English Garden Set

I'm so happy that this set of 4 products has arrived from Pinkfresh Studio. They came up with the brilliant idea of matching the stamping set with the die so it can all be cut in one go. In addition they have washi tape that can be cut with the same die, and a stencil to colour.

I decided to cut one set of the washi tape and make a set a cards.  

I ended up with 4 cards. It's a quick and easy way to make a set of cards to gift!

The first card ... I embossed a grid and sentiment in gold, and used a die to emboss a border around the card, adding a few enamel dots.

Another shot to try and catch the gold embossing to match the gold foiling on the washi tape.

The second card is very CAS. I needed a Sympathy card and I wanted to keep it soft and airy. A splatter of ink to tie in with the NBUS  "Reglettes Ronds" die from Simply Graphic. (Ruler circles die).

Card three was inspired by the Freshly Made Sketch. I die cut the circle from the panel, then embossed with the Rustic Linen embossing folder.

The last card of the set used the wreath. I didn't want the full circle so decided to trim off one edge. Found some patterned paper in my stash and added the thin gold strip of washi from Altenew.

What do you think? 
Would you like this set? Which is your favourite?

My entry to ...

... Addicted to CAS : Grid

... Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge : Anything Goes

... Freshly Made Sketches #542

... NBUS #40

... Less is More : Emboss

Dainty Bouquet

 I "ummed and aahed" about getting this stamp, but it kept coming up so eventually I caved!

It is just so elegant and dainty ... and looks lovely in tones of the one colour. The message is from Penny Black, Carefree Wishes.

A close-up to see the embossing by a die cut.

My entry to ...

... Die Cut Divas : Tone on Tone

... Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge : Anything Goes

 

Two Cakes !

I'm happy to be the guest designer at Twofer Challenge #38 : Cakes or Cupcakes for May.

I decided to go for a cake as I have the wonderful Sweet Treats set from Pinkfresh Studio that I haven't used enough.

Firstly, I went for a CAS masculine look for a Birthday card. I took artistic license and used colours that are not often seen on cakes! I also left spaced between the layers to make it taller and coloured in the base to make it more bold.

I used 2 of the Hero Arts Infinity Rectangle dies as embossing for the edge to give some interest.

For the second card, I went all pretty and pink for a wedding. At first I stamped the cake in pink, but wedding cakes are mostly white so that wasn't what I wanted. I wondered how to get the white look with a solid stamp ... and thought how about a double layer of white embossing powder. I distressed the background with Hero Arts Sand to give a golden glow so that the cake would stand out.

The lovely 3D Botanicals embossing folder gives an elegant touch.

Here is a close up of the double white embossed cake. I gold embossed the other elements and coloured with Copics.

Here are the 2 together. 

Quite different looks!

Here's my favourite cake recipe - Carrot Cake. And it works very well as cupcakes too!

Janet’s Carrot Cake

3 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Oil
2 Cups Wholemeal Flour
2 t Bicarbonate of Soda
1 t Cinnamon
½ t Nutmeg
½ Cup Coconut, desiccated
1 t Baking Powder
3 Cups Carrot, grated
½ Cup Pecan Nuts, chopped (opt)
Dash of milk
Pinch of salt

Whisk together the eggs and sugar until light. Add oil and beat well. Sift in the flour, bicarb, BP, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 50mins – 1 hour at 180ºC.

Gluten-free option : Replace the flour with 1½ Cups Rice Flour and ½ Cup Glutinous Rice Flour. I'm sure you can also use your go-to gluten free flour. 

Topping :

250g Cream Cheese
125g Butter
500g Icing Sugar
1 t Vanilla Essence

Use cream cheese at room temperature. Mix until smooth. Add butter and mix well. Add icing sugar and vanilla essence.

Note : 

t = teaspoon (5ml)

I will also enter ...

... Pinkfresh Studio Monthly Challenge May 2021 : Anything Goes

... Global Design #291 : Birthday

... AAA Birthday #25 : Happy Birthday

... Just Us Girls #583: Layers

... SSS Wednesday Challenge : Feminine

Chocolate Cake

 Oooh! Lots of yummy challenges out there!

This calls for a 3 layer chocolate cake : milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate.

Trying to capture the shimmer of the candles ... and ...

... the gold shine on the die cut and embossing powder.

You can see the embossing done with rectangle dies ...

My entry to ...

... LIM : Chocolate

... The Card Concept : Sweetheart Sweets

Wonderful Washi 1

I'm on a washi roll! Some of it I've had for a while, but it still hasn't been used! Had to remedy that situation.

I used the Trellis Cover die to create the texture, and I mixed fussy cut washi leaves with the die cut leaves.

My entry to ...

... Altenew Get Wild with Washi Challenge

... Less is More : More than 1 type of foliage

... Seize the Birthday : Texture

... CAS(e) This Sketch #395

... Just Add Ink : Just Choose 2 I chose Metallic Foil (It's on the washi tape) and Ribbon (I hope the gold string is ok for that)