Mercy's Tuesday Sketch 82 - Tiny Miracle

                                         
My little project today centered around Mercy's Tuesday Sketch 82.  I love Mercy's sketches.  They're so much fun to interpret.  (I didn't notice until after I took the photos that my ribbon was crooked...arghhh. Fixed that!)

I cut the scalloped oval from some pink wool felt I had leftover from another project.  I hand stitched the sentiment circle using heavy duty thread. 

Anyway, here's Mercy's sketch:

                                                    

Here's the rest of my gift project....

I made the little Bun in the Oven box from Papertrey Ink.  After I bought mine, I found a FREE template  that looks exactly the same!  I added a clear acrylic window to the front.  Inside the oven, is my little sock cupcake.  Carolina has a really good video tutorial here for making them. 

I made a pocket on the top inside of my card to hold a gift card.  I just used Scor-Tape on 3 sides of matching paper about 1 /12" wide and 4 inches long and popped in my stroller shaped gift card.  Worked like a charm. 

Supplies:

Paper - SU Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Imaginesce DP, Neenah Classic Ivory

Stamps - Michael's $1 (love that!)

Ink - Versafine

Accessories - Prima roses, buttons, heavy duty thread, ribbon, bun in oven template, gift bag, baby socks, cupcake paper, MS scalloped border punch, SU tag punches,  acrylic tag, acrylic sheet (oven window)

Foodie Friday - Pesto and Poppies

First up are the poppies...this is for  Sketch Challenge 289 on SCS.  Even though I used layers, I think this qualifies as CAS too.   I tried to stay as true to the sketch as I could wthout too many embellishments just to see if I could.

 

Here's the details on the card; then onto the Pesto!

 

Supplies:

Paper - Papertrey Ink

Stamps - Hero Arts-A Wild Poppy, Saavy sentiment

Ink - Versafine chalk ink, Tim Holtz Walnut Stain

Accessories - buttons, twine

 

Pesto is one of my all time favorite foods...It's so expensive to buy but so easy to make and freeze if you grow your own Basil, Parsley, Spinach, Cilantro, or Sage... or have a generous neighbor who does!   I'll show you how I get it ready to pull out at a moments notice for stirring into sauces,  soups, topping bread, pizza, chicken and a variety of other dishes to add extra yumminess and homemade flavor.  Great for spaghetti sauce in a jar...a couple of tablespoons and you'll think it's homemade.

 

You start with this:

 

 

 

Here's the quick recipe:

 

Fresh Pesto

 

2 cups packed fresh basil, parsley, spinach, cilantro, or sage (try a combo like basil and parsley)

3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. walnut pieces or pine nuts

2 large cloves of garlic, cut in half

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

 

Remove stems from basil.  Wash thoroughly in lukewarm water, and drain well.

 

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add basil and next 5 ingredients.  Process until mixture is smooth.

 

With processor running, pour oil through food chute in a slow steady stream until combined. 

Use immediately, or freeze for later use.  Here's how I do it: 

Place one Tablespoon of pesto into each ice cube slot.  Cover and freeze until firm.  When frozen, just pop them out and place in freezer bags. Return to freezer until needed.   They unthaw in just minutes or you can pop them frozen right into soups or sauces for extra homemade flavor.

Bon Appetit!!

 

                                              

A Cause and a Card

While blog hopping to check out some challenges, one of my first stops was at A Spoonful of Sugar.  One of their DT members, Michelle, has had a bad accident that has resulted in the loss of an eye. 

 

The team is requesting that cards be sent to Michelle to cheer her.  You can find her address and the details at this link.  You will also find a link to a free digital stamp set designed in Michelle's honor by artists Melissa Jenkins and Ann Vento and available for download through Whimsey Stamps.   I know that she would also appreciate your prayers. 

 

Now on to my card for today...no challenges, just a simple CAS Thank you that was ordered by a friend.  I lined the envelope as well.

 

Supplies

Paper - Neenah Classic White, Papertrey Ink

Stamps - Papertrey Out on a Limb

Ink - Versafine, Papertrey

Accessories - ribbon

 

 

CAS75 - Dry Embossing

This week's CAS (Clean and Simple) Challenge CAS75 is to use dry embossing.  I took the easy way out and used Spellbinders dies to emboss my card front. I used a Cuttlebug die to cut then emboss the butterfly.  Card size is 4.25" square.   I left off a sentiment because I thought this card could be used for just about any occasion from sympathy to birthday.  Quick, clean and simple.  Gotta love that!

