Cake, camping and crafting

I have nothing profound to say. I'm only here to report that I love summer.

Who doesn't, right? I love it so much I want to make out with it in the back seat of a car. I want to tattoo the word "summer" on my right bicep (the left bicep is reserved for the imaginary tattoo I have designed in my head but will never get). I want it to last for-ev-uh.

Here are some reasons why:

1. The new bakery at Chaps called Cake, and eating lunch with my girls in the grassy outdoor seating area. 

I believe we were there for almost three hours the other day. That place is heaven on earth for a mom because the kids can just play in the sandbox while I read the paper and drink delicious coffee (Bumper Crop, of Coeur d'Alene).

Inside Cake, you can see how owner Celeste Shaw found amazing new uses for old objects. Can you tell what this round blue thing is?

Yep, an old display case from a hardware store that formerly held nails and screws. She has two of them in the space, and if I remember right the plan is to load them with to-go bread.

Celeste's creativity never ceases to amaze me. Here's some eye candy (or should I say "eye cake"?):

My pictures don't do it justice. You must see it in person. Perfect opportunity: The Latah Summer Market, organized by Celeste and happening July 10 and 11 in the parking lot in front of Chaps and Cake. Artisans, antiques, produce, baked goods, flowers, more. 4241 S. Cheney-Spokane Road off Highway 195.

By the way, Cake pastry chef Gina Garcia made my birthday cake this year. Lemon chiffon. Delish. 

2. Backyard camping.

You know we're getting ready to go camping bananas around here. Well, J and his close friends decided to celebrate the Great American Backyard Campout with a night of practice camping with the kids. (OK, they had no idea there was a national effort to promote backyard camping yesterday, but we were pretty impressed by their good timing.)

Hot dogs, s'mores, an outdoor movie and nine kids with their dads in tents. Does it get any cuter? 

Apparently the picture below was taken during a hilarious game of hide and seek. Our friend H was "hiding" behind a tree, and it took Bo forever and a day to find him. It's not even an old oak tree or anything. It's more like a cluster of thin branches with a big dude behind them.

Is she rocking the pajama bottoms + 2T T-shirt or what?

For breakfast, they grilled French toast kebabs.

 

So much fun I almost wish I'd been there instead of out to dinner/drinks with the wives and then on a long run in the morning with one of them. Darn. Maybe next year. (But probably not.)

3. Nature crafts.

I'm working on those eco kid crafts I mentioned the other day (prepping for the make-and-take craft booth at the county fair).

Here's our take on Maya Made's nature crown:

Bo opted to draw pictures of nature objects instead of taping them to the crown, (although I was not aware that Sleeping Beauty counted as an object of nature):

I also made a bird mobile from newspapers, inspired by projects from the Queen of Tarte, Kayte Terry and myself a couple years ago:

 

Do they look more like rubber duckies than birds? Oh, dear.

 

A bit of advice if you're doing newspaper crafts with kids. Do your best to use articles with nice words. This little bird snuck in somehow:

Damn media. (Wink, wink.)

Comments

[Stacy]

That bakery is adorable!

I love summer too! The evenings spent at the pool, days lounging in the shade gazing at the garden and flowers as they bloom and grow.

[Angie]

If I opened a bakery/coffee shop/ANYTHING, I would want it to look like that place! Awesome!

[sarah]

what a fun evening for the kids and dads.

sarah
www.littlecitizensoftheworld.blogspot.com
www.melondot.etsy.com

[twirling betty]

What a lovely post. Made me come over all nostalgic for American summers. Despite never having actually lived through one! Does a Canadian summer count? Probably not.
I love your eco crowns. Your little one's "natural" Sleeping Beauty reminds me of my 4 year old's nature journal which is a tacky, plastic-covered pad with Barbie (or as I insist we refer to her, Barbara) on the front. Soooooo at one with nature.
And that murder report bird is hilarious. Shootings aside, the mobile is lovely.

[Megan]

You guys, that bakery is amazing. My photos don't do it justice at all. I would live there if I could. The owner is one of the nicest people on the planet, but I'm sure she would want me to go home and shower at some point.
TB, we are very close to Canada and I grew up even closer to it (20 minutes south of the border), so in my book that counts. I (heart) Canada. Now an Australian summer ... that would be nice (especially since it would take place when I'm normally under a couple feet of snow).
I can totally relate to your Barbie journal story, except we call her Babs.
Maya Made gets all the credit for those crowns. I love her ideas.

[Hollie Eastman]

Megan, thanks for the awesome pics from
Cake! I was able to be there last week and so loved it, I could live there too!!=)
Thanks for the great backyard camping pictures and earthy kids ideas too...hilarious last bird/newspaper picture!!!
Happy 4th...
Love,
Hollie
funkyjunkshow

[how to start a recruitment business]

This is really sweet! Love the photos so much, and i love how you run this thing. I'm glad you share this one, it inspires me so much!