Happy Summer, Sweet Friends! That season has finally arrived and I’m so thrilled to be in the heat of it. The boys are out of school and our little family of five is ready for summer adventures. What summer adventures do you have planned this year?

5 Things To Take On Your Summer Adventures!

This year I thought it would be fun to take you along. This year will be different on our Summer Adventures. We are adventuring to Lodi, it will begin a new journey, as one chapter closes and a new one begins.

I love summer, I love the warm weather, swimming in the pool, kayaking on the Lake, and running barefoot in the sand. It’s not that difficult to plan a Summer Adventure but there are 5 Things To Take On Your Summer Adventures. These things, Sweet Friends, are the ones you don’t want to forget.

I grew up in a small town in Northern California called Lodi. Lodi is a city located in San Joaquin County of California, in the center portion of California’s Central Valley. The population is just over 62,000. In the summer the temperatures hit 100’s.

5 Things To Take On Your Summer Adventures!

Whether you are venturing far out into the wild or into town, it’s wise to keep stock of certain things, not just a suitcase full of clothes. These are 5 things you don’t want to forget to take on your Summer Adventure.

#1 – Journal

Years ago, Creedence Clearwater Revival wrote a song about the town. That song, “Stuck in Lodi Again,” by Creedance Clearwater Revival, has always held a place in my heart.

You see, as a child growing up, I didn’t like living in Lodi. The song by Credence Clearwater Revival, “Stuck in Lodi Again,” was a perfect sentiment to how I felt as a kid. 

I set out on the road…

Seekin’ my fame and fortune…

Lookin’ for a pot of gold…

Things got bad things got worse….

I guess you will know the tune…

Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again

#2 Camera

Remember my Story About 1992? Escaping to San Francisco for college. Here I am all these years later escaping the San Francisco Bay Area back to my roots. I’ll be leaving the Bay Area and moving to Lodi this summer.

I’m not sure why I don’t feel “Stuck in Lodi.” I’m not sure why after all these years, I’m bringing the boys back so that we can begin our Summer Adventures.

Years ago, it was my mission to not be “Stuck in Lodi.”  When college time approached I couldn’t leave fast enough.  I finally escaped Lodi in 1989 with no intentions of ever living there again. It was a resemblance from my escape from cubicle nation. 

But back then, all those years ago, over 20 I might add, I was a different girl. As a young girl, I was shy, insecure, anxious and very introverted. Now, I see Lodi differently. I love the lake, the slow pace of life and the exploring that can be done in this small, not so crowded little town.

#3 Sunscreen

Living in San Francisco and the Bay Area of Northern California has been wonderful.  After high school and escaping to San Francisco and as  I continued through life; marriage, having babies, working the corporate world, I would visit Lodi frequently. 

These days Lodi seems different than it did over all those years ago. But, like I said, I’m different too. I enjoy the pace, I enjoy the history and I enjoy all that Lodi has to offer.

#4 Snacks

My parents have remained in Lodi all these years. My feelings about Lodi, and this small town that I grew up in have changed. Lodi changed and I changed.  I’m not sure really if the town changed but my visits there are more enjoyable. I no longer feel Stuck in Lodi. 

#5 First Aid Kit

This past week the boys and I visited Lodi.  We adventured and enjoyed our time at the Lake.  We made memories that will last forever.  Stand up paddle boarding and kayaking on the lake.  Swimming in the pool, walking the pups and chasing geese.

This year I thought it would be fun to take you along on our adventures. This year our adventures will be different for the Create With Cynthia “Family of Five. Our Summer Adventures are beginning now reconnecting with my home town.

Stay tuned as I tell you more in the upcoming weeks about my adventures in the home buying process. Returning to my roots, returning to my hometown.

Now, go out there and Create Something.

Cynthia

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I love going on adventures, Sweet Friends, do you? Today on the blog is a video and tutorial on how to create a Stenciled Pillow for Spring. You may have seen my Facebook Live a few weeks back on the project. You can watch my video on You Tube on the project.

Stenciled Pillow for Spring!

Welcome to Create With Cynthia, I hope you will become a regular visitor! 

Create With Cynthia is a place where I share ideas and inspiration on DIY Home Decor and Furniture Makeover projects all with a season flair.  I love to share about my family of five. I’m grateful for my two teen boys and my two pups. I love to share our adventures in and around our little town in Northern California. You can follow me on my website or You Tube channel to create these projects.  You can purchase the products or my completed handmade goods, on my online website CreateWithCynthiaShop.com.

Let’s Go On Adventures Together!

It’s exciting to go on an Adventure. Whether you are riding your bicycle, hiking the mountains, kayaking at the lake, adventures are something to look forward to.

This weekend, my son Troy and I went to our normal spot for a hike with the pups. This hike became an adventure in itself. Normally on our hikes, Troy and I look for birds and lizards and they are not hard to find.

Let’s Go On Adventures Together!

This normal hike was different. What we saw at the Open Space Preserve surprised us. We saw 100’s of goats, fenced into a spot at the beginning of the preserve.

Our normal hike became an adventure that we never expected. On our normal hike we would not see goats eating grass. Normally we are looking for lizards and birds. Sofy loves to chase the lizards and birds.

On this adventure we saw over a hundred goats and they were fenced in with an electrical fence. The goats were happily eating the grass. Some just stared at us as we walked by. We even saw a goat that looked to be pregnant.

This pillow sits on one of my chairs and reminds me of adventures I have taken. One of the adventures it reminds me of is last summer when I kayaked in Northern California. I love being reminded of times I have taken for myself.

Here are some other projects where I’ve used Gel Art Inks and Essential Stencils. I’ve stenciled “Kitchen Towels with Gel Art Inks and Essential Stencils.” I created one of a kind pillows for my home, like I did on this pillow here. Handkerchiefs are fun to customize with Gel Art Inks, like I did here.

Do-It-Yourself Stenciled Pillow!

Now let’s get onto this pillow tutorial.

If you’d like to shop Essential Stencils use the code CWC and receive 10% off your order.

MATERIALS NEEDED TO CREATE A STENCILED PILLOW:

1. Stencil by Essential Stencils
2. Gel Art Ink products by A Maker’s Studio.
3. Stencil Brushes by Essential Stencils
4. Pillow Cover

DIRECTIONS FOR CREATING A STENCILED SIGN:

Step one: Gather your materials.

Step two: Prepare your pillow cover by ironing it.

Step three: Insert a piece of parchment paper or cardboard inside the pillow cover. This will ensure that the ink will not leak through the back.

Step four: Use Frog Tape to adhere stencil to surface.

Step five: Use Stencil Brushes with Gel Art Inks.

Step six: Swirl or Pounce paint onto surface. Either stenciling technique; Swirling or Pouncing, works well. I have a video on You Tube for each. 

Step seven: Remove frog tape and stencil.

Step eight: Heat set Gel Art Ink into fabric. Place a thin towel over the pillow and iron fabric on 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes.

Tip: If you’d like to wash your pillow cover, turn pillow cover inside out and wash in cold water. Do not place the pillow cover in the iron.

Enjoy your handmade one of a kind creation.

I hope I have inspired you to go out there and Create Something.

Cynthia

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