SoDu Parents Posse blog

Lake House & Facepainting

8/5/2016

Moriah Swick is a SoDu mom and local artist. She is the owner of Butterfly Paint, an amazing facepainting business. Moriah says, "Face painting is like flipping a little switch inside of child and turning on their imagination. I love being part of that magic and seeing the excitement in their eyes as they watch themselves transform into a tiger, princess, or superhero. I am available for birthdays, tea parties, and pregnant belly paintings." Moriah came to my daughter's 5th birthday party and was such a hit! There were fairies and butterflies running all over. To inquire more about Butterfly paint, just email her at butterflypaint@gmail.com.

But there's more! Moriah also owns a wonderful lake house that she rents out to families looking to get away. Scroll down past the photo to find out more about it!

Hyco Hideaway is a lakeside retreat to call your own (at least for a little while). Our two bedroom, one bath lake house sits on approximately 250′ of beach front where you have a lake view from the huge screen porch overlooking your private dock and boat house down the hill. An open floor plan with fully furnished kitchen, beds, and full bath and a private dock will make this an exceptional rental home for you to consider. Great for families with small children with tons of amenities available upon request like high chair, pack-n-play, life jackets, etc.

www.hycolakecottage.weebly.com

So whether you need facepainting for an event, or want to get away and enjoy a relaxing week by the lake, Moriah is your gal!

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Homemade Happy custom desserts

6/27/2016

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My daughter told me about this dream she had about her birthday cake, a cake with a fairy that looked like her, in a forest with flowers... and asked, so sweetly, could I make it come true? Luckily, I knew who to call. My high school friend Tara Muller, who had recently been posting pictures of the delicacies she's crafted in her home for family and friends. Homemade Happy is Tara's home based bakery that sells show-stopping cakes for birthdays and special occasions, specializing in gluten-free and custom decorations. I asked Tara if the fairy cake was something Homemade Happy could do, and she said she loved such an adorable challenge!

We tossed ideas back and forth and she asked lots specific questions to make sure she got the details right. She even double checked about my son's allergy, as their house is gluten free, so she takes allergies very seriously. When it came time to pick it up, I was on pins and needles with excitement. Her cake was exquisite, down to the very last detail. I mean, check out the tiny butterfly on the door, the tiny dandelion clutched in the fairy's hand, the lacy butterfly perched atop a spotted toadstool, the violets wrapped around the base. The fairy has the same hair color and eyes as my daughter and is wearing her favorite color! The moss on the top of the trunk was made of crushed graham crackers dyed green! Each slice was so moist and delicious that I didn't even stop to take photos after we cut it! (I'm using a lot of exclamation points I know, but honestly, it was that special.) My daughter was tickled pink by seeing her dream come true and has a photo I took of her with her cake by her bedside table. It truly made a special birthday even more so. (Check out the details below!)

As you can see, the best part about working with Tara is that the sky is the limit as to what she can do. She takes the time to find out your needs and thoughts and works hard to bring them to life with sugar and sweetness. Then at the end, you know that your cake was custom made with love just for you. Homemade Happy creates so many styles of desserts, from pies to cupcakes, from cookies to cakes, even a carved watermelon! Just check out some of the deliciousness in the slideshow below, like the...

BB8 cake with pearls and lace for a girl thats a Star Wars fan
cute baby boy onesie and mustache cookies
the edible lace around the tarheel blue mothers day cake (and that rose!)
teacups and teapots into lovely delicate little cookies
thomas the tank engine cake
those perfectly shaped purple orchids for a cake
olympics cupcakes!
jurassic park cake
pretty little flowers for cupcakes
linzer torte with freshly ground almonds, hazelnuts and homemade raspberry jelly to celebrate an 80th birthday!

I've also seen her make Minecraft birthday cakes, anniversary cakes with married cows on them, graduation cap cakes... I don't think there is anything she can't do! Send her an email at homemadehappycakes@gmail.com with your idea and she how she can bring it to life!

If you are in need of a dessert for your special occasion please contact Tara at Homemade Happy!
She would love to provide you with a fresh, tasty and uniquely crafted cake made just for you, with regular flour or craft gluten free confections. Tara says, "As someone with Celiac Disease, I understand the importance of preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen and would like to help kids who cannot eat gluten have both a safe and fun specialty cake during their celebrations that everyone else will enjoy too!"
So check out Homemade Happy, and make your sweet tooth dreams a reality!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: In exchange for a blog post here, I received a free birthday cake in order for me to experience her services and review them firsthand. However, the opinions contained here are my own.

