I knew we were going to have a beautiful evening camping at Winton Woods as soon as I left the visitor center and noticed these beauties in the parking lot. The park is absolutely beautiful.
Fashion Sewing Camp ~ Giveaway
Today I’m introducing you to Mary, who started Mary Helen Clothing. She stepped out in faith to pursue her dream in fashion and this summer she will be hosting a sewing camp for kids to learn more about fashion from start to finish.
How long have you been interested in fashion/sewing?
I have been sewing since I was 8 years old. My aunt touch me how to quilt. From that point on I loved sewing everything from pillows, clothes and stuffed animals. When I turned 10 I decided I was going to be a fashion designer. I got a nice machine and when to work creating my own fashions. Since I was little I have always had a passion for design and I am blessed that there was someone there to teach me!
Where did you get the idea for your clothing line?
While in school I worked for many corporate and small companies such as, Carter’s Abercrombie, Justice, and Sweaty Bands. While working my last quarter at Justice I was upset with the image I felt was being portrayed to young girls. Short, Sparkly, Tube Tops were the thing of the season and I was ashamed to say that I had designed those for little girls.
So I was on a mission to create an age appropriate clothing line that was sophisticated and stylish while still letting kids be kids! That is how mary helen clothing started and throughout the three years we have been in business we have been working hard to emphasis age appropriate beauty. Letting girls know they are beautiful from the inside out! We now work with Girls on the Run, The Confidence Coalition, and Children’s Hospital to help support our cause!
What fears did you have to overcome in pursuing your dream?
It is scary not knowing what to do when starting your own business. You just have to jump in headfirst with no one telling you right and wrong, good or bad. The saying is true… “If it were easy everyone would do it!” I was always a rule follower, never challenging authority. I was told what was for dinner and how to act around adults and that after you go to college you find a good job with a stable company, get married, have kids, and live happy ever after!
Not doing these things scared me because it was “supposed” to happen that way…9-5 jobs are normal and I was afraid to be different. When I got the support and motivation to finally jump in I have never looked back! Starting mary helen clothing has been life changing and worth every minute of it!
What is your favorite part about your job?
I love working on a collection for months, seeing it through all stages and then walking down the street to see a little girl that I do not know smiling and bouncing down the street in a dress from the line!!!
What is your vision for your sewing camps?
Sewing camp is for the kids! I want to teach them all I know! I had someone to teach me when I was little and know I want to teach them! The best part they will get to learn even more then I did when I first started! I always looked for fashion sewing classes and camps when I was little and I could never find anything with fashion in it. If I did find a class I was with a lot of older women sewing blankets and pillows.
I want this camp to teach kids what fashion is as well as how to sew! The will learn everything from how to select fabrics for a skirt vs a top and what patterns look like and how to use them! They will get to make a garment from the first stage of production!!! Which is Imagination/Inspiration! I want every child to leave camp knowing how clothes are made, how to make them , and a feeling of great joy that they are know all fashion designers!!!
You can find out more about Mary Helen Clothing and the camp from her website.
**The Sewing Camp is located at 6625 Planation Way Cincinnati Ohio 45224.
I’ve been given a $100 off camp and a $50 off camp certificate to giveaway!
Disclosure: I was given certificates for review and giveaway purposes. All opinions are my own.
6 Essentials to look for in a Summer Camp
This post is a sponsored guest post and content was provided by Camp Rockmont.
Selecting a camp can be an incredibly daunting task.There are more than 12,000 summer camps in the US, each with its own programming, staff, and leadership.
How can you make an informed choice? At Rockmont, we’ve fielded thousands of questions from camp parents.
As you ask questions, here are six of the most important things your prospective summer camp should have. Feel free to use these as a tool when evaluating a camp through their website or when having a conversation with the staff.
A reason for what they do.
There are thousands of blobs, zip-lines, and waterslides at camps all over the world. All of these activities add value, but only if they are vehicles for the camps mission. What developmental role do these activities play? Why do they zip-line and play group games? Why do they have a blob? Part of the answer should be FUN! Fun is essential for a camp. But hopefully there’s another reason: Blobs, zip-lines, and waterslides help build courage. It’s important that a camp’s mission be integrated into every part of their program. Does the camp have a reason for each activity?
A serious stance on safety.
This is arguably the most important practice a camp should have. Safety begins with staff recruiting, hiring, and training (see next point!). The key word in this conversation is protocol. What are the camp’s protocols around camper-staff interaction? Do they have specific training programs like Darkness to Light? Do they have nurses or medical staff on site? How are the lifeguards trained? What is the camp’s approach to bullying?
A method to select the best possible staff.
Staff members are a camp’s most valuable asset. They should be selected for their integrity, passion, and character. The interview process should include background checks and references. Where does the camp recruit? What is the interview process? What about staff training? Camps should make sure to spend quality time and energy training staff to create a safe, fun environment for kids while upholding the camps mission. Does the camp select and train its’ staff with intention?
A plan for dealing with homesickness.
You can learn a lot from a camp about how they deal with homesickness. Do they view it as a preventable illness? Or terminal? Or do they see it as a natural developmental response to an away-from-home experience? A wise camp sees homesickness as an opportunity to come alongside a camper and navigate through those feelings. Compassion, connection, and collaboration are the keys to a successful homesick experience. Working through these feelings in a supportive camp community is greatly preferable to navigating a first time away-from-home experience during the freshman year of college. How does the camp train staff to deal with homesickness?
Healthy communication between parent and child.
This topic focuses more on how the camp experience will affect the parents during their temporary empty nest. Parents should find a camp with a strategy that works for them. Most camps allow written letters to be exchanged between campers and family; some even allow a one way email that the child can respond to by letter. Then there is the counselor letters. Often, counselors will write to the parent to report on the child’s experience. Remember, some limit to communication is good. One goal of camp should be to develop a healthy sense of autonomy. What is the camp’s communication policy?
A way to get more personal communication.
This could be as simple as having someone on the other end of the phone to answer questions. A camp should be willing to take time to speak with each parent as they do their research. Tours are a great way to get a feel for the campus and to meet the directors and staff. Seeing the property and meeting staff can make a child (and parent) feel much more comfortable about camp. Many camps also travel and host shows at camper’s homes or camp fairs. This is a great way to meet other families who can share their experience about camp. How do they make it easy for you to get information?
At the root of all these questions, methods, and worries, is a partnership. Your camp should be a partner with you as parents in your child’s growth. Every healthy partnership has communication. Camps should be eager to have a conversation about their hopes for your child at camp. Hopefully this article can be a resource to you while looking for camps. Give us a call and let us tell you more!
Camp Rockmont Short Film from Camp Rockmont on Vimeo.
You can find out more about Camp Rockmont from their website and facebook page.
Shawn Marler is the Assistant Director at Camp Rockmont for Boys and directs their summer program for elementary-age campers. Rebecca Becker is the Registrar and herself a Camp Mom who works to answer the thousands of questions that come her way, speaking as one parent to another. She can even tell you where to find the best deal on a set of extra long twin sheets for camp.
Disclosure: This post is a sponsored guest post and content was provided by Camp Rockmont.