I can't remember where I heard about Morsbags, but the important thing is that I did. Morsbags are guerilla shopping bags that you make yourself and hand out to people for free.

It's a really great project that's not only pretty fun and incredibly satisfying, but helps the environment too. It was set up to raise awareness about how many plastic bags we use, and offer people a longer-lasting alternative to them.

A Morsbag from the project's Flickr pool.

With no previous sewing skills whatsoever, I made a bag myself and it's holding up after six months of use. Granted the joins are wonky, but it still holds stuff! All the information and instructions you need are on the website and the only other thing required is some scrap material and a sewing machine, no skill necessary.

Fans of film, music and cute animals are in for a treat this Sunday night. Californian 'noise pop' duo No Age will be doing a one-off performance of their score to Jean-Jacques Annaud's 1988 nature film The Bear, live at The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.

The film is an acclaimed documentary following an orphan bear on his journey of survival. No Age will be providing a soundtrack of "weirded sonics and bombastic rhythmic passages" that promises to be a gripping auditory counterpart.

We caught up with the band's Dean Spunt to ask about their musical relationship with the film.

What can the audience expect from your show?

It's minimal in parts and overtaking in others, trying to add colour to an already beautiful film. It's a good exercise for us to perform a piece that long, since we are used to playing no more than an hour.

You've done similar performances in Los Angeles and New York - how were they received?

They went well. The first time we did it was in Seattle and it was very emotional for some people, there were some teary eyes for sure. All the screenings have been pretty remarkable on our end, I would say.

Why did you choose The Bear to create a score for? Does it have a certain significance for you?

It was a film Randy loved as a kid. I had never seen it, but once I watched it, it just made sense for us to try and add to it. It is very simple, directed well and allows for a reinterpretation of sound.

Are there any other movies you'd like to compose a soundtrack for?

Since doing The Bear, I've been able to view movies in a different light. We did the music for a short film and another short piece for Rodarte - with them it is easy because their clothes are so personal and quiet, that we are able to come up with sound that matches really easy.

A film's soundtrack can curate the tone of the footage; sometimes it can create or change the mood altogether. What do you think your music has changed about the film?

I think it makes it more surreal and adds to the beautiful shots in the film. Since we took out most of the talking, and in some parts reversed and affected the original audio, it really changes the mood. It almost changes the outcome - it affects the film so much that it almost becomes a different piece.

What's special about doing a live performance of the score rather than having it pre-recorded and tacked on to the footage?

That way we get to feel the film live, and add or take away as we see fit according to the mood of the venue, the audience and us. Recorded would be fine, but this is a way to make it personal. It allows us to make each performance unique.

Your score has only been heard in one-off, live shows - is there any possibility that you'll record and release it?

Not sure. We actually haven't recorded any of the sets. We tried the first time but we ran out of space on our recorder. It would bring up other issues of attaining rights to the film, etc. It would be interesting though.

Are there any important life lessons that we can all learn from The Bear?

The film itself has a great tone. The animals in the film are amazing. The way they move, the shots make them look really human sometimes. The ending - I don't want to spoil it, but has an important lesson we should all learn.

No Age present The Bear this Sunday at 7pm, in association with the ever-good Upset The Rhythm. Tickets available from the ICA website.

Friday marks the start of the BFI London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, reliably one of the stronger of London’s many film festivals.

The significance of the Festival is that it exists both as a celebration of a community, as well as a cultural entity in its own right. There’s an unfortunate tendency to ghettoise queer filmmaking, and the Festival’s value derives from the range of work it shows not just to a LGBT community, but to a wider audience as well.

A still from Michael (1924).

Highlights this year include special screenings of classics such as When Night is Falling and Mysterious Skin, to celebrate the Festival’s 25th anniversary; Resist Psychic Death, a lecture on “DIY cultural production for queer community building”; a discussion on feminist pornography, and novelist Sarah Waters in conversation. An adaptation of her excellent book The Night Watch is also being previewed.

The Festival’s gala opening film is Kaboom, written and directed by Gregg Araki. It's the story of a libidinous college student who somehow finds the time to uncover a conspiracy between his endless couplings. As a film Kaboom is profoundly stupid, but it’s difficult not to be charmed by it. It’s hard to hate a film that’s enjoying itself so much. The whole thing is effortlessly subversive and its lack of shame is gleeful.

Look out for our interview with Gregg Araki when the film is released nationwide in June. For now, more information is on the festival's website. 

Every royal wedding has its own stockpile of commemorative tea-towels, plates and mugs. But a new type of anarchic souvenir has come about to mark Will and Kate's wedding in April. Here are some that I've found. 

Donna Wilson's Kate and Wills gloves. 

Tea bags called 'Katea', from Donkey Products. Are Will and Kate smiling or crying? Either way, I'm crying.

