Family Camp 2023

Back in March, Trevor's Scout troop had a weekend campout for families. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun too. I could have done without the heavy rain starting Saturday night, but I'm thankful for a dry Friday night and Saturday. 

Family Camp (affiliate link)

Between us, Steve and I took a ton of photos (no surprise). I wanted to include as many as possible on this layout. I think 11 is pretty good! Together, they tell much of the story of the weekend. You can see our troop flag and sign, plus some of the boys' tents, the creek (flowing much higher than the last time we camped at that location!), me serving Sunday breakfast under the pop-up tent, a good-sized banana slug, Trevor cooking in the dark, some pioneering, the sunrise, morning flags, and a group photo. And my favorite photo, the one of Trevor and Logan rolling out homemade puff pastry for an apple dessert. In the dark. On a camping trip. Homemade, from scratch, puff pastry. Those two love taking on a crazy cooking challenge while camping.

Outdoor Adventure, March-August 2022

Trevor's Scout troop is very active and he goes on almost all of the outings. It's rare that I make scrapbook pages about his individual trips, and even rarer to document his participation in service projects, trainings, or meetings. Instead, I like to combine activities onto a layout. 

This page has one or two photos from the weekend trips he took in March, April, May, June, and August, as well as the week at summer camp in July. Together, they are a good reminder of fun times with his Scout friends. 

Outdoor Adventure (affiliate link)

I've been holding onto that background paper for a long time and I've finally convinced myself to use it. I love the pine tree print. The reverse has pinecones, which I also love. The colors were too perfect with these photos to hoard the paper any longer. Out of the stash and into the album! 

Summer Camp at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

Last summer, I shared a layout with photos from our May visit to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Our family was there because Steve and I volunteered to put together a weeklong summer camp at Sugarloaf Ridge for the Scout troop. We needed to scope out all the amenities, talk with the rangers, and think through the logistics of keeping a dozen Scouts safe, well-fed, educated, and entertained for a week. 

Preparing for camp was a LOT of work. But it was all worth it. I'm happy to report that the camp we ran exceeded our expectations. The Scouts had a fantastic time. Here's the layout I made with lots of photos of the happy campers:

Sugarloaf Ridge (affiliate link)

To answer your unasked question: No, Steve and I will not be planning summer camp again. That was a one-time deal to allow our Scouts to go to summer camp during a time where COVID made it unclear whether traditional BSA camps would run. The camps are running this summer, and the troop is signed up to go to Camp Hi-Sierra. We're perfectly fine letting the professionals handle the logistics of feeding, educating, and entertaining our boys!

Camping Adventure 2021

To prepare for the upcoming Scout summer camp that we're in charge of, our family did a one-night camping trip at the site back in May. We explored the campgrounds, brainstormed ideas and thought about logistics for camp, and took a ton of photos. 

Camping Adventure 2021 (affiliate link)

This layout came together very quickly because all my photos fit nicely in a grid. I adhered the pictures on the kraft paper, matted that, and put it on the plaid paper. To make the title, I layered seven stickers on top of an eighth sticker. I added two extra stickers in the top left and finished with journaling. 

Looking at these photos makes me even more excited for summer camp! The Scouts are going to have such a great time. 

Happy Camper Craft

Most summers, I am home alone for a week while Steve and Trevor head off to a summer camp with the Scouts. I use the time to finish huge projects, like in June 2017 when I added a section to my blog with travel and craft recommendations for all 50 states. Not this year. Not only will I be attending summer camp with the Scouts, but I've been planning it! For the past month, I've been setting the schedule, securing merit badge counselors, building a menu and shopping list, designing daily patrol challenges, and taking care of a bunch of other details to ensure a successful week for the Scouts. 

With camp on my mind 24/7, it's no surprise that my crafting reflects that. 

Happy Camper Craft

Materials:

• construction paper or cardstock
• white paint
• stiff brush or old toothbrush
• scissors
• glue

Steps:

Dip the paintbrush into white paint. Drag your thumb across the bristles of the brush to send tiny flicks of paint onto the black background paper. You can also use an old toothbrush. Set the paper aside to dry.