Supplies:

Paper- Neenah Classic, SU Black

Accessories - Spellbinders Square dies, Cuttlebug butterfly Cut and Emboss die, self stick half back pearls, Scor-Tape

Get Ready to Hookie Lau..We're Going to a Luau!

I've been keeping a secret!  I was asked to be the Guest Designer on the Hand Stamped Sentiments blog!


The Design Team theme is .Luau.   You are free to create whatever you want.   How's that for fun?  I decided to make a little set that could be used for a party or for a romantic little Hawaiian evening with your honey.  ;-)

First up is my card, which I made as an invitation but could also be used for a fun summer beach card.

The images are from an acrylic set I found at JoAnn's by Fiskars called "Island Fun".  The totem image is a single that I just stacked one on another, embossed with clear embossing powder then cut out.  The flower and sentiment are from the same set.  See those little swirly things around the flowers?  Well, they were left over when I used my swirled MS border punch on another project.  I knew I could use them on something!

Next up is my little glass charm which also doubles as a wrist lei.  I punched flowers from mulberry paper then strung them on pink elastic cording.

Finally, is a little favor box.  This is actually the cute Life Savers Box from the Cutting Cafe.  This box holds 4 packages of Lifesavers.  I didn't have any Lifesavers but guess what?  It also holds 4 of these yummy Ghiradelli chocolates that just happened to match my box. 

It's summertime...great time to plan a Luau.  Hop on over to Hand Stamped Sentiments to see what the fabulously talented Design Team has in store for you then grab your grass skirt, your ukulele, your vivid colors and stamps and play along. 

This is also for the F4A20 Free for All Challenge at SCS - Show Us What Ya Got...how'd they know I HAD to go shopping?  Who ratted me out?!

Supplies:

Paper - K & Co. Citronella

Stamps - Fiskars Island Fun

Template - The Cutting Cafe Life Savers Box

Ink - Versafine

Accessories - large flower punch, elastic cording

It's Tea Time at The Cutting Cafe

 

This week's Featured Stamper 179 at SCS is Stephanie.  I chose this cute card of Stephanie's to case.  It gave me the perfect opportunity to use The Cutting Cafe's new Tea Time set.  My problem was choosing which adorable tea pot to use.  There are 31 stamps in this set!!  I used the sentiment  " I hope you feel better soon" from the new Tea Bag Holder Template set on the inside and added a Four Red Fruits Tea Bag to the opposite panel. 

I printed out another teapot then cut the strawberries and the tea cup out and popped them up on dimensionals.  I got my Prismacolor color pencils out and dusted them off to do my coloring.  I blended with baby oil.

I think this one's going to my dear friend, Della.  She's in the hospital with clots in both lungs and both legs.  If you can whisper a prayer for her it would mean so much. 

Supplies:

Stamps - The Cutting Cafe Tea Time, Tea Bag Holder Template

Paper - Papertrey, SU DP, fine tip black pen

Ink - Prismacolor pencils, baby oil

Accessories - ribbon, half back pearls, dimensionals, MS border punch, Crystal Effects, tea bag

DDCC81- Les Fleurs

Quick post today...A set of 4" x 4" embossed CAS cards - 2 in white, 2 in ivory.  They are embossed with a square Spellbinders die in the Big Shot.  The image panels are popped up on dimensionals.  A stick on pearl was added to the centers.   A friend asked for cards to give as a gift with no sentiment.  I think these would fit just about any occasion...what do you think?

These are for the Dutch Dare 81 (DDCC81) Loes Flower Inspiration 

Supplies:

Stamps - Papertrey Ink

Paper - Papertrey Ink

Ink - Memorex black, Copic markers

Accessories - Spellbinders square dies, stick on pearls, dimensionals, corner punch

Thanks for stopping by the playground!

WT278 - Yellow Sunshine

 

This week's Ways to Use It Challenge on SCS is Yellow Sunshine.  Yellow is a color I don't use often.  I'm not sure why...could be because I'm one of those people who just can't wear it at all.  It makes me look a bit green.  

 

At any rate, I have a few scraps left of this Bo Bunny paper that I got a couple of years ago so thought I'd put them to work for this little notepad.  

