Sepia Saturday 199 : 19 October 2013

Hey, let's put on a show! The desire to dress up, lark around in public, utter words that you would not normally recognise, is as old as the hills - or at least as old as a string of Judy Garland films. Sepia Saturday 199 celebrates the theatre, be it professional or amateur, serious or comic, situated below a proscenium arch or behind a kitchen table. Dressing up, dressing down, acting daft or acting dreadfully - they all form part of the script for Sepia Saturday 199 (post your posts on or around Saturday 19th October 2013 and add a link to the linky list below). Our archive theme image was taken in 1914 in Waterford in Ireland and it has been suggested that it might be the cast of an amateur performance of the Pirates of Penzance.

Before the curtain comes up on Sepia Saturday 199, let me add a few words about our very special Sepia Saturday 200. As I mentioned last week, our prompt for Sepia Saturday 200 looks back on some of the 199 Sepia Saturdays that have gone before. And to make it a special occasion we are inviting you to pick your favourite Sepia Saturday contribution - that is one of your posts and not one of someone else - and repost it for Sepia Saturday 200. And what I would like to do is to collect together all those contributions and publish them in a small "Best of Sepia Saturday" book which will then be available for any Sepians to buy on a non-profit basis. We could do this on one of the "publish on demand" operations that are widely available now, preferably one such as Lulu which has availability throughout the world. I would like to know what you think of the idea and any suggestions you might have. Obviously I would only include the posts of those who choose to participate in the book and I would require you to give me your permission to republish the text and images of the particular post you are contributing. If you like the idea, we will finish up with a nice little keepsake of our Sepia Saturday activities and even a little book that we can give to our friends and families for Christmas. Let me know what you think in either comments to this post or on the Sepia Saturday Facebook Group.

And the world doesn't end with Sepia Saturday 200 : here is a preview of Sepia Saturday 201.

201 : Houses are such an important part of all our lives, be they big or small, stone or wood, brick or turf. So this week we celebrate our ancestral homes in old photographs.

There is lots for you to think about there, but don't think for too long at the moment - the curtain is now going up on Sepia Saturday 199. "There's no business like sepia business ..."

Sepia Saturday 198 : 12 October 2013

It is 100 years since HMS Queen Elizabeth was launched at Portsmouth. Whilst this is not the Queen Elizabeth, it matters not, because in Sepia Saturday 198 we celebrate the start of something new. It might be a life, it might be a love, it might be a a new chicken coop or it might be a mighty ocean liner. In the case of our current photograph it was HMAS Albatross the Royal Australian Navy's first seaplane carrier which was launched in February 1928 at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney. The photograph, which was taken by Sam Hood (1872-1953) and forms part of the Australian National Maritime Museum's stream on Flickr Commons. If you have a picture of a launch of a battleship in your collection, feel free to share it, but a photograph of anything new, anything beginning or anything that floats on water will do. Simply post your post on or around Saturday 12 October 2013 and add a link to the list below.

On a personal note, can I thank everyone for being so understanding during my low profile over recent weeks (and a special thank you to Marilyn for keeping things going so well). I have now had my hand operation and I am able to free myself of the annoying splint for longer periods of time. Hopefully I can join in fully with Sepia Saturday this week. And I can start planning for the big anniversary we have just around the corner. For those who also like to plan ahead, here is a preview of the next two Sepia Saturday calls.

199 : For Sepia Saturday 199 we celebrate acting and theatre. And dressing up, and silly hats, and daft trousers, and fire escapes, and - anything else you fancy.

200 : Here it is Sepia Saturday 200. Our prompt looks back at some of the Sepia prompts we have had in the previous 200 weeks. It provides you with an opportunity to revisit your favourite Sepia Saturday contribution.

Before you start thinking about future Sepia Saturday posts, make a start on your contribution for Sepia Saturday 198. Start at the beginning, launch your ideas and commence your post.

Sepia Saturday 197 : 5 October 2013

Our theme image for Sepia Saturday 197 does not come from one of the on-line collections on Flickr Commons. Let's face it, no world-class image collection would give album space to this blurred, scratched, undefined, and plain boring image. In fact it comes from the collection of that great photographer, Frank Fieldhouse (AKA "Uncle Frank"), and is entitled "The Pennines (From Express), 1941". Dusty, dirty, and plain as it is, it reminds us that we all have such images in our collections - and sometimes they can be as revealing as a picture postcard. So for Sepia Saturday 197 we are inviting you to by-pass the best, avoid the crystal clear, and focus your attention on the less than perfect, because, as we all know, all too often, life is less than perfect. Everything else about Sepia Saturday remains the same : just post your post on or around Saturday 5 October and link your post to the Linky List below.