Using black cardstock or construction paper, cut out a rectangle that is the same length as your background paper. Then cut out trees from black by snipping away triangles from each side to mimic the look of branches.  

Cut a parallelogram and an obtuse triangle from green to make the tent and the tent flap. Cut a yellow circle for the moon, then create the happy camper. I started with a round head, then added a neck, a shirt and hair, and finally the blue sleeping bag bits. After drawing eyes, a nose, and a smile, I glued the parts of the camper together. Position the tent flap over the camper and trim away any bits of sleeping bag that protrude beyond the left side of the flap.

Glue the ground down on the dry background paper, then add the trees. Next, glue the moon in place. Glue down the main part of the tent, then add the camper and the tent flap.  

Happy camping, everyone!

Never By the Fire

Yesterday I mentioned that one photo from the Klondike Derby deserved its own layout. This is that photo. That's Trevor, smiling by the camp stove, while the rest of the boys in his troop are seated around the campfire in the background. 

Never By the Fire (affiliate link)

For the past 9 years, Trevor hasn't gotten near a campfire after this scary experience. During all of his Scout trips, he cooks his food on a camp stove, even if everyone else is cooking over the fire. (Including s'mores.) He doesn't sit around the campfire at night or in the morning. At structured campfires in campground or summer camp amphitheaters, he sits (or stands) as far away from the fire as possible. 

Some kids might be frustrated by the limitation, or upset about missing out. Not Trevor. One of the things I admire most about him is that he's very matter-of-fact and accepts things as they are. He has an allergy, so no campfires. There's nothing to question or be upset about. He cooks, he eats, he spends time with his friends in places that aren't near a smoky fire. No problem.

Klondike Derby 2020

Most people are familiar with the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. It's an annual tradition for virtually all Cub Scouts. Far fewer people are familiar with the Klondike Derby. Inspired by the Klondike Gold Rush, the Klondike Derby began in 1949 and is a wintertime event where troops or patrols compete together in various events with all gear transported on a homemade sled that is pulled by the Scouts. 

Trevor's troop signed up for their first-ever Klondike Derby back in fall of 2019. Between then and the event (February 21-23, 2020 near Truckee), they spent many hours designing and building sleds, learning cold-weather safety and gathering appropriate gear (it rarely drops below freezing where we live), and preparing for the event. They were so excited. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't any snow the weekend of the Klondike Derby, despite the freezing temperatures. While they weren't able to use their sleds, the organizers did a great job planning alternate activities and the boys had a ton of fun. 

Klondike Derby 2020 (affiliate link)

We didn't know it at the time, of course, but this was the last in-person Scout trip that would happen before COVID-19 canceled everything. Trevor and the rest of the Scouts are eager to resume trips, but it's going to be awhile before they can do so safely. Thank goodness for all the technology that keeps his troop connected virtually and going strong through the pandemic.

As you know, I only make one layout per event or trip, but there was actually one photo from the Klondike Derby that I set aside to use on its own page. I'll show you that tomorrow. 

Camp Meriwether

I've mentioned before how hard it is for me to scrap events that I didn't attend, and for the most part, I don't... except for Trevor's Scout trips. Scouting is a huge part of his life and it's important to me that his major outings are in the albums. When he gets home from a trip, I write down the stories he tells me and pay attention to which photos he's most excited to show me. Then, when I finally get around to scrapping the trip (in this case, 8 months later), I know what pictures to use and my journaling is basically ready to go. 

Camp Meriwether (affiliate link)

This layout came together quickly and easily. Some of the smaller details (the green borders and heart) are perhaps too subtle when combined with the bold camping-themed die cuts, but I like that they form a secondary visual triangle that links my favorite pictures of Trevor. 

Camp Emerald Bay

Last year, Trevor's Scout troop went to summer camp on Catalina Island at Camp Emerald Bay. They had a full day's drive and then spent the night on the USS Iowa before taking the ferry to the island. At camp, Trevor earned three merit badges (Environmental Science, Pioneering, and Mammal Study), tried ocean kayaking for the first time, and paddled a war canoe with his friends and spent the night on the beach. He had a great time. 

