The Sticker Club - our Review

A few months ago we were offered the chance to review a new product for kids. The Sticker Club is a super cool sticker subscription service. Using creative designers to make unique and original images, the stickers are then delivered by post weekly or monthly depending on your choice. Wiss was lucky enough to be given a 3 month weekly subscription, so every Wednesday he had a happy post day!

The stickers come in a distinctive yellow envelope and Wiss loved spotting it in amongst the post. With the 3 month subscription we got 6 sheets of stickers each week, and each one is different. No duplicates!

I have to say that for the first few weeks Wiss didn't really seem to know what to do with his stickers. Apart from sticking a few onto his things he left the rest and so amassed a small pile. Personally, I think that he was so used to stickers being part of something; a workbook or an activity sheet, that he just wasn't used to going 'free-range' with his stickers. He shared some with friends, and embellished birthday cards with them...

But something clicked, or inspiration struck, or there were just too many fab stickers not being used and suddenly he couldn't get enough of them! He started to use them to tell stories, and make large imaginary scenarios which grew and grew as he added more and more stickers. We have an easel with a long roll of paper and he could spend ages creating these scenes and the narratives to go with them. I loved watching him get engrossed in this activity, and hearing the crazy stories!

We both loved the stickers (I may have even nabbed a few for myself. We'll call that Mama Tax!) I liked the fact that they were quirky, original and non-gendered. Wiss just thought they were fun!

There are lots of different subscription options on their website so you're bound to find something that suits what you are after. I have bought a few of the 1 month subscriptions as birthday presents for children in Wiss's class. At just £7.99 they make a great little gift, and all the children have enjoyed getting something for them through the real post. And if you are hosting a party yourself then you could choose personalised Sticker Club packs for the party bags.

I think you can tell that we love the Sticker Club! Check them out yourself... thestickerclub.com


Disclaimer: we were sent a 3 month subscription for free (usual price £23.99) but as always, all opinions are our own.

National Art & Design Saturday Club - The Sorrell Foundation

A few months ago I found out about an amazing organisation: The Sorrell Foundation was set up by Frances and John Sorrell in 1999 with the clear aim of inspiring creativity in young people. The Foundation has run a whole range of programmes in the UK including the National Art & Design Saturday Clubs which offer young people ages 14-16 (a crucial age in their education) the unique opportunity to study art and design every Saturday morning at their local college or university for free.

A little history: Following the Second World War a government initiative encouraged free Saturday morning classes for 14-16 year olds at their local art schools. This incredibly modern sounding idea helped to foster a love of the arts and for many of the UKs current artists and designers was the start of their creative and entrepreneurial journeys.

Photo credit: Angela Tobin

Frances and John Sorrell both attended Saturday Clubs in their teens, and with their National Art & Design Saturday clubs they hope to recreate and reinvent this idea for a whole new generation. The clubs are in their 5th year and are now held in 33 colleges, universities and the Victoria & Albert Museum (and are ever-expanding). Club members are often put forward by their teachers at school and are given opportunities that they probably wouldn't have access to, opportunities that really could be life-changing. Approximately 70% of members have never visited an art gallery or museum before, and a similar number have never been to London. (The first project for all the clubs across the UK involves a visit to the capital, and brings members together giving them the chance to make friends across the UK and widen their social networks.)

During the year club members are able to enjoy lessons way beyond the boundaries of conventional school lessons - not only are they inspiring but for many who aren't doing well in a traditional school environment they can be a great confidence builder, and can feed directly back into their GSCE work. In the Spring Term each club attends a Masterclass with a leading designer or artist, often in their own studios.

Photo credit

And this is where I come in! My professional job is as an Architectural Modelmaker for Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and we were honoured to be invited to hold one of these masterclasses for Coleg Sir Gar club from Wales. My boss, my colleagues and I devised a day-long project to get the kids thinking about the concept of scale. After their very long journey we were keen to get them started straight away with something practical. We showed them the work of artist Slinkachu, gave them some miniature figures and asked them to photograph them in and around our office. (And yes, there just happened to be a dead bird outside who came to play a starring role in the project!)

Photo: Jo Mieszkowski

Photo: Jo Mieszkowski

After lunch we all looked at the images and chose three strong scenes that could be developed further using modelmaking techniques. The club members divided into groups and worked on their ideas together, along with hands-on advice from my colleagues and I. The end results were imaginative, original and show just how hard everyone worked all day. I was really impressed.

Photo: Jo Mieszkowski

Photo: Jo Mieszkowski

Photo: Jo Mieszkowski

The end of the year of classes is marked with the Summer Show held at Somerset House in London; an exhibition that is visited by around 3,000 and treats the work of the club members seriously. And so it should, as personally, I was blown away by the standard of work and the scope of creativity produced by members across the UK. The show has now ended unfortunately but I would really encourage you to look out for it next June. RSHP are keen to stay involved and will be holding another masterclass next year and I can't wait!

In their own words "The Saturday Club nurtures talent, builds confidence and raises aspirations...Our ambition is to continue to grow the Saturday Club so that, by 2018, as many as 2,500 young people will be taking part in free Saturday morning art and design classes. These young people are the UK's next creative generation."

If you would like to find out more about the Sorrell Foundation, or the Saturday Clubs you can visit their website, or follow them on twitter @natsatclub
There are various ways you can support them, whether as an individual, if you are a creative business or if you would like to find a Saturday Club in your area.


*Although this may sound like it's a sponsored post it really isn't! I am just proud to have been involved and to have worked with such great young people. I want to spread the word as I think the National Saturday Art & Design Clubs are doing an amazing job.

**Where not credited all photos are taken by the club members of Coleg Sir Gar.


 

Dining Room Art Gallery

When we moved into our new house, our dining room was a large white box with nothing in it at all. It looked like a new art gallery, but obviously it couldn't stay that way for ever! Furniture was moved in, shelves were built, stuff got deposited in various places like it always does, but I kept one wall blank. One large white wall that I hoped would become our art gallery throughout the year.

I've mentioned many times how much I like the MADE website. It is a huge inspiration for many things but I particularly like the ever-changing house decorations she makes (halloween and snowflakes for example) I thought that Wiss and I could make something every month to go on the Art Gallery Wall - it would be a nice activity to do together and we would be able to make something topical or seasonal as the year went on. (As you will see, we've not quite done it monthly but you know how time goes so quickly!)

I've tried to use a variety of crafts so that Wiss gets to experiment with different materials and mediums. I really enjoy the time we spend together talking as we make, and it's been a really good way for him to begin to understand the passing year, and how things change, as well as making some great art. He is really proud to have his work on display and because it's in the dining room it's a great focal point.

So here's our Art Gallery catalogue so far...



January - Paper Plate Fishes for our Octonauts Party









February - Folded Paper Painted Hearts



Wiss admiring his work whilst creating the next exhibit









March - Easter Eggs, Chick & Bunny using stickers, tissue paper and glitter pens



Using glitter pens for the Easter Eggs

May - Spring Flowers using cupcake cases, egg boxes and tissue paper (with 100 drawn ants!)



Sticking on foam cubes for the 'sun'



Sewing packing foam chips onto wool for the 'rain'



June - Our British Summer!



 

We're due a new exhibition very soon - while it's sunny it may be a good time to do some really BIG art... What do you think?

 

And if you've not got space for a large wall gallery how about this Kids Art Display idea from Davina at The Making Home? The curtain wire could be fitted into any available space and you could hang new pictures up as often as you like.

 

As always, I'd love to see what you have been making and creating so please leave a comment or link below and show us all!