Transition Town Tooting

Tag: Tooting Library

  • ReSparkle! Celebrating Creativity and Christmas crafts at Tooting Library

    TTT have been ReSparkling with Tooting Library since 2012 – it’s always a magical event upstairs in the beautiful children’s library. 

    Indoors last Saturday the library was full of colour, light and energy as it became darker, wetter and stormier outside. 

    It’s a free and simple event: for two hours we offered 5 activity tables, with eight of us helping.  

    Why is it so fun and rewarding?

    We think it’s because:
    1. There are familiar faces and new families every year – diverse, multilingual, positive, keen to experiment.
    2. Creating a special occasion together is a good feeling 

    3. The Library is such an excellent trusted community social hub in the buzzy retail heart of Tooting. Everyone is welcome, nothing is for sale, everyone can work at their own pace and  materials and goodwill are shared freely.
    4. Children, parents and carers are discovering and making together – all generations trying out very different activities, getting familiar (again?) with using glue, scissors, staplers, velcro.
    All these activities and more can be repeated at home.

    5. Everyone creates using simple materials – making beautiful decorations and presents out of everyday things and scrap saved from waste.  
    6. There’s always new ideas – new activities, new facilitators from TTT, creative solutions from participants (turning the drinks cartons inside out to show off the silvery liner was very neat!)

    There’s more photos by Bryony, Chuck & Annie to look at online – please click here. And there’s more of just Bryony’s beautiful photos of ReSparkle online here – thank you Bryony!

    ReSparkle! exactly six years ago on Dec 15th 2012

    We value our long-lasting partnership with Tooting Library very much and want to say thanks to the Library team for hosting us so many times since 2012.

    Many thanks to our TTT team of fab facilitators: Annie, Bryony, Elly, Jane, Jeni, Nicola, Resina & Chuck.
    We’re looking forward to December 2019 – please put ReSparkle in your diary!

  • ReSparkle! with TTT at Tooting Library, 2pm to 4 pm on Saturday 15th December 2018

    All welcome to join TTT’s free Christmas crafts workshop at Tooting Library, creating beautiful presents and decorations to take home.

    We’ve been inviting everyone to ReSparkle! since 2012, and it’s always a magical event.

     

    When? Saturday 15th December from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
    Where? 75 Mitcham Road SW17 9PD
    We’ll be upstairs in the lovely children’s library.  
    Free, drop-in and for all ages.

    All materials provided – and everything we’ll use to make beautiful creations is waste that’s being saved from going to scrap.
    “Reduce…Re-purpose…ReSparkle!”

    Thanks loads to our partners at Tooting Library – if you have any queries, please phone the Library on 0208 767 0543. NB children under 8 must always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

    Come and join the fun – please spread the word and tell your friends. Click here to read or download the poster.

  • We had a fun & creative seasonal session ReSparkling, Reducing and Re-using materials that would have gone to waste. And Happy New Year!

    Thanks loads to our partners in Tooting Library for hosting our fifth annual seasonal ReSparkle! workshop on the 17th December.
    Around 40 young people – from four-year olds to teenagers – joined in for two hours, solo or with parents and carers. Everyone learned how to do all kinds of imaginative things that can be repeated or adapted at home using everyday materials saved from going to waste.

    We used simple and practical methods and tools that are good for children and adults to learn how to handle confidently – folding, gluing, cutting-out with scissors, hole punching, stapling, decorating.

    What did we do? (If you look carefully you can see examples of the different things that participants made in the background of many of the pictures…can you work out how to make them?)

    Jane showed how to make angels using the pages of an old book destined for recycling.

    Rachel showed how to make snowmen and other figures from cardboard tubes – so simple!
    Plus, Hilary made cardboard boxes.

    Flora helped make present bags out of the Library’s out-of-date foreign-language newspapers.

    Below: look at the intense concentration when learning to use the hole puncher.  

    how did she keep her hat so straight?

    Jeni showed how to make your own lovely long ribbons – and then we stuck them on her papier- mache saxophone.

    Chuck showed how to make origami envelopes which we filled and labelled with seeds from Tooting Community Garden for planting in the spring. Beans, pumpkin or hollyhock – very different seeds, so all in the same packet.

    Thanks for the hats, Jenny!

