Circus Lion

I love the circus as a theme, in fact I did a whole project on it for my Foundation Diploma, where I combined the circus with the constellations, and created Chorlton's Celestial Circus. (If you want to see it, it's on my blog http://joscreativeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011_06_01_archive.html) I have a wire big top with acrobats and a parade of circus horses and a bareback rider in my lounge! I think it's partly because my family have a connection to the circus - my great-great aunt Leonorah Pinder was an 'equestrienne' and was painted by Walter Sickert. Other family members worked for Sanger's Circus and Pinder's Circus, including my great-grandad and other great-great aunts and uncles! 
So for my tag I decided to use the Pinder Circus red and yellow, and create a circus lion.
This idea came from two places - firstly this amazing photo of Sanger's Circus arriving in Lewes sometime before the first World War. I hope you can see the lion, just resting on the top of the carriage!

  
The second inspiration was a bit of nonsense my Grandad used to come out with, which I found hilarious as a child - "Roll up! Roll up! See the live lion, stuffed with straw!" For me this was the pinnacle of humour, so I've made a 'live' lion, complete with straw stuffing. I used fleece and fur fabric, and some rafia for the straw. There is an annoying splodge of glue on his face, but I am quite pleased with how he's turned out. I hope he draws in the crowds!