Camp Namanu Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Where Magic Lives: Seasonal Fairy Garden Terrarium

Trimmed with an easy rotation of simple holiday decorations, this fairy garden terrarium offers an easy way to put a little extra color and whimsy into the changing seasons.

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Leaves are falling, pumpkin spice lattes are flowing, and it’s time once again for my annual Camp Namanu Alumni Reunion post!

Camp Namanu is a world unto itself: it is a family created by choice, and a place where anyone, regardless of age, can hold out hope that Magic is still alive and well in this world.

For more than 90 years, one of the unbroken threads that has woven Namanu campers together is its rich tradition of forest folklore. From the moment each of us campers clambered off that sweltering bus for the first time and skipped up onto the well-worn planks of Uncle Toby’s Storyhouse – whether that was ten years ago or sixty – one of the first things we learned about was the camp’s resident fairies, elves and other magical folks.

We learned about Mr. Skriggleboggle, the elf who lives in a little house at the top of Guardian Fir and answers campers’ questions all summer long; and the wood fairy Gertrude, who has lived in a Worcestershire Sauce bottle hanging from the ceiling at Raker Lodge since World War II. There is a flashlight fairy, and a flagpole elf; in fact, there is a enchanting-someone to watch over practically every facet of camp life.

And just how has this forest Magic survived for nearly a century in a difficult, cynical world, you might ask? Because, though many of us are now ever so much older than twenty, the flame that was lit in our childhood hearts so long ago still flickers brightly – and in our mind’s eye, the fairies still dance – somewhere far across the Meadow.

Seasonal Fairy Garden Terrarium DIY

Camp Fire kids are a crafty bunch, and at Reunion, I am always on the lookout for DIY inspiration to bring home and share with you. This year, I found that inspiration at our annual alumni auction: the moment I saw this glass-block fairy garden (created and offered for auction by Mary C.), I knew what I was going to do.

I loved Mary’s idea, but I wanted to create something living that could change with the seasons. That’s when I had the inspiration to create a fairy garden terrarium!

Trimmed with an easy rotation of simple holiday decorations, my fairy garden terrarium offers an ultra-easy way to put a little extra color and life into the changing seasons.

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To make your own seasonal fairy garden terrarium, you will need:

Large glass planter, jar, or other vessel
Pebbles – enough to cover the bottom of the container 1″-2″
Potting Soil
Fairy Garden Miniatures (at least one fairy!)
Seasonal Miniatures
2-3 small, terrarium-friendly plants

The first thing you need for any fairy garden is… a fairy! I found this inquisitive little charmer at Joann’s, and together we immediately set to thinking on where she should live. We agreed that a large, spacious jar would fit the bill nicely!

I chose a large jar with a lid, which will allow me to have greater control over the interior climate of the terrarium. (I got the one I used for this project at Joann’s, but any large-ish glass vessel will work fine.)

I also picked up a few autumn decorations. I have to admit; I had a hard time not buying everything in the fairy garden aisle! But really, it’s important not to overdo it, because it doesn’t take much to fill the floor of a terrarium, and you don’t want it to look cluttered. Also, you want to leave some room for things to grow.

The first thing you need to do is fill the bottom of your terrarium with 1″-2″ of small pebbles. This will assist with drainage. (TIP: Reserve a small handful of pebbles for decorative landscaping as you finish your terrarium.)

Mix some water with the potting soil in a large bowl first so that it is uniformly moist. I added a little sand to my potting soil to improve drainage too. On top of the pebbles, loosely pack 2-3 inched of potting soil in the terrarium.

Now is the time you want to consider how your terrarium will go together. My terrarium has only two live plants – one for ground cover, and one for height. I left room for a seasonal decoration in the back, as well as a few little touches in the front. Having ample space will make it easy to change out decorations as winter and the holiday season approaches.

Lastly, I added the decorative seasonal pieces. The berry stalk (from the floral department) was a great choice. It was very inexpensive, and with it, I created an autumn tree for the back of my terrarium, plus I used the small pieces that I trimmed off the top to make the little “flowers” in the front.

This is also the time to place those pebbles that you held in reserve.

Oh – I almost forgot! If there is a seal on the lid or jar that you are using, remove it. This will reduce condensation and allow a little air to flow if you choose to keep the lid on your terrarium.

