Labor Day Crafts

Greetings Kampers!


Labor Day Weekend is here!  Be sure to keep up with us here and on Facebook for plenty of pictures over the weekend.
In the meantime, I thought I would share some instructions on the crafts we will be making on Saturday.  Even if you can't join us this weekend, you can still have your own crafts time at home!

Campfire Crowns:

Materials:

1 piece ORANGE felt (16" x 5.5")*

1 piece GREEN felt (26" x 2.5")

5 pieces YELLOW felt (4" x 3" each block)

Scissors (share)

Glue (share)**

Handful of mini marshmallows

4-6 twigs

2 paper clips

*To make things easier for the kids, I traced the pattern onto the pieces of felt before hand.  However, I will also provide the measurements I used in case you want to measure things yourself!  I had trouble finding felt by the roll in Boone, so I ordered some through Amazon.com via The Felt Store.  There, I got felt by the yard, which means it came in 72" x 36" blocks.  From these larger blocks, I cut the smaller blocks listed in the Materials above.  For the orange piece, there is about 2.6" in between each "flame" point.*


**Glue:  Fabric Glue is best, but is often strong and not non-toxic.  Therefore, I did tests with other types of glue to figure out which kind would work best with kids.  Tacky Glue, Tacky Glue Quick Dry, and Elmer's All-Purpose Glue worked the best.  I also tried standard glue sticks and standard Elmer's school glue, but neither would hold the felt no matter how long I let it dry.  Summary: Fabric glue is best, but Tacky Glue and All-Purpose Glue work great!**

1.  Cut out orange pattern along dotted lines:

2.  Cut out yellow triangles:

3.   Glue yellow triangles onto orange felt:

(You can use the skinny yellow triangles for the end pieces)   

4.  While glue is drying, place twigs in between flames as shown.  Use a small bead of glue to hold twigs to flames. Also let dry.

5.  Glue green strip of felt on top of flames and twigs as shown.  (**Make sure the green covers up the bottom of the twigs so everything stays put!**)










6.  Let dry.  This is a very important step, especially if you are using Tacky Glue or All Purpose glue instead of Fabric Glue!

7.  Stick as many marshmallows as you want on the twigs:  


8.  Once glue is completely dry, wrap crown around head and secure with paper clips.....VIOLA!  Your campfire crown is finished!






*The idea and basic outline for this craft came from Disney's Family Fun site at http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/food-crafts/campfire-caps-667742/, however, I did change some of the measurements.*

If you have any questions or any suggestions to make this craft better, please email me at OrganicRocks20@yahoo.com with the subject line Campfire Crowns. 

Homemade Fire Starters:


Here at the Boone KOA, we are big believers in recycling and trying to preserve the beauty around us.  In the spirit of that, we will be handing out Homemade Fire Starters made from household items to the kids who come to arts and crafts.  We are planning on making the fire starters for arts and crafts some time in October.  Until then, here are the directions!


Materials:
Cardboard egg carton(s) - I used an 18 cup carton
Paraffin wax*
Dryer lint
Pyrex measuring cup with pouring spout**
CRAYONS
Scissors
Knife or cheese grater
Rags or oven mitt
Access to a microwave***
Non flammable work surface!!


*Paraffin wax can be found at most craft stores, however I ordered from Amazon.com. It usually comes in 1 pound packages.  For this project, I used a total of 1 pound of Gulf Wax paraffin wax. 
**Since you're going to be using this in the microwave, glass is best.
***You can also use a double boiler method, but I found the microwave to be easier to clean up!

1.  Stuff egg carton cups full of dryer lint.  Be sure to press the lint down as far as you can.  The wax will weigh down the lint even further.  

2.  Grate/shred 1/4 pound of wax into Pyrex.  (Shredding the wax helps it melt easier and faster!)

3.  Microwave wax for about 2 minutes, or until wax is almost all the way melted.  (CAUTION: Pyrex glass will be very hot.  Handle with care and be sure to use oven mitts or rags to take glass out of microwave.)

4.  Add 1 crayon, any color you want!  Again, shredding the crayon will help it to melt faster.  One crayon to about 1/4 to 1/2 pound of wax works well.  

I picked Yellow for KOA!

5.  Stir crayon into wax until smooth.

6.  Pour colored wax into egg carton cups stuffed with lint.  (You should have enough wax per cup that it shows through on the bottom, like a greasy fast food bag!)

Wax shows through like a greasy fast food bag!

7.  Let wax dry until hard.  Cut apart Fire Starters with sturdy scissors and VIOLA! Your Homemade Fire Starters are complete!  




