Hey, Students of Stained Glass!

On this Blog, we like to zero in on some of the record setters and pioneers of sports, crafts, and other summer camp activities. Last week we went over the process of creating Stained Glass. Today, I thought it’d be in the spirit of the season to set our scopes on the awe-inspiring windows of many churches and cathedrals that use stained glass for the windows of their glorious architecture.

The record for the biggest stained glass window ever goes to a couple of master masons, Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil. These two were contracted in the construction of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris—the structure that boasts the biggest window in the world: the south rose window.

This stained glass panel measures in at more than forty feet in diameter and was first built about 800 years ago in 1220 AD!

The project of the south rose window was funded by the king, King St. Louis and the stained glass panel was installed in the Notre-Dame cathedral window within the next 40 years. An exceptional piece of artwork, the window complements the glorious architecture of the 12^th Century cathedral.

The south rose window is comprised of 84 glass panes and it amazingly still has most of its original glass and tracery intact! In fact, it’s another record that this window holds as the superior survival of the initial glass. This window along with many of Notre-Dame's stained glass windows have become iconic and important work of Gothic art from the 13^th Century.

Be sure to appreciate any beautiful stained glass windows you encounter! They may not all be the jaw-dropping works of cymatic pattern art as the Notre-Dame cathedral south rose window, but all stained glass has an impressive effect. And thanks for reading this Blog post! Till next time.

Hey, Camp Folks!

We love talking about a wide array of topics on this Blog, but one of our most frequent and consistent topics is to feature one of the many summer camps with whom we have the joy of working. We’re swinging our Everything Summer Camp camp spotlight over to the American Southwest, north of Lake Tahoe where we find Meadow Mountain Ranch.

A sleepaway camp for boys and girls from 7 to 16, Meadow Mountain Ranch summer camp is situated on a spacious ranch of 900 acres in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At Meadow Mountain, they offer a traditional, classic camp program, where the Meadow Mountain philosophy lets the campers naturally form bonds and strong friendships—almost like a big family! With over 60 summers under their belt, the folks at Meadow Mountain know what they’re doing!

A magical experience, full of fresh and fun opportunities, Meadow Mountain campers learn and try their hand at Animal Care, Archery, Arts & Crafts, Campfires, Ceramics, CILT (Campers in Leadership Training), Color Wars, Drama, Fencing, Fishing, High Ropes, Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking, Out Trips, Paintball, Photography, Riflery, Water Sports, Lagoon (the most popular spot on a hot summer day!), and plenty more!

Campers convene at mealtimes in the rustic and historical Dining Hall that feels like hanging out in a lodge. Campers are able to eat under a canopy outside as well with a great view of the campground meadows and lagoon. It’s also where they throw their camp-wide dance parties. 

Cabin groups are assigned according to age and gender. Each cabin has electricity, wall-to-wall carpeting, and is complete with its own bathroom and shower facilities. Campers are accommodated in twin-sized cozy wooden bunk beds. The bathrooms provide great shelving and countertop space. And many offer a great view from a front deck, overlooking the central meadow!

If you’re interested in spending a summer at Meadow Mountain Ranch, give them a closer look—hop over to their website by clicking right here. Maybe you’ll be going there for your next summer camp experience! Have a blast and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Winter Warriors!

No matter where you go, this season whether it’s out on shopping excursions or long trips to a relative’s home, you’ll want to make sure you stay in the Spirit of the Season. And the best way to do that is with an endless supply of hot chocolate! Keep that creamy drink coming and make sure it stays piping hot in the proper container. We offer plenty of bottles that are insulated so your hot drinks stay hot for hours on end. Check out the selection we have here at Everything Summer Camp:

Insulated Bottles
Made of durable pro-grade stainless steel with Hydro Flask’s TempShield™ Insulation. The 24oz Standard Mouth Flex Cap Water Bottle maintains temperature for up to six hours for a hot drink. The 32oz Wide Mouth Bottle can do up to 12 hours.

Tumblers
Given similar construction with durable pro-grade stainless steel and their trademark TempShield Insulation, Hydro Flask’s 20oz All Around™ Tumbler as well as the 22oz Tumbler are capable of keeping your hot drink hot for as long as six hours.

Coffee Mug
Built with the same sturdy and insulated production, the 12oz Coffee Mug from Hydro Flask is provided with a closeable, press-in lid and its exterior offers a soft-to-the-touch finish that feels good in your hand as any good mug should. This Mug keeps drinks hot for hours.

