Imagine This

Last Camp Day -- ART DAY!

Let's get going!


We are making a doll using Korie's drawing as a pattern.
(Click on picture to get better view.)


We got the head stuffed. I'm sewing on the machine (to make it go fast enoough for a six year old) and Korie is stuffing.


Now we have all body parts stuffed but not sewn together yet. Korie has selected all the fabrics, buttons, yarn, etc.


Monitoring and gluing - both important tasks. LOL.


Remember the heart? After we got the body sewn together - all but the head, Korie re-evaluated and said, "She needs a heart." I told her no one would see it -- she said in 'build-a-bear' fashion, "I don't care. She has to have a heart." So in it went - stuffed right in where the heart goes!

< < < AND THEN THE UNVEILING > > >

When we took Korie to meet her Mom to go home, we showed the doll to her and to her sister, Carly. both were very impressed with it. Carly said in wide-eyed amazement, "Wow! It *does* look exactly like Korie's drawings of girls."



WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Day 3 Extravaganza!

A hint to today's grand finale activity.

But first a little breakfast . . .

 

I can have whatever I want for Breakfast -- I choose . . .
Yes, chicken tenders and ketchup.

Typical CampT Breakfast
Direct from the "Anything-you-want" Grocery shopping adventure.

After a nutritious breakfast - not! - we head off to the highlight of this year's camp . . .

THE BUTTERFLY MUSEUM

 

When we entered the tropical paradise . . . sweet, beautiful butterflies were everywhere. They flew around in graceful swirls, they landed on the ground, trees, people,and feeding bowls. It was great - except for one thing...

 

Korie was terrified of them!

She froze in her tracks when one had landed in our path. She ducked and squelled when they flew past us. Oh, My heavens! So we did a quick soiree though the exhibit taking pictures and prodding Korie on.

 

 

When we reached the bottom and were ready to make the other half of the trek out of the museum, Korie said with fists clenched against her chest, head bowed, eyes half closed . . .

"I'LL BE GLAD WHEN WE'RE *DONE* WITH THIS!"

Hmmm-m-m... so much for the grand finale! LOL.

I didn't like the butterfly museum.

But I LOVED the gift shop! I got a fancy pen and a glittery, gemstone butterfly pin!!

(A little shopping always saves the day!)

Next, a McDonald's lunch . . . sort of . . . selected of course by the camper!

 

Well, yes, French fries and ice cream. What'd ya expect?

 

 

WooHoo, we're leaving the butterfly museum!!

After a meander through the dinosaurs and more gift shops, we made our way to the car to return home. Though I got no picture of it, Korie and Papa T went riding on the golf cart. Korie drove the whole nine holes! Later, Korie and I decided we must get serious about that art project.

 

Yea! We're starting tonight. Tomorrow we will finish it!!

Sam, Groceries, and Art

After Camp Turlington left the Incredible Pizza, we stopped by the Sam Houston statue on the way home. This is an annual favorite and anyway, Korie had been too little to graffiti her name on the back of Sam's face last year.

 
Now, which Papa T put that hat on my sweet girl?
And where did she learn that pose?

   

In the park behind the statue is an little amphitheater with a small(?) copy of Sam's face. The back of it is concave and unfinished. The kids use markers to graffiti their name on it in the back. With a little lift, we helped Korie take this traditional picture looking over the face.

After a short walk through the park, the trail brings you out around the base of the statue. Korie moved out from the base but still couldn't see Sam's shoulders or head!
The statue is just too tall to see totally from this area. His feet are planted on top of the base which is barely visible just above the head of the lady holding the little boy. . .  Even the base is taller than any of the adults. Yes, this statue is best seen from the car driving along I-45! Except, of course, you don't want to miss the visitor's center behind the statue. So, stop in, by all means!

On our way out, we witnessed this horrible spectacle. Graffiti in our unofficial, sort-of-arthorized spot behind Sam's head is way different from this plant-damaging graffiti. Korie agreed.

After leaving the statue grounds, we took a tired camper to the traditional "buy-anything-you-want" grocery store shopping spree.

Really! Anything I want!
(What are grandparents for?)


Hm-m-m, fruit? I dunno. Uh, Papa T, are you calling your banker?


I doubt Papa T saved 15€ents like the sign behind him said, don't you?

We got home and had one of the Lunchables  and fruit for supper. THEN - -

Out to the Studio to make final plans and gather materials for the art project!
(More in the next post.)

Camp Turlington - Session One, Day Two

Christ the Redeemer Stained Glass Exhibit
by members of the First Christian Church

We got up early and took breakfast on the go (dry Cheerios and apple juice.) We went to my church to see the exhibit of stained glass works by some of my church family members and me. The ten of us created these stained glass butterflies assembled together to reveal an image of Christ in the background.

