Blog Posts

AR Workshop

5/1/2018

Want something new to do for a moms night out? Need a special, one-of-a-kind gift? Check out AR Workshop in Brightleaf Square. It's a boutique DIY studio offering classes where you create custom pieces, lead by experienced instructors. AR stands for Anders Ruff, taken from the names of the two female designers who wanted to create something new for all the crafty people out there back in 2010, and the company has exploded with popularity ever since. AR Workshop is the only studio in Durham that allows each class participant to make their own piece exactly as they want it. They offer hundreds of options, from classic to trendy. You can choose anything from pillows to canvas signs, porch decorations to holiday wall hangings, lazy susans to necklace holders. The possibilities are endless.

I got to try out an AR Workshop and wanted to share my experience with you because it was so much fun and I left with such a special momento for my family.

The interior of the studio is very welcoming, with a retail space where you can purchase ready made decor if you don't have time for a workshop. They also offer parties if you want to come in with some buddies! We had a great group of people, and even though I didn't know anyone at my table at the start, I made fast friends with them. Some were newbies like me, others were experienced in the art of it. We all had a ton of fun. Adding to the fun is their BYOB option, so I grabbed some brews from nearby Clouds Brewing to enjoy as I worked.

I chose the lazy susan and wanted to paint it blue to match my kitchen. We sanded down our wood then I decided to water down my paint so I could still see the wood grain. You get to pick from a slew of colors, and the instructors really helped me choose just the right hue.

Then we put tape on the backside of the sticker that we use to create the stencil. That way the little pieces won't peel off after we paint.

Next I painted my sign in the colors I wanted after I got some help choosing just the right complimentary colors. This part was my favorite because it was so exciting imagining what it would look like when done.

Here's the finished lazy susan after I touched it up (the instructors helped me here too). I absolutely love how it turned out and it looks perfect on my dining room table.

I can't wait to go back for another workshop - I even got a punch card for frequent visits. I would love to arrange a special SoDu Parents Night Out for us! Here is the schedule if you want to see what's being offered and when - there's even a special Mimosas for Mom's Mother's Day workshop!

But don't just take my word for it!
Look below to enter a contest for a free workshop, valued at $65.50!!
And just as fun, SoDu members get a super discount of 15% on classes -
just use code SODU15 when you register online through May 31st!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC required disclosure: In exchange for a blog post, I was given a complimentary workshop in order to try out the services. Some of the content, such as the images, are provided by the pardner for my use. I give permission for this blog post to be used in perpetuity by the pardner as they wish. May seem silly, but legally I gotta say it. Congrats for reading the fine print!

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Flip4Kids! foreign language immersion summer camps

4/4/2018

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Flip4Kids offers a traditional camp in a full immersion setting and you can choose from Spanish, French, or Chinese. The camps are for 4 - 13 year olds and run from 9am-3:30pm at Rashkis Elementary in Meadowmont in Chapel Hill. Each day, children begin by practicing the words and melodies to one of Language Workshop for Children's happy songs. Then it's on the first lesson - Spanish, Chinese, or French - with lots of interactive games. Afterwards it's time to enjoy a day full of music and movement, indoor and outdoor games, cooking, and arts and crafts activities. And Flip4Kids works with campers of all skill levels, so if you already speak another language at home, or if your child is in a dual language program at school but could use some brushing up on skills, or just would have fun practicing their vocabulary, it's a wonderful place for beginners and fluent children alike, as well as anybody somewhere in between!

And it's amazing all the wonderful things they do in just one week at Flip4Kids, as Katy wrote over on Stir Crazy Moms Guide to Durham, "a recent Spanish camp involved a visit to Kidzu Children's Museum, the fire station, the post office, Harris Teeter to practice grocery shopping, and a Mexican restaurant (where they had to order in Spanish). They also had a visit from a police officer, made tortillas and cookie houses, observed earthworms, learned songs and more. Sounds like a great week to me!!"

Hurry - camps end when July does! If the rest of your summer is already booked up, they also offer classes of all kinds during the regular school year. For more information on their camps and classes go here: http://www.flip4kidsnc.com/classes-and-camps/.
And read on for a chance to win a summer camp FOR FREE!

