Watch Out Betsy Jeff Penn Robeson County is on the Grounds!

It was a day of excitement and adventure as our youth gathered at O. P. Owens this morning to head to Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp.  Before we left we talked to our campers about what the day had in store for us and all the fun at camp.  We also talked with the parents about our social media and being able to find out about our day and e-mailing campers.  We showed them the slide show from last year and the new video that shows the camp and activities at its finest.
Finally it was time to board the bus and head towards camp.  On the way we picked up more campers and stopped for lunch at Golden Corral in Asheboro.  Even though we got to camp in no time flat we were so excited that each second seemed to last forever.  Once we got to camp we checked in and headed to our cabins.  There we made our beds, met our cabinmates and started making new friends.
Before we knew it we were in the field playing games and having dinner.  On the menu for tonight was hot dogs with all the fixings, chips, fresh watermelon, and chocolate chip cookies.  It was the perfect picnic after all the fun games we played.
After dinner we headed to the rec hall for introductions of staff.  Then it was time to get down to some serious line square dancing.  We learned to curtsey and bow and do all sorts of interesting dance moves.
After dancing we headed to the camp fire.  There was a real fire and the counselors did funny skits and told bad jokes that made us laugh.  It was really a whole lot of fun.  Of course the fun had to end at some point.  By 9:30 we had made it back to our cabins and took showers before hitting the hay.
Stay tuned to see what happens tomorrow.

Anchors Away

It may be our last day of 4-H Arts & Crafts Day Camp but it is by far the most focused day we have had yet.  Today we loaded up and headed to a local artist Patty Speights Studio 136.  Once there we found out we were going to be serious about art today painting our own painting.  Our target was to paint a sinking anchor in a stormy sea.  We learned about blending colors, paint strokes, different paint brushes, and so much more.  As we let our paintings dry we got to see Mrs. Patty's artwork and learn about the business of being an artist.  It took us about 3 hours to complete our paintings that we signed and got to take home with us.  Everyone at the Extension office was impressed with our artistic efforts.
After lunch we worked to finish up projects and we made our own doodle bots.  These are robots that draw.  We learned that based on where we placed the markers determined how the drawings turned out.  When we got all out bots working we were able to all doodle on one big shrinky dink and sign our names.  It was really awesome when it shrunk.
One of the other projects we worked on involved stencils and scratch paper.  Scratch paper is black and when you scratch in your design a rainbow of colors appear making your design pop out and look really cool.  It was really neat.
At he end of the day it was time for some of our favorite games.  When parents came it was time for goodbyes and so longs to our friends.  Even though we will be back in a week to pick up our ceramics, we forgot this is the last time we will be together each day for fun.  With all of our crafts and new skills we know that this would be a week we will never forget.

3-D Crafting

Our goal today was to talk about technology in crafting.  We did that and soooo much more as part of our fourth day of 4-H Arts and Crafts Day camp.  We started our day talking about what we had learned, and liked so far as part of our experience.  Then it was time to start finishing projects and start a few new ones along the way.
  All of us finished our recycled bottle bird feeder wood working project.  As part of that everyone got to use power tools, and get creative with wire.  Of course when you use power tools sometimes the batteries need to be charged and we had to do that as part of this project so it might have taken a little longer to do than we had originally planned.
  Don't let us fool you.  We weren't just sitting around, it was time then for Shrinky Dinks.  So this was a magical craft that used a different type of technology, the oven.  We each got a sheet of thin plastic.  One side was rough, the other was smooth.  We drew on the rough side and colored it in.  Then we put it in a 325 degree oven.  In under three minutes it curled up, rolled over, and shrank, into a hard think plastic that was a quarter of the size of the original piece.  It was really cool.
  After a lunch break we hit the carpet to talk with 4-H Volunteer Mrs. Jane.   Mrs. Jane and her husband have a 3-D printing business and make sculptures of people and other things on their printer.  We learned the imagination is really the only limit as to what you can print.  We each got our own 4-H cookie cutter that they make in their 3-D printer, to take home and use.
  After we finished all those outstanding projects we came up with an original design that we transferred onto wood using a technique from back in the day, carbon paper.  Then we started using a wood burner to permanently leave our mark.  How much fun is that?
  Stay tuned for tomorrow as we find art in robots,  finish what we started, and do our own version of Van Gogh.  We promise it will make you think, all good art does that.