That’s it. This is one of the easiest DIYs I’ve ever done. In fact, it probably took you longer to read this post than it will to create your own fairy garden terrarium. Just be sure to check the soil regularly and water as needed, and you will have a lovely little garden full of life for years to come!

Aside from its obvious adorable charm, one of the best parts about this little fairy garden terrarium is that, with just a few simple changes each season, it can easily be decorated and adapted for year-round enjoyment (i.e., holly-berries and snowflakes in the winter, tiny tulips and bunnies in the spring, etc.).

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Sing Around the {Flameless} Campfire

September 24 By Renée ♥ 17 Comments

How to Make a Flameless Campfire {And Other Helpful Tips for Camping Without Fire}

If you’ve followed me for a while, you may remember my Fairy Lights post from last year, when I wrote about my annual reunion at Camp Namanu along the shores of Oregon’s Sandy River. It is a time that I treasure: three days with old friends and new walking the trails of our beloved camp and singing songs so deep-rooted that they flow from our lips like the waters of the Sandy itself. This year, Reunion came at a particularly difficult time for me personally, and provided a brief but welcome escape from a challenging season – one filled with both great joy and deep sorrow.

Note: I don’t mean to be cryptic: I’ll likely address both the joy and sorrow in upcoming posts. However, for now just let me say that this time has made me all the more grateful for the warm and secure embrace of my dear friends, my loving family, my Camp Fire comrades, and my darling, Mr. B.

How to Make a Flameless Campfire & Other Helpful Tips for Camping without Fire | The Good Hearted Woman

Scenes from Namanu, along the Sandy River.

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All that being said, even a weekend of frolicking in the forest did not come without its challenges.

Faced with months of severely dry conditions, many (if not most) camping destinations anywhere near the Left Coast – from Bellingham to Baja – have been under strict a fire ban, including a prohibition on everything from open fires to charcoal briquettes. (That briquette-ban is a real thing – Mr. B and I had to redo our entire menu, which relied heavily on our Dutch oven, when we went camping a few weeks ago.)

However, Camp Fire kids (including grown-up Camp Fire kids) are resourceful, and our friend Sandie came prepared. She set up this lovely little flameless campfire in one of our favorite spots – and almost as soon as we gathered ’round, we started noticing something very interesting.

Honestly, these pictures do not do Sandie’s campfire justice. In real life, the lights all blend together, giving the illusion of slow burning embers on a low fire.

You see, there we were, sitting around our campfire in our folding chairs, sharing camp memories and catching up on the year past – and despite the lack of flames and heat, as the sun set and the temperatures fell, each of us began moving our chairs closer to the fire. Some even stood and raised their hands as if to warm them over the flames, and others rested the soles of their feet to face them. And surprisingly, we (or at least I) felt somewhat warmer in doing so.

So it seems as though a Campfire can be, like many things, as much a state of mind as it is a reality.

That gave me something to think about.

Making a Flameless Fire is pretty easy, and relatively inexpensive. You will need:

Small Logs/Large Sticks – enough to make the façade of a teepee fire
Large stones – enough for a small fire ring
2-3 Ball Jar LED Light Lid Inserts
2-3 Wide Mouth Mason Jars – Sandie suggests using Yellow, Orange or Red ones**** (There’s Purple, too!)
1 string of white, battery operated lights + 1 string orange, battery operated lights [Dollar Store, seasonal] **

Supply Notes:

Lighting options:

I found this awesome 5 pack of solar powered Red Fairy Light Jar Lid Inserts with Rechargeable Battery (this includes the light inserts only. Jar and lid ring not included.)

Another option are these lovely battery operated lights at Joann’s – 25 on a string, with a brown wire. They are a little more expensive, but I love the warm glow they put off, and the brown wire blends right in with the fire.

Colored Jars: If you can’t find colored Mason jars, or don’t want to buy them, you can use colored cellophane inside the jars instead.

Use large stones to create a fire ring.
Put the LED Inserts into the Mason Jars, and set them in the middle of your fire ring.
Arrange the sticks over the Mason jars, leaving easy access to the jar-mouths so that you can turn them on and off.
Weave the lights over and around the sticks.
Wait for it to get dark, and then turn on the lights. Or vise versa. (← It’s directions like this one that make way for “dumb blogger jokes,” but trust me, if I don’t include it, someone out there will read this and ask why their fire didn’t work. True story.)

