Thursday, July 7, 2022

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









16 comments:

  1. Hello Karen. Your camp theme decorating is just delightful, and it really spoke to me, as my house and front and back yard is basically a camp ground with mountains in the distance and waterfalls and lakes nearby. The flag pillows you made are nice. I love those scenic paintings too. And the plaid thermos! I have been wanting one of those. The doilies are treasures that belonged to your mother-in-law, and I love blue in the home. It's nice that you decorate with sentimental things. I also do that, and just found my grandmother's antique candlestick holders and put them out. Your red radio goes well with the theme, and you have such an assortment of picnic baskets! The wooden watermelon slice is so creative that your mom and dad made. What a treasure that is. And how special your Mother's painting is. The story of your scrabble days as a child was heartwarming. Oh, I loved all of this, Karen. You have been so busy making wonderful things to decorate your home with a camp theme. I must come back and see your post again.

    love ya,
    ~Sheri

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  2. What a great idea to create a summer camp at home, cutting down on all the travelling and being able to have all your favourite things to eat! All your decorative touches look great, I loved your Mum's painting of Mt Ranier such a lovely momento. I hope you enjoyed the 4th July, the year really is charging on. Take care x

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  3. Well, I've certainly enjoyed my visit to Camp Wannabe.
    Lovely photographs, stories and memories you've shared, thank you.

    Enjoy July.

    All the best Jan
    .

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  4. Dear Karen...Your home is charming and cozy! You always are an inspiration! I am grateful for your beautiful blog and your sweetness and kindness. Such beauty as ever...

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  5. Your camp theme looks so darling in your home with all the red, white and blue decor. Your mom’s painting is so pretty and I’m happy that you can enjoy it. I have many of my mom’s clothes (she dressed so darn cute) that I wear and then have her near me. I also have many of her special things that are treasures.

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  6. Karen, I love your "camp". The pillows are so sweet and the gingham is perfect fo anytime. I absolutely love you story about growing up and it just brings back waves of memories for me. We didn't have a summer home, we lived that life every day, but sadly, at the time, I didn't see it as anything special. It was just our way of life. Opening the bedroom windows at night, where my sister and I slept in the same bed and our brother had a bed across the room. We could hear the creek running at the back of the house. Like I said, it was just home and we didn't think anything of it, until now. We truly didn't know how special our life was..Love your mother's painting and can certainly understand your feelings about it. Thank you, dear friend, for taking me back..Happy Summer..xxoJudy

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  7. Hi Karen!
    So where do I go to enroll to Camp Wannabe? Lol
    I love the adorable camp touches you've added. I think my favorite is that watermelon - and the fact that your folks made it is just the coolest!! And I love that you finally hung that artwork of your Mom's. It hit me right in the heart. I see where you get your artistic talents.
    And I love your library room. I would LIVE in that room! And the games are such a perfect touch for camp. 😉 I love your memories and how your descriptions transport me right there. And I remember that funny camp song!! Hadn't heard it in ages. Blessings on your continued summer fun. xo

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  8. I love the way this camp theme look. I love the pillows and paintings and it looks great for the summer. I hope you are having a nice summer and thanks for the tour of your home Karen.

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  9. I really enjoyed my visit to Camp Wannabe Karen! You are a wonderful Camp Director and I'm so happy I got to come to camp this summer!! Seriously, your home is lovely and your creativity and skills in decorating are amazing to me as I am not at all talented in either of those areas. Another reason we have chosen the tiny home/travel lifestyle instead (besides our mutual love of travel). I loved having our "big" house and lots of room when we raised our children. But the "second life" of the house never quite came together for me.

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  10. i had so many favorite parts of camp wannabe...i always look forward to the changing decor of your little cabin. i don't think you have ever decorated with a camp theme and it all came together nicely. i really like the pillows that you made from towels, what a clever idea!! i LOVE your tv room and the way it is set up with the games on the table, it is all so well thought out and super comfortable and inviting!!

    i enjoyed seeing the stack of books as well!!

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  11. Like how you decorated, I haven't done anything all summer long really as far as decorating. Like your ideas to have games handy to play whenever the want arises! Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.

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  12. Liebe Karen,
    wie schön an Deiner Sommer-Camp-Deko teilhaben zu dürfen. Deine wunderschönen Erinnerungen haben in mir selbst auch so tolle Kindheitserinnerungen hervorgerufen...Das bestätigt wieder einmal: Gute und schöne ERinnerungen sind wie ein Stück Paradies, das einem keiner nehmen kann.
    Dir alles, alles Liebe
    Heidi

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  13. This is one hundred percent the best! I love every photo, every perfect touch. The dishtowel pillows are great -- I think the main reason I'd like to sew is to make pillows like that! And my favorite touches are the personal ones -- especially the watermelon slice made by your parents together and the painting your mom did of her view. Love the games -- I'm a huge game fan! This just speaks to me of summer and I have this very happy vision of you and your sisters, all children, sleeping together in that big bed and great quiet! Oh, this is such a treat -- visually and in memory, too! Happy week at "camp" Karen!

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  14. Karen,
    You know I always love your home but I so enjoyed what you did to create your own camp at home!! Wonderful and was so happy t see how you used things that you had around the house...I like to think that I created my very own Bed and Breakfast in our little townhouse. In fact, I have been doing a series of posts on that since I decorated my Dining Room like a Tea room for the Summer...Stop by if you get a chance to see what I have been up to!!
    Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  15. memories, beauty, I feel the cabin feeling from this Karen...

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  16. Hello Karen,
    sorry for mistakes in my English.
    My name is Iris (Eggert) and I am from Germany. I found your blog during reading a lot of American blogs at another blog.
    I was very astonished to read your profile. We have so many same interests , favourite films , music and books, I could not believe.
    For example:" All Creatures Great and Small".
    I love the books and I have all the original old British films.
    Or most of your favourite films I watched more than once because I love them,too.
    And your favourite music....absolutely my taste....Sting, Led Zeppelin,the Doors, Diana Krall and so on.
    I never found a person in all the blogs with so many similarities.
    And our hobbys are also very similar!
    I admired your summer decoration ,especially the cushions you have sewed from dishtowels....a great idea!
    More than 15 years I had an own blog called " Herzblatt".
    I showed all my quilts and other things I have sewed in the course of the years. And I love knitting, cooking, decorating, reading and having friends all over the world.
    Unfortunately I stopped going on with my blog some years ago, but now I have much more time because I am retired and I would like to start with a new blog.
    We have good friends in England and I enyoy meeting them over many years.
    I also love speaking English.

    I have two children and a wonderful husband who I married in 1976.
    I have 3 lovely grandchildren.

    I would be very glad to come in contact with you.
    My email adress is :
    lennilennartz7@gmail.com
    Best wishes
    Iris

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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