Hints, Tips, and Pics:

The wicks

**One thing I added to some of the fire starters was wicks.  To do this, I cut tiny strips from the the lid of the egg carton, since I wasn't using the lid anyway.  Then I packed the lint in around the wick and made sure wax got onto the wick when I poured it in.  This worked very well, and was good use of an item I wasn't using otherwise!

All the colors!

**Saw dust also works well either mixed in with the lint or by itself, but I think this would require a bit more wax.


**A Popsicle stick works well as a stirrer for the hot wax and crayon.

Got creative with shredding the wax!

Again, if you have any questions or any suggestions to make this craft better, please email me at OrganicRocks20@yahoo.com with the subject line Fire Starters. 


Thanks Kampers!  Enjoy this beautiful Labor Day Weekend and be sure to come see us in the fall!

Labor Day Festivities

Greetings Kampers!!  


Summer is rapidly coming to a close, but fear not!  We still have plenty of fun activities planned for the whole family...starting with Labor Day!


Saturday, September 4th:


9:00am Scavenger Hunt
Meet in front of the KOA office - fun for all ages, and a prize for the fastest hunter!



11:00am Crafts
Join KOA staffer Lindsay in the Rec Room to learn how to make your own Fire Starters and Campfire Crowns.  May need help from Mom and Dad.

2:00-3:30pm Nature Hike
Meet Lynne in front of the KOA office for a hike through the local area.  Terrain is moderate, and tennis shoes or hiking boots are required.  Don't forget to bring plenty of water!






4:00pm Ice Cream Social
Lindsay and Joan will once again be scooping out FREE ice cream to any hungry kampers.  Choose from chocolate or vanilla ice cream with toppings and chocolate syrup!








7:00pm Live Music
Ed and Friends, sponsored by Resort Area Ministries.  Concert will be held on the KOA lawn, weather permitting.   


Sunday, September 5th:


9:00am Worship Service
Meet in the Rec Room - led by Dr. Kevin Johnson, "Come as you are."


6:00pm Cookout for KOA Care Camps
The KOA staff will be hosting a cookout in order to raise money for KOA Care Camps, a summer camp program for children with cancer.  We will have hamburgers, hotdogs, and all the fixins (chili, slaw, condiments, etc.).  Donations are not required, but are graciously accepted.  :-)




7:00-9:00pm Live Music
Join us on the front lawn for the musical stylings of Leftover Bluegrass, a local favorite here at the KOA.   








We still have sites available for this weekend!  Call us at (828)264-7250 or check us out at www.boonekoa.com.  


***Also, be sure to check out our Facebook page for more pictures of previous holiday activities.***


We hope to see you soon!!!

August Update...

Greetings Kampers!  
The kids are going back to school soon, so be sure to squeeze in that last camping trip of the summer!  


Here are some events going on in August in the Boone area:

August 1st - 14th
Horn in the West Outdoor Drama
Only 2 weeks left to see one of the nation's oldest outdoor Revolutionary War era dramas!!  We still have discount tickets here at the Boone KOA...$11 for Adults, $7 for Children


August 12th - 15th
33rd Annual Daniel Boone BMW Rally @ Boone KOA (and Vintage/Classic Ride-In)
"Three states, one rally! Come join us again at the KOA Campground in Boone, NC for the best riding anywhere. Rain or shine ride NC’s Blue Ridge Parkway and High Country, Southwestern Virginia and Northeastern Tennessee. Dust off that classic/vintage motorcycle and ride in. We have plenty of room for everyone and all brands!" 
Plenty of food, raffles, and vintage bikes.  Hope to see you here!






August 14th 
48th Annual Art in the Park @ downtown Blowing Rock
10:00am - 5:00pm
Walk around beautiful downtown Blowing Rock and check out over 100 artists!  


August 11th - September 4th
Blue Ridge Parkway Exhibit
Artists celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway










Fridays in August
Concerts on the Lawn @ Jones House in downtown Boone
5:00-6:00pm
August 13th - Steve and Ruth Smith, and Folks and Dagger - hammered dulcimer and folk.
August 20th - Amantha Mill, and Amelia's Mechanics - bluegrass and Americana music.
August 27th - Local Favorite here at the Boone KOA Leftover Bluegrass, Family Ties, Southern Accent, and more!

Tuesdays in August
Storyteller Series @ Todd General Store
An Appalachian Mountains tradition - If you have never experienced professional storytelling, these events are a must-see!  
6:00pm
August 10th - Orville Hicks
August 17th - Doyle Pace
August 24th - Charlotte Ross
August 31st - Sherry Boone


August - November
"Manifest Destiny: A Reinterpretation of Daniel Boone" by Dan Smith
Art exhibit at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, a part of Appalachian State University




And remember....Labor Day is just around the corner, and here at the Boone KOA we have TONS of fun-packed activities planned!  Stay tuned for a complete list of festivities we're planning to celebrate Labor Day...