Camp Emerald Bay (affiliate link)

As usual, there were so many great pictures that I had a hard time narrowing them down for the layout. I ended up with 9 photos that best represent all that Trevor did. I made sure that all the Scouts in his troop were pictured. I adhered the photos to brown background paper, added a spot for journaling, and put the title in the open space in the scenery picture at the top left. Then I added all the cute stickers and embellishments from Paper House Productions' Great Outdoors collection. The layout was a bit top-heavy, so I added two strips of washi tape along the bottom to ground everything. If you look closely, you can see that I added the names of all the Scouts on the trip in the orange/white washi below the photo of the USS Iowa. I'm very happy with the finished layout. 

I'd Rather Be Camping

I was chatting with the District Executive of Trevor's Scout troop at a recent event and he asked me if I like camping. I assured him that I do... as long as there are flush toilets somewhat nearby and I don't have to schlep all my stuff more than a short distance between the car and the campsite. I am fine with sleeping on the ground. I can easily go for 3 or 4 days without a shower or a mirror. Bugs and other critters don't bother me. Cooking over a fire or camp stove is fun. Being in nature is great.

In other words, I love car camping. I hate backpacking and/or being in the backcountry. Carrying stuff any distance is not fun. Blazing trails is awful. Treating water is a pain in the neck. Backpacking food is lousy. And living without a flushing toilet and a way to properly wash my hands is unacceptable.

When Trevor's Scout troop planned a car camping trip focused on orienteering and geocaching, I happily accepted the invitation to come along. I'm so glad I did. It was a really fun trip. I even had my own private bathroom, as the only female on the trip - such luxury! Not to mention, the boys did all the work cooking and cleaning. Now that's my kind of camping trip.

I'd Rather Be Camping

I put this layout together using goodies I received from Paper House Productions. With the exception of the background paper, everything came from the Great Outdoors collection (affiliate link). I love the canteen dangling from the title sticker. So cute. And I love that the orange tent matches the one in the photos on the right. It was a really fun layout to put together. And yes, I am in the group photo at the top right, so there is evidence that I was actually there. 

Sixth Grade Science Camp at Alliance Redwoods

I received a big box of goodies from Paper House Productions recently (affiliate link here and throughout the post). It was like Christmas! The box was stuffed with all sorts of fun papers, stickers, washi, and more. I couldn't wait to dig in. I found some papers and stickers that were perfect for documenting Trevor's week at Alliance Redwoods with his sixth grade class and got to work. 

Sixth Grade Camp at Alliance Redwoods

Since Trevor and his classmates camped in the redwoods, the Tree Bark papers were the natural choice for my background. Because the two sheets are identical, I laid out the photos to cover the the most obvious details so it wouldn't look weird. For example, you can see the fern on the right hand side, but I've completely covered it on paper on the left. If you look closely at the tree bark, you can see that the papers are indeed a perfect match. 

After matting the photos, I filled in the gaps with elements from the sticker sheet in the Great Outdoors Camping kit. It's rare that I use so many from one sticker sheet, but I couldn't help myself! For my journaling spots and title block, I cut pieces of the Gone Fishin' paper. There's a very subtle tree pattern that you can barely see behind my journaling. After adding the letter stickers for the title and writing my journaling, I trimmed an orange frame sticker to highlight both elements and create a visual triangle of orange. 

I love how this 2-pager came out!

Crab Camp

In May, Trevor's Boy Scout troop camped at Bodega Bay, where they dug for clams and fished for crabs. They referred to the trip affectionately as Crab Camp. Crab Camp was a great success... as long as you measure success by the boys having a great time and not by how much they brought back for dinner! The Scouts successfully dug up dozens of clams, but they were not safe to eat. The group caught exactly one crab that was legal sized, which is not quite enough to feed a group of hungry boys and leaders. Some dads saved the day by buying crabs to supplement the catch. And, of course, the Scouts always practice their motto of "Be Prepared" and had brought plenty of other food along. 

When I chose the photos to use, I knew I wanted to include a group shot, photos of Trevor digging and fishing, a picture of the campsite, and the photo Steve got of the group hiking toward Bodega Head. I added a shot of three of the Scouts, Trevor huddled behind his tent (which was acting as a much-needed wind break), and a picture of the reason why the boys' bait kept disappearing (aka the California sea lion). 