And, finally, Lydia Leith's now infamous Royal Wedding sick bags.

In oh comely issue five, we handed out 30 or so blank notebooks to strangers and waited to see if they came back to us. We were curious to see what people would write and doodle in their pages; where they travelled to, and who looked after them. But only two were returned to us.

Then recently we discovered that illustrator Laura Millward had a similar idea. She sent out a travelling journal across the world, asking friends and followers to tell her about their day. Happily, it has had a longer life than ours! 

We caught up with Laura to ask her about the project.

What gave you the idea for the traveling journal?

I'd taken part in a similar project before, run by Bianca of Goodnight Little Spoon, who sent out a travelling journal to lots of people asking them to fill in pages on the theme of 'mail.' I decided it'd be fun to start my own. I was really excited about sending something to different countries and seeing how everyone filled in their pages.

What do you like about artist's journals?

Sketchbooks are often a place where artists have much more freedom to express themselves in whatever way they want, as they don't have to please anyone else. This freedom means endless possibilities for experimenting with different media and not caring as much about whether the end result is perfect.

It's almost voyeuristic looking at the notebook pages, like reading other people's diaries. Why do you think people are so fascinated by the lives of others? Why are those people so keen to share theirs?

I was really interested to see little insights into people's everyday lives. Even things like what time they leave for work and what they had for breakfast; details like this fascinate me for some reason. I was partly inspired by reading Gemma Correll's Daily Diaries and I also love reading real life graphic novels. I think everyone has a story to tell. People have often gone through similar experiences, which is often quite comforting to know.

How many different places has your notebook visited? Do think you could calculate the distance that it's traveled?

The journal's first trip was to Australia, then it travelled to Japan, Canada and Puerto Rico then back to me for a stop-off in the UK. I've estimated the miles travelled to be over 30,000 so far. The journal has now been sent to the US so you can add even more than that!

Do you have a favorite page?

I love all the pages and it's really hard to choose a favourite. Everyone took a different approach. People have have even included mix CD's and there are some beautiful photos taken in Japan. I particularly love Bianca's amazing artistic text and MK's drawings from Tokyo.

Sometimes "traveling" art projects can be risky. As we learnt, they can get lost in transit or one person can break the chain by not sending it on. Were you optimistic about getting the book back?

I was a little scared in case anything happened to it but luckily it made its way back to me fine, thanks to all the kind people who passed it on.

What are your plans for the journal now that it has returned?

It's currently in Chicago as I thought it would be fun to send it to my favourite comic artist, Jeffrey Brown, who kindly agreed to fill in a page himself. I can't wait to get it back! After that, Gemma Correll also said she would participate so I think I'll pass it on to her next.

You can find the adventures of the traveling journal here and here.

Along with cups of tea, grey t-shirts and films starring Bill Nighy, I never turn down a jumble sale. So when the crafty folk at The Aviary let on that they had a stall at the New Gallery Jumble, I didn't need telling twice and made a visit.

The vintage, illustration, craft and bric-a-brac fair is held on the third Saturday of every month and it was a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon in Peckham. After all, what beats wandering around a jumble sale to the sound of vinyl? New Gallery Jumble also aims to be 100% eco-friendly, so the whole day's fun is kind on your conscience.

Their next sale is on April 16th. Find more information on their Facebook page. 

Most photographs have a story behind them, and the cover photo of oh comely issue five is no different.

The photographer was India Hobson and stylist Leila Hartley, and the model was Taii Gordon from Premier. The team used the beautiful photographic studios at The Clic La Mode as a location. "It was an inspiring place rather than a generic room with a white backdrop", says India. To set the mood she gave Leila, "a selection of Joyce Tenneson's photographs and a few words to work from: light, ethereal and contented."

Leila has another perspective on the day, and one that reminds me just how snowy it was last winter. "We were shooting at the height of winter when it started snowing and in about five seconds, we were immersed in a total white out. The nearby Thames Barrier totally disappeared. After the snow came the most beautiful sunlight streaming through the windows. It really made the shoot." 

Looking at the final photos, you'd never think it was winter. But I guess that's half the beauty of great pictures. They are windows onto the world, just not as we see it.

Hair and make-up was by Nina Fay Robinson, and the styling was assisted by Mimi Howard.

As a tall girl, I don't need much help feeling like a giant on a day to day basis. But if I did, The Small Object would be my one stop shop.

Small Object is the work of Sarah Neuburger and she specialises in making minute keepsakes to mark special occassions or simply for people to cherish forever. Sarah makes lovely things like handcut rubber stamps, screenprinted needle cases and even tiny candles in walnut shells. My personal favourite is the Thumb War Battle print; these generals make even Napoleon appear gargantuan! Pop over to her site and be prepared to fall in love with her work.

A Miniature Tiny Mustache Pick by The Small Object