Outside the Hydro Flask brand we have a few other options like the S'well 17oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle which can keep drinks hot for up to 12 hours as well as the S'well 25oz Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle which keeps drinks hot for up to 24! We also offer the Camelbak Horizon 12oz Insulated Camp Mug that maintains temperature for hours.

So enjoy staying warm from the inside-out when you leave your home this winter with the proper hot drink for the season in hand! Shop these great options and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!                                 

Staying hard at work with an assortment of responsibilities, Nate is our Manager of the Graphics Department—a role that keeps him rather busy developing new product ideas, keeping our apparel stocked, overseeing all product production, printer and other equipment maintenance, and a whole lot more than just that. But we’re not talking about work today! 

Today we’re going to find out what Nate would do if he got to go to summer camp right now as an adult. He couldn’t settle on any one camp activity so he gave me a laundry list of fun stuff he’d sign up for. Check out the busy schedule he made for himself: 

Tennis
In his freshman year of high school, Nate thought Tennis looked interesting. He eventually played with the team after school. He had a great time playing it and, while it didn’t stick, he’d be all too happy to give it another go.

Golf
Nate’s been sharpening his Golf skills for the past 10 years. He started out heading to a course here and there with friends, but somewhere along the way, he decided to get pretty serious about it. Play became obsession and, for quite some time now, Golf has been a weekly pastime.

Trapshooting
While he’s only gone a handful of times in his life, Nate found that he really enjoys the challenge of Trapshooting. He told me that if it wasn’t for Golf, he’d probably be obsessed with Trapshooting.

Fishing
Another favorite pastime Nate loves is Fishing. He’s typically catching Walleye or Bass. Nate’s kids enjoy going fishing as well. They’ll often go with his older brother; fishing is to Nate’s brother as Golf is to him!

Hiking
For a little over a year now, Nate and his family have been going on hikes together. It’s great to get out and enjoy some fresh air in the natural world away from chirping phones and flashing screens. They do go to local hotspots like Irvine Park, Peninsula State Park, and Big Falls County Park.

Cooking
Nate already does quite a bit of cooking, but he sees it as a life skill that can always been improved upon. He enjoys making meals for his family on his Blackstone Hibachi Grill. Even in the winter months here in Wisconsin, Nate will do some outdoor cooking at least once a week.

Computer Camp
Nate knows computers are another life skill—something that will be needed more and more as time goes on. He taught himself Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator in order to update our methods of creating personalized products in the Graphics Department.

Do you share any of Nate’s interests in summer camp activities? I know I do. And he could definitely cook something for me one of these days! See what kind of options are available to you at your camp and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Stained Artists!

People have been working with the craft of stained glass for more than a thousand years. More than any other application—and almost exclusively—stained glass is found in the beautiful windows of churches, cathedrals, and other places of worship. We’ve all seen this unique art form and who hasn’t been held a little bit spellbound by the fascinating work of stained glass?

Creating a work of art through the stained glass medium is quite the process. Check out the steps to making a panel of stained glass. 

The Stained Glass Cartoon
To start out, you’ll want to draw out your design on paper. In the stained glass business, this paper template is referred to as a ‘Cartoon’. This is helpful in designating the outline of the lead around each cut of glass as well as mapping out the colors and details when the time comes for painting.

Cutting Glass
Assuming you’re working with pre-stained glass, pick out the right piece for the desired color and texture. Use the cartoon under the glass to cut the glass to the proper shape and size.

Dabbing on the Details
Mark your outlines on the glass before you start adding any details. You can use a technique called Matting to shade the glass with your paint using a wide brush. Dabbing at the paint to create texture is a technique called Stippling. You can also create fine detail by carefully scraping the paint with a needle.

Kiln o’ Clock
Now comes the time for the paint to be hardened and fixed. This happens in a kiln where the extraordinary degrees can be safely reached.

Lead the Way
Now it’s finally time to lay your individual glass pieces in their proper spots according to your cartoon. The lead is cut and shaped appropriately and then joined on the front and back of your panel using a soldering iron. Your artwork is now crafted into a single solid panel.

The Finishing Touches
A glazing cement gets applied and scrubbed into any gaps between the glass and the lead. Then you a chalk mixture called ‘whiting’ is spread over your panel to help the cement harden. The excess whiting is eventually brushed off and cleaned up.

If you’d like to learn the process then I recommend you look into a summer camp that offers it as an activity to boost your familiarity with the art form. If you already have a camp in mind, call them up to ask about their program. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John