Crab Camp (affiliate link)

I put together my block of photos, leaving space at the top for the title. I thought I'd be able to squeeze in my journaling to the right of the title, but it wasn't enough space. So I split a journaling card and allowed the writing to spill from the card to the white space next to the title. I've never done that before and I'm not sure I love it aesthetically, but it's more important to me to get the details down that to have everything look perfect. I used the second half of the card to add the who, when and where, which serves the double purpose of bringing the eye to the photo of Trevor. 

Camporee 2017

I've mentioned many times that the idea of being behind with my scrapbooking doesn't bother me that much, but I absolutely hate when I allow myself to get lapped with an annual event. Three years' worth of Christmas celebrations blur in my mind if I don't scrap each one before the next happens. For that reason, I wanted to get Trevor's 2017 Camporee trip with the Scouts into the album before the 2018 trip. 

Camporee 2017 (affiliate link)

I'm just in time, because Trevor heads to Camporee this weekend! 

Omelet in a Bag

Years ago, we were visiting relatives for Christmas and my Aunt Vickie introduced us to Omelets in a Bag. It was the perfect breakfast for a crowd- quick, easy, delicious, and with virtually no cleanup. Since then, we've made Omelets in a Bag for large family gatherings or for camping trips. We also have made them as a way to use up leftovers and not generate dishes on the final day of a trip to the cabin.

To make Omelets in a Bag, you need eggs (rice-dyeing optional), quart-size ziplock bags, a Sharpie, a pot of boiling water, and any omelet toppings you like, such as cheese, bacon, ham, chicken, broccoli, avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, olives, etc.

Have each person write their name on a bag. Crack the desired number of eggs into the bag (2 works beautifully), then add whatever toppings you like into the bag. Seal the bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible. Massage the ingredients together until everything is thoroughly combined with no visible streaks of white or yolk. Then drop the bags into simmering water. Try not to crowd them too much. There are six bags in this pot and that's definitely the maximum for this size of pot.

Let the bags cook for 11-12 minutes, then check on them. The omelets should be soft, yet firm, with no traces of goo. Allow a few extra minutes for a 3-egg omelet. Then simply open the bag and roll the perfectly-cylindrical omelet onto a plate. Or, eat them directly out of the bag for even less cleanup. Delicious!

I'm sure some of you are concerned about heating food in plastic bags. If that worries you, then do not make these. I don't worry about the effects of having these once or twice a year. 

Edited to add: A friend asked me if I had an "after" photo of the omelets. I didn't take one on this trip (too eager to eat my own warm, delicious omelet to stop and take a photo), but I did find one from a previous camping trip. This is a 3-egg omelet and apparently we used gallon-sized bags instead of quart. With the quart-sized bags, you tend to get a more perfect cylinder without the ragged edge that this one has. 

Even if it isn't as pretty, it's still mighty tasty!

Yosemite

If you've ever tried to get a camping reservation for Yosemite in the summer, you know that it is not easy.  So when friends of ours got an August reservation and invited us to camp with them, we really wanted to go.  Yosemite is gorgeous and the weather would be great.  We love camping and hadn't been yet in 2012.  And all three of us absolutely love spending time with Larry, Suzzi and Ronan.

However, there were a few things to consider.  We'd need a bunnysitter for Trouble.  The reservation was for Sunday through Tuesday - Steve had just started a new job and Trevor started school that Wednesday morning.  Did it really make sense for Steve to take off work so soon after starting?  Would Trevor be starting school exhausted from a fun-filled camping trip?  And then there was the fact that we still haven't confirmed exactly what caused Trevor's allergic reaction that cut our last camping trip short. Would he have another reaction?  Where was the nearest hospital?

In the end, we decided to go.  I'm so glad we did.  We had an absolute blast hiking, geocaching, exploring, playing, competing, wading, relaxing, and stargazing.  And we didn't need a hospital.

As usual for trips, I made a 2-page layout featuring a bunch of photos (18, to be exact).  I kept it very simple so that the focus would be on the pictures.  I used my super-trendy Studio Calico woodgrain stickers for the title, hand-cut some trees from cardstock scraps, and used some ancient Paper Loft patterned paper for the background.  