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David Cobb Murals

6/9/2016

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Walls bare? What if there wasn't a limit to your imagination and all you needed was a talented artist to bring your dreams to life? What would you transform? What about your bare school walls being painted into a friendly jungle, with ceilings morphing into the green tops of towering trees, the florescent lights now seeming to be sun peeking through leaves in the Amazon? Or perhaps your bold logo would look amazing painted on the side of your tech firm's entrance, the eye catching first impression you need for new clients? And do you know the area in your doc's office where you do the blood draws and you have to force yourself to focus on something other than the pain? What if instead you could zone out on the island scene painted above you? Or how about that outdoor wall next to your patio, what if it could remind you of that vacation in Tuscany by being painted with grapevines in an Italian sunset? Maybe your astronaut crazy daughter would love to have her room painted like the moon! The possibilities are endless. For a decade, David Cobb Murals has enjoyed collaborating with clients to bring imaginative ideas to life, transforming everyday space into something unique and spectacular. David relocated to Durham and brings with him a real eye for detail and a focus on quality in all his work, so you can be sure your project will be long lasting and unique. To see all the time he puts into each piece check out this amazing timelapse video below of an ocean mural he designed and painted!

David started painting murals shortly after completing a degree in fine arts from the University of Houston and gaining some illustration experience at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. He enjoys the large scope of mural projects, how each space is unique and challenging in its own way, and that the paintings are out in the world to be lived in and enjoyed by the public. David still creates fine art outside the building walls - with photorealistic paintings of graffiti covered railyards and pet portraits he stays busy! Visit here for more information on his other artistic arenas: dscobb.com and petmugz.com.

Check out some samples of past mural work below!

As you can see, he's created a variety of works, from the forest with added 3D tree trunks at top left to the international themed peaceful mural at top right. My personal favorite is the one on bottom left, of a riverside scene, where you almost feel like you could jump right off the hallway and into the cooling waters. The Dr. Seuss inspired mural on bottom right is simply adorable and you can imagine how it makes kiddos in that school happy.

To keep up to date with all of David's new work, including local work like these fun touches he did at Green Kids in Durham, head to his facebook page.

And here's the best part - for SoDu members only, David is offering a discount of 30% on residential projects and 20% on commercial projects until August 31st! So click here to find out more about David Cobb Murals and arrange for a time to discuss your project ideas or to schedule a no obligation site visit.

David is amazing at taking your idea and using his artistic vision and skill to create a one of a kind work of art, so contact him today!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received payment in exchange for this blog post. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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Remembering Bull City's Fallen

5/30/2016

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Marine honor guard carries the casket of Lance Cpl. Brian E. Anderson on April 15, 2003 at the Beachwood Cemetery in Durham. (AP photo - Bob Jordan)

There is something so absolutely bittersweet and powerful about Memorial Day. Children frolick in the pool as people laugh by the grill, our flag blown silently by the breeze in the background. We get together with friends and family and take a moment off from our busy lives to simply be with each other, to relish this all too short life we are given. And there it is, the thankfulness, there often only in the back of our minds, as we remember all of those who died in war so that we could have this sunny day at the start of summer. For veterans and widows it is much more fresh, a deep sorrow that never goes away, but for many of us, we are so removed from war and loss that it can be easy to forget who we are honoring today.

So I decided I wanted to know their names, to seek them out and post them, so that we may read them and see them again. It wasn't easy, there is no large database where all our nation's dead are listed. The list of men who died in WWII for example is only available as a scanned in document from the 1940's. It hasn't been converted to a searchable database so I simply took images from the record. I was uncovering our past, finding names of men whose graves may be overgrown, whose names should mean as much to us today as they did the day their coffin was draped in our flag.

The loss itself is staggering. It's estimated that in North Carolina alone over 40,000 men died in the Civil War, names now lost to time unless one is researching their family history or cares to crack open heavy volumes of research materials. Each war had it's own website for me to uncover, it's own list of sufferers at the hands of war. I learned the different abbreviations for how they died, I saw the variety of ranks these men held, the men who were the third of their name or a beloved "junior". The more I read, the more I wanted to share. And the more hands of their descendants I wanted to shake.

I decided to focus on Durham as this is my home, and to list the brave men from our county and city who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan. This list is by no means complete, and if you know of someone I am missing, contact me so I can add their name.

As President John F. Kennedy said, "A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers." So please, join me. Take a moment today to close your eyes, and thank these souls for their service, let them not be forgotten.