It's common knowledge that raising your child to be multilingual has a world of benefits. Kids who speak more than one language have been proven to be better at problem solving, switching between tasks is easier, have improved memory, better social skills with a wider range of peers, a greater appreciation for our diverse world, and the benefits continue with age, including increased earning potential and slower cognitive decline. But despite how important and beneficial it is, when SoDu mom Hao Nguyen and John Gaskin were looking for ways for their children to experience and learn other languages outside of their blended family, there were very few resources out there. They could speak multiple languages in their own home, and have some exposure in certain daycares, but outside of visiting other countries, few opportunities arose locally. This search led them to discover the Language Workshop for Children® and Thibaut Technique®, which they incorporate into their business, Flip4Kids! At Flip4Kids (Foreign Language Immersion Program) they teach Spanish, French, and Chinese to little ones starting at 6 months old through classes and camps.

Watching children learn a language is like seeing a spark light up in their eyes to Flip4Kids' founders. Hao remarks that she is "always amazed at how talented kids are at learning another language. As you glance through the pictures and videos, you'll also see that the students were great at helping each other out, explaining things when a friend had a difficult time understanding what was going on, and just being a good friend. No matter how many times I see it, I still get goose bumps when I hear a student answer and communicate in a 2nd language! We all know that learning a new language makes us smarter, but what I love about watching kids as they learn a new language is that they begin to live, see, and understand the world differently."

It's important to note that there is a precious window of opportunity in childhood where they have the greatest capacity for simultaneously learning and retaining multiple languages. Flip4Kids takes full advantage of a child's natural love of play with "vocabulary-building songs, games, and activities to emotionally engage children in the natural process of language learning. Native-fluent teachers use props, visual aids, movement and humor to expose children to the language through a sound-rich environment. Children learn naturally by first hearing the sounds of the target language, then understanding, and finally speaking. Instead of using translation, children are fully immersed in the language." This technique has been finely honed and mastered over the past 40 years and is proven to be a success.

Check out the videos of the camps on their facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Flip4Kids, as well as all the pics of happy kids having fun while learning. It made me wanna go back to being a kid and enroll tomorrow!

You already knew how important it was to help your child learn a second language, and now your know that Flip4Kids is the most fun, proven way to do that. So what are you waiting for? A deal? You got it!
Hao is happy to offer her fellow SoDu Parents Posse members a discount on any Flip4Kids summer camp or class. Camps only run until the end of July so enroll today! Just mention SODU under the payment part of the registraion form and you'll get 10% off!

But wait! She also is generously donating a FREE week of full day language immersion camp ($325 value) at Flip4Kids to a lucky SoDu Parents Posse member! In order to be eligible to win the contest, you must follow the rafflecopter giveaway instructions below - the more you do, the better your chances!

Don't forget that even if you don't win, SoDu members automatically get 10% off any classes or camps, just mention SODU when you enroll!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC required disclosure: In exchange for a blog post, I was given a free summer camp by advertising sponsor (aka pardner) so that I could sample their services. Some of the content, such as the images, are provided by the pardner for my use. I give permission for this blog post to be used in perpetuity by the pardner as they wish. May seem silly, but legally I gotta say it. Congrats for reading the fine print!

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Piedmont Wildlife Summer Camps and more!

3/27/2018

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You may have heard of Piedmont Wildlife Center, but did you know that they have summer camps, homeschool classes, backpack trips for teens, special events, birthday parties, field trips, and more? It's truly amazing how many ways PWC works to inspire kids and adults to develop a positive lifelong connection with nature with a focus on conservation. Best of all, they're offering a discount for SoDu members AND a giveaway! But more on that later...
Piedmont Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 with their office and Durham camp located at 82.8 acre city park Leigh Farm Park in South Durham, just a hop skip and jump from Nantucket Grill and Marti Gras Bowling Alley. Their other locations are conveniently located in Chapel Hill, just off 40, and at Umstead Park in Raleigh, just off 540.