Instead of August quotes this month, we'll leave you with a few original poems written by some of younger kampers from Labor Day 2009:


"Since today is Labor Day,
We celebrate with no work and all play.
And with that I have one thing left to say,
Hip hip hooray, it's Labor Day!"


"We came to stay at the KOA on Labor Day.
We like to play so here we stay
At the KOA on Labor day!"


"To play and get out of school.
Labor Day is fun, I love it very much!"


"Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I love the campground,
And so do you!"


A special thanks to all of our poets.  Hope to see you again this year!!!

July Update...

Greetings Kampers!With heat indexes soaring into the triple digits, many are probably wondering what to do to cool down.  Here's a list of events happening in Boone this July that may be the answer:

Now through August 14th
Horn in the West Outdoor Drama
Only 1 month left to see the nation's oldest Revolutionary War outdoor drama!
We have discounted tickets!!  $11 for adults, and $7 for children.

July 16th
Concert on the Lawn @ the Jones House
5:00pm-6:00pm
This weekly event offers a fun, outdoor atmosphere complete with music (and often food!).  This Friday will feature King Bees Duo and Ken Lurie and Friends - blues and folk rock.  Food is also available for purchase.  Located in Downtown Boone.


July 16-18th
Dora & Diego at Tweetsie Railroad
10:00am-5:00pm daily
You can meet Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer and her cousin Diego from Go, Diego, Go! at "Meet and Greet"  throughout the weekend.






July 17th 
High Country MusicFest
12:00pm-10:00pm
This annual bluegrass festival will host a number of bands, along with banjo, guitar, and fiddle workshops.  Tickets are $25 for adults, and children under 12 are FREE!  Tickets can be purchased from Appalachian Music Shoppe in Boone.


Tuesdays in July 
Storyteller Series @ Todd General Store
An Appalachian Mountains tradition - If you have never experienced professional storytelling, these events are a must-see!  
6:00pm
July 13th - Orville Hicks
July 20th - Doyle Pace
July 27th - John Ashburn


July 17th
48th Annual Art in the Park @ downtown Blowing Rock
10:00am-5:00pm
"Art in the Park is a series of juried art and craft shows in downtown Blowing Rock. Art in the Park is host to 100 artisans at each show. Some of the best local and regional artists and craftspeople showcase their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and more."


July 23rd
Concerts on the Lawn @ the Jones House
5:00pm-6:00pm
This week will feature The Lazybirds, and Melissa Reaves - jazz, blues, country, and rock.  Located in Downtown Boone.

July 24th
Blood, Sweat, & Tears @ Holmes Convocation Center in Boone
7:30pm
"A musical institution, Blood, Sweat & Tears has left an indelible mark on the American music scene since 1968. One of the greatest horn bands in the history of popular music, the band's alumni roster reads like a Who's Who of the world's greatest jazz and rock musicians."
Tickets are $30 for adults, and $5 for children 6 and under.


July 30th
Concerts on the Lawn @ the Jones House
5:00pm-6:00pm
This week will feature Elkville String Band, and Jim Loyd and Trevor McKenzie - old time music.


July 30th
Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys (with Cherryholmes) @ Farthing Auditorium 
8:00pm
"Classic veterans of mountain music meet new kids on the bluegrass block when "Dr. Ralph" Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys team up with Cherryholmes. Nothing goes better with a summer evening in the mountains than this incomparable blend of the old and new sounds of bluegrass."
Tickets are $28 for adults, $16 for children 6 and under, and $15 for students.






July 31st-August 8th
K-9s in Flight Frisbee Dogs @ Tweetsie Railroad
Showtimes are at 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm, and seating is based on first come, first serve basis.  Admission to shows is included in park admission tickets.
















Lastly, here are some quotes appropriate for July:


"That beautiful season the Summer!
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;
and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."-   Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


"Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers."-  Sara Coleridge, Pretty Lessons in Verse  


"The dandelions and buttercups gild all the lawn: the drowsy bee stumbles among the clover tops, and summer sweetens all to me."-   James Russell Lowell


"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."–   Henry David Thoreau


Thanks!  And be sure to check out our Facebook page for pictures of the campground and area!

July 4th Pictures Are Posted!

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Pictures of our weekend activities are now posted on our Facebook page, with still more to come!  Be sure to check them out.