Sending Hugs

Today I'm sharing a card inspired by one I made 2 years ago - love these colors together!

supplies: Simon's Audrey Blue and Dark Chocolate,  Bazill's Candy Necklace and some browns from Tim Holtz Nostalgic collection paper pad, Altenew Fantasy Florals dies, Tim Holtz Woodgrain embossing folder, sentiment from  (retired) Hero Arts XO set, sequins to match

I think this has a kind of modern fall feel to it - what do you think?

All Seasons Tree

This is an older Simon die, but I just recently rediscovered it on Pinterest (mostly from Lisa's blog!) and I thought I'd have a play with a summer version for my first time using it.  I love this combination of green, kraft, and chocolate!

supplies: white, Green Apple, Dark Chocolate and kraft cardstock, All Seasons Tree and Stitched Rectangle dies

I left this one without a sentiment.......I'll add a banner one when I send it.

For my 2nd card, I did add a sentiment.  The Vintage Photo ink is a perfect match for kraft.

supplies: white, kraft, and Green Apple cardstock, All Seasons Tree die and a retired Hero Arts sentiment, VersaFine Vintage Sepia ink

Both cards use the inlaid die technique - although there are tiny leaf dies included (which I know I'll use for the autumn version when I make it), it is much easier to just put the inlaid panel over another color of cardstock to give the leaves detail......

I think this design will be very useful for masculine cards.

Minty Fresh

At Moxie Fab World, we are to showcase the color of green we know as mint.  I loved Cath's first example of a dress in mint with chocolate dots and I used that as my inspiration  (mint chocolate chip ice cream not being far from my mind either):

supplies: cream and brown cardstock, dps from American Crafts dear lizzy Neapolitan, Hero Arts K5376 Hydrangea, 330053 Heydey Sentiments, Pallette Burnt Umber ink, Hero Arts craft twine, Nesties scalloped rectangles, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D foam squares

Spring Flowers

Here's another entry for today's Papertrey Ink color swatch challenge.  I chose Jessica Witty's colors shown above this time:

supplies: parchment card, Hero Arts pool designer paper, chocolate brown cardstock, Nesties Labels Four, PTI Friendship Jar Spring Filler, VersaFine onyx black ink, Memento markers in new sprout, canteloupe, and tangelo, Prismacolor pencils for shading, aqua ribbon, 3D foam squares

The evolution of a card

Hi!  I love playing at the Play Date Cafe challenges - their colors are always fun.  Here is this week's photo inspiration.  Be sure to go look at the DT examples - and check out Sav's take on them:

When I make a card, unless I have a specific image in mind, I often start by looking through my design papers and card stock to pull the colors for the challenge.  In this case, right away I went to this beautiful K&Company butterfly paper that has the colors required, plus cream and chocolate brown.  I wish I could show you how pretty it is - the gold swirls in it are very slightly glittered.  In the same pack was the coral and pink plaid.  I liked them both against this pale gold parchment paper, so that was my card base, and then I just added a shell pink.  Because of the chocolate in the main panel, I ended up framing each of the other panels in chocolate cardstock.  Here was my first version:

The more I looked at it, that ribbon looked too bright and too thin, so off it came and I made a new sentiment panel and placed it to the right:

Then I placed it to the left:

supplies: dark cream parchment, pale pink, and chocolate card stocks, BoBunny flamingo dot (reverse), K&Company "Garden Party" design papers, Hero Arts CL166 SparkleClear Special Friend, Memento Artprint Brown ink, Nesties labels eight die,  Martha Stewart small Monarch butterfly punch, gold pearls

I don't know........I'm confused.........what do you think?

Once again, I'm entering this into the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show.

Pinks and brown

Here is the photo inspiration for this week's CR84FN challenge:

Here's my take on the challenge - love the chocolate and pinks together, though my 2 pinks aren't that different in tone.  I paper-pieced the large flower, using solid and printed papers, adding an extra darker pink layer all around the edges, and dry-embossed the background in a tiny flower design. 

