Taking Time Out To Do Community At Camp

The people are here! The people are here!

Life up here continues as we live out our summer exploring, creating and having lots of family time together.  It's a summer I am sure to remember and I am quite certain will have a hard time saying goodbye to.  Yes, we could have stayed home for the summer and been much more comfortable on so many levels: nice soft beds with no kids in them, space to cook, bathrooms, laundry machines, the security of a regular paycheque, hot water for dishes (a sink for dishes for that matter), and here's a BIG one, a crib to contain my 2 year old in.  But hey, who really wants to be THAT comfortable???? I truly believe the time up here is so much richer than all of those other things.  We have had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet so many new people over the past few weeks.  It has really stood out to me how much more happier we all are being around people on a regular basis.  Back home we have lots of good people around us but don't always take the time to really spend time together.  It's been so easy just to get into a busy mode and keep going with my own deadlines in my head which many times are unrealsitic.  Up here I have been forced to slow down and let go of getting as much done as I have wanted.  Taking the time to embrace one another has become more of a priority.

Oliver Pengilley: an amazing artist from the U.K.

This weekend we had the privilege to meet Oliver Pengilley, an artist from the U.K. http://www.oliverpengilley.co.uk  He spent the weekend here at the camp painting during the church sevices.  It was really amazing to see what all he painted on the canvas and how so many people responded to what he was painted because it had touched them in some way.  He offered a painting worskhop that Steve and I signed up for and did.  It was lots of fun and very informative!  I really enjoyed his work and his style and it also showed me once again that I have my own unique style, just as everyone else in the group did.  That's what I love about art... we all have our own style! There were about 30 people in the workshop and we all painted the same picture with step by step instruction.  But something very magical happened when I looked at everyones paintings.  Not one of them were the same.  Every person there had there own idea of how to paint the picture.  Some used more paint, others less, some lots of brushstrokes, others were very blended.  How pleasing was it to my eyes to see all that diversity coming from one original source painting.  It was once again a good reminder that you really can't compare what you do to others because you are so unique and what is inside of you is so unique that it is uncomparable!

Steve and I  with our masterpieces after a great workshop with Oliver.

So even though we haven't been doing as much as I have liked creatively, we are still expressing our creativity and sharing with others our journey along the way.  So maybe next week I will be able to finish some projects.  In the meantime I will continue to live out each day creatively one step at a time enjoying all that is around me.
So Just what have we been doing around here lately?????

Let the fireworks begin!

Setting up my art at the camp. A great way to meet lots of people.


That was until a rain storm came and left me and Steve standing under a soaking tent in the middle of a field.  I should have listened to the weather man!!

There is always time for the beach.  Steve got creative with the sand and threw in a lesson on rivers and lakes!
Gotta love school in the summer!

My Lucy!  She really lights up my day!  Making a super cape from an old pillow case and decorating it with markers!

The family portrait on the super cape. YIKES our pants are missing!  At least we've got shoes on.

What is this photo doing in here?  Well you never know who you meet and where it may take you.  We met a really nice family that lives down the road that has the most high tech diary farm I have ever seen!  So we took a tour that I know the kids will remember.  One more school lesson done.

Lining up for milking. 

Finishing the day with a wing shindig: hay, country music, and yummy wings!  Stevie where is your cowboy hat?

Food to sleep to! Good night all.

Steve Writes A Post: The Little Details in Life

I've been thinking about doing a post of my own for some time and today felt like a good day to do it.  I really just want to allow you into our journey from my (Steve's) perspective and how I am embracing creativity in all of this.

First thing is I need to say to everyone how proud I am of Trish!!  She's a woman of vision and big dreams and often when someone has so many ideas, it can be hard to get them started and moving along.  So this is awesome that Trish has gotten things going and I'm so excited to see where this creative journey goes for her.  I love the work she does.  It's so fun and inspiring!!  And I see how it rubs off on our kids as they love to draw and create!

For me, I get the chance to do a lot of the work behind the scenes such as all the online stuff, and things like stretching canvas, hanging the curtains, and renovating the RV (from here on called "The Champ").  I also get to help out more with the kids to free some time for Trish to create.  I'm hoping to find some time to work on some songwriting as well this summer as I love music and creating sounds.

Lucy and Daddy having some swing time!

I'm sure he's got quite the story going on in his head while he plays!

I think the one thing I really love about being up here at 'The Champ' is that I get lots of time to observe and take pictures.  I love seeing the beauty in little details of nature.  For me I love in particular looking at the sky.  Trish always says I should become a weather guy cause I'm always checking it out.   I like looking at the patterns in nature.  So I can be quite fascinated by things like the pattern of the veins in the leaves, or the colours in a flower, or the way the wind will blow and shape the clouds.  Even the way the waves at the beach make patterns in the sand.  Fascinating for me.

Intriguing shadows.

 Meet one of the huge pine trees we have here at the camp. 

The reality of living in an RV is a bit of a challenge.  Let alone being in an RV that is under renovations.  It's a small space and on the rainy days, the kids get cooped up inside and do what kids do...they fight with each other.  But most days are nice and they get outside and play and I've seen their imaginations soar here.  The fridge is small so we don't get a huge selection to choose from when it's time to eat.  (I like variety..lol)  But life is good, and while there are challenges, the fact is this is an interesting adventure we're on and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Anyways, I thought that I would share with you some pictures of the things I have enjoyed this summer on our journey.  I trust you'll be inspired to look at the little details around you.  Enjoy!

