Weekend at Lake Michigan!

Natalie has been wanting to go to the beach the second she thought it was Summer. I decided we would go on Saturday. We had such a great time. The water was calm and the beach became packed over the day. I put sunscreen on us both every single hour but I still got burned on the extreme sides of my back...places that I can't reach and didn't think to mention to Natalie. My parents joined us around 3pm and we ended up staying an additional 2 more hours. My Mom called the following day to see how I was feeling becasue she was concerned I may be burned and uncomfortable. I told her I felt find. Well, that opened the door, she wanted to go back to the Lake since my Dad was showing some houses. Sunday there were some pretty good waves. I thought the water was a bit warmer, too. We had a GREAT time both days. Natalie loves to go in the lake and then roll around in the sand! We kept calling her the sandman and some people next to us were calling her Sandy. She laughed when they said it but shared with me later that she really didn't like being called Sandy. LOL Here are some pics from our fun weekend!




Look at all that sand!

I had to stage a pic of Natalie on the way up the stairs to the car. I love this view of the beach and the pier

Some favorite scrappy goodies

Cosmo Cricket is having a design team call and I thought I would give it a go! You miss 100% of the shots you never make, right?! I saw that quote at school one day and thought it was so inspirational in trying to do things in life! Here are a couple of my favorite projects using Cosmo Cricket
I love how this layout turned out! First of all, the funny subject...Natalie insisted I take a picture of her with this orange in her mouth. I also love how bright and cheerful this layout is! The picture, mix of patterns and the fan flower just make me happy when I see this layout.

Here is a close up of the fan flower


I also like how this layout turned out....the clean lines really put the focus on my favorite flip flops


This layout is another simple one which I added some bling and cutout flowers from the Early bird line. I like how I captured my daughter moving!


Here are just a couple layouts and projects that are just faves....not Cosmo Cricket products but I like them


And I love this bird home decor

I like how this layout came together, too....I like the house and the tree with the clouds in the sky.


So, there ya have it! Good luck to all trying out!

It's a scorcher!

Whew! Summer arrived in full force here in Michigan....hot, humid and hazy! I have had th air on and you know it's hot if I have the air on. Yesterday I wanted to visit with my Mom, since I am so low on cell minutes we just drove the 3 miles to their house and hung out. Natalie used the shark slip and slide they got her last summer. She was scared to death of it last year and was the complete opposite yesterday! She had a blast! Ah, to be a kid again! Mom had us stay for dinner....steak on the grill and key lime pie for dessert. Yummy! You would be shocked at all the steak Natalie ate....as much, if not more, than my DAD! She also ate a ton of veggies, too. Here are some fun pics from her slip and slide






Here is another layout I made using the Mon Ame Memories June kit! I also used sketch 54 from Creative Scrappers! I love the vibrant colors in the kit. The Cosmo Cricket Early Bird is just adorable. I really love how it turned out....they funny thing is Natalie insisted I take a photo of her.


I am still waiting for New Moon to be returned to the library....there are 2 books that have been overdue for a week...c'mon people, there are some of us who want to read it! LOL!

Candy Shoppe Designs challenge toot and more scrappy stuff!

I am so excited! I submitted my application to be a Lollipop Girl at Candy Shoppe Design. It's an upcoming new blog that will host challenges and inspire all of us scrapbookers. Lynetter felt that the challenge I had submitted would fit perfectly as a pre-opening challenge! I am so excited and honored she asked. Go to the blog and check it out! Sign up to be a follower and post a comment to this post and let her know I (Jennifer French) sent ya!

Here is the first challenge!

Here is the pre-opening challenge
You are to take this sketch provided by Jennifer and base your creation from it. You may take away from it, add to it, flip it, the choice is yours. Just as long as it's obvious that you got your inspiration from it. You are allowed to make ANY paper creation of your choosing whether it be a scrapbook layout, card, altered item, etc. The choice is yours!


2. You must include an item that is "something old" (6 months or older), "something new", "something borrowed" (the sketch, which is provided), and "something blue."


3. You must share the ingredients of your sweet layout AND a short description. Here's JUST an example of how this can be done:
Cardstock Paper: Bazzill Basics
Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Jenni Bowlin
Embellishments: Flowers-Prima Marketing, Chipboard-Tim Holtz, Brads-Making Memories
Pen: Signo Uni-ball
Other: Unknown
Short Description-My son, Isaiah, is always the center of attention. We can go to a playground and all the parents have their eyes on him. He keeps me on my toes with all the dangerous and daring stunts he does or "tricks" as he calls them.


*When posting your layout on your blog/gallery you should include a working link to C.S.D.

