Category: Tipis

Stretch Tents & Tipis added to Marquee Best Practice Guide

Over The Moon has been following the MUTAmarq guidelines since we started. The document codifies the best practice for the industry and is a requirement of our insurers that we follow it. For us, specialising in stretch tents, the previous guide was lacking in not having anything pertaining to these new fabric structures. The new version of the guide has now rectified that. Over The Moon is pleased to be at the forefront of developments in event fabric structures.

MUTA, the trade association for the marquee and fabric structure industry, has published a revised version of the MUTAmarq Code of Practice after a period of review over the 2010/11 low season. ‘Safe Use and Operation of Marquees and Temporary Structures’ \was last revised in spring 2008 and the new version reflects changes to the industry since then. The document recognises the growth of non-standard fabric structures in unusual shapes and configurations, and addresses health and safety issues including the need for a biannual StructureSafe on-site safety course and increased preventive measures to combat the hazard of hidden underground services.<

Venue owners and event organisers continue to carry the legal obligation to offer a safe place of work and in doing so to disclose the whereabouts of underground services. However where there is any doubt as to the location of underground cables and pipes, it is the responsibility of the contractor to establish their location. MUTA in its latest guidance recommends its MUTAmarq Accredited Contractors to scan the work site before driving stakes into it in order to prevent accidents, and avoid injury or damage to property.

Other changes to the Code of Practice include the following areas:
Scope – to include all temporary demountable fabric structures
Stability – to cover tipis and non-standard structures
Electrical installations – to clarify the need for a qualified electrician
Naked flames – importance of carrying out a thorough risk assessment
Client awareness – to clarify their responsibility to provide a safe site
Training – requirement for members to provide adequate safety training to crews
Personal Protection Equipment – to clarify when to use hard hats
Fire exits – to include good practice to provide an additional exit

There have also been minor changes to terminology – for instance to refer to all structures covered by the guidance as “fabric structures” to include a wider range than traditional pole and framed marquees.

Kokopelli is Over The Moon's first 5.5m Painted Tipi

I spent most of yesterday painting a 5.5m Tipi. It was a lof of fun and the weather was just right. The Swallows in the barn roof seemed to take an interest in between nest building. To get Kokopelli’s design on the tipi I erected a scaffold tower and used it to hang the canvas.

Tipi canvas hanging from Scaffold Tower

I awaited dusk to use a projector to place the image on the canvas and trace round. The canvas was then laid out on the barn floor and painting began at 4pm and finished at 11.30. I painted nearly non-stop and was entertained by www.littlestevensundergroundgarage.com playing some great music. You can see the progress below. I added a red to the top of the canvas but it was too dark to take a pic. The Tipi will be out this weekend and I will add more pics then.

Kokopelli is joined by our little promo tipi getting a lick of extra paint.

Painted Tipi with crop circle design door flap

So who is Kokopelli?

Kokopelli

I first met Kokopelli on a t-shirt dancing in front of a full moon. He is a common site in the south western United States. I liked the little figure and enjoyed reading his legend.

Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player , who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. Like most fertility deities, Kokopelli presides over both childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music.

More info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokopelli
http://www.drlamay.com/kokopelli.htm

Kokopelli has been a totem for friends and I for many years and has proved a lucky mascot.

Painted Tipi Project Underway

We made a start on the Painted Tipi project this week. First up a little 1m diameter promo tipi. Nothing too large and unwieldly to handle. Traced the design out on the floor of the living room and used a mixture of acrylic fabric paint and some left-over green exterior paint. The fabric paint is much better and does not soak in so much. The back design was based on a crop circle.

When I grow up I want to be a 18 footer

Next up is a full size 18ft Tipi to get the paint treatment. Going to help draw the design out using Photoshop to create it and then project it on the canvas.

Joke from The Jester

Over The Moon’s crew has a Jester to keep it entertained and spirits up when working the long summer days. The Jester provided a lovely tent related joke for us this week.

A man pays a visit to his doctor and tells him,

“On Monday night I dreamt I was a Tipi, and then on tuesday night I dreamt I was a Yurt.”

“Hmm”, said the doctor pondering the meaning of these dreams. Then he exclaimed, ” Don’t worry, you are just Too Tense”.

The Jester strikes the funny bone again

Tipi in The Times

Over The Moon Tipi as featured in The Times, April 18th 2009

Over The Moon Tipis featured in The Times newspaper on Saturday 18th April. A tipi was used as back drop to a fashion feature in the saturday magazine supplement.