More Scrapjazz Articles

I've been writing articles for Scrapjazz.com for 7 months now.  It's a great job.  I love dreaming up projects and writing about them. And I especially love getting paid for it!

The hardest thing about the job is dealing with the lead time.  Each month, I'm assigned several articles and given about a month to write them.  These articles then go through editing and are published 2-3 months later.  Many of the articles are seasonal.  Which means that I made these in early February:

The article, Throwing a Luau Party, was published at the end of May.

Here's another example. The first week of February, I was assigned an article about making your own camping embellishments. I love camping, but it's a summer activity for us. It was strange to work on all sorts of camping projects in the morning, then help Trevor make Valentines in the afternoon.

 

 

 

Here's the article: Make Your Own Camping Embellishments.

My next articles due to be published are about space-themed cards and a product review, neither of which were seasonal, thank goodness!  

29 Hours of Camping

This layout might be my all-time favorite.  

I love that I included so many photos, yet the photos are large enough to see easily and the layout doesn't seem crowded.  I love the dark brown backing the soft yellow patterned paper that I tore.  I love the tree accent by the title.  Mostly, I love that I told the (long) story of our 29-hour camping trip in my own handwriting.  

Journaling:

We certainly didn't plan on our annual fall camping trip to Bodega Dunes with Jonna lasting only 29 hours! The first 16 hours were perfect. We got a great site, #93. We did a super fun treasure hunt and all enjoyed our prize- Lego minifigs. Trevor rode his bike around the camping loops as we trailed behind. We grilled hobo packs and roasted crescent rolls on sticks, then had s'mores before bed. It was an awesome day.

The next morning, Trevor woke up complaining about his eye. It was swollen nearly shut... exactly like last year. It seemed like a really weird coincidence. Within minutes, he developed a large circular rash on his back. That didn't happen last year. We emailed pictures to his new doctor. Within the hour, Trevor was covered in hives- all over his entire back, his arms, his legs, and part of his tummy. His face was swollen, as were his feet. I called the advice nurse, then Steve drove into town for Benadryl. Within 20 minutes of the first dose, Trevor looked much, much better.

We spent the day geocaching, making crafts, and doing our scavenger hunt. Hives came and went during the day- all very minor. Then just before dinner (as we were sitting around the fire) a spot reappeared on Trevor's face. We ate dinner and watched in horror as his face got worse and worse. We made the decision to head home in case it got even worse during the night. We had about 45 minutes before it would be pitch black. It took exactly 45 minutes to break down our camp and hit the road.

After appointments with the pediatrician and pediatric allergist, our best guess is that Trevor is allergic to oils in the smoke from one or more of the woods we were burning. Unfortunately, there is no way to test which one without having him inhale smoke to bring on a reaction.

As I've mentioned before, I would love to be published in a print magazine someday.  Yet, what I love the most about my very favorite layout (the large amount of handwritten journaling) is exactly why it will probably never be published. Magazines can't publish layouts with journaling that would be illegible at a small size, nor do they have space to type out the journaling in the margin. Even though I would love to be published, it is more important to me that I tell my stories completely and in my own handwriting. 

More Camping Fun

Yesterday I mentioned our traditional camping treasure hunt.  I had a hard time coming up with the perfect treasure.... until I read on Lego a Day that Lego had released its Series 5 Minifigs.  Steve and Trevor both love anything Lego, so I thought it would be very fun to have these as the treasure.   

Lego is smart and has wrapped its limited edition figures so that you do not know which one you are getting when you buy one.  There are some tips and hints online about how to differentiate between them by feeling the bags and looking at teensy bumps on the packaging.  I waited until Trevor was at school and Steve was at the office (he usually works from home 3 days a week) to head to the store.  There I did my best to feel the packages and pick out four different minifigs.

I thought it would be really fun for the four of us to take photos of our minifigs doing cool things during the camping trip.  I was inspired by Steve's recent success- he was the runner-up in a photography contest that asked entrants to pose a minifig in a creative way.  (You can see his photo at Lego a Day.  His picture is called "Belly Flop" and he's using the screen name alinraz.)

Steve did not disappoint.  He took this awesome photo of our four minifigs warming their hands around the campfire.   

