Chocolate and Cherry Stromboli

 I love trying new recipes, especially cookie and bread recipes.  I recently purchased a Taste of Home magazine featuring bread recipes. I decided to try the Chocolate and Cherry Stromboli because it seemed rather easy and I had all of the ingredients. It turned out fabulous and tasted so delicious! I did substitute the canola oil with peanut oil because it was what I had.  If I bake this bread again, I may try melted butter instead of oil as I like the taste of butter better.  Also the cherry pieces don't show up well in the chocolate so I might substitute chopped apricots next time.  Because I am testing bread recipes for future gift giving, I think I would not drip on the melted chocolate if I was planning to wrap the bread as the melted dark chocolate doesn't harden (needs to be tempered). Perhaps the candy melt chocolate sold at HM Ben Franklin Crafts would harden well enough to permit wrapping the bread in cellophane bags.  The recipe specifies applying an egg wash and sprinkling on coarse sugar before baking.  I think really coating the loaf with coarse sugar would add  the sweet taste and be attractive but not messy so there would be no need for drizzling chocolate. Ther were dozens of great sounding bread recipes that I will try out in the near future.  I'll let you know which ones from this magazine are successful and why. If you are interested in perfecting your bread baking skills, I think you should get a copy of this magazine and get cooking!

Sweet Shaved Ice Cards

In Hawaii, 'shave ice' (snow cones) is a staple local treat anytime of the year.  When I spotted the Dandelion Designs stamp set of the girl and boy showing their shave ice colored tongues, it was a no-brainer to place it in my shopping basket at HM Ben Franklin Crafts.  I searched my stash of Hawaiian print papers (from HM BFC) to find just the right designs and colors to use as a background for the cards.  It was simple to stamp and color (with Copic pens) the shaved ice holding kids.  I free hand drew the shave ice mountain, colored it and cut it out.  Next I glued on some 'confetti ice flakes' (purchased in a small shaker container) that are actually irridescent chopped up cellophane.  The kids' shaved ice was enhanced with Glossy Accents. Both the girl and boy were glued onto the shaved ice mountain with 3 in 1 Beacon glue.

The Whimsy 'Sweet' three part word die was used on variously colored Doodlebug Designs glittered paper to acheive the fancy script.  I found the right font 'MAHALO' to use on one card but all the 'birthday' stamps I had were too big or small so I searched until I found some tags in my stash of birthday stuff.  Luckily, even the colors of the printed letters coordinated with the card.  The look of these cards makes me smile and I can't wait to mail them out. I think they will make the recipients smile too!

Happy, Happy Hello Kitty Birthdaty Card

 In a previous post, I featured mini calendars with this Hello Kitty stamped image.  I stamped, colored in and paper pieced an extra image which sat on my desks for awhile.  Rather than throw away the extra piece, I decided to turn it into a birthday card.  I found a large sized die (Sizzix) in my stash of birthday things.  I backed the lavendar die cut piece with a piece of card stock from a marbled paper pack. (The lavendar paper was from an AC pastel paper pack.)

For more interest and texture, I glued on some artificial cherry blossoms (HM Ben Franklin Crafts often has packages or stalks of cherry blossoms for sale during the spring season.).  I also added some yellow sticker pearls to give the card a little bling and coordinate with the yellow card base.  I found a matching lavendar envelope and embellished it with a cat sticker.  I'm still searching for a Hello Kitty sticker to replace the heart holding tabby sticker on the envelope, but I'm satisfied for now. Overall, I am proud to be sending this card off to a very dear friend....hope she'll be HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

Amaryllis Photo Box

This photo box actually started thirty years ago when I bought an amaryllis bulb from HM Ace Hardware in Hilo.  Little did I know that it would grow and produce blooms for decades.  We have split the bulbs clusters many times and have been rewared with blooms every year. Because we live in a cell phone photo world, I don't usually have photos around to hold in my hands and enjoy in real life.  This box was designed to hold some of my favorite current photos.  Printed floral card stock was used to cover the front and bottom of the box.  Floral ribbon was glued to the sides of the box cover.  

