Running Wtih Scissors now in City Centre!

Well the shop display is actually up for the people of Sheffield to gaze at! (on Cambridge Street, in town) I am really impressed with what the retail display students have achieved. The Running With Scissors concept is quite hard to put across in a static display because its really a creative / dynamic / changing business but I think the students have got it spot on. I didn't just want to display all the products we do at our workshops as they would look really disparate and random, it was more about getting the idea across and using materials and equipment which would be of interest to people who are interested in crafting. We had decided beforehand that the chest of drawers should be painted red and then I created 6 streamers (a line of pom-poms, tape measures, red ribbon, red pom-pom trimming, a washing line with 3 products from our workshops and a paper chain in red, white and black). When I met with the students I also gave them a little sketch but I said that they could have a free hand and chop up the streamers if they wanted, use some of the items only, or could request more things.... I think its important to give creative people a free rein as both they, and you, get the most out of a situation that way. So streamers got chopped up and wool 'rope' created and fabric samples added - all to everyones benefit.

Also you might have noticed in the window that Running With Scissors now has a QR code (one of those black and white grid box things that you can scan with your smart phone), when you scan it it take you straight to our website - how cool is that!

The lost art of pom-pom making

This week I have been making lots of pom-poms for the Running With Scissors window display in the centre of town (more on this later). I am am completely shocked that when I ask children or young people I know, not only have they never made a pom-pom, they don't even know what one is!! We used to make them all the time at school, make Easter chicks from them, scarves, bobbles for hats, stick wobbly eyes on them .... hours of fun - I'm really shocked at the lack of pom-pom knowledge in the youth of today. Is it just because I'm a product of the 1970's or is it just that children don't get to do much craft at school? - there seems to be a whole generation which has skipped these craft skills (as well as cooking!) and this generation are now teaching the children of today, but don't have the skills to pass on. Since I found out about the lack of pom-pom knowledge I've been asking children if they do any sewing at school - and I'm really astounded at what I'm hearing. It seems that the government really does not see the value of creativity and it's slowly getting squeezed out of the curriculum. Running With Scissors is now on a mission to turn the tide. I feel a summer school coming on just to give children and young people the creative space and time they need to express themselves and to make something which is relevant for them. I'll update you on this later!

Back to the shop window - Running With Scissors has a shop window display in centre of town at the bottom of Cambridge Street (which runs down the side of Cole Bros) from 8th - 21st May. I have just been to drop off the items for the display and to meet the students who will create the window, 2 girls studying for their NVQ Level2 in Retail Merchandising. The shop is one of the shops painted green and is part of the 'Sheffield Showcase' project, run by Sheffield City council and the Source Training Centre at Meadowhall. I'm really excited to see what the students do with items I brought in (including a chain of pom-poms) and can't wait to see the finished window. I'm really chuffed that the students get the opportunity to get this sort of experience and support the project whole-heartily.

Rant over - more updates coming soon!!