Peeps for Peeps

  Our 4-H Arts and Crafts Day Campers had a little Deja Vu today.  Each group switched spots and even vehicles to get through day three of camp.  Today our youth traveled back up to Fayetteville to see and do what they had not yet seen and done before.
  For our youth who traveled to the museums yesterday today was their day in front of the sewing machine.  For our youth who learned to sew yesterday today was the day to be on the run.  Our youth got to visit the History and Transportation Museums in Fayetteville.  They learned all sorts of great things including that gold was found in Cabaras County.  Who would have thunk it?  After lunch they traveled to Just Clayin' Around where they also painted a plethora of ceramics that should be fired and back to us in about a week.
  For our youth who hit Loving Stitches it was time to tackle their fear of the sewing machine.  Our youth quickly learned about the pressor foot (not to be confused with the foot pedal), sewing a straight line, and how to pin material.  It seemed like mere minuted before they were rolling their burritos and learning to sew three pieces of fabric together to make the cuff of their pillow case.  Then, after unrolling the burrito they sewed the rest of their pillow case.  What was really cool was that they sewed two pillow cases made from a peeps material.  One pillow case went home, the other to children who are staying in pediatric ICU at Duke Hospital.  It was pretty awesome seeing them gain new skills and put them together for someone else.
  At the end of our day we met back at our office and worked on some of our open projects trying to see if we can make some progress before the end of the week.  We are really excited about all the cool things we made today and can't wait to show our families at home about our new skills.

Stitching the Past and Present Together

Day two of 4-H Arts & Crafts Day Camp had us splitting at the seams so we could look at art in history and learn how to mend those splitting seams.  Our group split into two groups to head to Fayetteville, NC to experience a variety of things.
  One group went straight to Loving Stitches, a quilt shop.  There we worked with Christina who taught our first time sewers how to use a sewing machine and how to make not one but two pillow cases.  These weren't any pillow cases, these were very special for a variety of reasons.  First they were made with kid happy material, and it was bright and colorful, meant to lift anyone's spirits.  That's because these pillow cases have a special purpose, one pillow case will go home with our new sewers.  The other pillow case will be sent to the Pediatric ICU at Duke Hospital.  The owner of the shop has a very special connection and found that children did not have anything bright or to look forward to while they were there so she started this project to try to help brighten a sick child's day.  Our youth were more than happy to help and were very excited to make a pillowcase for themselves and someone they have never met in an effort to try to brighten their day.
  While one group was learning sewing the other group hit a couple of museums, not to study art history but art in history.  At the Museum of the Cape Fear our youth had a blast learning about North Carolina history, and military history.  They learned how Native American's made canoes, and saw samples of early pottery, a loom, and how things (included silver, art, and weapons) were transported to the Colonies.  It seemed everywhere they looked they found art everywhere.
  The next stop was just down the road at the Fayetteville Transportation Museum.  Our youth were a little confused until they went inside and saw all the different types of art portrayed in this museum, from the vehicles to advertising, types of transportation to the accompaniments that go with it, our youth learned that art is portrayed in a variety of ways, and often it is in the eye of the beholder.
  After a brief lunch it was time to head to Just Clayin' Around.  This is a little shop in Fayetteville that has a variety of ceramic objects.  Our youth learned about the special Technics of painting ceramics and kiln firing.  After a brief lesson it was on them to be the artist and paint an item of their choosing.  They will be fired and available in about a week, maybe two.  They can't wait to see what their final project will look like.
  After a day on the town we returned to the office to keep working on projects we started yesterday.  We can't wait to get it all done by the end of the week and see the efforts of our hard work.  Tomorrow we will trade places and enjoy new experiences...stay tuned as we share our excitement and new adventures.