One very special component of Piedmont Wildlife Center is their wildlife ambassadors - educational animals (which you can meet here) that the staff use to teach participants about various species, and why they they should be respected and saved. All ambassadors live at PWC, having been rescued and if injured, rehabilitated. They're all lovely creatures, like this special owl Otus, and each serve a special purpose in PWC's outreach, teaching kids about the variety of animals in our wild world and why they should be protected. Your kids will love meeting Parsley the rabbit, Izzy the milksnake, Terra the turtle, Willow the hawk and more!

Looking for some fun this summer? PWC offers SUMMER CAMPS at all 3 locations with unique opportunities for children to explore the outdoors, guided by counselors who create a community that nourishes each child's spirit, "allowing them to deepen their sense of belonging with themselves, with one another, and within the world of nature." Camp is from 9am-3pm with before and after care offered. Teens can participate in the Teen Leadership Training as well. The fun doesn't stop there, they also offer fall, spring, and winter camps too!

Is your teen ready for a real escape this summer? SUMMER TEEN ADVENTURES are PWC's backpacking trips that offer teens the chance to climb mountains, swim in ice cold waterfalls, gather plants from the wild for food and medicine, build advanced shelters, make fire by friction, meet the elements and laugh into the night by the campfire. It'll be a summer to remember!

Need help before school gets out? What in the world do you do on those teacher workdays? Check out their WILD FOR A DAY CAMPS. These are single day camps designed to awaken kids to the fun of the natural world. If you need help on a school holiday that they're not already offering, simply find 5 children that are available that same day and give them a call, Piedmont Wildlife Center will offer a Wild for a Day camp just for your kiddos! Check the website here for details on "Wild for a day" camps. (And check below for your chance to win one!)

Seeking a way to deepen your homeschooling in the great outdoors? Piedmont Wildlife Center now offers HOMESCHOOL CLASSES on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 10-3. Their home school program follows a unique model for teaching and learning in the great outdoors, with stories, games and adventures in life science and wildnerness skills. Students are led by experienced mentors with a focus on community building and encouraging leadership. This is a perfect way for like-minded kids to socialize and make friends as they explore the fantastic world outside their window.

Ready for a different kind of birthday party - something a little "wild"? Their BIRTHDAY PARTIES are one-of-a-kind. The birthday kid and their guests get to meet PWC's amazing wildlife ambassadors and explore the wildnerness just a short drive from the "real world"! They offer parties year-round - even during inclement weather. Simply call to book and then choose two activities from the following list:

wild neighbors: meet live animals like snakes, doves, turtles, rabbits and possums
meet a raptor: up close and personal with birds of prey like owls and hawks
nature scavenger hunt
nature themed games
naturalist led exploration and hike

That's not all! Piedmont Wildlife Center also offers Adult Programs (like Pine Needle Basket Making), Piedmont Earthskills Gathering (a fun outdoor learning experience in April for the whole family - kids under 8 are free), Bioblitz (an epic nature scavenger hunt in late May), Internships and Service Learning Projects, and even local Family Camping!

From summer camps to birthday parties, Piedmont Wildlife Center has every kind of way for your family to get outdoors all year round!

Best of all, they're giving away one Wild For a Day Camp (on June 8th) to a lucky reader - just comment below with the thing you are most intrigued by at PWC!

AND that's not all - the first 20 posse members to sign up for a camp, class, or birthday party get $10 off their registration. simply go to https://www.piedmontwildlifecenter.org/camp_categories/children-camps/ And enter coupon code SODUPARENTSDISCPWC (all caps required). Exclusions include backpacking trips, Wild For a Day camps, and Counselor-In-Training camp sessions (which cost $50 and require certain leadership training before attending). All other week-long camps at any location are fair game! The coupon code expires June 1st.

So hurry, contact them now on their website piedmontwildlifecenter.org or by phone at 919-489-0900 or via email at admin@piedmontwildlifecenter.org!

FTC required disclosure: In exchange for a blog post, I was paid. Some of the content, such as the images, are provided by the pardner for my use. I give permission for this blog post to be used in perpetuity by the pardner as they wish. May seem silly, but legally I gotta say it. Congrats for reading the fine print!