    Here’s the giant saxophone. It’s still there in the children’s library, go and have a look.
    It was a very enjoyable session, and thanks to all. There’s lots more you can do at home re-using waste paper and card with familiar household tools.

    Look out for our Transition Town Tooting creative workshops: Happy New Year and see you in 2017!

    some made up their own activities !

  • Reduce, Re-Use, ReSparkle! Free seasonal crafts with Tooting Library on Saturday 17th December

    We’re running our fifth annual free ReSparkle! event at Tooting Library, 75 Mitcham Road, SW17 9PD on Sat 17th, from 2-4pm.

    All welcome, for all ages and all materials provided: the theme is learning how to make decorative and interesting things – perhaps presents for Christmas time – using re-purposed materials that would otherwise go to waste.
    No experience necessary…you can do all the activities, and take home what you make. And teach others at home how you did it!

    The venue is the beautiful Children’s Library on the first floor.
    We’re combining the fun workshop with artist Jeni Walker’s monthly Meet and Make sessions, so we can expect a really varied group.

    Click on the year to see what we made at Resparkle 2015 and Resparkle 2014 – the theme that year was ‘I never knew you could do so much with paper!’

    Here are two highlights, and we look forward to seeing you:

  • Reduce, Re-use, ReSparkle! Our seasonal family crafts workshop with Tooting Library

    On Saturday 12th December TTT offered our fourth annual Resparkle! seasonal crafts session at Tooting Library –  this time combined with Jeni Walker’s monthly Meet & Make.

    The aim was to teach children and adults how to make interesting, fun and attractive decorations or presents using household materials – newspaper, drinks cartons, scrap textiles.

    Here’s what we had on offer to make:

    • drinks carton wallets
    • newspaper present bags 
    • textile and paper decorations
    • paper flowers
    • adding to the Library’s collage Xmas tree
    • and some children made up their own ideas…

    All these activities are easy to repeat at home – for us it’s all about mixing creativity and upcycling everyday waste.
    And it’s all about enjoyment and making things together. 

    Some children did every single activity on offer, then went back for more..

    The afternoon was delightful – a real mix of Tooting’s cultures, with a lot of concentration and focus from three dozen young people. There were rewarding challenges working with new materials and techniques, and persisting with folding, cutting, punching and sticking to make beautiful things.

    Most of the adults were making too – it was great to see the mix of generations and also whole families doing these engaging activities together.
    There was a lot of achievement, pride and quiet celebration.

     

    Thanks so much to the multi-tasking TTT volunteers who ran the day: Jane, Jeni, Hilary, Rachel & Chuck.
    Thanks to Tooting Library – to Heather and Khalid for inviting us (and for helping to clear up at the end).

                    

                                          
     More photos in this slideshow  

    See you at December 2016 Resparkle!

  • Resparkle! plus Meet & Make: Free upcycled crafts activities in Tooting next weekend

    Two long-running TTT crafts projects which mix creativity and attractive recycled materials are coming together on December 12th at Tooting Library.

    Reduce, Re-use, Resparkle! has been offered with our partners Tooting Library at Christmas for the past four years.
    Meet & Make is community artist Jeni Walker’s monthly project for local upcycling and making.
    On Dec 12th we are bringing them together for a free event.

    Resparkle! is all about making fun Christmas presents or decorations out of recycled materials – do come along from 2-4 at Tooting Library on the 12th. All ages, all welcome, all materials provided.

    The regular attendees (and others!) at Meet & Make are invited to come along too – make some great upcycled festive decorations and also get some inspiration and encouragement on any making project of your own. All artists and makers welcome.

    Three inviting photos from last year’s Resparkle! –


    More Meet & Make news:
    Our newly formed connection with local charity Wandsworth Oasis was knitted a little closer last month with the generous hosting of our monthly Meet & Make in their new shop near Amen Corner. 

    Helen brought along the finished shopper trolley started at last months M&M, Jeni whipped up a couple of tiny aprons for her toddler art classes and Martin chatted at length about the possibilities and challenges of starting a social enterprise based on up cycled making.

