As you may or may not know this week 18th – 24th March is Shakespeare Week. A week to celebrate the renown English playwright, poet, and actor. In his lifetime Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) wrote some of the most famous plays still being performed today. He wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems. Plus a few other minor works.

To help celebrate Shakespeare Week Viking Office Supplies offered to send me a box of goodies filled with items which I could use to create something which would capture Shakespeare or his work perfectly.

When the box arrived it was bigger than I was expecting and filled with random items. Now I do have to admit I am not arty one little bit – although my husband disagrees with me on this one as he’s seen me do art projects with the kids. Alas, I flunked out of art at school and even chose to take two foreign languages so I didn’t have to do a GCSE in Art. I’m just forewarning you not to expect a masterpiece!

Calligraphy Pen Set

Chisel Tip Sharpie

Coloured Pens

Gold Frame

Postcard and Stamps

Parchment and Coloured Paper

Shakespeare Play Book

Literary Tea – Romeo and Juliet

Wooden Letters

I began my search for what to create by researching Shakespeare and seeing what Shakespeare plays I could make out of the wooden letters. After finding I could make Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Henry V (plus IV and VI), As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew, Tempest, Winter’s Tale, King John, Pericles, Coriolanus, and Cymbeline, there could be only one play for me, the only one I hate actually read and studied at school – Macbeth (The Scottish Play).

Next began the search for what other words I could find and low and behold I could make ‘King of Scotland’ too – this was beginning to come together nicely.

So I set out making my art project. After a lot of trial and error, I created something that I don’t think is that bad. You might think it looks a bit naff, but I’m actually quite pleased with myself, even if I can’t write neatly with a calligraphy pen. No amount of practicing was making me any better! The book is a fun way to get younger people interesting in Shakespeare as it uses emoji’s to create words to do with Shakespeare. Can you image what he would have thought of that?

I didn’t use the tea (although I think this was more for drinking), as I don’t like tea. It does, however, look very pretty. I also didn’t use the postcard and stamps as I need to think of someone to send it too.

www.viking-direct.co.uk