So for the next few weeks, I began to avoid eye contact with Frank or circumvent a different route, but Frank caught me one evening as I was going to fetch my car. “Have you registered your work yet?’ like an animal stuck in headlights, I stammered and said I was looking at it!!
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Frank
If there was ever a bit of invaluable information that you’ve been offered - take it and run with it!!!
I met Frank when I had a permanent casual pitch at Portobello Road Market- he took a photo of me clutching my four street signs that were at the time, I ❤️ CARNEEVAAL - Rice & Peas & Tings - Curry Goat Alley and Jerk Chicken Central. The concept was new, but I recognised there was a gap in the market, no mention of anything Caribbean that could be bought as memorabilia and this would be my angle.
Well by this point, it was just these four pine boards and a handful of handmade greeting cards. Off I went and came back with four more different designs, this time rectangular boards, but featuring the Royal Borough Of Carnival with Wotless Street, We On De Road, Ladbroke Grove & Portobello Road, with either postcodes of W10 or W11.Frank saw these and here are the golden nuggets he mentioned “Register your work - I know it’s expensive, but I’ve seen this happen to people many times” - talking about your ideas are kinda purloined by others and sold as their own.
In my head, I’m thinking, I only came to sell my handmade cards which developed in to selling street signs. The registration belongs to the big firms, not for the likes of me. And, where was I truly going to start with this. Ok, I answered, knowing full well this wasn’t something I was going to follow-up in a hurry!!
So for the next few weeks, I began to avoid eye contact with Frank or circumvent a different route, but Frank caught me one evening as I was going to fetch my car. “Have you registered your work yet?” like an animal stuck in headlights, I stammered and said I was looking at it.
My stomach lurched and I thought I was about to throw-up there and then. If a mega phone had been strapped to my head communicating my thoughts, everyone would have heard me saying - Pauline, this guy is offering you invaluable advice - don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!
British Library
I started my research and found the British Library were hosting classes on Intellectual Property - I booked myself on a workshop and felt relieved. The day of the course, I arrived at Kings Cross station and it was a long stroll through the tunnel. I mention this, because of my peripheral neuropathy in my toes at that moment, straddled down with a couple of my boards, the walk through the tunnel was a chore.
By the time I was in the tunnel, the workshop had already started, but my feet could not go any faster, I arrived slightly annoyed with myself, but hey that’s life! If you have peripheral neuropathy, you’ll know the slapping sound your feet make and you have to go with the flow!
Once in the workshop, it was obvious the folks in the room had £million concepts and from what I gathered, I already had products that I was selling, but not in the category of a million pound concept!
I was so embarrassed about it, I waited until the workshop was over and it was just myself and the presenter in the room before I showed her my items. Her poker face was incredible and I was beginning to think I had wasted my time!
The presenter gave me the numbers of two law firms specialising in Intellectual Property and there was an urgency in her voice I picked up, that this is something sooner rather than later I should action. Ok, now I’m back in the reception area of the British Library making a call to one of the law firms and booking an appointment. I decided to use the law firm based at the Design Centre in Islington.
The Law Firm
Again, the morning of my appointment, the walk from Islington tube station, the escalators, stairs and the final walk to the Business Design Centre was a task. Who makes this up, it took longer than five minutes to get to the escalators!!
The solicitor from the Law Firm was brilliant, still felt out of my depth and a Novice when conversing with them. Just the fact, my ideas were taking on a different angle, seriously, this was not meant to be and most of all I was applying to have the wording “Royal” added to my artwork. I couldn’t make this up!
The initial applications for the I ❤️ CARNEEVAAL®️and Royal Borough of Carnival®️ were made - where was I going with this! Still out of my depth, especially when it came to talking about the different Classes I could apply for each registration. - don’t ask!!
But the long and short of this is blog is - my two registered designs
Royal Borough Of Carnival®️ and I ❤️ CARNEEVAAL®️ were as a result of Frank advising me to register my work. I could never think in my life this would happen and it is a BIG thanks to Frank.
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I quickly turned around and punched the person in the chest and yelled at him not to touch me. My other friends who were the Baianas turned back and quickly formed a circle around me.
]]>About 25 years ago, I took up dancing as a hobby to get out and socialise with more people my own age.
