of info about Radical Routes co-ops

Handmade scarves and other goodies. [It's ok your drums were not for sale Adam, in case you're reading this].

Home made Jam, clothes & flute lessons for sale/trade/raffle

Sign-making and hand made wooden fish, of course

A knitting workshop for Wool Against Weapons - also check out the Ipswich Zine Emporium in the corner!

The first performance in our very soon-to-be band practice space in the basement of 23! Experimental noise/bleepy music/sound art from local musician Poisk.

I feel really lucky to know so many interesting people and be able to bring them together. Once again, thanks to everyone who took part. We will definitely be hosting more events like this soon!