Durham natives that died in service during World War I:

Ashworth, Junious C.
Bird, Willie
Cruse, James J.
Denny, Hoyt M.
Ewings, Willie
Faucette, John M.
Fuller, Roy H.
Haithcock, Sidney A.
Hessee, James L. Corp.
Howell, Oliver W. Corp.
Huntley, Clarence O.
Keith, Bernard C.
Kerr, Fred
Lynch, John E.
Marshburn, Jacob A.
Martin, Marvin B.
Maynard, Ernest M.
Mcfarland, Hugh
Mitcehll, Robert L. Lt.
Moore, Leonard N.
Purvear, Bonnie
Rawling, Claude M.
Rigsbee, Ike J.
Shepard, William Sgt.
Smith, Vernon
Thompson, Dewey S
Tilley, Royal W. Corp.
Triplett, Elija W.
Venable, Paul C. Lt.
Walker, Julian C.
Weaver, D.
Weaver, Lee
Wood, Charles Corp.

Durham natives that died in service during World War II: see images above

Durham natives that died in service during the Korean War:
BARBEE JOHN P BERRY JEROME G JR
BROWN VERNON L
CARVER WILLIE L
CLEVENGER LEON E
DAVIS HENRY LEE
DAY EARLIE
DRENNEN HUGH J
GOOCH DAVID
HARRELL JEFFERY W
HOSKINS HOWARD
HUNT THOMAS A
JONES WILLIAM J
JOYNER THEODORE R
KING HOMER G
KING LEROY F
MCCLEAIN LEROY
MCFADDEN KENDRICK A
OBRIANT ERIC FRANKLIN
ONEAL GEORGE E
RICKMAN VINCENT R
ROBERSON WAYNE
WALKER LEO

Durham natives that died in service during the Vietnam War:
PFC DAVID HARUM BASS
SFC WILLIAM EDWARD BOONE
SSG JOHN MARSHALL BROWN III
SP4 FREDDIE LEE BURNETTE
SGT WAYNE R BURRAGE
SP4 CURVIN CLAYTON
SGT HAROLD EUGENE COUCH
SP4 KENNETH JAMES DANTZLER
CPL DEWEY MAYNARD EUBANKS
PFC JAMES EDWARD FARRAR Jr
PFC WALTER HENRY FENNELL
LCPL RANDY JACK GLENN
CPT JOHN MILTON HARRINGTON
PFC HAROLD LEE HARRIS
SFC EDWARD JACKSON Jr
PFC WILLIAM MILLER Jr
SSG JAMES MINICK MOORE
CPL ROY THOMAS MOSS
SP4 Mc ARTHUR NICHOLS
CAPT THOMAS BARCLAY ORR Jr
SFC JAMES LESTER PARKER
1LT KENNETH EDWARD PENNINGTON
SP5 HARMON WAYNE PERRY
GYSGT JULIUS DONALD PRITCHETT
PFC JAMES AUGUSTA RICHARDSON
SSG RICHARD LEE SARVIS
CPL FRANKLIN GRAHAM SCOGGINS
SSG CHARLES EARL SMITH
SP4 DOUGLAS BANE SMITH
SGT DON RICHARD SYKES
CPL ROOSEVELT THARRINGTON Jr
PFC ALFRED L THOMPSON
CPL JAMES DOUGLAS TRAYLOR
SGT WILLIAM HARDY UPCHURCH Jr
SSG WILLIAM B WATSON Jr
SP4 EDGAR W WILLIAMS Jr
SGT GOLER JUNIOR WILLIAMS
PFC JOHNNY LEROY WILLIAMS

Durham natives that died in service during the Iraq War:
Specialist Prince K. Teewia
Lance Corporal Brian Edward Anderson

It is my hope by remembering the names of these fallen that we may take in our hearts not only gratitude but perseverance as we work towards peace. No family should have to bury their child because of war. Let us live up to the dream our Founding Fathers had by moving to that day when war takes no more sons and daughters from us.

I end with this, President John F. Kennedy's Proclamation 3409 - Prayer for Peace on Memorial Day, 1961.

"A ProclamationWhereas the high courage and the supreme sacrifice of Americans who gave their lives in battle have made it possible for our land to flourish under freedom and justice; and
Whereas the ideals and patriotism of those who answered the call to service stand as an inspiration to every new generation of Americans; and
Whereas the same principles and revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought and died are still at issue in the world and the challenge against them can be met only through the same qualities of courage, strength, and unflinching determination shown by our noble dead; and
Whereas Memorial Day each year provides a fitting occasion upon which our people may not only commemorate the Nation's heroic dead but also unite in prayer for the preservation of liberty and peace free from the threat of war; and
Whereas to this end the Congress, in a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950 (64 Stat. 158), requested the President to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace:
Now, Therefore, I, John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, do hereby urge the people of the United States to observe Tuesday, May 30, 1961, Memorial Day, by invoking the blessing of God on those who have died in defense of our country, and by praying for a new world of law where peace and justice shall prevail and a life of opportunity shall be assured for all; and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at eleven o'clock in the morning of that day as the time to unite in such prayer.
I also urge the press, radio, television, and all other media of information to cooperate in this observance.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.
DONE at the City of Washington this 24th day of April in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and eighty-fifth."

