Chelsea Fringe 2014: Shows of Hands - Episode I

The gloves NAH used to build the raised bed. The effects are L to R, top to bottom: Original photo, Warhol, HDR, Green tint, B&W, Posterize, Boost, Cross process and Sepia

Welcome to Shows of Hands - my Chelsea Fringe project for 2014! As you can see I've been having a bit of a play around in Pic Monkey for my first contribution. You're welcome to join in between now and 8th June 2014.

The idea behind this year's project is to highlight the tool most precious to a gardener: their hands.

How do I take part?

It's simple. All you need to do is take a photo of hand(s) in a gardening context and then share it via your blog or other social media (such as Twitter or Facebook), then make sure I know you've done so. I've set up Mr Linky below for your blog contributions. The Chelsea Fringe photo on the right sidebar links to this post, so you can easily find it again when you're ready to add your contribution.

If you share your photo on Twitter, the hashtag to use is #showsofhands and my chatty Twitterid is @Malvernmeet. I also have a Facebook Page for Veg Plotting, if you'd like to tag or share via my Page.

But I don't have a blog or social media account

No problem! Email me at vegplotting at gmail dot com with you photo and add Shows of Hands to the subject line. I'll add your contribution to the Fringe posts I've planned for the next couple of weeks - there are some great contributions to show you already.

Is there a fee to take part?

It's free for everyone. All that's needed is your time and a little imagination to decide how you're going to respond to my brief.

Do you need anything else?

Wherever you choose to display your photo, I need to know some brief details on where it was taken, who was involved and what was happening. This is for the clickable Shows of Hands map I'll produce at the end of the project like the garden and cake finder I did for The Bloggers Cut last year.

Also let me know if you're happy for me to use your image in a collage that I'll design to summarise Shows of Hands at the end of the project, or if I can embed your Twitter message here on Veg Plotting if that's how you've shared your contribution. I'll use as many of these as I possibly can.

What kind of photos are you looking for?

The way you choose to present your Shows of Hands is entirely up to you. It can be a single photo, a set of photos, a collage or even a video. It or they can be your hand(s), someone else's or a group - how about a photo of everyone on your community gardening project waving their hands in the air? The hand(s) can be clean, or the muckier the better! They can even be non-human as long as there is a garden context. All are welcome.

Stuck for an idea? Here are some examples to help get your creative juices going...

A few examples - the large picture is NAH hard at work assembling my large raised bed.
Then from top right to bottom left we have: grafting tomatoes, skep making at the Edible Garden Show,
Tom Mitchell and his anemones, a sculpture in the garden at Hatfield House and me doing some pruning

I prefer last year's cake idea

That's OK.You're more than welcome to include cake in your response - as long as there are hand(s) and a garden involved too.

What are you doing for this project?

I created the collages for this post and I'll be taking more photos to show you later. To these I'll add further blog posts to show any contributions you kindly send in via email.

I'll also be tweeting and sharing everyone's contributions via my Twitter and Facebook accounts (using #showsofhands where applicable) and I'll make sure the Chelsea Fringe people are aware of your contributions.

Shows of Hands is due to feature on the main Chelsea Fringe blog at some point. I'll let you know when that happens.

After the 8th of June - the end of this year's Fringe - I'll create a clickable Google Map showing where everyone's contributions came from which will also link to them where possible. Have a look at last year's The Garden and Cake Finder map for an idea of how this works.

I'll also create some final collage(s) using my photos and any you've kindly said it's OK to use in this way. 

Any further questions? Add them to the comments below and I'll answer them there plus change this post if needed.

I look forward to seeing your Shows of Hands!

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Comments

  1. Seems I was first up for #showsofhands. Happy for you to use my images, though they aren't very arty...!

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  2. A good post. I'll have to have a think about what to do for my post later during the week. Flighty xx

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    1. Thanks Flighty - it'll be great to have you joining in again this year :) I went to the launch yesterday, so keep your eyes open for my post about it on Monday.

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    2. You're welcome, and have just done the post and link here. I look forward to seeing what fellow bloggers do and your post tomorrow. Flighty xx

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  3. Oh, this has been such fun putting together an image and blog post for your event! I couldn't find many and the one I took recently of my hands in the rhubarb patch was a bit blurred (wobbly iphone!). You can, naturally, use any of my images if you wish - I can deconstruct the collage if necessary. Looking forward to everyone else's images - I hope you get loads! Cxx

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    1. Thanks Caro - so lovely to have you joining in again this year :-)

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  4. an excellent idea my post is not exactly garden related directly, but it might be in-directly I have linked it here, see what you think, have added your blog on my following list

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    1. Thanks David and welcome to Veg Plotting :-)

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  5. Well done again VP - how you see a good show of hands :-D

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    1. Thanks Shirley - love the Hellebore you're showing us and the idea you're waving to everyone from Scotland :)

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  6. Hi Michelle

    Such a great and very creative idea you've had here, love it :)

    And very happy to be able to take part too.

    #ShowsOfHands a winner

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    1. Thanks Carl - your contribution is very 'you' - love it :)

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  8. Oops. Try again - what an interesting idea. I look forward to seeing all the pictures and the collage.

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    1. Hi Alison - welcome to Veg Plotting :) Thanks for your fab contribution - there's several collages so far and I'm working on the map!

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  9. This is such a good idea, and wonderful to look at such a variety of different gardeners through their hands. #showofhands

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    1. Thanks Sarah, I would have loved to have come on your walk, so your post is the next best thing :-)

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  10. This is a lovely idea Michelle. So happy to be involved with it

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    1. And such a lovely post from you, thank you :-)

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  11. Everyone's been so inventive, I was beginning to despair of an idea. Anyway, here's my contribution. It's been great fun reading everyone else's. Lovely idea.

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    1. Thanks Helen - I love the views of everyone grabbing those plant bargains!

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  12. A brilliant idea of yours Michelle and a pleasure to participate. I was stuck for inspiration for a while but did not have far to look for inspiration in the end. I'm more than happy for my giant hand to feature in a collage :)

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    1. Anna - it was your Avatar I had in mind when I said non-human hands are included. I'm so pleased you've chosen Shows of Hands to tell us more about it :)

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  13. A fun game. I included a picture of releasing ladybird beetles (yes it has hands in it).

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    1. Thanks Chris - and welcome to Veg Plotting :)

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  14. Hi there...Lady Muck from Twitter here...tried dm you but couldn't as ya not following me...fine for you to use my b/w hands photo.

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