Cutting Up

  Summer Fun is in full swing and today our 4-H Day Campers took a swing at some new crafts and making new friends.  Our first day of 4-H Arts & Crafts Day Camp started with games and getting our creative juices flowing with coloring pages.  Once we got our rules nailed down it was time to split into smaller groups to learn about some arts and crafts.
Our groups rotated through five different stations over the course of the day.  Mrs. Christy and Mrs Janice did a project called chicken scratch with our campers.  It is sort of like cross stitch on steroids.  Our campers loved it and wanted to keep going back to work on their initial and boarder that they are embroidering on gingham fabric.
  Miss Megan worked with our youth on designing their own plate.  Once they got done with their edible Picasso, they moved on to something a little more eastern.  All of them tried their hands at origami making everything from samurai hats to cranes, and even dogs and cats.
  After folding things flat it was time for some 3-D artwork.  Our youth hit the table of beads with Miss Paige's help, and had the opportunity to work on two projects.  One involved following a pattern to create an object like a turtle or a sports ball.  After making the patter the beads were melted with an iron to create a sculpture.  The other project involved following a pattern to create a beaded key chain in the shape of everything from an ice cream cone to a dragon fly and even a lizard.  For some of our youth it was a great way to use beads for something other than jewelry.
    Reading a pattern came in handy with Miss Sarah as she taught our youth how do to latch hook.  As one of the campers asked, "Is this a craft from back in the day?" I must admit it is one I learned back in the day and still enjoy today.  We were very impressed with our youth and how quickly they took to this craft that needs, as they termed it, patience, because it will take a little while for them to get to a finished product.
  After great patience, it was time to let go of frustration with our woodworking and leather craft projects.  We are working on making a recycled bottle bird feeder.  Today our youth glued their boards together and secured corner brackets using a cordless screwdriver.  After that it was time to paint and leave it to dry.  Once that was done we worked on making a leather bracelet.  Youth had the opportunity to design and stamp their names, or what ever they might like on their bracelet.  They turned out really well and many of our youth left today wearing them.
  Included in all of this were two snacks and lunch.  Our 4-H Volunteer Mr Larry came and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for us.  Ms. Wendy fixed corn and french fries to go with it.  Lunch was really good and we got plenty to eat all day.
  At the end of the day we had the chance to go back and work on any of our projects that we wanted to.  It worked out really well and some of us tried a little bit of it all while other worked on one specific project.  It was really fun getting to chose what we wanted to do.  Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

What a Great Time

  It's our last day at Millstone 4-H Day Camp and we are excited to get to the day but at the same time sad that this is our last day of outdoor fun.  Once we got to camp we hit the rec hall and then split back up into our groups for our day's activities.
  We were excited to hit the outdoor swing again and for those who didn't get a chance on Thursday to go up high in the sky, they got the chance on Friday.  Our youth also got a chance to work the low ropes course which required team work, communication skills, and one leader at a time working to get the group from one end to another without anyone falling off the ropes.
  Our youth also got to make their own stepping stones with plaster of paris and aquarium rocks.  they were totally cools and might even glow in the dark...maybe.  Getting the stones home was a difficult task, but out youth did their best to be good stewards of their projects.
  Needless to say our youth also got a chance to celebrate the last day on the archery range by aiming for and even popping balloons that were attached to the targets.  What fun that was.  Then of course everyone needs time in the pool so they all got a chance to take a dip, even in the deep end today (if they passed the test).
  Before we knew it, it was time for camp store, one last round of Ga-Ga Ball and then back on the van to head home.  Yes, once again we were tuckered out and slept all the way back, but it was a good sleep, and a good time at Millstone 4-H Day Camp.  Can't wait for next year.