 

The cover is 8.25" x 5.25".  I moved my CS to the 1" line, then scored at 3 1/2" and 3 5/8".  To make the ribbon treatment, I folded tiny bits of the ribbon over onto itself  then secured each fold with a tiny piece of Scor -Tape until it was the size I wanted.  The entire ribbon piece is then secured with a length of Scor-Tape.  Some straight and zig-zag stitching and a little butterfly and done!  I think a beaded pen might turn this into a sweet little gift.  What do you think?

Yellow Sunshine Saturday to you!  

Supplies:

Stamps - Papertrey Ink

Paper - SU Brocade Blue, Summer Sunrise, Bo Bunny

Ink - Versafine Jumbo Java

Accessories - sewing machine, MS butterfly punch, ribbon, Spellbinders Circle dies, Stickles, glitter pen, notepad

 

Foodie Friday - Asian Lettuce Wraps (YUM!!)

                                      

We LOVE Asian Lettuce Wraps.  You can imagine how excited I was several years ago to find a recipe that is as close to that expensive Oriental restaurant style as I found, yet inexpensive to prepare.  Now we can have them as often as we like..or LOVE to.  The recipe serves 4 but my DH and I can just about devour the entire thing ourselves.  Add a simple fruit salad or a plate of sliced fruit and dinner is served in about 30 minutes...What's not to love? 

Here's the recipe:

Asian Lettuce Wraps

1 pound lean ground beef (93%) or ground chicken/turkey
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
1 (8 oz.)  can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1 large onion (about 1 cup) chopped
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (I loooove hoisin sauce!)
2 t. finely chopped or bottled fresh ginger
1 T. rice wine vinegar
2 t. Asian Chili Garlic Sauce (you may add more to taste)
3/4 c. chopped scallions or green onions (about 4)
2 t. Asian dark sesame oil

Large platter for serving

Crumble the ground beef or poultry into a 12 inch skillet.  Cook, stirring to break up the meat until cooked through and no red remains.  Drain off any fat.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes or until translucent and tender.

Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice vinegar and Asian chili garlic sauce.  Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until the sauce completely coats the meat.

Add the chopped water chestnuts, green onions and dark sesame oil, stirring and cooking just until the green onions start to wilt but are still green.  Remove skillet from heat.

Pour the meat into the center of a large platter.  Arrange the lettuce leaves around the edges of the platter surrounding the meat mixture. 

To serve, spoon some of the meat mixture into a lettuce leaf, fold and eat "taco" style.

YUM!!

Room with a View

 

No card today as I had to (ugh) iron and do more laundry yesterday.  Today, DH is home and that means yardwork.   Weeding is my job and let's just say, it will be an all day job.

 

The sunset was gorgeous last night!  I just happened to grab my camera in time to catch a few shots out my studio windows.   The heavens declare the Glory of God.   Enjoy. 

 

 

 

                                                             

I'm a Little Cutting Cafe Teapot

Remember that little nursery rhyme, "I'm a little teapot, short and stout.  Here is my handle, here is my spout.  When I get all steamed up, then I shout "Just tip me over, pour me out!" ?  Well, this is one stout little teapot that won't get you all steamed up.

 

Regina, at The Cutting Cafe has created two new tea sets.  One is the Teapot Shaped Card Set.  Two adorable little teapot cards and a custom envelope that comes in both pdf and cutting files.  The second is the Tea Time Printable Stamp Set - 31 adorable tea and teapot images and sentiments.   She didn't forget about the iced tea lovers out there either...complete with ice and straws! 

 

Thanks for dropping in...come by again for a cup of tea...hot or iced!!

 

Supplies:

Stamps - The Cutting Cafe Tea Time, Teapot Shaped Card Set

Paper - Papertrey Ink

Ink - PTI Plum Pudding

Accessories - buttons, ribbon, chipboard, Spellbinders heart dies, Tattered Angels die cut, Art Institute Glitter, beads, dimensionals, dew drops, embroidery floss

 

CAS74 - Carrie's Cakes

A surprise for you and one for me, too!  First, the surprise for you..... I'm the Guest Designer for the CAS74 Inspiration Challenge this week.  Jen has chosen Carrie's Cakes as our Inspiration this week.  Oh my!  What gorgeous, gorgeous cakes, but oh the prices!!  We can dream right?  Here's the cake I chose as my inspiration:

 

Isn't this a fun cake?  I'll be making another card or two, or three for this fun challenge...so much eye candy to inspire.