Squarish Spellbinder dies were used to cut out the amaryllis photo ad the yellow card stock.  They were glued onto the box front along with the trimmed Echo Park paper sentiment  from a 6x6 paper pad.  Butterflies from a Forever in Time Die Cut Embellishment pack were glued onto the box front.  It was a simple project that hopefully will allow me to collect favorite photos (printed from my endless cell phone pics) in an easily accessible place where I can enjoy them often. This box would also make a good gift box...perhaps filled with meaningful photos.  Another added perk is that the original box was an empty See's Candies container so it still has the chocolate aroma which I enjoy everytime  I look at my photos....how sweet is that?!!!

Where Did You Get That?

Here are three items I purchased recently.  I thought you might like to see what I am drawn to and what amuses my decorating sense.  The pot with a cactus and the ceramic watering pot were seen and snapped up from a locker box in the Market City HM Ben Franklin Crafts store.  I thought their wonky looks were just fabulous.  Who would put a big, single cactus leaf in such a tiny pot?  The pot is very heavy so the cactus doesn't make it tip over.  I was amazed that the cactus was really alive...hopefully, I can keep it that way!  The watering pot is also very heavy so perhaps I can plant something in it too. Would a bonsai tree survive?  Whoever manages the locker box where I found these ceramic pieces certainly has a sense of beauty that aligns with mine. Thank you for offering these pieces for sale.  As for the mouse and chick figurine, I found it on the bargain $5 table at a recent All Collectors show.  It was brand new and had a fresh. fancy hang tag so I didn't feel it was 'used'. I like figurines like this to go with my Easter craft project photos.  Keep your eyes open and you will surely find amazing treasures in the most interesting places.  Hope ;you like seeing what catches my eyes and heart. Life is short, so make yourself happy today!

 

Sumikko gurashi Felt Key Chain

I am a big fan of the Sumikko gurashi Japanese characters, so when I saw them in felt kits selling at HM Ben Franklin Crafts, I knew I was launching into a new craft.  It took me barely two hours to complete the project and I was very happy with the results.

All the felt parts were well cut out and the kit contained everything needed ( pre-cutfelt, thread, plastic needle. etc.) to make a cute stuffed felt character. Even though the instructions were in Japanese (which I don't read), I was able to follow the diagrams. Because the plastic needle (safe for kids) had a large eye it did make the pre-cut sewing holes bigger so you need to make your knots extra large so they don't go through the holes. HM Ben Franklin Crafts has many felt kits to choose from (not all of them of Sumikko gurashi characters) so I'm sure you will find one to your liking. Doing crafts like this is very satisfying to me and perfect for taking on a trip because you only need a tool to cut the thread.  Crafting is my way of relaxing and when away from home I like to keep my hands and mind busy. I'm sure making a felt key chain will make you (or whoever you give it to) very happy. Try crafting one...you'll love it!

 

Chocolate Rabbits Shaker Easter Card

To me, Easter means enjoying chocolate rabbits!  Since I can't mail a chocolate card, I decided to design a card that has the spirit of my childhood chocolate candy Easter rabbits.  I have a really old Tim Holtz chocolate rabbit die that I used to make the rabbit cut outs.  (Recently, I noticed that Whimsy Stamps is selling a set of rabbit silhouette dies which probably can be used to create a similar card to this one.)  Because the old rabbit die is one that is about an inch thick, it is rather difficult to align the three rabbits...but it can be done!  

After die cutting the rabbits from a printed card stock, double stick adhesive is applied around the rabbits before a piece of cellophane is pressed down.  (To be thrifty, I use clear packaging from my craft supplies.)  Then foam tape is lined around the under side of the die cut rectangle piece and three of the protective strips are removed.  This rectangle was then pressed down on three sides of a card blank.  Shaker confetti pieces (MIx Upz, Easter Basket) was poured into the pocket before sealing up the open adhesive side.   

Easy-peasy....the card is done!  I really love how easy this card was too construct. I think the bright, colorful confetti that I purchased from HM Ben Franklin Crafts really made the card something special!

I also had some Doodlebug Designs 'Happy Easter' washi tape I decided to use to decorate the back of the card too. I just applied one strip so that I could write a long Easter message.  I'll use the washi tape to make the envelope 'spiffy' too.  I hope you'll make an Easter card that will brighten someone's holiday season.  It will brighten your holiday celebrations too!