And We Lived Happily Ever After Girls Camp

I worked on this Girls Camp decor project for about 3 weeks, but I've been planning and making sketches since late April.  I think among the fluff and fru-fru that was produced, there was actually some meaning for the girls.  I loved creating for this, and part of that love comes from the fact that I simply love the program The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has for the Young Women of the church ranging in ages from 12-18.  The whole camp theme was based on this talk by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled "Your Happily Ever After".

The standards the church recommends for Young Women to follow is exactly what girls these ages need to help keep close relationships with their Heavenly Father, spirituality and family.  I love these values my daughters learn.

Handpainted lettering of the YW motto (Aimee Ferre) and images of the class symbols of the beehive, Mia rose and laurel wreath (Jolene Farley) on muslin.  I loved this shared peice of art.  Jolene seemed to have a window into my vision and then exceeded my expectations.

I learned to use a jigsaw last week and cut this puppy out.  Then sprayed with silver paint and glittered it.  It was a perfect {and economical} solution for the Royal Ball.

Value pendant flags above sewed by my daughters and Taylor and Savannah Reich.

Little cupcakes from the Royal Feast.  The strawberry shortcake ones were my favorite.  Thank you ladies who cooked for us that day, it was divine!

My girls and Holly, after recieving their jewels and tiaras for the ball.

I had to have a photo "booth" at camp, why not make it your FB profile picture?

And why couldn't the picture be with Prince David Archuletta?
Image created by Jolene Farley and then painted by my daughters.

Our sleeping chambers sign.

The entrance to the ampitheatre

The sign was two sided. The lettering was handpainted by me and the beautiful roses by Jolene Farley.  She's amazing!  She also painted the turrets and the stage backdrop, keep going and you'll see.

Doesn't every fairytale story have to have bluebirds flying around in order for it to begin with "Once Upon a Time" and end in "Happily Ever After"?  My daughters painted these little cuties.

Distances and directions from our campsite to all 13 LDS temples in the state of Utah.

The ampitheatre.

I wish we could have gotten a better picture of the 8 value flags.  They were so beautiful.  I got a few close up and then got distracted.

 

Freehand machine embroidered lettering using a quilting foot on my machine.
Spray painted gold PVC pipes with slits cut at the top to hold the flag.

 

The Princess and the Pea, Little Red Riding Hood, Belle, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

Our fearless Head Princess leading the girls in Princess Practice.

The camp royal crest.

The backdrop with a few of the Value chairs.  Remember them?  See a few before pictures HERE.

"The Daughter of a King" throne using every color that represents each value.

Handpainted by me and Jasmine Myers.  I used the different value flag fabrics to make up the seat cushion.

I loved all the signage made for around the campground.  It made all the walks comical or inspiring, depending on where you needed to go.  

Going up towards the ampitheatre (the Castle) and the pavilion (the Great Hall of the Castle).  The girls walked this path at least 3-4 times a day, if not more.

We purposely left off the "men" at the end of the phrase.  It's girls camp afterall.

 

We put this at the entrance to President Back's tent spot.

Each ward decorated a flag to go in front of their camp spot.  Some really charmed it up with fairytale structures.

The Princess and the Pea(ce)

Rapunzel

I can't remember which fairy tale they were.

Cinderella

Yes, there were 3 chandeliers in this ward's camp spot.

Not sure if you can see the carriage in the background.  It had sparkle netting and lit up at night, oh my.

The Princess and the Frog

Snow White

A day at the spa for the girls.  I'll remind you, it's still girls camp.  There was a fantastic hot chocolate bar in the background.  The weather was beautiful.  Only one downpour, a few very light sprinkles, and the rest perfect temperature on the cooler side of summer.

The last day, 8 women (5 within our stake) performed this beautiful program that was written by Carrie M. Wrigley about women from the scriptures who represented the 8 Young Women values.  

From Left to Right:  The Widow of Zeriphath (Faith), Ruth (Good Works), Mary (Divine Nature), Queen Esther (Integrity), Abish (Individual Worth), Sariah (Choice & Accountability), Mother Eve (Knowledge), and Hannah (Virtue).

 

The girls all wrote a birthday wish to our stake president and we put them in a false book to present to him on the last night.

The front cover, freehand machine embroidered, glued onto a pre-made false book I purchased from Michaels.

Time for me to sign off.  My packed suitcase, sleeping bag and tools etc. are all waiting to be unpacked, not to mention my need to shower.  I will probably have more pictures later this week.  My friend has a great camera and took so many more pictures from the week.  

Have a great weekend!