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Kid Farms Camps and More!

2/26/2018

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Travel back in time by experiencing two beautiful farms close to home! If you’ve been to 1870 Farm, set on 18 beautiful acres just two miles from UNC, then you know what I'm talking about. Maybe you cheered on a chicken race, sampled homemade pickles, had ice cream scooped from a weathered porch, or watched your children become captivated by the baby goats, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, and sheep.

But now farm visits are now twice as fun! 1870 Farm is now happy to announce another historic community farm right here in South Durham, their sister farm Old Mill Farm – just a few miles from Southpoint Mall. Old Mill Farm will be offering educational workshops, visits with farm animals, children’s programs, fresh eggs, and year-round events for all ages!

Both 1870 Farm and Old Mill Farm offer toddler classes for parents and children ages 1-4 and amazing birthday parties for all ages.

Old Mill Farm will also be offering a rare opportunity for children to learn veterinary science with Dr. Amanda with their Kids Vet Club. In this exciting club, kids ages 8-14 will discover what it takes to be a vet and learn some of the hands-on skills necessary to take care of animals. Imagine your child getting a front-row seat for a “day in the life” of a veterinarian! Have a younger child? This summer, your young farmer can participate in their animal care program. Children ages 4-7 will spend their time at Old Mill Farm making new friends (animals and children alike!), help with feeding, looking for fresh eggs, and even growing in the garden. Dates and times for both of these programs to be announced soon!

If these clubs sounds right up your kids alley, then you should also explore the summer camp options at 1870 Farm outside Chapel Hill. They are a new farm on a property "that dates back almost 150 years, with sunlit pastures and winding paths leading visitors back in time to when picking wildflowers or petting a sheep could happily take up the better part of an afternoon. Our premier Green Care Farm offers opportunities to connect with nature and enrich your mind and body. It's a free-range paradise for children!"

Summer camp at 1870 Farm offers many enticing opportunities for kids to unplug and tune in to the natural world. They offer multiple one-week camp options for ages 3.5-13, as well as a CIT program for 14- and 15-year-olds.

To keep things fresh, each week brings new topics for ever-changing exploration and fun. Campers will grow, learn, and play through creative hands-on projects, developmentally appropriate activities, and everything from hikes, crafts, games, gardening, cooking, gem mining, archery, exploring the forest, building forts, scavenger hunts, yoga, water exploration, and much more! Older campers even get an opportunity to participate in the Entrepreneurs Club to design, create and sell their wares on Family Farm Fridays! Summertime at the farm of course includes much desired hanging out with animals - animal care, finding eggs, making goat soap or pickles, or fishing in the pond!

With the weather warming up, you might be concerned about summer temps for an outdoor camp. Thankfully at 1870 Farm they know the summer can be hot, and are cognizant of making sure campers rotate in and out of our climate-controlled areas and have plenty of shade to relax under.

Spots are still open so sign up now! (And keep reading about more fun below!)

Getting tired of the same ol, same ol birthday party options? Birthday parties are a blast at both 1870 Farm and Old Mill Farm! Your birthday boy or girl and their guests will get their choice of fishing, make goats milk soap, finding treasures in the gemstone mine, spending time with the animals, and maybe even having an extra adventure or two! Below are the themes:
Farm and Fishing -In season generally April 15th to November 15th we offer a fishing birthday party. The time begins having fun with our farm animals, a chicken race (depending on the chickens moods), a trek with an Alpaca and then off to the pond for about 30 minutes of fishing on our stocked pond. We then head back to our climate controlled farmhouse, wash up and enjoy cake or whatever you wish to serve at your party.
Farm and Gemstones - A favorite birthday party that starts with playing with the farm animals, a chicken race, and a Alpaca Trek. We then go into our "mine" and each child will be given a bag to run through our sluices in hopes of finding and keeping interesting gemstones from all over the world. We then wash up and off to the Farmhouse to celebrate with cake or whatever you wish to serve.
Farm and Goat Soap - This party starts with our fun farm animals, a chicken race (mood permitting), an Alpaca trek. We then head into the farm house or barn to work on creating goat soap where you choose the colors and fragrance using our 100% goat milk soap. It then on to Cake or whatever you wish to serve.

