Happy Mother's Day

As promised, this is another entry as a thought from one of my trustees Akmar.

 As it's mother's day I think this is just perfect. Happy mother's day everyone!



When Lesley suggested that we each write a blog in Scribble and Smudge newsletter, my initial thought was what should I write? What can I write? I have not written for a very long time apart from work emails and occasional comments on facebook. I had a little think and had an idea on “quotes” so I googled some quotes for parents and children. As I read them, I realise that I might have taken my children for granted. Do I praise them enough? Do I hug them enough? Do I kiss them enough? Do I encourage them enough? Life is so busy trying to juggle work and family life and most times I want them to do things quickly so that I can move on to the next task on the never ending list. I am trying my best to be the best mother that I can be to my children. It is a very challenging task and a huge responsibility. It is a steep learning curve for me and lots of trial and error especially when you have more than one child because what works for one child might not work on the other child. At the end of the day nobody is perfect. I will every now and then have to push the “pause” button to revisit these quotes and a poem to remind myself. Here they are.

“No one is perfect – that is why pencils have erasers.” – Wolfgang Riebe
 “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters” – Epictetus (Greek philosopher)
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places that you’ll go” – Dr Seuss
Remember, happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have;
it depends solely upon what you think.
-Dale Carnegie 
“Always kiss your children goodnight – even if they’re already asleep” – H Jackson Brown. Jr
 “One of the greatest questions to ask yourself at the end of the day is – If I were the only example my child has from whom to learn right from wrong, what would she have learned today?” – Dr Michelle Borba
“Don’t worry that your children never listen to you, worry that they are always watching you” – Robert Fulghum
“Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow” – Thomas Bray



‘Children Learn What They Live’ – Dorothy Law Neite
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child learns to feel shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.





akiko's activity ideas with your 7 year old!

Here's a wonderful entry by Akiko on my Scribble and Smudge team.

Art activities to do with your 7 year old.

Half term activities

So another half term has come and gone and like most parents I try to fill the days with interesting and varied activities!  My daughter aged 7 was keen on staying in and “doing art”, here are some activities that we occupied ourselves with.  They are all low cost and simple so I hope you will find them useful!

1.     Family tree decoration

Materials: card, wire or string, beads, pen/pencil, scissors and hole punch



This started life as a key ring.  Well that was the idea... that my daughter had - and I simplified!  Originally we thought of attaching a disc to a chain but knowing that the artwork would probably be short lived if attached to keys, we made it into a hanging decoration.  Take a sheet of card and cut out discs, then decorate.  We decided that each family member would contribute, so starting from the top, daughter, me and Dad.  We then covered the discs with sticky back plastic and punched holes so wire could be threaded through for the circles to hang down.  One point to note – probably best to hole punch before designing, I was told off for punching through the eagle's beak!!

The design could include extended family members and pictures of pets too!

2.     Beads

Simple but effective, all you need are shop bought beads (Tiger has nice ones that include clasps for jewellery) and thread.  Often the sets come with nylon thread that can be awkward to work with, we used special beading thread that has a coating that allows for easy threading and is strong/non-stretchy.  You can get this from most art/craft shops.  A word of warning, a blob of glue where the knot is made on the clasp helps, otherwise the beads can pull on the knot and unravel (speaking from experience...)





3.     Firework picture
This idea came about when we were reading a story about a box of crayons....

All the brightly coloured crayons are having fun drawing but then they start scribbling all over each other...the black crayon saves the day and restores peace by covering over the colours and, aided by a friendly mechanical pencil makes a beautiful picture of the night sky with fireworks.  To recreate this, all you need is a box of crayons or pastels, use lots of different colours to cover a sheet of paper, then cover with black crayon or pastel (pastel over crayon seems to work best).  Then take something with a point, a skewer works well, to draw your motifs and “dig up” the colours beneath the black.  This would also work as a snowscape – use white pastel over the coloured crayon.

Hope these are useful ideas and you have fun, we certainly did!


Akiko

Happy birthday Scribble and Smudge. 8 years old!


Scribble & Smudge is 8 years old!
2015 was a wonderful year for new ventures. I would like to thank everyone who has supported my workshops. They are not always conventional and can be just darn right strange, but you always seem to ride on the crest of creativity with your little ones! Thankyou.
In 2015  we made new Scribble & Smudge friends outside of the borough and have successfully built a new team whom you may have met already, Akiko and Vanessa. I have invited my team, including trustees to contribute to this blog. We will share nuggets of thoughts and experiences about family life, creativity and the arts. Coming soon!

KEEP THE DATE!
We will be screening Sport'ability' at The Vestry House Museum. Saturday March 19th. Courtesy of Stow Film Lounge. Invitations (by email)  will be sent out to those who took part in this film. Then spaces will be offered to the public. here podcasts of interviews, includes a baltic cricketer, a retired pe teacher, a keen sailor form her child hood and Sab, once the only asian footballer in his league! 


http://sportability.podomatic.com/




Without much ado I would like to thank every organisation/persons we have worked with over the year. Also to those who have given your wisdom and kindness so freely. Look forward to working with you again. 

Here are a few photos from the year past.



Circus toys made at the Rivergate centre, Dagenham for Creative Barking and Dagenham.



Kev helping the kids animate their lego models at
The Kids Film Lounge



One of a few animations made at The Kids film lounge.
This is E17 Lego movie.



A tube game made for The Walthamstow Garden party 2015.
Trophies made by students at Whitefield's school and centre. Celebrating their sporting ability for Sport'ability'


mad fish! at a summer playscheme in Chingford

A rooster hat for a Canterbury tales told at The William Morris Gallery. Creative kids.


Research project at The Victoria and Albert museum for the schools education programme reception to year two. Started this autumn! Making a frieze from the Trajan's column.

Making  garden grow at Ally Pally's summer festival.



Making beautiful crane bags for International day at Church hill nursery. Japan was our country of choice, the children made turtle or crane bags to carry home. Traditionally filled with sweets in Japan November 15th called Shichi-go-san