This week we are
More vest than sarong. More thermos than julep. More party rings than garibaldis. More wellies than wet jeans. More builders than café con leche. More layers. More tea. And more news than you can shake a hand woven alpaca sock at.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
For pots a jolly good fellow
Our veg pots turned two yesterday so we had a birthday party to celebrate. As with the best two year old birthday parties, there was a game of Pass the Pot Parcel, followed by Hide and Seek the Silver Pot, Pot Bingo and The National Pottery. Guests were then taken round-the-world-in-4-pots via Italy, Mexico, Thailand and India before going back to their desks for a bit and then returning for cake at 4pm. Nobody fought over the prizes, nobody bit the magician and nobody wet themselves. See more of the party action right here. |
|
|
Please say hello to our cafe
The lettuce wall is up. The tally counter is well on its way to 5,000 thumb prints. And the signs from the loos keep getting pinched. Yes, our 5 for 5 cafe is now fully open and its going down a storm. The opening night was a canapé frenzy of cocktails, jazz and orchard mingling and everyday since then has been a riot of good chat, good food and great atmosphere. Thanks to everyone who has come down so far and eaten, drunk and been very merry. And thanks in advance to everyone who is still to come along. If youve not managed to book a table, you can still pop into our takeaway for a smoothie, a veg pot and a bagful of ace stuff until Friday. Big well done to Morgan who won tickets to the cafe in our competition. Well see you (and everyone else whose booked a spot) down there before Friday (when we have to start figuring how to take it all down again). |
|
|
Finding Knit-emo
From some loving needles far far away, someone sent us a little sherbet yellow fish for the Big Knit but forgot to include any details. We don’t know his name. We don’t know where he came from. We don’t even know if he’s ever even seen the ocean. Let alone an ornamental chenille pond. Such poetic angst has this caused, it’s provoked the infamous Unknown Author to pen us this following ditty:
Ode to an anonymous woolly fish
O wet knitted pet
If you know who knitted the little yellow fish with barley sugar fins, do let us know here. |
|
|
And finally...
|
|
And finally, finally...
Time poor this week? Only time for a single click?
 Go West, mini style.
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
|
|
 |
|
|
inside fruit towers
|
Row and Jojo auditioned for The Bill, Gav’s mum made lunch, the innocent band started planning their Christmas show, Rio ate a pint of prawns and the gingerbread village won by a digital landslide.
|
twit bits...
bob of the week
|
This weeks Bob of the Week is Bob the best friend of Moonya and Yolanda. Bob is famed for dispersing sage advice such as not to trust anything that doesnt have human eyes. Not even if theyre called Skippy, Flipper or a cricket with a fondness for waistcoats and wooden puppets.
Fancy being our Bob of the Week? just email iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk
|
|
|
|
Bar the array of mythical beasts
and woodland creatures, all jostling for a spot, its a slow old week in News Corner.
So we'll keep it quick.
|
Out to lunch
After 7 brilliant days of serving people their 5-a-day for a fiver, it was with a heavy heart we shut the door on the 5 for 5 cafe last Friday night. The lettuce wall survived (thanks to some clever watering), 308 weeometers got nicked from the loos, 4,000 people left their thumb prints, 400 people visited the takeaway, over 25,000 portions of fruit and veg were served and the Dave Chandler band played every night. Thanks to everyone who came along to our cafe, everyone who helped out to make it happen and everyone who ate, drank and got merry. We’re definitely thinking about doing it all over again next year but for now, have a read of what Dan had to say about it right here. |
| |
|
Last chance saloon
This weeks fairytale battle for the knitted crown that is Hat of the Week is between The Last Unicorn and the Frog Prince (knitted by Susan S and Jayne H respectively). The unicorn has golden shoes. The amphibian royalty has a butterfly net. And a maroon gilet. There might be mane pulling. There might be tadpole jibes. Therell definitely be some woollen gore. But which mythical creature will win? Cast your spell vote here. |
|
|
Woodland news
If you go down to the woods today, youll find jelly, ice cream and some healthy snacks. Our friends at Bear are celebrating their first birthday this week and therell be games, prizes, treats galore and maybe the odd grizzly. So if youre in that neck of the woods and fancy going to a very good party, gatecrash right here |
|
|
In other news
• Fi received a beautiful healthy baby girl called Emily Frances.