That's not all, come join back-to-nature fun in their Toddler Classes at both farms! Your little ones will be tickled pink as they interact with the animals, make crafts, explore the garden, and experience life on the farm! Young children ages 1-4 explore the wonders of Mother Earth they collect eggs, care and interact with the animals, make crafts, explore the garden and more. These are offered as weekly 5 session classes, with parents or guardian present. Program changes each season and vary from themes like Chicken Time, KinderGardening, Mini Farm Hands, Scarecrow Making, My Garden Grows, Feeling Sheepish, A colorful farm, Farmers Helpers, and Farm Music. It's the most unique offering for tiny tots you'll find in the triangle!

So if these camps, classes and birthday parties sound up your alley, you'll love what Old Mill Farm and 1870 Farm are offering just for SoDu readers! Comment below to enter a drawing for a free birthday party at Old Mill Farm for 10 participants! (Additional guests can be added for a fee.) Just tell us which kind of birthday party you would like and you just might win!

Come have fun at Old Mill Farm and 1870 Farm this Spring and become part of their farm family!They are so excited to be in Durham and can’t wait to roll out new classes, workshops, farm day visits, and children’s offerings! See you at the farm!

Old Mill Farm - 8794 NC-751, Durham, 27713.
Just call 919.241.3340 or visit online at: www.oldmillfarmdurham.com

1870 Farm - 1224 Old Lystra Road, Chapel Hill, 27517.
Just call 919-590-4120 or visit online at: www.1870farm.com

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A Wish and a Song artwork

1/29/2018

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Original artwork that's custom made can be hard to find, and if you do, it can be prohibitively expensive. SoDu mom and artist Stacie Green specializes in colored pencil and watercolor, creating artwork that's one of a kind in her store A Wish and a Song. She says she "really enjoys drawing and helping people see their ideas come to life at a reasonable price." I just love this handdrawn Durham bull!

Drawing comes naturally to her, and she started her artwork at a young age. Stacie explains on her A Wish and a Song Etsy page, "I have always had an interest in drawing. My earliest and fondest memories include sitting outside on my grandparents farm with a pencil and a pad of paper. I would try to draw the dogs, the trees, the landscape. I continued with my love of drawing throughout high school, ending up majoring in Studio Art in college and finally getting my Masters of Art Education so that I could teach others to draw and create. I really enjoy helping others get their visions and ideas onto paper."

These adorable pictures are all up on A Wish and a Song's Facebook page, where Stacie posts all her current work. Go check it out!

A Wish and a Song began about two years after Stacie became a mother. We all know how parenthood can change your life and with a young child at home and expecting a second, she wasn't able to teach anymore. Stacie longed for the days when she could create artwork to share with others, so she created an Etsy store where she featured recycled paper sculptures. But then the second - and third - children arrived as did her battle with chronic illness and art fell by the wayside. Around a year ago, serendipity came calling. Stacie was asked to contribute some artwork for a local art show that was raising money for Syrian refugees. She not only loved getting back into art, but her drawings also sold out! Then she started getting commissions, from the six piece baby animal set above for a nursery to pet drawings for Christmas gifts. Buoyed by this success, Stacie reopened the store and hasn't looked back, creating one lovely drawing after another. How did she come up with the name? She tells us, "I have a great love for nature, especially dandelions and birds. The beauty and whimsy found in both of those things inspired the name... [which] also reflects my hope that I could continue to share and inspire others with my work."

Stacie has a New Years special for commissions from SoDu Parents Posse members! Anyone that is interested in having a commissioned work done through the end of February will receive a 15% discount and free shipping, just contact Stacie directly here. All finished orders will come with a certificate of authentication, a personalized thank you, and will be beautifully wrapped for a final touch. Stacie aims to please with her lovely A Wish and a a Song drawings, and hopes you'll be inspired by what she creates for you!

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AR Workshop

Flip4Kids! foreign language immersion summer camps

Piedmont Wildlife Summer Camps and more!

Kid Farms Camps and More!

A Wish and a Song artwork

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