     
    Elsewhere in the TTT arts story the power of making saw many hands came together to put paint, paper and glue to the Giant Saxophone. The friendly yellow giant was witness to young mums with their children, Pilates teachers, Meet & Makers, local arts practitioners, people claiming that they ‘aren’t any good at this art stuff‘ another saying they ‘literally hadn’t made anything in years’ all creating a very pleasing result both visually and in the sense of connecting together.
    We have plenty more participatory making planned – please come and get involved, and also do share your ideas for new projects or community groups and partners to join up with. 
    Contact us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com

  • Tooting Field Days – Free Family fun – Starting Sunday 19 April

    Tooting Field Days are local safaris based in and around Tooting; a chance to get outside and play, walk or make something. We can’t promise lions and zebras but you might discover something you’ve never seen before, think something new or have a mini adventure!

    Tooting Field Days will happen every month on a Sunday afternoon from April until September. The first Field Day is Sunday 19 April.

    The theme for the April Field Day is “Natural Neighbours.” Make a pine cone bird feeder, discover voices of Tooting past and do scavenger hunts in Streatham Cemetry. Drop in for part of the day or join us for the whole event.

    2pm: Meet at Tooting Library (75 Mitcham Road, SW17 9PD) to make a pine cone bird feeder that you can hang in your garden or balcony to encourage more feathered friends to visit you. Materials provided.

    3pm: Depart Tooting Library to do Tootingwalks 1, a specially-made audio walk packed full of music and the voices of local people, talking about Tooting past and present and Tooting’s love of food. MP3 players and maps provided.

    3.45 – 5.30: Treasure Trails, Scavenger Hunts and honey tasting in Streatham Cemetery (enter through gate on Broadwater Road).

    You can join us for the whole afternoon or drop in for just one section.

    All activities are suitable (and fun) for children and adults.

    Tooting Field Day is a collaboration between Transition Town Tooting and local arts organisation fanSHEN.

    To book a (free) place or for more information, click here

  • ‘I never knew you could do so much with paper’

    The title for this first TTT blog post of New Year 2015 is a parent’s comment at our ‘Reduce, Re-use, RESPARKLE!’ crafts making session run with the Tooting Library on the Saturday before Christmas. 

    ‘I never knew you could do so much with paper’ is a great prompt for us all about seeing things differently, about challenge, about taking action, about sustainability, about exploring new skills together across ages and cultures, about appreciating the local settings we have in Tooting (including great community places like the Library), about coming together to have some surprises and fun.

    Those are all ‘resolutions’ that TTT will  aspire to in 2015. 

    What did we do in the ‘RESPARKLE!’ session?

    We used recycled materials and simple methods to enthuse children and adults with making beautiful seasonal decorations, presents or bags from ‘waste’ – old newspapers from the Library, single-side printed A4 docs, juice cartons, and more.

    It was a very full two hours – from a standing start at 2:00 pm, we were almost swamped by lots of nimble fingers, questions, concentration and focus, and smiles…and a big range of ages, nationalities and cultures. 

    We had over 30 children active at once; we had adults making things too, and families setting up tables and doing their own thing (all these activities can be done at home with household materials).  
    We expected a fun session, and this was nearly off the scale….!


     





    Thanks so much to the GLL staff at Tooting Library, and to our six skilful TTT volunteers.
    Cheers to the Children’s Librarian for these nice comments: ‘the event went brilliantly, was well organised, well attended and great fun. I was really pleased to have you along for the day’. 
     
    All welcome at our diverse TTT events – follow this blog, or stay in touch on twitter or on Facebook. 
    To receive our monthly email updates, let us know by emailing us here.



  • Reduce, Re-use, RESPARKLE! crafts workshop

    Tomorrow: Saturday 20th December
    TTT crafts with recycled materials, Tooting Library, 2:00 to 4:00

    Our free drop-in seasonal craft making workshop upstairs at the beautiful Tooting Library, 75 Mitcham Road, SW17 9PD. 

    All welcome, all ages, all tuition and materials provided
    Practical and fun session to illustrate making beautiful things from waste – and reduce carbon. Photos from our 2012 event here
     

    We’ll be using recycled materials to make creative presents, decorations or packages (for yourself or for others). 
    With quite a lot of glitter.

