Camp Wannabe

 Hello, Dear Friends! 

Now that July is officially underway, 

I decided to celebrate summer by doing a bit 

of redecorating. 

I thought it would be fun to do a 'camp' theme! 

Some of us are lucky to have a summer cottage, 

but we aren't one of them :), so, I thought, why not 

create our own 'summer camp' here at home? 

I started by sewing some sweet pillow covers out of 

dish towels! I made the flag pillow a few years ago, also out of dish towels. 

My local craft store always 

has a big selection of dish towels to choose from. 

They are affordable and I love the homespun fabric. 

The mattress cover on the daybed is a canvas drop-cloth. 

I shopped my home for most everything to 

complete the camp theme. 

xx 

The woven throw came from

 my bedroom. 

I have a small collection of landscape paintings

that I have collected over the years from flea markets. 

These are usually upstairs in my sons' former bedroom. 

I fashioned a curtain out of a large tablecloth that I had 

in my linen cupboard by securing the folded  

top with curtain ring clips. 

Another scenic painting above my Hoover cabinet. 

My plaid thermos goes along with the theme. 

I've had the 'Ritz Cracker' tin for years. 

The navy blue and white doilies were 

my dear Mother-in-law's. I love using 

sentimental things in my decorating. 

These are funky and have the perfect 

colors to be 'camp'. Plus, they protect 

the vintage enamel surface from scratches. 

Inside stays the same, but I changed the cookbook 

for the season. 

The cupboard door has a handy pocket just for this purpose. 

Summer camps definitely need games...

And lots of picnic baskets! 

Red gingham. 

Vintage style aprons. 

My sign says, 'Junk Girl'. 

It was a gift from my daughter, Heather. 

One person's junk is another's treasure. 

xx

Another cracker tin. They make great 

'campy' flower holders. 

The Mr. hung a bamboo shade for me. 

I had bought it years ago and never used it. 

I guess I was saving it for a rainy day. 

xx

The lanterns and Pepsi-Cola bottles are vintage. 

My Mom and Dad made the watermelon slice. 

My Dad cut it out of wood and my Mom painted it. 

I love the little bite marks. 

A tiny painting. 

I bought lots of extra dish towels. 

They come in handy to use as 

tray liners and napkins. 

I'm always adding to my collection. 

 I bought the apple cutting board at the flea-market 

I went to recently. 

I've had the apple clock for years.

Each hour from 12 shows a little bite taken out 

of an apple. 

xx 

My Mother painted this the last year of her life. 

It is the view she had from her beloved home 

just down the old gravel road from us, where my parents lived for 30 years. 

I couldn't hang it for a long time because it made me feel so sad, 

but now I am able to enjoy this little scene from her own eyes. 

xoxo

It wouldn't be a summer camp without lots of games! 

Scrabble is a favorite. 

When I was a child, my father's boss, Mr. Butler, 

let us use his cabin in the White mountains of New Hampshire

every summer. I've written about it before, but the game 

of Scrabble brings back this fond memory. 

We played every evening before heading upstairs under 

the eaves to bed. 

There was a little game table and four chairs, made in the Adirondack style

of lacquered branches and hand-split wood, against the wall 

beneath the staircase. 

Next to the table was a small cabinet filled with games, 

but the table was always set with a scrabble board and a small, leather-bound dictionary.

We would play until it got dark, have a snack of cocoa and cookies, 

and say goodnight to my parents who slept downstairs. 

We had our pick of four vintage iron, quilt covered feather beds, 

but my sisters and I would all sleep in the 'big bed' together. 

We were small and the room was large, 

and we weren't used to the absolute quiet and darkness

of the old cabin along the side of the little mountain. 

But when morning arrived, and the sun streamed in 

through the little paned window under the eaves, 

it was pure magic. 

The birds would be singing, the air was so fresh and pure, 

and we couldn't wait to go exploring in the countryside. 

Thinking of those wonderful times when we set aside 

the troubles and strife of everyday life, 

and just enjoyed each day, 

brings back such a wave of nostalgia in my heart. 

xx

Nature studies are a pre-requisite of summer camp. 

Camp Wannabe. 

xx

The main lobby :)

Painting lessons. 

The mascot. 

I hope that you enjoyed visiting 

Camp Wannabe, Dear Friends! 

Next time we'll go on a nature walk together! 

xoxo

Funny Vintage Camp Song