Supplies: chocolate, orchid pink light and dark cardstocks, the Paper Studio Coco & Pink SM Polka Dot (Hobby Lobby), other unknown pp (flower center), Hero Arts S5485 Many Petals, CL380 Truly Appreciated, twine, Sizzix little flowers embossing folder, twine, tiny pink buttons from Michaels

Sweet Hearts

Here's our photo inspiration for this week's Shabby Tea Room challenge:

And here's my take on it.......I zoomed in on the dotted green base of the tiered stand and the doilies, and then the yummy colors - I love the way the minty green, peachy pink, and chocolate work together!

I started with a chocolate card base, and trimmed a piece of Lasting Impressions Whimsical Dot in kiwi to fit the front.  Then I added a paper doily, and topped that with some hand-dyed seam binding (worn lipstick distress ink).  The hearts and sentiment are from an Impression Obsession clear set of hearts, stamped in worn lipstick and vintage photo distress inks, and I added some punched hearts and a lacey one that my friend Linda sent me, and topped it with a pearl heart gem. 

Supplies: chocolate, white, kraft cardstock, Lasting Impressions kiwi Whimsical Dot,  Impression Obsession CL65 Love is All Around, vintage photo and worn lipstick distress inks, heart-in-heart punch, lace heart, pink pearl heart, Hug Snug seam binding, dyed with worn lipstick distress ink, sentiment label is a cuttlebug die, cut apart to make smaller

Chocolate Covered Autumn

This is the gorgeous photo inspiration for this week's Shabby Tea Room challenge.  I fell in love with the rich brown against the autumnal colors and imagined making a card for an elegant autumn wedding.  Here is my submission:

Supplies:  cream parchment, chocolate brown, rust, gold and eggplant cardstocks, Adornit "fall leaves stripe" dp, Hero Arts S5264 Antique Flower Background, CL119 Happy Thanksgiving, sepia and art print brown inks, Martha Stewart doily punch, punched ferns, gold filigree button

Also entering this into Crazy 4 Challenges "Fall/Autumn".

OTWC #27

The Off the Wall Craftiness challenge is a new one for me, but I was drawn to it this week because of the gorgeous colors:

They are so elegant!  So I started with a piece of cream cardstock, printed an excerpt in brown from "The Secret Garden", then overstamped it in this brocade design with Versamark ink and clear embossed it.  Next I sponged on tumbled glass distress ink, then framed the panel in dark brown.  Because the excerpt is talking about the robin that Mary meets, I stamped this pretty little bird in brown ink on aqua cardstock, then cut it out and popped it above my panel.  The sentiment seemed just right for finishing. 

Supplies: cream, aqua, and dark brown cardstocks, Versamark ink and clear embossing powder, tumbled glass distress ink,  Memories Artprint Brown ink, Hero Arts CG102 Antique Brocade, CL380 Truly Appreciated, Inkadinkado #97894

Coffee and Cream

At PaperPlay Challenges, the theme this week is Coffee and Cream, to use only shades of brown.  This really appealed to me, and so I went with the idea of opening up a trunk and finding these old bits, brown with age.

 I had made this flower a little earlier, because I loved the one that Heather used in her card.  They are so much fun to make!

Supplies: cream, kraft and 2 shades of chocolate cardstock, Hero Arts S5341 Lace Background, CG222 Music Background, CL156 Treasure the Past, Anitas Stamps Teddy Bear ink, Palette Burnt Umber ink, Martha Stewart brown ribbon bow sticker, from a sweet friend

Most dangerous cake recipe EVER

Good evening, ladies! I'm in a chocolate mood tonight, and thought I'd share this recipe just before I go make it. It really is this easy and turns out nice and rich, especially when you have added your favorite additions. Many thanks to Carol Beck for this recipe.

Why is this the most dangerous cake recipe? Because you are only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

1 coffee mug
4 Tablespoons flour (not self-rising)
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons chocolate chips or chopped up candy bars, like Peanut Butter Cups
optional, small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to small bowl and mix well, then add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well again. Ad the chocolate chips/candy pieces and vanilla, and mix again. Pour into a mug.

Put in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a bit, and tip out onto a plate. There's plenty here to share, IF you want to share! Enjoy