Between Sets on Sunday!

Hello every-one and what a fantastic weekend it’s been not only weather wise but busy wise too. Once again I’ve been on my travels. This Saturday I was up at The Midland Railway doing a photo shoot with photographer Amy Elsibeth Phillips for her photographic project “Keep Variety Alive”. Amy wanted to photograph me as her 1940s Vera Lynn so I had the idea of using a 1947 bus as a backdrop. I drove up from Bedfordshire and Amy came down from Lancashire and we met half way at Swanwick Juction Station in Derby. I’m so lucky in my line of work I get to go to so many interesting places and I’m always meeting people with fantastic collections. I first became a where of this wonderful 1947 bus when I played at The Midland Railway last year for their 1960s weekend and I knew I would like to use her for a shoot at some stage. So a big thank-you to Swanwick Station, John Peck and his son for making this possible. We all had a super time and I know Amy was pleased with her photos

All Aboard at Swanwick Station!

In fact Amy has already posted up a few from Saturday’s photo shoot onto my Face book page so do take a look http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiona-Harrison-A-Voice-in-a-Million/143965822288531 As with any shoot I always like to bring a few different costumes with me and on this occasion I brought my Evette the Spivette outfit. We also did a few on the Station platform and as luck would have it the train was just pulling in. So weren’t we

Behind the scenes on Amy’s photo shoot!

jammy!
Sunday was another busy day as I was booked to sing for a private party in one of the local villages. What was lovely was most of the guests came in a vintage car and the host had his own private collection of vintage Austins out on display, many dating back to the 1920s. The weather was just fabulous and I was booked to do 2 x 45 min sets. In the end I did 3 x 60 min sets and I was asked to stay longer so I finished my final show with some good old fashioned Rock and Roll. It was great to see every-one up dancing and having such a good time. Mind you I confess by the time I got home I was ready for bed!
Today I have been out performing my Easter Bonnet show and I’ve Easter shows to do all this week so busy busy! Don’t forget this Sunday I will be up at Wythenshawe Hall, Northenden, Manchester, M23 OAB for the Hall’s Victorian Easter. I’ve been booked to do 2 x 45 min Victorian Music Hall shows daily so I hope you can all make it along. I will be setting up on Saturday Night and I’m told the Hall can be a bit spooky as it’s over 600 years old. So I hope I don’t bump into any ghosts. Do check out their web-site. www.wythenshawehall.com
Well that’s about all my news for now. Thank-you for following and Toodle Pip!

Today I have been meeting up with my web-designer Rachel to check on the progress of my web-site as we move into the modern world of going mobile. It’s all very exciting looking at all the different formats and watching my site contract and expand depending on the devise it’s being viewed on. In fact I predict that the most popular devise in the next few years will be the Samson Galaxy as the Iphone is starting to get left behind. Talking with people who use one alot are saying the Internet connection on the Iphone is very slow and the Galaxy is much better so we will just have to see. Tablets are quite the thing and I do use my Ipad alot at home. It’s great for checking on my e-mails quickly and for facebook when I want to add a quick comment. I myself still uses an Orange brick when it comes to a phone but then I’ve always liked old things. However I have to be aware of technology and understand it’s importance when it comes to running a business which is why I’m so lucky to have Rachel as my web-designer. She keeps me up to date with the technological advances even if I don’t always understand them. So not long now – as going mobile here I come!
This month is promising to be really busy with Easter and St Georges day. My next public engagement will be on Easter Sunday 20th April when I head up to Wythenshawe Hall, Northenden, Manchester and perform for their Victorian Day. I shall be performing at 1pm and 3pm and I hope you can all make it along. www.wythenshawehall.com  On 3rd May I’m performing at Whpsnade Village Hall. Tickets are £15 and include a cold buffet and the profects go towards The Whipsnade Church Fund. If you would like tickets please ring 07761 384970 Tel 01582 872552.
Time for bed I think. Thank you for following.
Toodle Pip for Now!

