Autumn 25

The weather is indicating colder days to come, before we know it it’ll be dark by 5pm! But Autumn has joyous days of celebration and fun, which include some of the under 5’s workshops at The William Morris Gallery, called Mini Morris.

Mini Morris
This October 16th we will be looking at natural dyes. Did you know William Morris used dyes from flowers and plants, he was an eco warrior before his time! During this period Morris was reviving the technique of using natural dyes, industrial manufacturers were using synthetics and harsher chemicals.

We are celebrating the wonderful folk art of Rangoli, a craft used during Diwali using rice, or, flower petals, or, spices, or, sand, or, lentils to create symmetrical patterns. Colourants were made from Vermillion, turmeric and tree bark. Rangoli is made during the Festival of Diwali, a Hindu festival of light, which will be celebrated this month. I have added a link to a video all about Diwali in the event:

https://www.scribbleandsmudge.com/new-events/2025/10/16/mini-morris-diwali-rangoli

We will try our hand at dyeing rice and making patterns in clay to take home. A fun, free session with song and activities for 2 to 5 yr olds.

November 20th we will be looking at colours and light. Another colourful session looking at Stain glass windows. Using colourful tissue paper and cellophane, explore the art of stain glazing and craft your very own vibrant window to take home. This event will be in Scribble and Smudge events with more details soon.
See: https://www.wmgallery.org.uk/event/mini-morris-colours-light/

Walthamstow Toy Library

Every Friday afternoon is Twins club! Everyone is welcome. I’d love to see you there.!

Topics this month include: Space, Book day of baby went to market, Harvest and Halloween. There will be Halloween parties at both sites ( Leytonstone and Walthamstow). 25th October Leytonstone Toy library Halloween trail in Langthorne park. 31st October a Halloween party at the Walthamstow site.
For details keep your eye out here: https://www.instagram.com/walthamstowtoylibrary/
Booking for the Langthorne trail here: https://ticketlab.co.uk/venue/4375/Langthorne-Park#/


The RAF museum, London

You will see me crafting and doing activities here with an under 5’s session called Little Swifts.

Dates: October 14th, November 11th and December 9th. 10.30 a.m til 11.30 a.m

This month we are looking at animals in the collection. Free session for 2 to 5 year olds. in H6, booking is essential: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/whats-going-on/little-swifts-2025/

Summer fun

https://www.wmgallery.org.uk/whats-on/

Well, the days seem to be slowly getting warmer! Scribble and Smudge will be doing art workshops for The William Morris Gallery in May, June and July. A free under 5’s session where the families learn a craft and a little about the work in the William Morris Gallery. This May we will have sneak peek at the Morris Mania exhibition, celebrating all that has Morris patterns. Early years learning sequencing and counting to design a pasta medallion. I’m looking forward to making magic with the humble pasta.

Morris Mania is on May15th at The William Morris Gallery. See events

Walthamstow Toy Library’s 50th Birthday May Fair.
Come along and have fun for all of the family! This is a wonderful celebration of a service that has created friendships for families for life! A stalwart of our community and the launch pad to my company. I started volunteering at Walthamstow Toy library in 2008, creating a year long Arts programme for members and families within our community. Scribble and Smudge would not have been born without The Toy library.

I am forever grateful to Carolyn Sharma, who helped me on the programme all the while looking after 3 small kids! It was a frenetic and fun time. Here are some photos and a video from the Arts programme created for Walthamstow Toy library.

Celebrating Chinese New Year 2009. https://scribbleandsmudge.blogspot.com/search?q=chinese+new+year

Young Person’s Caribbean Carnival 2010. https://scribbleandsmudge.blogspot.com/2010/

English folk dancing 2008. https://youtu.be/veimIKd8ZLM?feature=shared

Toy chimes, with the @Barbicancentre in 2021 for Walthamstow Garden Party 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im7elGrH1nU

Chinese New year celebration for Walthamstow toy library in 2009, with a baby lion dance.

Young Person’s Caribbean Carnival with Church Hill nursery and Walthamstow toy library’s entry in 2010

Walthamstow Toy Library is 50 this year! Join us for a fun celebration on Saturday 17th May. We'd love for past members, volunteers and Trustees to come along, share stories and photos for an exhibition that we will be running at the end of the year. Everyone welcome.

* Street Party
* Bouncy Castles
* Face Painter
* Music & Dancing
* Food & Drink
* Craft
* Games

Helen Crockford manager of Walthamstow Toy Library and Scribble and Smudge for the Toy chime project 2021.