I know what you are all going to say - "we don't have any bad photos in our collections", but, fear not, our focus on the unfocused is for one week only. After that, we revert to the normal Sepia Saturday approach - and here are the next two calls so you can do a little planning in advance.

198 : It is 100 years since HMS Queen Elizabeth was launched at Portsmouth. Whilst this is not the Queen Elizabeth, it matters not, because in SS 198 we celebrate the start of something new. It might be a life, it might be a love, it might be a a new chicken coop or it might be a mighty ocean liner.

199 : For Sepia Saturday 199 we celebrate acting and theatre. And dressing up, and silly hats, and daft trousers, and fire escapes, and - anything else you fancy.

Before you dash off in search of the plain and ordinary, the mathematicians amongst you will you realised from the number sequence above that we are rapidly approaching our very special double century celebrations. We have something very special planned for Sepia Saturday 200 which I will tell you about as soon as Marilyn reminds me what it is.

Sepia Saturday 196: 28 September 2013

This week's prompt comes from the George Eastman House Collection on Flickr.com. in the set of Nickolas Muray. Regular Sepians who click on the link of his name will immediately recognise images of his that have been featured before. Yes I know they're anything but sepia and for that alone they are remarkable. Muray was a pioneering commercial photographer, responsible for establishing many of the conventions of colour advertising. This example is for an insurance advert and those Sepians who like to theme may choose from any number of prompts here. The photo appears to have been taken by the doctor, who has left his coat draped on the bedposts and his bag on the bed itself, thus ensuring that any bacteria is neatly carried on to his next patient. In addition we have a boy in bed, toys and patchwork quilt. If the prompt throws up (sorry) any other themes we look forward to reading them on your blog, which should be posted on or about 28 September. I've put a mini-banner at the foot of this post and it's virus-free - as far as I know and an injection of humour should cure it anyway.

Next, please link to your actual post (by clicking on its title within the post and clicking on the URL which this generates) to Mr Linky and then leave a comment below. Try to visit as many other contributors as you can and please make an effort to leave a comment, however small, as a sign of appreciation of their contribution.  Don't forget that there is a Sepia Saturday Facebook group too where bloggers often post extras and afterthoughts. We help one another out with technical issues and generally have fun. 

Now, before I hand over to Alan for the next few weeks, here are the upcoming prompts. I hope they give you the germ of an idea for your posts  and cultivate a lot of interest. (Time I had a holiday)

Marilyn
(Little Nell)

197 : We have all taken photos that are, shall we say, less than perfect. We celebrate these in SS 197 : the pointless photos, the blurred photos, the photos that would have been better left unprinted. But sometimes they tell a powerful story all on their own.

198 : It is 100 years since HMS Queen Elizabeth was launched at Portsmouth. Whilst this is not the Queen Elizabeth, it matters not, because in SS 198 we celebrate the start of something new. It might be a life, it might be a love, it might be a a new chicken coop or it might be a mighty ocean liner.

Sepia Saturday 195: 21 September 2013

"It is not enough to teach children how to read, write and count. Education has to cultivate mutual respect for others and the world in which we live, and help people forge more just, inclusive and peaceful societies."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; 100-day countdown message to the International Day of Peace

This Saturday co-incides with the International Day of Peace and more specifically to Peace Education; this is too good an opportunity to miss. It is often said that we learn so much from Sepia Saturday, both as participants and visitors to each other's blogs, so now is our chance to embrace the theme and do our bit for this important day observed throughout the world. The splendid photo above comes from the archive of the Library of Congress and features  the American delegates to the International Congress of Women, held in the Hague in 1915. One of the delegates, Jane Addams, was the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Activities around the world this year will include; ceremonies, prayers, choirs, tree-planting, art exhibitions, lighting candles and peace walks. Your response could be one of these from the past, historical or personal, or you may like to go with the Nobel Peace Prize or Peace Education. As the box on the top right of this page reminds us, it can be fact, fiction, poetry or prose. I'm very much looking forward to your contributions. When you've posted your blog, somewhere around September 21, don't forget to add the link to your actual post (by clicking on its title within the post and then copying the URL which this generates) to Mr Linky, and then leave a comment below. Please link back to this Sepia Saturday page, and there is a mini-banner to add too if you choose. 