• Damian Lewis nearly came into Fruit Towers on his way to work. But didn’t.
• The Temporary Borrower struck again. Latest victims include Emily’s cooler bag, Sarah K’s mug and Madhu’s lunch.
• Someone left a selection of orange, cream and purple caps on Clover’s desk. No one knows why or what they are for. Police have not ruled out the possibility that these two incidents may be connected. Mainly because they are not that bothered.
|
|
|
And finally...
|
|
And finally, finally...
Only time for one click this week?
Roll your mouse over this (thanks to Tina for this link).
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
|
|
|
|
|
inside fruit towers
|
Delia got wooed with doughnuts, Letters to Bastian was published, John T, Emma H, Peter F, Beth and Jo D all returned from their South African quest, After Eights were eaten at 3:35pm, the cafe closed, Shiv and Tim prepared to head for pastures chocolatey and we all had a chin race with a grapefruit.
|
twit bits...
bob of the week
|
This weeks Bob is Bob-who-goes-out-with-Ross-sister. Bob recently came back from holiday in Croatia, claiming that there is no moon there.
Bob also has a green face. So make what you will of his lunar opinions. If you know a good Bob worthy of Bob of the Week, email us at iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk
|
corner of the week
|
The more keen eyed of you might have noticed that last weeks Corner of the Week was the top corner of that triangle off the coast of Bermuda. Worried that we had run out of corners to chat about, Natassia very kindly sent us this corner of an individually carpeted corner step in Lloyds of Chelmsford which leads to nowhere-in-particular. This sort of corner we like. If you have a corner as good as Natassias, email it to hello@innocentdrinks.co.uk and it might grace this corner.
|
|
|
|
When is the right time to use an occasional table?
Are signet rings somewhat fattening on the hands? Why don't Calpol make lollies? And is it wrong to want porridge for lunch (and maybe dinner)? All things to ponder over whilst you digest this week's news.
|
Emilie in Ethiopia
Once a year at innocent, everyone is invited to apply for the foundation scholarship to spend a couple of weeks visiting and working on one of the projects supported by the innocent foundation. In the past, Helen P, Andrew D and JT have all worked on projects in India, Malawi and Kenya and this year it's the turn of Emilie. She's off to Ethiopia on Friday for 2 weeks to work on an IDE-UK project, helping bee keepers market their honey and she's already started taste tests in our very own kitchen. Read her first blog here and we'll keep you posted on her updates over the next few weeks. |
| |
|
Car park work out #2
Almost a year to the day since the last official car park workout, rugby stars Dan Hipkiss (of England and Leicester Tigers fame) and Tim Taylor (of Gloucester and John T's brother fame) popped in to do a special training session last week. Several very fit people at Fruit Towers won the session in an auction for Accounting for Africa and as well as some serious weights, some slightly less serious (but no less taxing) speed and agility work using ladders and parachutes and a quick game of touch rugby, there was also a lot of lycra lunging, bicep comparison and fake workout posing. Check out the hard graft right here. |
|
|
Hat's inspiration
Bored at work? Perfected your headstand in the loos, completed a full scale post-it note replica of Mount Rushmore and made everyone tea (twice)? Well, here's a new way to alleviate boredom/ stationery abuse. Back in March, Mr. Luke was a bit bored at work. So he sent us this picture to show us how bored he was. We liked this idea so much we've made it into an official competition called the Big Knit Hat Tag. All you have to do to enter is take a photo of a little woolly hat (comically positioned at a distance over a person/object/building), upload it to Facebook, tag it up and maybe win yourself some smoothies. We've even made a free special kit to get you started. To bagsy one, just click here and let the tagging commence. |
|
|
STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS
Since so many of you got in touch to say you've still got hats to send in for the Big Knit 2010, we're extending our deadline for hats to Friday 29th October. That's the very last day we can accept them in order to make sure they make it into stores for this year's Big Knit. So if you're halfway through a hat or have found some hidden away from last year, pop them in an envelope quick sharp to the usual address and we'll add them to the final pile. |
|
|
And finally...
|
|
And finally, finally...
Only time for one click this week?
These are the chaps for you .
