craighton berman

we recently made a couple of new friends at camp-

emily berman (co host of the fall craft camp weekend) & her equally talented husband, Craighton Berman.

I had been obsessed with his coil lamp for some time, and then when we checked out the rest of his work, decided that he had to have his own post!

 Craighton Berman 

some favorites:

 The sharpener jar is brilliant and beautiful in the simplicity of displaying and measuring the artists creativity. The sewn stool is a creative recreation of a milking stool. I love the structure and the architecture. This spread of random sketches collected over many hours is a piece of art and sings a whisper of camp style, almost looking reminiscent of a drawn camp map.

 Check out all the other fun ideas and projects they have going on at Craighton Berman! 

Fearless Friends at Camp

Summer camp has always been associated with adventure, animals, and a little danger. I grew up with fantasies of running away to some remote mountain, farm or never-ending trek through the wilderness — but almost never alone. I always imagined my dog, or cat, coming with me. The bond between animals and adventure is a strong one thanks to books and movies like Homeward Bound, My Side of the Mountain, Old Yeller, even Milo and Otis (I prefer voice-over instead of CGI talkies, FYI). It was clear to me early that animals were fearless — or at least hapless — and they were experts at always coming home again, which was critical risk-mitigation for a kid thinking of running off into the woods.

And for my first camp of 2012 at Wandawega, it's no surprise that animals were a big part of the picture. If anything went wrong on this modest adventure, these guys were ready to leap into action — chasing errant bals, running after four-wheelers, slopping up spilled ketchup and soaking up some rays lakeside.

(clockwise from left: Hank, Buddy, Biggie, Frankie)

my little brownie.

it could not be helped.

charliegirl in a little vintage brownie outfit for school.

... at home with her best friend rat and other best friend frankie (looking on).

and- some online inspiration-

love these vintage outfits!

Flags and Badges and Victories!

I find flags to be fascinating almost-art objects. And the storytelling aspects of rare American flags, typically used to express unity or victory or passion, are part of the same symbolic lineage as merit badges we all lust after at camp. Lots of geometric shapes, bold colors and iconography.

These days, merit badges still tell a story — of a struggle, or a victory — and serve to express commitment to a group or cause, such as environmentalism or organic farming. And the visual stories they tell are as important to campers as these early flags were to revolutionaries and idealists. 

We made merit badges for our wedding guests at our summer camp wedding. "A fun tschotske," we thought. But no. These tiny emblems of victory, or at least participation (better luck next time Jim) drove people mad for collecting them. They brought out the kid, and the revolutionary spirit, behind us all. 

Flag images from: http://n-e-w-w-o-r-l-d.tumblr.com/

Merit badge photo from: http://www.troop24news.com/

Eco Explorer badge photo from: http://www.girlscoutshop.com/gsusaonline/GSProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=ECO+EXPLORER+BROWNIE+TRY-IT

Archery images from our wedding from: http://www.stevenmichaelphoto.com/

obsession: vintage work aprons.

love these!
check them out

and more here

and, courtesy of FORESTBOUND

the POLYVORE Camp Wandawega set

check it out here

every girl needs a hatchet...

found this awesome Girl Scout equipment magazine from 1949.

you could order everything from a knife big enough to skin a bear to your own a hatchet.

girl scouts are bad asses.

forgotten bookmarks

be still my heart.

ive been obsessively collecting antique books for a lifetime.

and then the grand folks at random house sent me this link:

(where FOUND FREE & FLEA was featured alongside the DwellStudio & Domino mag's new books)

--and found this WONDERFUL book.

an antique book collector started saving the scraps he found in his books.... and amassed so much that he made a book.

love.

love.

love.

check it out here: http://www.forgottenbookmarks.com/

Used books and bookselling have been in Michael Popek's blood since he was a child. In Forgotten Bookmarks, he shares an unusual collection of the things he's discovered tucked inside the pages of books, "treasures within treasures... often untouched for decades." The ephemera includes personal photographs, baseball and greeting cards, poems, shopping lists, recipes, invitations, report cards, burial vault information, razor blades, marijuana leaves and handwritten letters (received or unsent).

Each bookmark specimen has been reproduced, as found, and displayed next to a picture of the original book where the discovery was made. In a scrapbook-like presentation, Popek takes the liberty of transcribing some illegible handwriting, but otherwise offers no commentary, preferring instead to let each relic and book exhibit speak for itself. This approach deepens reader fascination, heightening the intrigue of trying to determine the significance (if any) of the ephemera and book in combination. --Kathleen Gerard,