“I remember arts and crafts, weaving the unfinished lanyards that we were making for our girl crushes, or sitting on the dock dipping the straw into the lake to wet the pieces down to make baskets that probably never got made,” said Cara Prieskorn (1966-71). There were also bracelets made from what appeared to be leather shoelaces that we tied in knots and wore on our wrists until they rotted off. But, I did make a copper enamel poodle pin for my Mom that was light blue with a dark eye and she still wears it. I just told her recently, OK Mom, you can stop wearing that pin now and she told me she likes to wear it!”
A kiln sat safely in a corner of the craft hut for copper enameling, but only staff were allowed to use it. Leslie Ciesielski and Kathy Allen were craft directors in 1970 and they handled about 12-15 students each hour. That year, along with copper enameling, beaded necklaces, Zodiac signs in plaster and Dippity glass flowers were popular.
“The Dippity Glass Flowers were simple, but not practical for a crafts class,” their activity report stated. “Many times, we had to dispose of half-full jars because they had thickened so rapidly.”
Every era shared a love for the copper enameling jewelry making. Sue Robson (1970-71), Pamela Watson (1956-57), Dana Foote (1974-77), Mary Grego (1960), Missy Butsch (1969-76), Kim Wynne-Parry (1963-68), Gail Schultheiss (1966) and Sally Allen (1968-73) shared memories.
In 1958 Dana Foote loved arts and crafts. “I would be exhausted making copper enamel everything. That summer when I got home from camp, my parents bought me a special stove with all the glue and powder to do my own copper enameling at home, but when my parents moved none of my stuff got saved.”
Kim Wynne-Parry always felt gifted towards arts and crafts and it has followed her to this day. She also saved many of her copper and lanyard projects. Mary Grego loved that her Mom wore the copper bracelet she fashioned at camp.
“I never met a craft I didn’t like,” admitted Rosemary Orgren (1956-58). “The craft hut was always my favorite place to be. The only negative memory I have was being told that I spent too much time in there and not enough with the other activities, so the following year I had to choose other classes. I am an avid craftsman and for many years made jewelry as a hobby, but now I work with copper, silver and sometimes gold with real tools.”
Diane Dudley loved arts and crafts. “In 1958 I made a copper enameled smiley face in yellow with little black eyes, nose and mouth, way before it was poular. I think I made the first smiley face ever and I still have it. I could have been rich and famous!”
What crafts were your favorite?
This jogged my memory of the enamel I’d made; all came rushing back. I made a small wreath ornament of dippity glass that I’ve hung on my tree every year until it crumbled last Christmas. The lanyards were my favorite craft at camp. Those craft projects were great and gave my young self a sense of accomplishment.