First Christian Church Sanctuary 
Resurrection decor including the stained glass exhibit

Stained Glass Exhibit (Click image for a closer look)

Can you see the Christ image?  Hint: He is a silhouette in emerald green. If you look at all ten glasses as one whole piece and concentrate on the  green glass background, you'll see it forms an image of the upper part of Christ's body with his arms extended.

 

 
The upper middle piece has Christ's head in green (with a butterfly in front of it, of course.) This glass is by Rev. Kyle Dennis who taught us to create these stained glass pieces. He is an accomplished stained glass artist and has made many glasses for the rooms of our church.

The glass on the far right side of the installation contains the green silhouette of Christ's outstretched hand. (Clearly visible here as both butterflies are behind the hand.) This glass was created by my good friend and wonderful artist, Molly Campbell. This was her first stained glass work.

My butterfly is in front of the left sleeve of Christ's robe. This was my first attempt at stained glass. In fact, only one of the artists besides Kyle had any prior experience with stained glass. Kyle said he encouraged advanced images because we wouldn't know any better than to create them even though we had only five weeks (one day a week) to complete them. None of us would agree to intricate images in that time constraint again!

Now click on the picture above of the whole stained glass installation to get a large image and see if you can identify the Christ figure. Don't worry if you can't ever see it. No matter what we do or say some folks just can't see the image of Christ back there. It's a gorgeous display even if all you see is the butterflies, right? Besides, when Christ actually appears again, you'll see him -- EVERYONE will see him! There'll be no mistaking or missing Him then.

By the way, day before yesterday Kyle led a devotional for the artists involved in this project. We reflected on the hand of Christ in our creations. Then we disassembled the installation and each of us took our butterflies home. Mine will have a home in the kitchen window.

But I digress -- let's get back to Camp Turlington. This was only the first item on the agenda for day 2. Korie liked the stained glasses but I think she enjoyed the back stage look at the church sanctuary even more. She went back in the Sacristy and climbed the steps to the Baptistry. She also investigated the sound room at the back of the sanctuary behind the curtain:

Korie said excitedly, "This is the first time I've seen this [behind-the-scenes] in any church."
(She and her family - my son, DIL, and two other grandchildren - attend a large Catholic Church.)

Now we must go home to pick up Papa T and get on with Day 2.

THE BLINK_EYED MONSTER

What does an imaginative child do to pass the time while waiting in boredom for two grown-ups to get ready to go somewhere????? I'll show you!!!! (Just click the arrow below to watch the video.)

Oh, how she loved those sunglasses. Have you noticed that to entertain a young child often takes next to nothing? On the other hand sometimes we go to the other extreme like . . . none other than an annual favorite --

INCREDIBLE PIZZA!

 
Playing miniature golf. The first picture was candid but she posed for the other one. (L'il Drama Queen)

Next? Miniature bowling:

 
Though she first started in a seated position, she soon discovered she could handle this miniature bowling in the regular way!

Woohoo! A Strike!!


Now, how 'bout a game of air hockey with Papa T - I can beat him!

 

   
Deal or No Deal was stressful . . .

. . . but very profitable!!


So now, let's chill in the playground area:








 

ALL DONE!!

Well, that was the end of the first part of the day. We've still got a touristy visit to make and the famous GROCERY STORE FIASCO before we go back to the studio to end day 2.

Check back soon for more hints about Korie's art project. Day 2 will continue in the next post. WHEW!

Summer?

How do I know it's summer?
I'll give you three hints:

1.

2.  

 

3. 

How do I know it's summer?
Ah-h-h-h, yes! 1. Yummy watermelon, 2. Lip-pursing, sour green plums, and 3. Incredible Pizza!

Tha-a-a-a-a-t's right -- CAMP TURLINGTON 2009!!!!!!

Korie was our first camper this year. She is six years old and still has her inner artist intact. Yippee!

You can tell that Mimi is a year older because I forgot to take the camera on Day One of Camp Turlington. We met Korie's whole family for lunch and took her back to Huntsville with us... a tired little girl. She had awakened early in anticipation of her turn at Camp Turlington and the fatigue added to her apprehension of leaving mama. She cried for about a third of the trip - uncertain about wanting to go - until Mimi got in the back seat with her. The fun began then as we started making camp plans.

We went immediately to see the Disney movie, UP, and loved it. (Mama has been forgotten - no more tears. LOL) Then we went home to unpack, eat, and go to the studio for a good start on an idea for this summer's art project. Here's a hint as to what it is:

Korie's Sketch

We managed to get out of the studio at 10:30PM and went to bed to look at pictures in two art magazines, and then to read two books - The Boy who Ate Around and The Poky Little Puppy (the first is one of my current favorite children's books written and illustrated by Henrik Drescher and the second was my favorite when I was Korie's age.)

 

Stay tuned as Day 2 of Camp Turlington is jam packed!