Me in my A2 Flying Jacket!

What a fantastic weekend it’s been! I’m just back from performing at The Lincolnsfields Children’s Centre in Bushey for the 40s Family Experience and it’s been one of those weekends where everything has gone beautifully to plan. We were a little worried about the weather but as it happens apart from some rain before the event opened on the Sunday we didn’t get any rain at all. So who could ask for anything more!
For those of you who don’t know The Lincolnsfields Centre is the WW2 heritage site which was once the command HQ for the USAAF 8th Fighter Command. So this weekend I have been sporting quite a few different American uniforms and shows from US WAVES to WAC and I even finished off my last Lindy Hop show in my A2 flying jacket. Many thanks to Tom Brennan who sent me this photo. This shot was taken just after I came off stage on Sunday with the Swingsters Mike and Mel and boy did we get the joint swinging! Thank-you every-one who came to the show and to the Swingsters for organising the Saturday night dance. What a great event!

Paul – The World Famous Unknown Bathroom Singer!

In fact this  weekend has been non stop. I was booked to perform 3 shows daily + the Saturday Night Dance but this year I had some help from my friend Paul who not only did a fantastic job as my sound engineer but sang too. Paul is secretly known as the World Famous Unknown Bathroom Singer and does a pretty mean Frank Sinatra which the ladies just loved of course! I’ve been teaching him sound as I’m quite the stickler and there is a reel art to it which Paul is picking up splendidly. Thank-you for all your help Paul you were fabulous!
What was lovely about this weekend was the number of people who came especially to see me – including Brian the friendly German from Mansfield. Brian discovered my videos by chance on You Tube and has now started to follow my carear.

Me with Brian from Mansfield!

I was really thrilled to see the Polka Dot Dolls who came to see me on Sunday. I’d had the pleasure of working with The Polka Dots at Chatham’s “Salute to the 40s” weekend a couple of times and I’m really looking forward to working with them again later this year. I also saw my friend Gail and James and not forgetting Maud who came and saw me at the Saturday Night dance which  was where we met a couple of years ago at one of  Mike and Mels Sunday afternoon tea dances. Thank-you everyone for supporting the event it was lovely to see you all and I know this year we had over a 1000 visitors through the gate so thank you.
I’ve been checking through my analytics data and I can’t believe that last week over 4000 people read my face book posts. I’m sure that can’t be right and maybe I’m mis reading the information but either way thank-you for following and for your kind comments about my Best of British article on WW2 woman’s uniforms. Do look out for my next article which will be in Octobers issue and this time I will be writing about Music Hall Songs and how they kept the troops marching during WW1.

PauI and I!

As with any good 1940s event I always like to visit the stalls and this year I treated myself to a couple of new 1940s hats which I shall be taking out to Normandy when I sing for D-Day. I had planed to make myself some but these days I don’t get much time to sew. These hats are just perfect and will go with the jacket I bought at Hammersmith last month so everything is starting to come together for France.
Talking of hats today I have been out and about performing my first Easter Bonnet Show of the season and this month I have a real mix bag of shows from Victorian to Rock and Roll. Tomorrow I’m booked to do the 1950s and 60s so time for bed I think.
Many thanks for following and Toodle Pip!

Me with Photographer Bill Jordan!

