Camp Schedule and Registration

Hey fans, so it is officially spring (yay!) and we know that spring break is right around the corner. We want to make sure that everyone knows how to access the camp schedule and forms so that you may register your kids in time for the 2013 summer camps at The Elements 4 Life.

At the bottom of this post you will see the registration form as well as schedule. It is a 1 page form and also provides details on what your camper will need to bring.  Please feel free to print this form. Additional information can also be found on our website www.theelements4life.com.

The cost per session is $145.00. A session is a week of half day camp. If your camper would like to do full day camp then we will offer 20% off the 2nd session for that week. We will also offer 20% off for additional weeks purchased or campers who have siblings attending. You may pay for camp sessions in store or by contacting Amy Morris at Amy@theelements4life.com

Our store is located at 16024 Davidson-Concord Rd, Davidson NC 28036. Exit 25 off I-77, go east 5 miles. We are on the left across the street from The Bradford Store.

We welcome all questions that any parents may have!

The Camp Itinerary

We want to introduce a brief description of each camp section to give all the parents out there a general idea of what your child will be doing each week of camp. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need registration forms or have any questions. (Don't forget there is a discount for having multiple campers!)

Lady Bug Girl and Bumble Bee Boy-

This Camp is all about team work and making new friends! This camp will take you on a wondrous sdventure at Elements, where we will learn to identify plant species, go on a scavenger hunt, and talk about some bugs along the way. There will be a parade and will even make our own lady bugs and bumble bees!

Flower Power-

This camp explores the beauty of flowers, taking care of them, and even eating them! We will also be using them as art inspiration! Explore all the colors in nature, plant our own flowers, press them and even adorn ouselves in them!

Green is more than a color- 

This Camp talks about the benefits of recycling, and reusing items to create art! The campers will practice their out of the box thinking skills, and explore creating art in a whole new way!

Messy Camp-

This camp will definitely get you dirty, don't worry we will have you cleaned up before you go! We will dig for worms, talk about why they are important, make mud pies and serve them to our friends! (Practicing our manners of course) We will explore with our hand in many other textures as well! We will increase our knowledge about the benefits of mud, and how it is crucial in nature, and who uses it (please have children wear their bathing suits)

Rainbows, Butterflies, and Luck-

This Camp talks about some of our garden friends, and everything lucky! We will explore the legends of rainbows, four leaf clovers, butterflies, fairies and gnomes. We will create our own rainbows, butterfly pools, fairies and even look for gnomes on our adventure. 

Kermit and Jiminy- 

This ode to toads and crickets is sure to create a squeal! Here we discuss the benefits of these creatures in our gardens and flower beds. We will be practicing our sound affects, making toad houses, playing leap frog and even have a frog race! We will do art work inspired by the book The Very Quiet Cricete by Eric Carl and share Froggy Goes to Camp by Jonathan London.

How Does Your Garden Grow?-

Inspired by the book The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, the campers will learn different garden options, from traditional to some very un traditional options! They will be creating a mini garden, creting personalized watering cans, and learn what does and does not grow on the ground! 

Meet Our Camp Directors!

Examples of Distressed and Painted Pieces.

So, this week we want to share with our readers a few of our pieces in our store (yes they are all for sale) just so that you can visualize some of the different features, techniques, and styles that we have discussed throughout the month. We welcome any questions about refinishing, painting, or distressing furniture that any of you may have. Enjoy!

Styles of Furniture

Hello everyone! So this week we want to describe some fo the most popular styles of furniture today. This should help you to find a style that fits the taste and flow of your home.

Traditional-
Traditional furniture is very simple and homey. This style usually consists of neutral colors or floral patterns. The fabrics are matte and not very textured. Pieces are balanced and are easy to relax in.

Casual-
If you like the comfort of traditional furniture but want a more modern look then casual style furniture is what you're looking for. These pieces are usually oversized and over stuffed, they generally come in neutral and natural colors and look as comfortable as they feel.

