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June 14, 2009 6 Comments

Make-Do Mondays: Campsite Creativity

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

 Make-Do Mondays Participants

  1. Feels Like Home (homemade ice cream)
  2. Sunnydaytodaymama (caterpillar cake)
  3. Coupons, Deals and More (Cool Whip)
  4. My Practically Perfect Life (Camping Food)
  5. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Decorating Hack)
  6. Mama Long (Ceiling Fan)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnCamping turns a vacation into one big make-do extravaganza. You already read about the Belgian Wonder’s portable coffee gadget, so he can drink make-do coffee. But there’s always something we have to rig up to meet a need using whatever we have on hand. An obvious make-do activity is stringing clothesline all around like a drunken spider building a wobbly web. You can check out our initial clothes-web in the first photo below:clotheslinemakedowebLater in the week, after a thunderstorm blew through and dampened many items, we greatly expanded the web, weaving and wrapping the extra length of rope around tree trunks and limbs. We also used many plastic grocery bags for trash (shame on us for having so many—but we were trying to recycle).And when my sister-in-law saw the printer box, she suggested I snap a photo for Make-Do Mondays.makedoboxcampwritingContrary to how things may appear, we did not bring along our printer.The Belgian Wonder grabbed it to store some pots, pans, and our electric skillet (I know what you’re thinking! Is it really camping if I have an electric skillet? You decide…). Storing them in the box, each stuck inside of a paper grocery bag, kept them from banging and clanging against each other and other items stuffed in the camper on the bumpy ride.We saved the big Cheerios box in case we needed it for storage, too, but ended up burning it in the fire pit (make-do kindling).Our dishwashing system was all about making-do. Two tubs, dish soap, a sponge, and a scrubbing gadget. The dishwasher squatted down by the faucet and worked while voracious mosquitoes buzzed around ears, arms and legs.Camping is a great way to practice making-do for Americans used to the comforts of hot water on demand, comfy mattresses, well-lit bathrooms with reliable showers, ovens and air conditioning. We don’t rough it like wilderness campers hiking in with everything on their backs and pitching camp in the mountains, but every time we camp we come back appreciating simple pleasures, like kitchen cabinets, hot water on demand, washing machines and sturdy shelter.How do you make do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

Filed Under: creativity, family, frugality, Make-Do Mondays, simplicity, Slow Movement, slowing, taking risks, The Wimpy Environmentalist, travel

Comments

  1. sunnymama says

    June 15, 2009 at 8:32 am

    If we go camping I want to take you with us 🙂

    Reply
  2. Marci@OvercomingBusy says

    June 15, 2009 at 10:10 am

    Being out in the wilderness with limited supplies does bring out the creative side of you, doesn’t it?! I think we all need times like that just to use those skills and keep them fresh. We do live in an almost too convenient world.

    Reply
  3. Sharinskishe says

    June 15, 2009 at 11:33 am

    I love being forced to stop and smell the roses. We do need to take time to appreciate the conveniences that we do enjoy in our American homes.

    I love to camp and I prefer roughing it from cooking on the fire to having to make do for most everything. But I do not like sleeping on the ground or using the woods for a potty!

    I love tent trailers, because you have the best of both camping worlds. Not too cushy but not too rough. Our regular trailer is too highly cushy for me! But the rest of the family loves it. I will make do with my easy camping life, because that is what I have. But I STILL cook over the fire! (except when it rains, now I have an option)

    Thanks Ann for posting.

    Reply
  4. Leila says

    June 15, 2009 at 11:45 am

    Why not? The fun of camping is making do! I love camping 🙂

    Reply
  5. L.L. Barkat says

    June 15, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    Love the colorful campsite. You dress up the woods! 🙂

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Make-Do Mondays: Imperfection « says:
    June 21, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    […] I chose an imperfect basket to go with my popsicle-maker, floss dispenser, camping supplies, and so on. They are all reminders, in a way, of […]

    Reply

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