Puffy paint might be my new favorite thing

Puffy paint, has, for years been a craft supply that I always had on hand, but rarely used...(not sure why, come to think of it!). This summer, however, I have had some fun with the puffy paint on hand, and ended up creating some pretty cool projects. These all are going to take more than one class session, since drying time is a MUST , but the final product is well worth it. Instructions are simple. Using a pencil or marker, lightly sketch your design directly onto your piece. (I have used glass jars and canvas....the possibilities are endless). I then used white puffy paint to go over the designs. Allow to dry completely, and then add acrylic paint directly over the puffy paint. Two coats should do it! A quick spritz of a clear glaze on glassware helps add a seal...and it looks super cool!

The Art of Camp

Forty plus years ago, I was a little girl attending day camp.  I remember lining up at the pool practicing my kicks.  I remember a certain counselor who used to read us stories.  And I remember crying.  Day after day of crying.  Then one year, I went to overnight camp.  All I remember from that experience was a lot of crying.  I didn't like it.  My subsequent summers were spent taking art and drama classes at our local schools.  I was never much of a camper.  Surprising isn't it that a lady who has spent much of her adult life working in the camping industry, was a miserable little camper.

I think I was pretty unique.  The camps I went to were pretty nice, had great programming and made the majority of the kids happy.

The problem was, that I was not really like the majority of kids.  I was an artsy kid.  The outdoors.  The sports, the competitive nature of these camps was just not my cup of tea.

What these camps lacked were strong arts programs to grasp my attention, to engage me and make me, a shy, clumsy little girl, feel like I was welcome, like I was part of  a crowd.

Of course many years have passed, and the camp industry has very much evolved, and now there are specialty camps that cater to the Artsy Child (I recommend Appel Farm Arts Camp for kids that want to completely immerse themselves in a summer of creativity).    There are also strong art programs at liberal arts camps that teach everything from Digital Photography to Glass Fusing.  There are so many more choices now, and campers of all interests and talent levels are the beneficiaries.  I would have done so well...if only I'd been born a few decades later!!

I came upon this article about the importance of Arts Programming at camp and just had to share.


The Art of Camp: How Arts Programs Fuel Self-Expression and Youth Development | American Camp Association

From Pinterest to Reality

Working on our hand print dinosaurs

Like many crafty and creative people, I have found Pinterest, and fallen in love.  Deeply in love.  It inspires me, keeps me organized, archives my creativity and more.  In the off season, I work at a Paint Your Own Pottery Studio, and I collect ideas on Pinterest to inspire my customers who need a little creative nudge to get started with their creations.  It's "Short Attention Span Theater", which is perfect for me and my ADD...It allows me to network with other members of the Craft and Pottery Communities, and allows me to share my accomplishments with my friends and family.  I <3 Pinterest, and I'm not afraid to admit it.

So...many of us who use Pinterest find that, more often than not, we find amazing ideas, but rarely follow through on actually doing any of the projects that make our crafty minds salivate when we first see them.  But, I am pleased as punch to admit, that I have had some opportunities to bring these ideas into reality!

So, today I share with you, my lil' Pinterest Board, "From Pinterest to Reality" - These are Pinterest ideas, that I shaped into age appropriate camp crafts.  Perhaps not quite as polished as the original ideas, but beautiful nonetheless, as these are created by children between the ages of 2 and 12...enjoy!

Here's the inspiration and the reality

I'm Baaaa-aaack

I've been MIA for a while now, I actually took a break from being the Camp Art Lady and worked in Camp Administration...as much as I enjoyed the experience, I missed the opportunity to work with kids and arts and crafts and messy supplies! So I'm coming back to the fold, and working at a day camp this year, teaching Creative Crafting. It will be a very different experience to not go to sleep-away camp, but we are looking forward to it, nonetheless...in the meantime, I have a Pinterest account, which I have enjoyed pinning to...so feel free to browse here and there! :)

Paper Mache Mini-Mannequin

The Artful Crafter bring us this darling jewelry holder craft. Using a paper mache mini-mannequin, you basically decoupage the outside, add wire, and embellish as you like. This is a great camp craft, though, you will have to search hard for the paper mache mannequin base.

I searched on etsy, and found one here.

I love this craft. It's pretty, it's simple and most of all, it's USEFUL!

Click here for full tutorial.

Great Web Site!

DollarStoreCrafts.com

ENJOY!!

Proud

Each summer, I get to take on new challenges, and this summer was no exception. My job, has morphed from simply teaching Arts and Crafts into greater responsibilities including costuming our camp play, special events programming and this.

Three years ago, on a whim, I decided to create a little movie for our end of season banquet. Traditionally, at camp, we celebrated the end of the summer with a "themed" dinner party complete with decorations, centerpieces and even tablecloths (a big deal in camp world!) Anyone who knows me well, knows I love to throw a party, and love good surprises even more.

The theme 3 years ago was a Fifties Soda Shop. "And let's make a movie, too," I thought. Before I knew it, I recast the iconic movie Grease starring members of our camp upper staff. We whipped up some costumes, created a script and somehow, my colleagues were ready and eager to participate. Blessedly, my "Danny Zuko" was so excited by the endeavor, he dove in and took over editing responsibilities. And so, our little production company was born.

Somehow, I'm not sure how, in four days in 2007, we produced a movie that thrilled, surprised and enthralled our campers. This summer banquet has changed from being an exclamation point at the end of our summer, to a favorite and beloved event for our campers and staff.

The theme we chose this summer was also reflective of a special era in our history. The Eighties. Amazing that a time that is so fresh in my mind has now become nostalgia. Defining the '80's of course, is MTV, the inspiration for our video.

For a creative person, there is nothing cooler than taking an idea and turning it into reality. I'm so proud of this endeavor and am so glad to share it with you today!


PS: If you look closely, you may even see the "Camp Art Lady" in this video...she's hanging out in a room with a Jukebox!

Camp Saginaw Banquet 2009 from Jason Darnell on Vimeo.