Pumpkin carving is a Halloween classic, but did you know there is a tool that can make the creative process easier? The CANARY Original Models (190F and 190FC) are commonly used for cutting cardboard and other paper-based materials, but they can also be a useful tool for pumpkin carving. With their compact and easy-to-handle design, CANARY Cutters make it easier to create everything from simple shapes to more detailed designs. Take Halloween Projects Beyond the Traditional Art Room Pumpkin carving is more than just a Halloween tradition. It can also be a fun hands-on activity that encourages students to explore shapes, patterns, and design. Whether students are creating simple faces or experimenting with more detailed patterns, pumpkin carving gives them an opportunity to turn their ideas into something tangible. CANARY Cutters can also be used for other Halloween projects, such as cutting cardboard decorations and creating paper-based crafts. This makes them a versatile tool for bringing seasonal creativity into the classroom. Bring Halloween Creativity to Your Classroom Halloween is a great time to introduce new hands-on creative activities and let students experiment with different materials. From pumpkin carving to handmade decorations, CANARY Cutters can help bring creative ideas to life.

For teachers, choosing the right cutting tool for classroom projects is about more than simply finding something that cuts. The tool needs to be easy for students to handle, practical for different materials, and appropriate for a classroom environment. In this edition, we spoke with a retired K–5 art teacher from rural Maine who spent more than 20 years teaching art and continues to be active in arts education today. She has been using CANARY Cutters for nearly a decade, both in her own teaching practice and with her students. From everyday classroom activities to large-scale cardboard projects, she shares how CANARY Cutters became an essential tool in her classroom. From 20 Years of Teaching to Arts Education Today Before retiring in 2024, she taught K–5 art for 20 years at a school in rural Maine. Although she has retired from full-time teaching, she continues to volunteer at her former school and remains active as a board member of the Maine Art Education Association. Her experience gives her a unique perspective on the tools that work well in an elementary school art classroom, especially when students are working with materials such as cardboard. Discovering CANARY Cutters She first came across CANARY Cutters about 10 years ago when a co-teacher introduced them to her. After trying them herself, she quickly became a fan. “WOW!” That was her immediate reaction. She liked the cutters enough that she soon purchased a set for her classroom. An Easier Alternative to Traditional Cutters One of the things she appreciated most about CANARY Cutters was how easy they were to use. Compared with traditional box cutters, utility knives, and snap-off blade cutters, she found CANARY Cutters much more convenient for classroom projects. The cutters do not require blades to be replaced or retracted, and their slim design makes them easy to store. The yellow handle also makes them easy to spot among other classroom supplies. For students, the difference was noticeable too. Her students enjoyed experimenting with the cutters, particularly when cutting curves and detailed shapes. She found that they were easier for students to handle than scissors and more comfortable to use for certain cutting tasks. Why Cardboard Projects Became Possible Cardboard was one of the materials she used most frequently in her classroom. Before discovering CANARY Cutters, she found that scissors were not always effective for thicker cardboard. At the same time, she did not feel comfortable giving traditional utility knives or other sharp cutters to her students. CANARY Cutters gave her another option. She describes them as a practical cutting tool for classroom projects involving thick paper products and cardboard, allowing her to introduce projects that would have been difficult to complete with scissors alone. “I would never have been able to do projects with cardboard before I got CANARY Cutters because scissors just didn’t do the job.” From Classroom Projects to Theater Sets One of her most memorable experiences with CANARY Cutters came when the school's theater group asked for help creating cardboard sets. The project involved cutting large sheets of cardboard, something that could have been challenging with ordinary scissors. She brought out her CANARY Cutters and started cutting the large sheets. The theater group was impressed by how easily she was able to work with the cardboard. It was a good example of how a simple cutting tool could open up new possibilities for hands-on creative projects. A Tool for Creative Learning For art teachers, hands-on projects are an important part of helping students explore materials, shapes, construction, and design. The right tools can make it easier for teachers to introduce projects that involve materials such as cardboard and other paper products. Based on her experience, CANARY Cutters became a tool she could rely on for these types of activities. Their compact design, ease of use, and ability to cut cardboard made them a useful addition to her classroom supplies. Her Recommendation to Other Teachers After nearly a decade of using CANARY Cutters, she has a simple message for other educators considering them for their classrooms: “CANARY Cutters are a game changer for safety, cost, and ease of cutting. Every classroom should have a set!” Her experience highlights one of the key challenges of classroom art projects: finding tools that allow students to work creatively while giving teachers practical options for working with different materials. For classrooms that regularly use cardboard and other thick paper products, CANARY Cutters can be a useful tool to have on hand.

The results show a mix of scissors, precision craft knives such as X-Acto knives, and CANARY safety box cutters, as illustrated in the chart above. While scissors are widely used in classrooms, many teachers pointed out that they can be difficult to use when cutting thicker cardboard. Precision craft knives can provide more cutting power, but their sharp blades may not be suitable for classroom environments where student safety is a priority. As hands-on art and craft projects continue to play an important role in education, teachers need tools that offer a practical balance of safety, control, and cutting performance. For projects that involve cardboard and other materials, CANARY safety box cutters can provide an alternative to traditional scissors and precision knives. Designed with safety and ease of use in mind, CANARY box cutters are suitable for a variety of classroom projects and creative activities. They can help students work with materials more easily while giving teachers greater peace of mind when selecting cutting tools for the classroom.