Here's my card for this cake.  I made the rose using a pear shaped punch, the tendrils are strips of vellum that I colored with marker and curled with scissors.  I sprayed the rose with Glimmer Mist.

What do you think?

And the surprise for me?    I've been chosen as the Featured Stamper #178  this week on SplitcoastStampers!  I can't believe it!  My little gallery was chosen as the gallery to CASE (Copy and Share with Everyone) this week.  Gosh! I'm about speechless (which if you know me is saying something!) 

I hope you get a chance to play along with both challenges.  I appreciate your comments so much. 

 

Blog Candy Alert

Hee,hee...No, it's not MY Madkow but it is Lynne's Madkow...she's an awesome, and I do mean awesome scrapper over at the Posh Designs Scrapbook Store.  Lynne's style is definitely elegant and vintage so if that's you,  then you will adore her scrapbook creations.  If that's not your style, you will still be left drooling. 

Right now, Lynne has some gorgeous candy to give to one lucky winner....take a peek....

All you have to do is become a follower on Lynne's blog, leave a comment, and then mention that I sent you...easy peasy. 

Have fun and good luck!!

  

Happy 4th of July!

 Happy 4th of July!  We've got a busy day tomorrow and I bet you do too, so thought I'd post my greetings to you today.  I've used an older set from The Cutting Cafe  - 4th of July.  Regina's digital stamps make it simple to create sentiment greetings fast.  I love that I can re-size them, change the color, punch out a portion to use only what I want  (as I did with this one), print directly on my CS...ah, total control over a tiny portion of my life...love it. I added just just a little stitching and it was done! 

 

                                                   

 

Head on over to the Cafe site, grab a cup of coffee and take a tour through all the awesome stamp sets, the inspiration gallery and the Design Team sites.  Betcha can't choose just one! 

Supplies

Stamps - The Cutting Cafe 4th of July

Paper - Lizzie Anne Designs digital paper, Neenah Classic

Accessories - sewing machine, dimensionals, circle punch

Blackberry Peach Cake

My stamping friend, Sue, over at Sue's Stamping Stuff, sent me a link to a blackberry cake that looked delicious and challenged me to make it with our stash of  fresh picked blackberries.  It looked good but the couple of reviews I found said the cake was heavy sooooooo.....I played around with a couple of ideas, combined a few recipes and came up with what we think is a fabulous cake.  The first one was delicious.  The first one????  Yes, this is the second one...I decided the first one didn't have enough blackberries so had to make another....right...right? 

  Hey, Sue, this piece is for you! There's plenty for everyone else too so come on over.  I'll put the coffee on.

Here's how I changed the recipe...

1. 
   
   The original mixed the blackberries with sugar before scattering them on the bottom of the cake pan.  I was afraid that would make the berries "juice up" too much and honestly, the frosting and cake are sweet enough to balance the berries. 
2. 
   
   I used my own cake recipe
3. 
   
   I added a yummy peach filling...blackberries and peaches, oh my!
4. 
   
   The original had a plain buttercream frosting.  I made a fresh peach buttercream.  Delish!!

Baking a cake from scratch is easy and so much better tasting than from a box.  Short on time...no problem. 

You can bake the cake layers a day ahead and refrigerate the layers with waxed paper between the layers.  The peach filling can be made several days in advance and  refrigerated.  The frosting takes just minutes. 

Basic White Cake with Blackberries

Grease and flour 3 - 8" baking pans. (I sprayed with Baker's Joy)  Scatter blackberries to cover the bottom of the pan, leaving just a small space between each one.  Since blackberries are different sizes, I didn't measure but you want a good amount.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2  cups sugar

3 cups cake flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup water

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. almond extract

6 egg whites, room temperature

Blackberries (this is a great recipe for a white cake...without the blackberries!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Beat butter, and shortening at med. speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with with milk and water, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed until blended after each addition.  Stir in extracts. 

In separate bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form; fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter.  Gradually fold in the rest of the egg whites.  Pour the batter over the blackberries in the prepared pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pickinserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 15 minutes.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until ready to fill and frost. 