Here's some Eye Candy for you....Jennifer created this scrapbook layout based on the rules for this Challenge and this is what she came up with. (Less the Ingredients and short Description).
Here is the layout that fits this challenge


More scrappy news.....here are 2 layouts I have created with the June Mon Ame Memories kit...I love the Cosmo Cricket papers in this kit. The are so yummy and summery! I have more left in the kit so check back for more! I also did these layouts for the Schools Out for Summer crop at Treasured Scrapbooking.
for this first one I used sketch 24 by 52 sketches 52 weeks



and this one is based upon a sketch created by Aymee Gandy


And finally, I did this layout using the Becky Fleck sketch posted on her challenge blog

Misc. stuff....

Yesterday I received a nice reply to my blog. She indicated that she followed my blog and liked reading it. Her kind comments were quite touching. I also received a blog award from her. I like to know who is reading my blog so please say hello. :)



Ok, so I am sure I am last to the party, but I finally read Twilight. I told myself I was going to read more and I wanted to know what all the hype was all about. Honestly, I NEVER thought I would like the book and just figured everyone was saying it was good because of all the hype....well, now I know....and now I am dying to read New Moon! Looks like another week before it is returned to the library, too! Ugh!



Yesterday was Father's Day and it also happened to be my parents' 34th wedding anniversary. We all went to South Haven for Harborfest and really enjoyed the sunshine, booths and the beach. Here are some photos of the day
Natalie had her face painted and I thought it turned out darling! I see a layout very soon about these pics!

side view

Natalie tried the dunk tank. A local church was raising money and they had the dunk tank....3 throws for $1 and if you didn't hit the bull's eye with any of the 3 chances then you got to go up and hit it with your hand. Natalie hit the bull's eye with her ball but since it was a soft hit she went and touched it with her hand. She loved it!

This is my mom and Dad with Natalie on the pier

Natalie loved playing on the beach. We're gonna have to head out there soon and just bask in the sun and enjoy the water

Finally, we finished the afternoon with some Ice Cream at Sherman's

A day in Shipshewana

This morning my Dad called and invited Natalie and me to go to Shipshewana with him and my Mom. If you're not familiar with Shipshewana, it's an Amish area with lots of great food and shops. Cars share the roads with horses and buggies. When we arrived it was lunch time so we at at The Blue Gate. Natalie discovered how much she loves Apple Butter while we were there! She even put it on her cheeseburger! Anywho, I found this quote on a wall hanging and just love it!

After The Blue Gate we went through the local shops, bought some pretzels and candy.
While we were in the Mearcantile building Natalie rode the carousel...it was really neat because it looked like a vintage carousel in amazing condition

We took a carriage tour around town. Natalie chose this carriage and horse to be our guide...the horses name is Eva. Of course Natalie pointed out that Eva is just like Eva on WallE

Natalie absolutely LOVED the ride. Her face was beaming the entire time. It was really nice to just sit back and enjoy the ride. This is Natalie with my Dad before the tour

Natalie's loved the ride!

A nice girl offered to take a family photo of all of us in front of The Blue Gate Restaurant.


I had Dad take a pic of me and Natalie, also. I don't get enough photos taken WITH her.

Finally, on the way home we stopped at the Cheese Factory. This place makes the cheese right at the facility and you can see it being made. You can also taste little samples of all the cheese. I bought some vegetable cheese, muenster cheese, horseradish cheese and swiss cheese. I also picked up some apple butter and peanut butter spread. We were so lucky with our timing. When we arrived hardly anyone was in the Cheese Factory but as we were getting ready to check out FOUR charter buses arrived and people flooded the place.


The drive to and from Shipshewana is about an hour. Natalie was unbelievable on the way home. She was being so silly and could not stop laughing. I mean, was there some sort of Silly cheese at the Cheese Factory?! Maybe it's just my 5 year old girl, but the words poop, pee and fart make her laugh hysterically. She was being silly and kept saying these words. I told her if I heard her say poop, pee or fart one more time she was going to be in trouble. She said "Ok, what words can't I say?" So, I repeated myself....only to have her laughing hysterically....YES, I was tricked by a 5 year old! She just wanted to hear my say those words again!

Simply Obsessed June kit reveal

Oh, this month's June kit from Simply Obsessed was just gorgeous! It's packed with yummy Jenni Bowlin "Farmer's Wife" and Graphic 45. What a perfect combination!! Here are some layouts I created with the kit
The Jenni Bowlin Farmer's Wife papers and embellishments worked perfectly with my cow pictures from the fair.
"Mooments"


This layout is titled "Finally 5" Natalie couldn't wait to turn 5!


Here is a close up of the butterflies

and a close up of the fan flower


Finally, I think this is my new favorite layout.
"Laugh out Loud"


a close up of the flower