It’s just a very quick blog tonight as I must get to bed early. I have a very busy weekend ahead with 7 shows to do over the next two days at the 40s Family Experience Weekend in Buhey so I hope you can all make it along! Check out the events page on the Lincolnsfields web-site www.lincolnsfields.co.uk
Looking back over the month of March I can’t quite believe how busy I’ve been. I’ve been keen to cram in lots of different projects before the start of the season as April is promising to be a grate month with 29 dates sold so far! I’ve been very lucky to meet up with two fabulous photographers John Winchcombe and Bill Jordan and this month we’ve already done 3 shoots together. In fact today I met up with John and we went through some of his photographs. For those of you who follow me on facebook you may well have seen some of them. In fact I must arrange a time to meet up with Bill and go through his photos. There are so many good ones it’s hard to choose. But with social media the way it is now you can never have too many good shots. Talking of photos next weekend I’m heading up to the Midland Railway in Derby to do a photo shoot with another photographer Amy Elisibeth Phillips before heading back down to Oxfordshire for a show so busy busy!
I’m going to be doing a fair amount of travelling and on Easter Sunday I’m booked to do a Victorian Day at Wythenshawe Hall, Northenden nr Manchester and then I’m up in Cheshire at The Sandiway Golf Club the following weekend, so much to do.
Time for bed now. Thank-you for Following and Toodle Pip!

Me in My US WAVES Uniform

What with one thing and another it’s been a very busy week and here I am once again burning the mid night oil trying to keep you all up to date with my latest news. Firstly many thanks to every-one for your kind comments with regards to my latest article on WW2 Woman’s Uniforms in the Best of British magazine. You can find me on page 40 and as the cover girl for The 40s Post inside. I’m afraid they have labelled me up as wearing an American WAAC Uniform when it should be WAC. I know all you anoraks out there will know the WAAC was superseded and renamed WAC in 1942. I’m also wearing the yellow American defence and European theatre of Operations medal which fits for D-Day and Normandy. If you haven’t yet seen my article then do pop down to WH Smiths and pick up the latest BOB. It also lists all the 1940s events for the year and has a very interesting article on Winston Churchill and his wife Clemmie! So well worth investing in a copy!
For those of you who follow my blog will know I was out doing a Victorian photo shoot last Thursday and this Wednesday I’m doing a 1940s one. It’s just as well as this weekend you will be able to see me at The 40s Family Experience Weekend at The Lincolnsfield Children’s Centre. I shall be performing 3 shows daily Saturday 11.30am  ATS “We’ll Meet Again”, 1.30pm “Hooray for Hollywood”, 3.30pm “GI Jive” US WAC Show Lindy Hop Style, Sunday 11.30am WAAF “Those Magnificent Men”, 1.30pm US WAVES “Anchors Aweigh” 3.30pm Lindy Hop Show “Sing Sing Sing”. I’m also singing  for the Saturday night dance too so I hope you can all make it along. www.fortiesexperience.co.uk
Talking about Saturday nights last Saturday I was at Hednas Vintage Night Club with my friend Paul and it’s one of those places where you can get really dressed up – which we did! Do check out the photos on my facebook page every-one looks ever-so glam! So here’s to the next one! 
Gosh I’ve just noticed the time – it’s gone 2am – I must get to bed!
Thank-you for following and Toodle Pip!

Behind the Scenes as I go Victorian!

These last few days have been non-stop and to be honest completely crazy. Yesterday was one of those days where nothing went quite right but saying that everything fell into place today after a frightful amount of running about. Today I have been working with photographers John Winchcombe and Bill Jordan over in Potterspury who were keen to do a Victorian photo shoot with me. Bill likes to use a lot of cut outs in his photography and is an artist who is inspired my modernism. So despite being in Victorian costume I may well end up in a space age or fantasy setting.  John may also change my background too which was why we shot against white today. We also did some location shots and went to Potterspury’s grave yard just when the rain and hail started to fall. However the weather cleared up and we were able to take a few shots down by the brook. I say a few shots in fact today’s shoot was from 11am to 5pm and John and Bill took over 1400 pictures between them which might explain why I’m so tired now!
As with all these things there is so much preparation and thought goes into getting the shot and today’s shoot was a combination of many peoples hard work. I experimented with lots of different Victorian hair styles and in the end I took Denise’s hair style from the TV seres The Paradise as my inspiration – with thanks to my hair dresser Angela. I was in the hair dresses yesterday afternoon and afterwards I had to dash over to John Lewis in Milton Keynes for fringing. One of the problems my dress fitting showed was a weighting issue with the bustle. I couldn’t get black fringing but I was able to get jet beading which my dress maker Judi quickly sewed on this morning. In fact we were both sewing first thing this morning as I needed a bigger bustle and used my mothers neck cushion! That reminds me I will have to un pick it as she will be wanting it back!
I’m really please I got the jet fringing or be it in the 11 hour as it made all the difference to my out fit and Bill has very kindly sent me a few photos from today’s shoot which are already up on my face book page. These are raw but I know we will have a lot of fun with them so if you get the chance do take a look. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiona-Harrison-A-Voice-in-a-Million/143965822288531
Once again I have a busy weekend ahead with me booked to do lots of mother day shows over the next few days and my friend Paul has invited me to Hednas Vintage Night Club Saturday Night. So something to look forward to – which reminds me I must choose a dress!
Time for bed I think as there’s much I must do tomorrow  morning.
Thanks for following and Toodle Pip!

