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26 Sep

Self-Expression

Every child wants the freedom to show the world who they are, they want to explore the mediums available in their day to day life and they want to navigate their own version of self-expression. Some children love Lego, others like to paint, some even like to build elaborate stories while rearranging their immediate environment to suit their imagination in that very moment. For the most part, you will find they are gathering what is accessible to them and most of the time that would be the stationery supplies they see every day.

They will draw signs for their “shop”, they will paint the perfect picture for Barbies wall or create a whole new racetrack for their favourite car using an old delivery box and every instrument of creativity they can get their hands on. This is not only fun; it is a way for a child to showcase their skills and understanding. It is a beautiful way for parents to get to know their children. Even better, being a part of this self-expression as a parent is quite exciting. Children engage with their parents when they feel seen and heard. By using art and colour this is exactly how children get our attention.

Why you ask, well, how many homes have you been into with children that do not have a wall, fridge door or room dedicated to their children’s art projects? We all gleam with pride when our children bring us something they have made, we love watching them show us the play or dance they created, we giggle when they bring us their attempt at a “store-bought” card. It’s beautiful for parents to know that their child worked so hard at making something they are proud of. Feed that, take part in their stories and creations, the worst thing that will happen is you will get paint on your hands but the smile on their faces will be imprinted on your heart forever. 

24 Sep

Being Responsible

One of the first things parents want to teach their children is to take care of what is theirs, their toys, their home, their stationery. A child’s first experience with colour is of course what is in their environment. Small children have big bold blocks, toys, colouring books, colouring pens, wax crayons, play dough and various types of paper and board. Older children have access to felt tip pens, a vast collection of coloured pencils, paints and other implements of creativity. Even young adults tend to carry massive stationery bags because they always feel the need to highlight or bring attention to something important. 

As parents we want our children to see what their things are and of course, take care of what was given to them. This is where a sense of responsibility and pride comes into play, by leading as their examples we show them how to take care of their stuff. We show them how to mark their stationery, how to pack things away so that these things are easily found the next time they need them. They are taught how to collect as well as return what is to be used for the day. When they are done producing whatever it is they were driven to create, their artworks get put up all over the house, because as parents want our children to see how proud of them we are. 

These seemingly mundane daily practices of taking care of your stuff and being respectful of other people’s stuff become a lifelong habit. The more “grown-up” a small child feels because of their sense of responsibility and pride, the easier it becomes for them to use these newly gained skills in all parts of their lives, from their bedrooms to the classroom and everything in between.

24 Sep

Homeschooling

Homeschooling is becoming quite normal these days, not just in South Africa but across the globe. Families have a desire to connect with their children on a deeper level and proactively guide their children through their learning experience. 

In most cases, the first step to homeschooling children that have been in school is to de-school. Breaking the structures and routines of school. This process is well received by children that have access to art and craft supplies as well as writing materials like different pens and books. One of the primary reasons for this is to provide an environment for the child to express themselves using colouring, writing, painting and playing. 

Children, especially younger children learn through play and tactile exploration. It is a vital part of their understanding and development to see and touch the world while still seeking answers to their questions. Colour and freedom of expression are one of the easiest ways to engage with children of all ages. By involving your child in the process of building up and stocking the “stationery cupboard” and the “classroom” you are giving them responsibility as well as authority over their “working” environment, this begins the process of independence, a sense of responsibility and pride in who they are and the work they do.

20 Sep

#WESUPPORTGRETA

The world is gathering by the millions as we all stand behind Greta Thunberg who is currently addressing politicians with regards to the fight for Climate Justice, the fight for the future of every generation living now and those to come. I admit I am moved by this girl!

She is a child who is fighting for something that should matter to every single one of us. SHE IS FIGHTING FOR OUR HOME!This girl has brought me to tears, not because I am sad, but because I’m proud of her! She is raising up armies of people to fight for one absolutely crucial cause! She has shifted the focus from individuality to unity. She is getting teachers, parents, workers, packers, delivery personnel, directors, managers and children to unify for this movement!

There are millions of people posting their pictures standing against the Climate Crisis we face today; she is bringing awareness to this with such passion it is absolutely amazing to see. If we don’t listen and start standing with Greta, we are going to be on the receiving end of very harsh reality. THIS IS OUR HOME!

What we are fighting for, is that we all make the changes needed to secure the future we claim to hold dear for our children.

How can we continue to ignore this problem, when this girl, is traversing the inner workings of our political leaders to make us shift from a population of destroyers into a gathering of world changers! I stand by Greta, We stand by Greta! We will be a part of the solution!

A beautiful world is achieved by beautiful people!