Try to by visit as many other contributors as you can and please make an effort to leave a comment, however small, as a sign of appreciation; we Sepians thrive on comments, and being a friendly group we will try to return the favour.

Don't forget that there is a Sepia Saturday Facebook group too where we often post extras and afterthoughts. We help one another out with technical issues and generally have fun. 

Now, before you go off on your peace march take a quick look at the upcoming posts, so that you can keep them in mind whilst sorting through the albums. Enjoy your week.

Marilyn
(Little Nell)

196. This 1935 Insurance ad has plenty of possibilities to theme; the large bed, small boy, quilt, doctor's bag, toys. Take your pick.

197 : We have all taken photos that are, shall we say, less than perfect. We celebrate these in SS 197 : the pointless photos, the blurred photos, the photos that would have been better left unprinted. But sometimes they tell a powerful story all on their own.

Sepia Saturday 194:14 September 2013

     From the George Eastman House Collection on Flickr.com. 'Woman making American Flag'

This wonderful image flags up all sorts of possibilities if you like to try and match one of its themes. For me, anyone sitting absorbed in the craft of needlework in a domestic setting conjures up a picture of contentment in executing a piece of work which will be used, admired and talked about. There are, of course, other settings where the person, often a child, wielding the needle, is not so content, but I'm sure you don't need me to spell those out for you. For the present let's enjoy this particular autochrome plate from around 1910 and pore over the rich details: the folds of the flag; the woman's lace blouse; the chintzy chair; the sidetable with sewing basket; the bookcase; the chandelier; the picture of three saints. So many choices for you to consider when selecting your own image to feature in this week's Sepia Saturday.

When you've crafted your blog, somewhere around September 14, don't forget to add the link to your actual post (by clicking on its title within the post and then copying the URL which this generates) to Mr Linky, and then leave a comment below. Please link back to this Sepia Saturday page, and there is a mini-banner to add too if you choose. 

Make sure there are no loose threads by visiting as many other contributors as you can. Please make an effort to leave a comment, however small, as a sign of appreciation; we Sepians thrive on comments, and being a friendly group we will try to return the favour.

Now, before you open your workbasket take a quick look at the upcoming posts, so that you can keep them in mind whilst sorting through the albums. Enjoy your week.
Marilyn
(Little Nell)

195. Today will be International Day of Peace. Sepians can do their bit by highlighting it in their blogs. Activities around the world will include; ceremonies, prayers, choirs, tree planting, art exhibitions, lighting candles, peace walks. Your response could be one of these from the past, historical or personal.

196. This 1935 Insurance ad has plenty of possibilities to theme; the large bed , small boy, quilt, doctor's bag, toys. Take your pick.

Sepia Saturday 193 : 7 September 2013

Some times you just need to be alone. You need space : space to think, space to breathe, space to contemplate your place in the great scheme of things. What better way to find such space than to get into a boat and row out into the middle of the sea. This is what this young lady did back in 1900 somewhere near Estonia. And her trip into the middle of nowhere was recorded and is preserved for ever in the Flickr Commons stream of the National Archives of Estonia. For Sepia Saturday posters who like a theme, there is any combination of girl, boat, middle and nowhere. Whatever you decide to go with, just post your post on or around Saturday 14th September 2013 and link it to the list below.

But before you go in search of solitude, perhaps you would like something to think about whilst you are floating on the waves. Here are the next two Sepia Saturday theme images.

194 : Here is a woman making an American flag which might point you in the direction of flags, sewing, books or even chandeliers.

195. Today will be International Day of Peace. Sepians can do their bit by highlighting it in their blogs. Activities around the world will include; ceremonies, prayers, choirs, tree planting, art exhibitions, lighting candles, peace walks. Your response could be one of these from the past, historical or personal.

So now you know what is required of you, not just for this week but for the two weeks after as well. Free yourself of all distractions, find your own piece of solitude, compose your posts, post your posts, and then row around and visit all your sepia friends.