It’s just a very quick blog tonight as I have a full week of all sorts. Tomorrow I’m in the hair dresses for most of the day being made glamorous for the week a head. I have a Victorian photo shoot planed for Thursday so we may well be going a bit Jane Ayre with the hair. To be honest getting the hair right with my bonnet is a bit of a task. I want to look attractive only it’s making me look a fright and I must get the look right before Thursday. In someways I wish I could do curls at the front but it would involve cutting a fringe which I don’t want to do.
I have a dress fitting tomorrow evening and I’m looking forward to trying on my bustle. I should really wear a full corset with it as it supports the back but when I’m on stage I need to be able to work my diaphragm being a singer and all so I’m wearing a light boned corselet instead. This photo shoot will give me a real insight into the weight and what it will be like to wear on stage so maybe it’s just as well I have a strong back!
Like most weeks I’ve been keen to get all my paper-work done and out of the way as I have a very full April and next week I’m booked in to do another 1940s photo shoot. So I’ve lots of little ends to tie up. I shall be busy the weekend of the 5th 6th when I play Bushey and the 40s Family Experience Weekend. But in the meantime I’ve been invited out this Saturday so it will be lovely to put ones party dress on and to have a break from work.
Gosh it’s getting late and I must pratice my hair before bed.
Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!

Apart from the usual run of shows this week I’ve been spending much of my time re-writing my 1940s page for my web-site. I thought it was time for a bit of a re-fresh and with the new mobile addition I felt I should have a bit of a re-think and try and prioritise the information. To be honest I have been struggling a bit. It takes me ages to write the simplest of things and I often end up writing far too much with all the words in the wrong order. However despite my mess and muddle I always get there in the end. For the moment, I have had to put it to one side but I’m determined to finish it off tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow my electrician chap is coming round to PATs test all my equipment – so yes it’s that time again. How quickly this year has flown by and it wont be long before I’m back out in France singing for D-Day. In fact I’m pleased to announce I will be in Arromanches on the 6th June singing though the day in the Veteran’s Marquee. I’m also booked to sing the French and British Anthems during the service and I’ve been asked to take part in the parade at 5.30/6pm. I’m also performing in Ste Marie du Mont on the 7th June my GI Jive American WAC show. I will be on stage at 4pm performing outside the church so I’m busy putting together a very special American/French show for there.
In fact 2014 is going to be a very good year for me with the centenary and my WW1 show “Pack Up Your Troubles” is selling well not to mention the D-Day commemorations in France.
Do look out for me in the Best of British magazine next month. You can pick it up in WH Smiths next Thursday and April’s issue lists all the 1940s events for the year. I’ve also written an article on WW2 women’s uniforms so I hope readers will find it of interest with it being such an important year.
Well must dash – I want to have another look at that page before bed.
Keep Watching – Thanks for following and Toodle Pip!