Summer Crafting with Kids

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Today we’re checking in with our founders Kelly, Jeanne and Julie and hearing a little bit about how they’ve been spending their summers with the kids in their lives. 

Kelly: When I was little, summer was about treasure hunts, building rickety “boats” to float down the creek, and making weird stuff up with my sisters. Happily, that summer ideal continues with my niece and nephew, who come back from summer camp showing off their adorably wonky creations.

weaving with kids

It was my nephew Owen who reminded me of weaving, and the two of us promptly set about warping a cardboard “loom” made from a cereal box and teaching my niece Ada how to weave a bracelet and necklace. We set up our weaving station in a sunny corner of the living room and went to town, with their little fingers deftly leading the chunky yarn up, over, down, under. Up, over, down, under.

There have, of course, been the other summer standards for Ada and Owen: summer road trips, ice cream trucks and birthday parties. It’s heartwarming to witness the next generation remix of my sisters’ and my dreamy summer childhood. And even more heartwarming that a small slice involves them making things with their hands.

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Jeanne: This summer, I took advantage of many Creativebug classes and included my two daughters in the activities since they were out of school. My daughters, 6 and 8, love making things with their hands so it was such a joy to have free time this summer to craft with them. My 6 yr old and I made leather wrap bracelets and stitched cuffs for her 8th grade buddies at school. My 8 yr old and I made beeswax collages for her friends and mine. And lastly, after a long and exhausting day participating in our community yard sale, I settled in at the dining room table and whipped up my first popover sundress for my older daughter. It was so relaxing and rewarding when it turned out exactly as it should. I loved following along with Liesl as she explained how to attach the bias binding for the straps, which, as a beginner, I would never have been to pull off without her showing me.

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My kids also love to snuggle up on the couch and take Rebecca’s embroidery classes. All 3 of us with our hoops and thread, giggling along as we follow our spontaneous drawings made by erasable fabric pens. I love that I get to learn alongside my kids and discover new creative ways to express ourselves in the process.

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Julie: As a child I spend the first half of each summer in camp — warm summer
days filled with camp songs, swimming, dancing, games, and art & crafts.
The second half of summer I spent with my grandmother in Arizona traveling
around the Southwest visiting the natural wonders and learning about the
Native Americans local to the area — my favorite part of each visit!

This summer my son and I were able to bring the two loves of my childhood
together with the Summer Teepee class.  We had a blast making a Teepee
with Courtney and have enjoyed it all summer long. We’ve continued to
create new potato stamp designs and our teepee has turned in to a real
work of art!