kool aid tie dye

so i found out after using kool aid to paint with (a past camp fire meeting) that it stains everything like crazy. the tablecloth we had used while painting had the most amazing tie dyed look to it (i am sure there is a photo of that somewhere in this blog...) anyways i had a eureka moment to make our t-shirts using the kool aid. it smells divine and since we are outside at camp we can make a huge mess

it took about 5 minutes to set up too, easy easy. i recommend making it very concentrated so the colors are bright. we did notice a difference between 100% cotton t shirts vs polyester blends (the cotton worked better) and i liked the effect having a wet vs painting/ dripping onto a dry t shirt (i must note though that if you want these t-shirts to really last and stay true to color you need to set the dye better, maybe with vinegar? we made these knowing the kids would destroy them during the week and probably throw them out. it was the process of making them that i focused on, one kid came with a pink shirt on the last day because she had washed it, oops!)






there were local journalists here that day doing an article on our camp so of course the kids loved being photographed!



one of the crafts we did in the lodge was knapsack tie dye and then sewing... it was a really easy way to teach kids to sew and it looked cute with the girls t shirts. i actually think this idea was so cool i might make some purses/knapsacks for myself with this pattern. so easy!
i am busy planning a HUGE monstrous italy trip for next year and we head out to utah next week. more photos of camp and our trip coming up!

i'm still here....

just recovering from a week of camp shiwaka (the BEST ever!! photos to come) and getting ready for a trip to utah and then i am off to london with my mom.... stay tuned!



just a "few" things i brought to camp with me this year...

summer + park

Camp Wintaka

the kids spent a week at camp wintaka and boy was it strange having no kids around! i found it refreshing in some ways and really lonely in others. i know that my kids love camp and this was lizzies first time to finally go with her big sister. getting ready to go she showed a few signs of being overwhelmed and i got a tiny feeling she might actually get homesick. upon her return she said she was fine and never really missed us much. it's perfectly natural to miss your kids or for kids to miss their parents and i think it's a great life lesson to muster through it and realize you will be ok, that missing someone means you love them. 

i admit i was teary eyed when liz came off the bus







we had a "date breakfast" this morning, cleaned up the house and set up a special lunch for the girls (flowers in vase for a special touch). girls arrived at 2pm, tired but happy. i am so glad my kids are experiencing the same camp i did, loved hearing all the stories about what they did and what they ate and how much they loved their counselors. emily has already picked her camp name (for when she is a counselor) M and M of course!

Acoustic Tidal Artwalk

i have posted about this event in the past, this is our second time hosting a craft table and it went off without a hitch again. i wanted to get rid of some of my leftovers from camp fire meetings, my garage is packed to the rafters with so much "stuff" so i repeated things i have done before. 

clothespin people/creatures was a really big hit (with the adults too)



friendship bracelets (didn't have a good photo of that table but it's the crowded one you see here)



and last.... the poo poo pops! i saw this here and thought i would try it. basically a take off of the seed bomb idea.



clay dirt (from my own backyard of crappy clay) + worm castings (the "poo") and water mixed with seeds (we used the natives we have collected for years: poppies and sundflowers)



mixed up and then put into paper cups with a popsicle stick



once dry, just pop it into the ground. this was a big hit but i was very surprised that not ONE kid wanted to mix the dirt/seeds by hand!! i didn't bring a spoon but after i realized no one would touch the dirt i found a stick to stir it up. i had planned for dirty hands so had buckets of fresh water to rinse and baby wipes for extra clean up. strange, huh?



some artwork on along the water. basically this is a showcase for local artists and musicians (there is a stage set up) and art is hung on huge posts along the waters edge. it's a magical event with the sun setting behind the artwork, music playing, kids running around and the fresh air coming off the ocean. the lagoon is a section of wetlands that is in the midst of being restored and the same people who have saved it are helping with los cerritos wetlands. everyone working together to save what little wetlands remains here






the bottlecap chain was my favorite i think



feather earrings and extensions are all the rage here right now






someday i hope i can have a booth of my own paintings... we'll see!

kayak

my new love

paddling in the bay, the same bay i used to swim in as a kid. great exercise, fresh air and there is even a channel leading into the wetlands! If you are a local, i highly recommend renting kayaks and checking out the bay and naples island.

summer flies by

finally some r and r at the cabin!
special time with grandparents at the children's forest






we supersized our pool this year, my biggest dream is to have a REAL pool but for now this makes the heat waves manageable...




happy summer!!