    Many thanks to the team at Tooting Library, and to GLL

    Crafts with recycled materials!
    Our biennial free drop-in seasonal craft making workshop upstairs at the beautiful Tooting Library.
    We’ll be using recycled materials to make creative presents, decorations or packages (for yourself or for others). With quite a lot of glitter.
    All welcome, all ages, all tuition and materials provided.
    Practical and fun session to illustrate making beautiful things from waste – and reduce carbon.
    Photos from our 2012 event here on PD:
    http://www.projectdirt.com/project/7213/#!/journal…
    Many thanks to the team at Tooting Library, and to GLL
    Any queries – email us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com
    – See more at: http://www.projectdirt.com/apps/event/32290/#sthash.fDExqieP.dpuf
    Crafts with recycled materials!
    Our biennial free drop-in seasonal craft making workshop upstairs at the beautiful Tooting Library.
    We’ll be using recycled materials to make creative presents, decorations or packages (for yourself or for others). With quite a lot of glitter.
    All welcome, all ages, all tuition and materials provided.
    Practical and fun session to illustrate making beautiful things from waste – and reduce carbon.
    Photos from our 2012 event here on PD:
    http://www.projectdirt.com/project/7213/#!/journal…
    Many thanks to the team at Tooting Library, and to GLL
    Any queries – email us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com
    – See more at: http://www.projectdirt.com/apps/event/32290/#sthash.fDExqieP.dpuf
    Crafts with recycled materials!
    Our biennial free drop-in seasonal craft making workshop upstairs at the beautiful Tooting Library.
    We’ll be using recycled materials to make creative presents, decorations or packages (for yourself or for others). With quite a lot of glitter.
    All welcome, all ages, all tuition and materials provided.
    Practical and fun session to illustrate making beautiful things from waste – and reduce carbon.
    Photos from our 2012 event here on PD:
    http://www.projectdirt.com/project/7213/#!/journal…
    Many thanks to the team at Tooting Library, and to GLL
    Any queries – email us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com
    – See more at: http://www.projectdirt.com/apps/event/32290/#sthash.fDExqieP.dpuf

    Crafts with recycled materials!
    Our biennial free drop-in seasonal craft making workshop upstairs at the beautiful Tooting Library.
    We’ll be using recycled materials to make creative presents, decorations or packages (for yourself or for others). With quite a lot of glitter.
    All welcome, all ages, all tuition and materials provided.
    Practical and fun session to illustrate making beautiful things from waste – and reduce carbon.
    Photos from our 2012 event here on PD:
    http://www.projectdirt.com/project/7213/#!/journal…
    Many thanks to the team at Tooting Library, and to GLL
    Any queries – email us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com
    – See more at: http://www.projectdirt.com/apps/event/32290/#sthash.fDExqieP.dpuf

  • the heART of the libraries: videos from a community group project in Tooting Library

    the heART of the libraries interactive project has been devised by artist Sam Haynes who has been piloting it with Wandsworth Libraries since the new year, and some of the results are can be seen in Tooting Library until the end of April.

    Two of us from TTT have been involved – this is a creative and original project which is working with diverse local groups and new technology. It’s all about new skills and ‘social’ sustainability linked with the accessible and welcoming community setting of local libraries.

    For example, members of the South London Tamil Welfare Group took part in a short workshop where they learned to use iPads, coached by Chris Nash from the Wandsworth City Learning Centre.



    Even though many participants had never touched an iPad before…

    …very soon they were onto the next step, which was to make a short video of subjects in the Library itself, recording their own commentary alongside the images..

    Now these videos are on view in Tooting Library by a very novel method – each video is accessible via a unique barcode which can be read by a smartphone or iPad with the Microsoft Tag application.

    You’ll find this on the App Store, or download to an android phone from http://gettag.mobi

    Here is one of the barcodes from the set by this group.

    If you download the app to your phone, you will be able to scan this barcode image as it’s shown here on TTT’s blog, in order to see one of the project videos.




    If you go to Tooting Library in the next week, with the app installed on your phone, you can find the other barcodes throughout the libary, and see all the other videos too.
    Sam’s website: http://www.samhaynesart.blogspot.co.uk/

    This technique has encouraged me to think about including this appoach in our Community Garden, Tooting Foodival or Gatton School projects. Children or adults could quickly share their own reponses to their experiences, and participate in fascinating new ways to communicate a story made of images, music or commentary in any language….and we can even design our own barcodes (seasonal vegetables?) to suit each project!  – Charles