Ball Jar LED Light Lid Inserts are inexpensive, and can be purchased at Joanns.

That’s pretty much it. If you feel really motivated you can get fancy and personalize it with stacked stones, candles, or whatever makes you happy.

Sandie’s fire included Camp Fire’s three distinctive Wohelo candles, symbolizing the central values of the Camp Fire program; Work, Health, and Love.

Providing us with a fire during the fire-ban was awesome in and of itself, but Sandie didn’t stop there: she also brought us the most amazing Oven S’mores I’ve ever eaten. I mean, really, really, really – these things are the Cat’s Meow! I wish I could take credit for creating these ooey, gooey, layers of deliciousness, but that all goes to Tessa from Handle the Heat, who generously shares, like any good camper. Just click on the image below for the recipe.

Thanks to Tessa of Handle the Heat for sharing this amazing recipe and the use of this delectable image!

Here are a few more tips for camping without fire:

Know before you go. Check weather conditions and fire regulations before you go camping.
Plan your food.
- Use a campstove – Even under strict bans, you will likely be able to use a camping stove, or a small portable propane grill. You can do stovetop cooking, grill food, heat water, and reheat precooked foods.
- Precook your food at home – Pasta, Rice, and many other staples can be precooked and bagged for reheating later.
- Bring food that doesn’t need to be cooked.
Pack Warm. In the absence of a real fire, even warm days can turn could in the late evening.
Look Up. Without the ambient light of a campfire, the stars will seem even brighter. Enjoy them.

Camp Namanu friends are friends for life. | The Good Hearted Woman

You can take the girl out of the camp, but… she’ll just keep coming back. That’s Sandie on the right, along with our Campfire sisters Kim and Diane.

What is the tie that binds us friend of the long, long years?
Just this: we have shared the weather; we have slumbered side by side;
and friends that have camped together will never again divide.

~ Camp Fire Prayer

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Camp Namanu – Sure To Shine {Fairy Lights}

September 9 By Renée ♥ 14 Comments

Those 70’s Girls (if you look Very closely, I am in the back row, second from the left.

Every year, I return to Camp Namanu, along the shores of the Sandy River, for the annual Alumni Reunion Weekend. Namanu is a place alive with magic, and holds so many of my own youthful memories that I cannot possibly express in a brief blog post how special this place is. And today that is not my goal, but it would be wrong to go on without noting that Namanu saved me. It was there that I first found my voice, wrote my first song (a Forest Echo in 3^rd grade when I was Sherwood Girl) and felt the strength and beauty and energy of a community truly Alive in the world.

I am just one of the thousands – hundreds of thousands – of Portland area girls (and boys… sorry, I am from an earlier time) who have spent a portion of their summer each year at Camp Namanu since it opened in 1924. The former campers and staff who return to the reunion, ages 18 to 101 (Miss Marcie, our guest of honor this year, first attended Camp Namanu in 1925, when Calvin Coolidge was president) treasure our common bond as fiercely as any family. Because we understand – in a way no one else can – how profoundly life-changing our time at Namanu was.

This year was the 90^th Anniversary of the opening of the camp, and one of my sweet Namanu sisters brought our little group a special project to celebrate. Fairy Lights.

We made our Fairy Lights together on the front porch of our cabin, and then sat around them like a magical campfire and talked into the night. It didn’t matter that it was a child’s craft, and the youngest of us was old enough to be a grandma. It was beautiful and lovely, and I am so grateful for it. Already, it is a moment I treasure.

HOW TO MAKE A FAIRY LIGHT

For each Fairy Light, you will need:

Glow sticks (Get them at the Dollar Store. We used the bracelet size)
Jar with a lid (We used Pint mason jars, but any jar will do)
White tulle (about a foot square)
Glitter (about a tablespoon)
Scissors

Cut one end off of a glow stick and shake it into the jar. The more you get onto the sides, the better. We all used two or three bracelet-sized glow sticks for ours. Choose different colors if you want.
Scrunch up the tulle and put it into the jar.
Sprinkle the glitter into the jar.
Put the lid on the jar and shake it all up.
Share a story. Sing a song. Dance a little. Enjoy.

Our Fairy Lights still shine, even in the light of day.

Fairy Lights are simple, and like many lovely things, they are fleeting. With fall coming on, and warm, dark nights upon us, it is the perfect time to share a little magic with someone – ages 1 to 101 – that you care about.