Steve

Hello Mr Toad! 

The beginning of something!

My half buried horse! (Well that's what it's supposed to be)

Another day of good memories made.

Life Around Here Lately

The family favourite meal.

Crazy how fast the days fly by!  Why doesn't winter go this fast?  Even though we are waking up earlier and still going to bed late there just doesn't seem to be enough time in a day.  The days have been cool here except for a few really hot days here and there, (Those are 'lets make the most of this and go to the beach' days!) and the nights have been chilly with lots of blankets.  Sleeping here has had its challenges with a 2 year old that has decided she really doesn't need sleep!  I don't share the same view.  Still making runs to the bathroom with a look out for any wild animals.  I was sure that there was a family of wild cats outside the RV the other night!  Actually I saw one!! Steve said it was just a cat.  I got thinking it could have been a lynx? YIKES!!!!

After a not so refreshing nights sleep it's best we don't do a lot of chatting first thing in the morning!  Meals at the picnic table have become a new thing for us.   It saves me sweeping the floor a million times in a day. Squirrels seem to love picking up after my kids.  In fact one got a whole jelly filled donut the other day.  Our main staple has become toast, BBQ grilled cheese, hot dogs, and of coarse an all time favorite of kraft dinner!  Life is simple and although I like that it still is an adjustment.  It really makes me see how comfortable we are back home and how much we really have. To even think that a lot of the world has so much less than what we have here at he RV has really got me thinking a lot about poverty and ways of helping the poor. (Perhaps A new dream awakening in me connected to funtastical studios).



With me still working hard on my creations, taking time out to explore this area is a must.  We are situated in a really nice spot with lovely towns, cities, beaches and a large art community! We took some time out and explored a beautiful old building that has been converted into art studios and a gallery (another dream within).  It was really inspiring for both me and Steve to see and chat with other artists and to see their work.  I love to see other artists creating from what is inside of them!  It's so very unique!

There is still so much more to see and experience.  I just hope we have enough time!  The next two weeks here at the camp will be busy ones as it is family camp.   Campers are beginning to roll in now and soon there will be lots and lots of people to chat with and making life so much more enjoyable!  So for now I will continue working the RV makeover.  I feel like we have only made a small dent into what we are doing but little by little we will get there.

Exploring new places.

Really cool art studios and gallery.

This sums up a dream I would love to do.

Taking time to smell the flowers.

Hand Painted Curtains for the RV

After hours upon hours of painting I have finished two very large curtain panels for the RV!!  I have really enjoyed painting them so I decided to show you the steps involved and materials used in order to paint and design your very own curtains if you so choose.

Step One: Bleached 100% cotton seems to work really well for painting with fabric paint. I have also tried unbleached cotton but didn't like it as much.  The colours seem to pop a little more on the white material.  I had envisioned a picture of a sheet all nicely folded but lets get real, I am staying in an RV with three kids so nothing is really folded.  It's best to pre-wash and iron your material before starting.

The scrunched up blank canvas

Step two: Draw out your design or picture that you would like on the curtain.  You can pre-draw this out and pre-plan your colour scheme as well.  I have found for the kind of designs that I am doing I prefer to wing it.  I use a black sharpie fabric paint pen.  There are other paint pens out there, but I just really love the sharpies.  They have a nice edge to them and don't bleed.  I also will use coloured fabric paint pens for smaller areas.  I have found using a paint pen on larger areas begins to look a bit streaky and will burn out your pen really quickly.

Sharpie Fabric stained paint pens

Step Three: Once the design is fully drawn out I begin to paint.  It's kind of like colouring in a colouring book!  Be sure to stay in the lines.  I usually have a colour scheme in mind before I begin.  This one I used lots of colour but mainly the primary and secondary colours.  I wanted it really colourful because the RV is completely white.  So when you are selecting paint for your fabric it is good to have fabric paint.  I have not found any really great paint here in Canada but recommend a fabric paint from South Africa called Magic Moments.  However, that may be more work than what you are willing to do because you have to order it and have it shipped.  So you can also use screen ink for fabric.  You will also need to purchase a reducer to thin it out a bit!  I don't recommend water as it will cause your paint to bleed and run all over the material. So I use tons of reducer because I like to blend the paint.  If you are blending colours it is always best to first apply the lightest colour and then blend the darker colour into it.  Otherwise it will be very streaky!

Step Four: Use good firm brushes.  I find a soft brush doesn't allow you to really do a scrubbing motion that you need to do to work the paint into the fabric.  It took me a little to get used to this because I find when I use acrylics I prefer a different brush all together.  If you don't work the paint into the fabric you will notice that parts of fabric come through and this will especially show up in the light.

Step Five: After I have painted my fabric I go over the whole thing again with my black sharpie fabric paint pen.  It makes it pop even more and overs up any areas where paint may have been on the lines.

Step Six: It is important to heat set your paint.  So give it a day or two to dry and then iron the back of the curtain.  You will need to apply heat to one area for a few minutes.  After doing this I would still wait a few day's before washing.  If you can, it is best to hand wash but if you are washing in a machine use a gentle cycle.  I have had it happen before where I didn't heat set my fabric good enough and when I pulled my fabric out of the machine there wasn't much left to what I had painted!

And there you have it!  Custom painted curtains!  One of a kind and Funtastical!  These are going to fit in the RV just GREAT!  If you have any questions feel free to contact me.  Happy painting!

The next project matching pillow cases