Summer camps — then and now

I went to summer camp for nine years as a kid. It was a small, family-run all-girls overnight camp in western New Jersey near the Delaware Water Gap called Camp Nyoda — the same camp that my mother and aunt went to as girls. That's me, fifth from the left in what I'm guessing was about 1986.

From the very first summer when I called home halfway through the first week and asked to stay longer, I knew that I was in a special place. It was a place that nurtured creativity in all its forms, embraced individuality while helping us form deep, lasting relationships. My seven years as a camper and two as a counselor at Camp Nyoda truly formed the person I would become and was where I most felt myself.

I'm reflecting on this time in part because I have been lucky enough to find a new camp tradition at Small Craft's Craft-a-way camp which happens this coming weekend in Waterloo State Park here in Michigan. Hooray! This will be my third year at Craft-A-Way camp and each time I am flooded with memories of my childhood camp experiences.

But really, Nyoda is in my thoughts these days because they suffered a great loss this spring when a fire wiped out four of the seven bungalows campers and counselors live in for the summer. In true Nyoda spirit, there has been an outpouring of support to get everything rebuilt and up and running for the 2015 camp season that starts July 5. They are almost there! If by chance you'd like to lend a hand — or send some dollars — the Give Forward campaign to rebuild is here. 

Craft-a-way Camp 2014

I am officially in full-on summertime mode. It all started with a weekend spent at Craft-a-way Camp in the Waterloo Rec Area. Organized by Amy and Ethan Cronkite of Small Craft, the weekend was jam-packed with crafty workshops, making, laughing and spending time in the greatest of outdoors. We checked our phones at the door (voluntarily) and I left my camera at home, so all of these wonderful photos are courtesy of Amy Cronkite.

 This one says it all!

 Getting to know you…

 Andy Sell, working his magic…

 Printing from plants in progress…

 Our crafting area in action…

 Some tie dyes hanging out…

 The chock-o-block schedule and a dreamy dream catcher…

 Modern dream catcher supplies…

 Camp fire singing from official camp songbooks… no joke.

My own dreamy modern dreamcatcher 

We made journals, screenprinted totes, wrapped sticks, turned old t-shirts into stunning jewelry, transferred images onto all kinds of surfaces and so much more. The whole weekend set the stage for good times this summer. and got my creative making juices flowing I can't wait for next year! 

Craft-A-Way Camp

I spent a weekend in the woods at Craft-A-Way Camp! Amazing, right? Amy and Ethan of Small Craft organized a weekend camp for 20 people to come out to the woods and learn new crafts, gather round the fire and relax. Amazing! 

Here you see Andy Sell, the Foraging Florist leading us on a morning hike through the woods to gather material for a floral centerpiece created with a floral frog he taught us to make.

Right around the end of that session, I decided to put the camera away and just enjoy the experience. But we went on to learn screenprinting techniques and print our own craft-a-way- camp t-shirts, learned meditative stick wrapping and painting with Val Willer, reverse applique with Karen LePage, made gorgeous wood bead necklaces with Courtney Fischer. Lots of eating, drinking and fire time.

Here's one final shot of our craft cocktail session, of course. Such a great way to lead into the week of July 4th and it truly made me feel like summer has set it.