Contemporary-
Contemporary pieces use a wide variety of materials such as glass, metal, stone and wood. They also use bold colors, geometric shapes, and animal print. They try to aviod details like pleats and tassles.

Formal-
This style often incorporates antiques or has features from major movements in art history. Formal pieces are full of detail, are very symmetrical, use lots of dard hard woods and usually have a glossy finish. They can be tall and they coordiante with eachother. The fabrics in formal furniture are very elegant, such as silk and velvet. They also are known for details such as buttons, tassles, and fringe.

We hope this information is useful in your furniture hunt! Stop in our store to check out some of the pieces we have, and if you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you!

Exclusive Interview With Boutique Owner Amy Morris- Why Furniture?

So, Amy, what got you interested in refinishing and painting furniture?

Amy: You can’t beat the quality of old furniture, however with today’s styles it doesn’t always fit modern day taste. I want something in my home that is made well, and is stylish. So I turned to painting.

How long have you been painting furniture for?

Amy: I started painting furniture 5 years ago, when my husband and I remodeled our home. We had some great pieces but really wanted to make them work with the new colors and layout that we selected, so I did a lot of reading and a lot of research and taught myself how to paint.

What do you feel is the benefit of refinishing old furniture VS buying new?

Amy: Definitely quality.  Not to say that all new furniture is bad, however most new furniture is not made as well as older pieces.

What kinds of paints or stains do you prefer to use?

Amy: I like all kinds, Chalk paint (not to be mistaken with chalk board paint, two different paints), stains, waxes, latex, I use it all. For painting and distressing pieces I prefer chalk paint, it is easily manipulated. I pair it with a wax and finish it with a top layer of stain as a final touch.

What are some common mistakes you see when painting furniture?

Amy: It is really hard to mess up when you refinish or paint furniture, especially if you are looking for a distressed look. In my professional opinion tinting is the most difficult to get on point.  It is way too easy to cross the fine line between too light and too dark. If you get it too dark your piece is ruined.

Do you have any tips on applying paint (for a first timer)?

Amy: Spend the money on quality paint. If you buy the cheap stuff your piece will not turn out as well as you like and your paint job won’t last as long.

Where do you go to find new pieces?

Amy: Everywhere. I go to flea markets, estate sales, garage sales, antique stores. The best part is that most of the places I go I can negotiate price.

What do you look for in a piece of furniture?

Amy: The most important thing I look for hands down is the quality of the piece, then the character of course. (see previous blog post for tips on determining quality)

Is this something that you offer as a service to your shoppers?

Amy: Yes, when my shoppers come in I want to know that I helped make their house feel more like a home. I provide a free consultation and estimate for any piece they want to bring back to life.

Old Furniture VS New Furniture: Detemining Quality

I think we all know how frustrating it can be to go out and purchase a new piece of furniture only to have it falling apart on you within a few short years. Today’s wood furniture is not always the best quality. Most furniture that is “new” is generally made from plywood or engineered wood. You also will find that a lot of today’s furniture is held together with screws, nails, and glue which do not make for the best quality. Since we are focusing on furniture this month we want to start with educating you on how to determine a quality piece of wood furniture that is going to last for many years.

Composition of wood furniture-

Learn the difference between hard woods and soft woods. Hard wood means “from a deciduous tree”. Soft wood means “from a coniferous tree”.It does not mean that the wood is “hard” or “soft”. What you want in a lasting piece of furniture is wood that is reasonably scratch resistant.

You can do a simple test to understand the wood’s resistance by drawing a thin line with your finger nail. If it makes a visible dent on the piece of furniture then you know it is not the quality you are looking for.

Construction of wood furniture-

The joint construction is the best way to determine the quality of the furniture. Anything held together by staples nails, or glue is going to be low quality. The best joints are dove tail (interlocking square-ish teeth) and mortise and tenon (narrowed end of one piece inserted into a hole in the other). Also, look for thin sheets of wood in between drawers, they improve structural strength.

If anyone has any questions about quality of wood we welcome your questions and comments!