The classes I attended were JazzFunk lessons held at the Dance Works opposite Selfridges in Oxford Street or sometimes at the Pineapple Studios in Covent Garden. Other dancers, I became friends with, introduced me to a variety of dance and my weekends were taken up with at least eight sessions of classes.
Firstly, I attended a double session of Jazz at the Urdang Academy, Covent Garden, then hurtled to Covent Garden Tube Station to travel to Brixton Recreation Centre for a double session of Afro-Brazilian classes on Saturdays. Secondly, on Sundays, a double session of Jazz at the Urdang Academy followed by a two-hour Samba session with a school at Waterloo.
I was also taught by two excellent Afro-Brazilian teachers, Francis and Edson. The classes were second to none. the moves and stories behind the dances were educational as well as strenuous. From the traditional African dance to the samba steps performed at the Rio Carnival. We danced at various venues but my favourite happened to be at the South Bank, London - pictured with the light coloured tights.
The shade of tights back then - were either black or barely black I needed the tights in a hurry and bought the only colour the shop had at the time. The choice of colours, shades and textures of tights available today is out of this world. Twenty-five years ago, if the shops didn’t have the ‘barely black’ shade of tights, the alternative was to either dye a body stocking or the tights in tea water. I never did this, as it was too much of an effort!
There were the highs and lows about performing. My least favourite venue and memory happened when I was dancing as a Passista with the Samba School at Covent Garden Piazza. I didn’t have a back piece to the costume then. We finished the performance and as I was making my way back stepping across the cobbled pathway in my high heels, someone pinched my bottom.
I quickly turned around and punched the person in the chest and yelled at him not to touch me. My other friends who were the Baianas turned back and formed a circle around me. The guy, in his twenties, looked stunned, sheepish and slunk away in a hurry.
I represented the Samba School at Notting Hill Carnival as either the Porta Bandeira - Flag Bearer or Baiana (typical outfit of a Baiana - pictured in the blue costume). As a Passita, I would only perform either in enclosed venues or on stage, (pictured with the headdresses) especially after the Covent Garden incident.
We were contracted to perform at different venues, whether dancing with the Afro-Brazilian Group or the Samba School. The contracts often meant no payment, but it was essential to have a record of performances in order to apply for an Equity Card. The private venues were clubs like the Limelight or making appearances at birthday parties and other similar functions.
This was my hobby and interest I took up over 25 years ago to make friends and is the reason why I love all things relating to carnival.
]]>Or being featured last year August 2017 in an online newspaper alongside Stormzy, but still had to ask my daughter ‘What does he do, who is he and why have they associated him with me?' Helloooow!!
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In the beginning, when I started this business, I’ll be honest and say I didn’t have a clue where it would lead. At first…I dabbled at making greeting cards, attended a few fairs and hid behind whatever obstructions I could find to avoid talking to customers or selling the cards.
Talk about zero confidence when it came to making sales from my own designs. But even more ironic, two of my past weekend work roles in the late 1980s, involved selling solid perfumes at Portobello Road Market and clothing at Camden Lock Market.
It is excruciating to think about the skill set I achieved, but never capitalised or highlighted. Responsibilities such as, handling money, management of stock items, sales, working on my own, building up the metal stall and even had a stint of driving the car to help deliver the stock. I loved Camden Lock Market the most! I was young and just coming out of my teens, not clued-up really!
However, over these last 13 months though, I’ve had to employ a different skill set, getting to grips with the role of self-promotion especially for social media. This self-promotion stuff comes so naturally and easily for my daughter's generation but to be honest, it makes no sense putting some of the items up on social media. I've realised it is the sign of the times. Social media equals flexibility and fluidity!
I've made some classic mistakes over the time and I mean STINKERS in order to capture that moment or photo for the next social media post! For example, I approached a guy I mistook for ‘Vin Diesel’ that was a ‘GROUND PLEASE OPEN UP AND SWALLOW ME NOW’ moment! Shameful!!
Or being featured last year, August 2017 in an online newspaper alongside Stormzy, but still had to ask my daughter ‘What does he do, who is he and why have they associated him with me?' - Helloooow!!
I wouldn't say total masterdom is at the helm, but I'm certainly more comfortable with social media and as yet, haven't made an obvious boo boo! Even if I do, well just get on with it. That's the best part of running an online business too.
Lammylapp & Tee Shirts and Tings
Please click on the photo above for the link to the story
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