- JOHN F. KENNEDY

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Scrap Exchange camps

5/11/2016

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Did you know that Scrap Exchange offers summer camps for the older set, just at that age when they're impossible to figure out how to keep happy and occupied in the summertime? What exactly do they do you might ask? Well you can expect plenty of cooperation, celebration, and FUN in their variety of signature Scrap Exchange creative arts activities — including Make-N-Take, Build It!, and Junk Jams -- along with themed activities developed exclusively for the camps. Camps will also feature visits from local artists and artisans who will offer special sessions in sewing, music, storytelling, and more.

Important info:
Camp Hours: 9am to Noon (bring a morning snack)
Tuition: $125/week
Lunch Bunch: Noon to 1pm (bring your own packed lunch)
Fee: additional $25/week
Ages: 9 to 12 (children should have completed 3rd grade)

REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW!
Click on the camp dates below to be taken to Eventbrite, where you can complete your online registration.
You can also see more info at: scrapexchange.org/programs/summer-camps/

Scrap Circus
June 13 – 17
You don’t have to run away to join the circus! Come to The Scrap Exchange instead!
Join camp leader Elyse Mrache as we create our very own circus, to be presented at a sideshow at the end of the week. We will construct dance and performance props then learn how to move with them, build instruments for Junk Jams, and design our own unique costumes. Enjoy cool tricks by local guest performers!
In addition to the dance, movement, and circus-themed fun, we will also explore outside, in the new Community Garden and surrounding outdoor areas, as we learn about local food, composting, and more.

Build Your World 1
June 20 – 24
Imagine time and space… inside and out!
In this camp led by Juliet Jensen, we will imagine, design, build, and decorate our own model dream parks, play spaces, and fun houses.
Inside, we will create miniature architecture and landscaping along with collage, drawing, and textiles. Outside, we will build and learn about sculpture while being inspired by famous environmental artists. We will also explore the Community Garden where we will create art installations using found objects. Throughout the week, we will have time to work on independent projects chosen by the campers.

Puppet Power
July 11 – 15
Did you know we all have puppet power?!?
Julia Gartrell will guide campers in making scrap-tastic puppets, as they write and perform an original puppet show, to be presented at the end of the week.
Using papier mache, wood, simple sewing, and other hands-on materials and tools, we will work with a wide range of techniques in one fabulously creative week. From tiny finger puppets to larger-than-life parade-style creatures, we will cover the gamut of puppet styles. In addition to the puppets, we will make a fanciful and interactive set, design posters, and put on a great show!

Build Your World 2
July 18 – 22
Imagine time and space… inside and out!
In this camp led by Juliet Jensen, we will imagine, design, build, and decorate our own model dream parks, play spaces, and fun houses.
Inside, we will create miniature architecture and landscaping along with collage, drawing, and textiles. Outside, we will build and learn about sculpture while being inspired by famous environmental artists. We will also explore the Community Garden where we will create art installations using found objects. Throughout the week, we will have time to work on independent projects chosen by the campers.
- See more at: http://scrapexchange.org/programs/summer-camps/#sthash.TSdEJQsa.dpuf

BONUS DISCOUNT TIME!!! Scrap Exchange is happy to offer 20% off one week of camp to the first five children that are registered by mentioning that they learned about our camps from either SoDu Parents Posse or Stir Crazy Mom's Guide.
In order to register with this discount, you will need to contact Wendy Ziegler, TSE's Education Coordinator at outreach@scrapexchange.org directly, as the online registration (Eventbrite) will charge full price.

What's that? You've never been to The Scrap Exchange before??? You gotta go! Here are the details on everyone's favorite non-profit creative reuse arts center for the newbies:
TSE at Shoppes at Lakewood
2050 Chapel Hill Rd
Durham, NC 27707
Outreach & Education: (919) 213-1278
We collect, you create!
Visit us online - scrapexchange.org
Get creative & take a class - scrapexchange.eventbrite.com

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I was paid in exchange for writing this blog post. The opinions contained herein are my own.

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Lake House & Facepainting

Homemade Happy custom desserts

David Cobb Murals

Remembering Bull City's Fallen

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