Friends! Welcome to Camp Joy!
Camp Joy started in the summer of 2020 when we were all, like it or not, Indoor Pandemic Kids. If you’ve been here for more than a few years you know that I took to the backyard with my video camera (lol my iPhone) to make a 90’s era summer camp for us. We made peach cobbler. I raided the craft closet and we made the daisy chains. It was A Whole Thing.
Over the past few years I’ve been slowly been morphing into a camp counselor. Okay, I’m mostly just wearing a scarf and cowboy boots and I love building a fire and making crafts, but it’s all feeling rather campy. To make matters even better, Will and I get out camping as often as we can. Often in his trailer, often with a few motorcycles, and most definitely with a cooler full of food I want to cook over fire.
It was on our last big camp of 2022, a pretty epic trip to Devil’s Den, Arkansas, that I roasted a big ol’ pork butt in a dutch oven over coals while Will caught baby trouts to show me and throw back in the river that it hit me – I needed to write a camp cooking book. So… I SURE DID.
Did you ask for this? I mean… not specifically. But I’m in the habit of making what I love in the hopes that you love or will learn to love it too. That’s what camp counselors do, right?
CAMP JOY is 62 insanely colorful pages with 18 cutie new recipes meant to inspire your summer! This little zine is exactly what I want it to be thanks to the joyful design of Megan Dekok, the masterful editing of our Abby Mallett, editing and consultation from our favorite dad, Clifford Lesley, and the photo editing skills of our dear Karlee Flores. I casually went out into the wild, made food, took pictures of it, and wrote everything down.
Can I tell you how proud of this zine I am? It’s the best thing I’ve ever made.
I’m going to tell you the whole truth. If you’re here for a Sunday post, we’re obviously friends.
Camp Joy is a self-published endeavor for one reason. I got sick and tired of having my work watered down by traditional book and magazine editors only to have them come back to tell me how disappointed they were in my sales. Not making what I want AND disappointing large corporations who haven’t made enough money off my hard-fought creativity? PASS. Y’all. I’m so over that.
So I took to the out of doors and made Camp Joy under the Texas sun, with people I love working with. It feels really special to me and I know, when you get your copy, you’ll think it’s special too.
The recipes are designed to be prepped at home and then finished at camp but let’s be real. Maybe you’re not into camping. I get that. Listen, I love room service too. If you want to call grilling out on the deck “camping” – be my guest. No judgement from me! The recipes in Camp Joy could just as easily be car snack for your next road trip or special treats for your next picnic.
All of this is to say, I made this for you especially, and I hope you love it. When you hold a copy you’re holding a piece of my heart in your hands.
As a special treat, virtually camp cook with me this Tuesday, June 27th at Central Market. You get a fun mini camp cooking sesh with skillet flatbreads, veggie sloppy joe’s, and campfire roasted bananas that sometimes I make at home just cuz. It’ll be a good time, and I can’t wait to hang with all of you!
Get your copy of Camp Joy here, and don’t forget the merch! Even if you don’t head out upon the very wild, you’ll be in style any and everywhere. Let’s go out and make some memories this summer!
I love you a lot.
xo Joy
31 Responses
I’m a few weeks behind, but I can’t wait for mine to arrive. You are just precious!
Congrats! I just got mine in the mail and I love it. It makes me so happy and I’m excited about all of the fun recipes!
I’m so happy Lorien!
Just in time for our camping trip in July. Can’t wait!
Yes, perfect!
I am reading your blog since 2007 or so and although I abhor camping I ordered a copy and am looking forward to having it in my mailbox here in Switzerland. I really appreciate your commitment, like your writing style and the positivity you emanate! Thx.
Wow Corinne! You’re a real one! Thank you for the support ALL THESE YEARS!
You are the best Joy! My zine and sweatshirt will be here soon and I am so looking forward to it.
I hope you love love love it, Katie!
Joy, I’m even more excited to get my copy in the mail after reading this post! July is going to be Camp Joy month at our house!!!
YES! Happy Camp Joy month!!
So excited for this! I love your cookbooks, LOVE to camp so this is absolute perfection already. Keep doing what you love, it shines so others are just as excited to support you!
Thanks for the love Ellie! Happy camping!
Way to go Joy!! You don’t need any one telling you how to do it! Keep pushing, keep putting out the great content and we will be there for it!
So so excited for this! And major KUDOS to you for putting this out YOUR way and with the people you love most. I can’t wait for my zine to arrive in the mail!
(Also, that sweatshirt is beyond adorable and it’s so smart to produce those on demand. If your team ever has bandwidth to make a zip front version or a t-shirt, I’d snap either/both up. My body temp sadly runs too hot at baseline for anything else these days but I can’t tell you how much I wish I could be sporting one of those smiley trees the next time I head out camping with the fam…)
Thank you for your labor of love on all things JTB. So grateful for you–
I agree with the t-shirt option. I’d snap one up in a jiffy! (Trying to sound camp-y. Did it work?)
Oh it totally worked! We’re working on a t-shirt for you now!
Hi Joy
Love all your previous seasonal magazines, bought every one of them and now I’ve ordered your camping book, yea!!. Would you please tell me the brand of the black henley you are wearing, so hard to find, thanks so much!
Ordered! Not only am I a Camping Gal, but I am here to support all your self-published goodness!
I ordered my copy this week and can’t wait to use it for an upcoming camping trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. One can find themselves at least an hour away from a grocery store, so advance food planning is essential. As always, I am so amazed by your adventuresome soul.
Just ordered my copy and I’m looking forward to putting on my cowboy boots and cooking in the backyard (or on the deck or in the kitchen).
I hope that you sell so many copies of this labor of love – you doing just what you want and working hard to share it.
LOVE you, Joy. Proud of you for doing YOU.
Yesterday I made your Secret Ingredient Egg Salad. My husband, an egg salad aficionado, (I had to look up that spelling!), loved it.
Welcome to Texas. Are you doing a demo AT Central Market? If so, which one?
Joy..I like that you and your group are putting out your own work. I’m sure it’s more work but at least you have total control. Cannot wait to check it out, even if there no tents involved.. You go girl!!
JOY!!! You’re amazing. I have your very first cookbook from way back in 2012 signed by you in Seattle! (Actually you signed a book marker because my copy hadn’t arrived in time for the signing. ?) I waited in line for a crazy amount of time for that because it was worth it. That book is my go to STILL. So h$% yes I’ll buy this book too, and it will probably become my second go to.
You had me at pepper jelly.
My copy is en route! Hope you make a holiday zine too.
This Texan just ordered a copy and will long to make these recipes when it isn’t so stinking HOT. Would you please also consider making a similar book for beach trips????
So pumped for this!!
Just bought my copy! I’ll probably be one of the backyard makers, but I’m looking forward to it anyway!
Hey Joy, how many of the recipes in the cookbook are vegetarian? Congrats on publishing!
YES! Guessing THIS is what we were hoping for the whole time!! Of course we bought the other mags, but can’t wait! And the sweatshirt! :-) you see us, we see you!
-virtual friendship bracelet-