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6

Looking for
something new
and different to
do this summer?
04 Check out these
great ideas.

DIANE BALDWIN
SPECIAL TO THE APPLETREE

ummer can seem like
a long time when you
have a houseful of
children eager for
something to do.
In days past, summer was a
time for frolicking with the
neighborhood boys and girls,
playing make-believe, running
through the sprinkler or making
mud pies.
But, if your children are like
most of the 1990s, they will tell

Diane Baldwin is a freelance writer in

18

Clarkston. When not writing, she is
happily engaged in summer projects
with her new baby, Nick.

you those activities are boring.
You've already seen Hercules
17 times, and, although it was a
great movie, you could not bear
to sit through it again.
So what can you do?
There are the more obvious
activities like putt-putt golf,
video rentals, bowling, visits to
Caesarland, mall shopping, craft
classes, summer day camps and
swimming. But if you want to
add more variety to your sum-
mer activity schedule, consider
some of the following ideas.
At the Spur of the Mo-
ment

* If you are crafty or want to
practice painting, you can go to
a plaster or ceramic shop (look
in the yellow pages under those
headings). If you choose ceram-
ics, you pick out a piece of
greenware (be careful, it's frag-
ile) then you have to clean it,
fire it and paint it. Some pieces
require two or more firings, de-
pending on the method of.
painting.
Don't hesitate to ask staff at
the shop for help with under-
standing the process, picking
out the paint, etc.
Or, you can paint plaster in-

stead and skip the cleaning and
firing process. Plaster Plus in
Waterford offers special times
when children (ages 10 and
older) can come in and paint a
piece of their choice, under the
guidance of qualified artists.
The two-hour classes are held
Mondays, Wednesdays, Thurs-
days and Saturdays and are
scheduled through Aug. 16.
You can drop in and join a class
in session if there is room, or
you can call ahead to sign up.
The fee for the class is $8 and
includes paint, brushes and
trained teachers. (You can at-