(Jonna's Graduate, Steve's Cave Woman, my Egyptian Queen, and Trevor's Lizard Man)

I took this picture of the cave woman beating up the Egyptian Queen.

Fortunately, despite the abuse, the Egyptian Queen went on to graduate with honors.

And Cave Woman tried out some new hairstyles, including this Martha Stewart-inspired look.

Trevor's Lizard Man showed just how strong he was.

Jonna's Graduate is considering a career as a crossing guard.

Before I get to the last pictures, I should mention that Jonna (Trevor's godmother and our awesome camping companion) made an adorable quilted camping tablecloth.  She embroidered camping images and icons in several of the squares.  She had the very clever idea to use the tablecloth as the backdrop for some fun photos.

Here is her picture of Lizard Man, posed perfectly next to the campfire.

But my favorite photo of all, was this one.  Now that's creativity.

We had big plans to take more photos, but didn't when we had to cut the trip short.  But now that we know how much fun minifigs can be, you can be sure that they'll be on my camping packing list in the future.

Crafting While Camping

Our family went camping recently. Unfortunately, we had to cut the trip short when Trevor had a major allergic reaction to something, swelled up, and broke out in giant hives. Fortunately, we had already done our traditional scavenger hunt and treasure hunt before we left.

While Trevor did sand art (one of the prizes he won in the scavenger hunt), I did a different craft. I found an adorable campfire craft originally at Kaboose that I wanted to try. I brought along Elmer's glue, an old CD, and scraps of orange and yellow tissue paper. The rest of the materials came from our scavenger hunt.

I started by using my finger to rub an even layer of glue on the CD, stopping 1/2 inch from the edge.  I dropped it upside down on the ground, which gave it a nice even coat of sand. 

(The blue background is REI's Camp Time Roll-a-Table.  I can't say enough good things about this table.  

We use it for camping, parties, and any time we need an extra table.  It is awesome.) 

I used a generous amount of glue to adhere rocks around the outer edge.

I broke the sticks into small pieces and glued them in a pile.

I tore off small bits of tissue paper, added glue, and stuffed them down in between the sticks. 

I put the whole thing down on the ground and sprinkled more sand on top to cover any extra glue.

Here's my finished craft!  Isn't it cute?!

DIY Treasure Hunt

Last fall, I wrote about a scavenger hunt I made for Trevor to do when we went camping. What I didn't mention was that I also made a treasure hunt for him to do during the same camping trip. It was so much fun!

I started with a plain paper mache treasure chest from Michaels.

I painted the box inside and out with Americana's Asphaltum, letting it dry between coats. Then I used the combing tool to brush on a mix of Asphaltum and Yellow Ochre to create the appearance of wood grain. It took awhile to get the look I wanted. (Notice that I used my Frisbee to mix the colors!)

I bought a gold colored hasp from the hardware store and attached it in place. Then I added gold brads to the corners of the chest to look like rivets. Here's the finished treasure chest:

The next step was making up the clues. I gathered up kraft cardstock and envelopes, a Stampin' Up tree stamp, StazOn ink, and a Prismacolor pen. I stamped trees on each envelope and colored in the trunks. 

I had to wait until we arrived at the campsite to do the final steps: figuring out my hiding spots, writing the clues, numbering the envelopes, and then hiding them.

I made the clues very simple so that Trevor could read them himself.

He had so much fun on the treasure hunt! Of course, the best part was when he found the hidden treasure. The chest was filled with a camping activity book, some plastic snakes, a sand art project, and a handful of Lifesavers. Trevor loved it. 

Of course, being Trevor, he spent the rest of the weekend making up treasure hunts for the rest of us to do. Any time the adults were busy cooking, he sat down with the notebook and wrote out clues.

Here's one of his clues. It says, "GO TOW TREVORS TET. EDEN GO TO M TO"  (Go to Trevor's tent. And then go to M {Mommy} too). Adorable. This was shortly after he turned four- pretty good spelling and writing! I'm not sure why he chose the creative formatting.

We had so much fun with our treasure hunts! This one really simple craft is something that our family will enjoy for years to come. I can't wait to go camping this summer and enjoy more treasure hunts!