Peach Filling (Make a day ahead - needs to chill)

16 oz. sliced peaches fresh (may use thawed, drained frozen peaches)

1 c. sugar

2 T. butter

2 T. lemon juice

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (I used Knox)

3 T. water

1 1/2 t. peach liqueur  (I didn't have any on hand so didn't use)

Cook first 4 ingredients in a med. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

Sprinkle gelatin over 3 T. water in a small saucepan; let stand 1 minute.  Cook over low heat, stirring often until the gelatin dissolves (about 2 minutes)

Process the peach mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.  Stir in gelatin and peach liqueur, if using.  Cover and chill 8 hours.

Peach Buttercream

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

32 oz. confectioner's sugar

1 fresh peach, peeled and diced

Beat butter until creamy and light.  Add peaches and beat again.  Mix in confectioner's sugar until frosting is of spreading consistency.  You may need to add a bit more sugar if peach is very juicy.

To assemble the cake, place the first layer berry side up on a cake plate.  Cover the top with a small amount of frosting covering to the edge of the cake layer.  Spoon peach filling over the frosting, leaving a 1" at the edges.  Add the second cake layer, repeat with frosting and peach filling.  Place the final layer blackberry side down,  frost cake using the remaining frosting.

Any leftover peach filling is delicious as a spread on toast or English muffins.  (DH suggestion)

Enjoy!!  Let me know if you bake one...I'll be right over.

                                                              

It's Patriotic Paper Cubed (P3) Time!

Whew!  I'm finally digging out from under laundry, cleaning, peaches, blackberries and blueberries and a DH home for the last few days of his vacation time.  Who called these things "vacations" anyway?  I need a  "vacation"  from this vacation!! :-)

Right now though, it's the first of the month and that means it's Paper Cubed (P3) blog time!!  Our challenge is to take paper and make it 3D...no cards allowed.  Our team was challenged to make table decorations this month (doesn't have to be patriotic) and since the 4th is just a few days away, I thought I'd show you some fast and easy projects to make your tablescape fun. 

Remember...No cards...you have the whole month to play along, so get your summer thinking cap on and link it up...someone's got to win, right?   The prize this month is a Tim Holtz Stamp Set and Grungeboard!

                              
Here's a quick overview of the projects then scroll down for a few individual pictures and directions.   Here is the quick list of projects - Lantern votive covers, Vellum sparklers, placecards and Star Spangled napkins.

Now for the close ups....  first up are these cute paper votive lanterns.

                                                    Here's what you'll need for each one:

6" x  9" piece of cardstock

2 - 1/2" decorative strips

1 - 3/4" x 8" strip of CS or DP for handle

double sided tape (Scor-Tape or Red tape)

1. Score the 6"x 9" cardstock lengthwise at 4 1/2".

2. Score each end @ 1/2"

3. Glue or tape a 1/2" strip of DP on each scored end

4. Fold the cardstock in half.   Cut 3/4" slits from the fold to the scored rim.  Unfold and form the lantern,     securing the ends with tape at the top and the bottom. 

5. Add the handle.

You can create some fireworks for your table in minutes with these fun Vellum Sparklers.

Here's what you'll need for each one:

3" x 15" strip of vellum

Scor- tape or Redline tape

Bamboo skewer

Spray adhesive

glitter

containers/sand

1.  Fold the vellum strip in half lengthwise.

2.  Cut 1/8" slits from fold to leaving 1" uncut at the top.

3.  Apply double sided tape to the 1" uncut end.

4.  Begin removing the paper from the tape while tightly wrapping the vellum around the wooden skewer.

5.  Curl the ends of strips slightly with scissors.

6.  Spray the "sparkler" with the spray adhesive and quickly sprinkle with glitter.  Shake off excess glitter then set the sparklers in a sand filled container.  Add curled foil chenille stems.

The napkins and placecard holders are super fast.

Here's all you need for each one:

Foil cardstock - Cut 1 piece 3.5" x 4.5" for each placecard plus extra for stars

White cardstock - 3" x 1.5"

Star dies or punches

dimensionals

Foil chenille stems

cloth or paper napkins

I glued my stars on the cloth napkins with white glue so I can use the napkins again for another occasion.  Wrap the chenille stems around a bamboo skewer to make them corkscrew then arrange to look like fireworks.

Also fits these challenges:

PPA49 - 4th of July Inspiration

CCMC105 - Red, White and Blue

Pixie Dust Studio - Red, White and Blue

Paper Romance - Red, White and Blue

That's it!  Be sure to check out the rest of the team ideas....

Michelle     Tammy      Sandy      Lorrinda      Anna      Melanie

Have fun and thanks for visiting the playground!