Charcoal Art 15 May

When Charcoal Burnt into the Pages of the Art World

Charcoal as an artistic medium was used in cave paintings and to outline temple drawing in ancient Egypt!

 

Charcoal modern ArtWhich means it’s been around for EVER as an artistic tool.

Front runners and revolutionary men like Matisse and Picasso brought more charcoal into the limelight, followed by a wealth of other talented artists using the medium. As the 20th century dawned, it became apparent that Charcoal was here to stay and be doted on.

Here at Statesman, we have an EPIC range of Charcoal products https://bit.ly/2L3LTdP along with all the Canvas and Sketchbooks you could ever need.

It all starts at Statesman Stationery…

 

 

catalogue 16 Apr

Customised Catalogue Creations

As we have mentioned, the Chamber of Idea’s here at Statesman HQ has been super active lately, and after gallons of coffee, a whole lot of return trips to the drawing boards, we came up with a feature that went live today, designed to not only streamline your shopping experience but to soup it up to warp speed.

To make your shopping experience the best we can, YOU now can create a customized catalogue based around what products you are interested in.

Catalogue, Classify and, Create

Lets say you are only interested in canvases, just log onto our main site, find the category you need (in this case Arts and Crafts), select it, switch to laid back shopping once the full category has loaded; choose the product your interested in, namely Canvases, and once all the products are loaded you can just click one button and BOOM – like magic, before you’re very eyes, your own personal Catalogue that only features Canvases appears as a PDF.

Showcasing every canvas, its full description, reference number, up to date pricing and a QR Code that you can scan and get straight to the website, plus its a PDF so that you can email away.

Catalogue and Share

Not sure what to get your niece for her birthday, send mum a catalogue. The boss wants options for a new calculator and diary..like yesterday. ZING, ” Oh, here’s a customized catalogue, I just threw together .”

We have literally changed shopping forever, the only thing that’s missing is your name branded onto it..but give it time. But don’t take our word, try it for yourself at Statesman Stationery.

Remember, it all starts at At Statesman Stationery

catalogue

Chairbag 07 Apr

The Chairbag of Champions

The Amazing Store It All – The Chairbag

Of all the things I remember and miss about school the most ( and this is it, the full list folks), nothing ever came close to the chairbag. Such a simple and yet brilliant invention!

You always knew where your books were; your stationery was safe and sound. And you got to decorate it to make it truly yours!

Everything from badly painted ManUnited logos and indistinguishable superheroes, your name in your best handwriting, stars, glitter glue, those super cool iron or stick on material stickers from the local Singer shop or haberdashery, the possibilities were endless.

And So Were The Chairbag Surprises!

And when the holidays came around and you tipped everything out of your chairbag, and I do mean everything; there was always a surprise of sorts!

That Ghostbusters lunchbox you thought you lost that still had a cheese ( now fur ) sandwich safely tucked away, along with the bottle of orange juice that was now probably ninety % proof after three weeks of the South African summer.

The humble chairbag really helped to develop a sense of responsibility and creativity. And the great thing is that Statesman Stationery stocks a range of hardy chairbags, in jet black or classic denim (https://goo.gl/FeHY8g) along with marker pens, waterproof paints, and everything possible your youngster might need to make the start of their big adventure, even bigger.

Remember: It all starts at Statesman Stationery

Chairbag

Abacus 01 Apr

The Amazing Abacus

The Amazing Abacus Has Been Around For Centuries And Still Going Strong…

As incredible as it is to believe, we are not talking about Keith Richards ( I’m a huge fan BTW..)

No, we are talking about the basic and humble Abacus.

It was about 600 BC that the Persians first began to use the abacus and you would think it would have faded out decades ago, but it is still used in parts of Eastern Europe, Russia, China, and Africa by clerks, merchants and traders and they are still used to teach arithmetic to children.

(Personally, I just loved to see how fast I could shift the beads along the wires).

However, it’s been shown that by learning how to calculate with an Abacus, one can improve your mental calculation which becomes faster and more accurate.

Abacus AMS Learning

Abacus‐based mental calculation (AMC)

Abacus‐based mental calculation (AMC) was derived from the abacus which means doing calculation, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, in mind with an imagined Abacus.

It is a high-level cognitive skill that runs through calculations with an effective algorithm. People doing long-term AMC training show higher numerical memory capacity and have more effectively connected neural pathways.

So… It’s not just a game of speed sliders! Kids who learn to count and calculate with an Abacus have a chance at developing a stronger skill working with numbers.

In a nutshell, learn with an Abacus, get ahead of the pack.

Plus let’s face it, those games of how quickly you could move the beads make for some cool childhood memories.

Remember, it all starts at Statesman Stationery

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