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
|
|
|
|
|
inside fruit towers
|
Shiv and Tim had a final chocolate showdown, Madhu's lunch got 'borrowed' again, Tom O and Jo H became Lord and Lady respectively, Gurdeep went home early due to new shoe 'issues' and Dan B organised a lid race (which involved everyone passing lidless jars and cereal boxes along a line, putting the lids on them and then running to the kitchen shouting "I've put the lid on". Yep. Really.)
|
twit bits...
bob of the week
|
This week's Bob of the Week is Jimbob. Not the gangly always-last-to-bed-at-Walton-farm Jimbob but Jimbob the classical composer.
As well as penning symphonies, Jimbob used to live in Brazil and likes drinking in somewhat reedy bars with his friend, Rosie. Know a good Bob? Nominate them for our Bob of the Week right here iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk
|
corner of the week
|
Corner of the Week aficionados may have been somewhat privately disgruntled that we have got this far in the corner worshipping calendar without mentioning one of the most famous corners in the land - Speaker's Corner.
It's the sandy bit in the far north easterly corner of Hyde Park where (as long as you don't swear or start fighting) you can go and talk about anything you like and no one can tell you to be quiet. Well, they can. But legally you can still keep yapping. Until the next person wants a go that is.
|
|
|
|
Trick or treat, pumpkin pickers.
Whether you get your terror kicks from pottery wielding ghosts, pretty boy vampires or the bog standard holes-in-a-sheet crew, let this weeks news gently ease you into the shadowy, chilling depths of this years Fright Night.
|
Stitchcraft
As the Big Knit hits the shelves of Boots and Sainsburys next week, we thought you might like to know how the hats are getting to store this year. Those of you who might think its some devilishly complex logistical operation involving loads of reworking, individually placing hats on bottles one at a time and lorries galore, think again. Ol Nick might have his magic sleigh but its no match for the stitchcraft of the Tilgate Knitter Knatterers. Marvel at their needle sorcery right here and keep your eyes peeled for some crocheted cruising coming to an A road near you from Monday. |
| |
|
All white on the night
Powder stained nightmares? Fabric softener fear? The sudden dread that a rogue red sock might have annihilated your white wash? Let all that hideous laundry pain be a thing of the past. Our friends over at method have very kindly given us 30 bottles of their new laundry detergent to give away. No more spilling scares. No more tortured towels or screams of frustration when you realise you've turned your entire wardrobe streaky pink. Just pump and go. To bagsy yourself a bottle of this clean, green stuff, just click here and let your smalls thank you later. |
|
|
Hat of the Eeek
This weeks Hat of the (W)eek is fiendishly competitive. In the far right hand corner of the ring is Dracula with his witchy sidekick No Mouth. Directly opposite is smack Dennis Ghostface Knitter Coles all set to go with his knitted ball and chain back flick. There will be hubble. There might be bubble. Theres definitely going to a whole lotta boil and trouble. Fangs at the ready, knitted ironware steady, vote for your frightsome favourite right here |
|
|
And spookily
|
|
And finally, finally...
Only time for a single scare this week?
Hold on tight for this video fright. (thanks to Oldmandan for this link)
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
|
|
|
|
|
inside fright towers
this week...
|
Half eaten bowls of cereal, hastily discarded. Grassy halls, empty of human life. The front door opening and shutting. All by itself. Mysterious piles of timber appearing outside for no reason. A single child’s shoe on the driveway. The udders of a cow van, chewed off by a hungry fox. Tumbleweed. The shiver of a fridge door opening. All by itself. Crow’s feet tap tap tapping on the roof. Lights flicking on and off in the loos. A howl followed by a scream followed by silence. More tumbleweed.
|
twit bits...
|
 @Springstitches
Four and a half hats knitted for @innocentdrinks Big Knit. Now that I have the basics, time to get creative!
 @innocentdrinks @Springstitches Thanks for joining in. The deadline for hats is Oct 29.
 @ClareSaxon thanks for feeding us, the hungry 5000 (20 office workers) with your free veg pots! You made me a couple of new friends...
@innocentdrinksFancy joining in our new Big Knit hat tag competition and getting something free in the post? http://tiny.cc/hattag #bigknit
|
bob of the week
corner of the week
|
This week’s corner is terrifyingly shameless in asking for your help. We’ve been nominated for Brand of the Year in the prestigious Marketing Society Awards and votes mean prizes.
 So if you've got 8 seconds to click here and vote for us, we'd be most grateful.
|
|
|
|
|
@knittingpenguin All of my tiny hats are boxed up and ready to go to @innocentdrinks
innocent foundation
