Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Sparkling Ornaments & Pumpkin Bread

Happy news:  I made it to Round 2 of the Splitcoast Clean and Simple Design Team Challenge!  There are three challenges altogether, so if I make the cut this week, I go on to Round 3 soon.

Round 2 challenge dictates that the card be, of course, clean and simple, but also mention a relative.  This is my card for submission:
I heat-embossed the ornaments from Tree Trimmings (SU) with black embossing powder on scraps of a retired SU designer specialty paper that has something to do with a wedding (can't recall the name).  It's shiny, white, and has scrolls on it. 


For the sentiment panel, I used a designer label punch and black striped paper scraps from that same wedding pack mentioned above.  A small oval punch with the word "mother" on it came from the white scroll-y paper, too. 


I have very few stamps with a relative's title on it, so I decided that this can be my mom's Christmas card.  She adores black and white.

I am entering this at the Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge, as well, where the theme is Christmas with a ribbon.

This is the card I originally made for submission, but changed my mind.  I felt it was not CAS enough for the challenge:


There are two focal points on this version - the sentiment panel, and the three ornament.  That breaks a rule of the challenge, because there must be only one focal point. 

On this one, I silver-embossed the ornaments on black striped paper.



For these two cards, I used two new Sizzix Tim Holtz embossing folders:  Damask and Regal Flourishes.   I love 'em!  I made a mistake and used the folder backwards on both cards.   So, now they are debossed instead of embossed. 

I want to share my pumpkin bread recipe with you, the one I mentioned in the last post.
It has chocolate chips in it, so it is a bit different.  It calls for nuts too, but my kids don't like them so I don't put them in (boo hoo).

Pumpkin Bread

Makes two large loaves.  Preheat oven to 350.

Dry ingredients:
3 1/2 cups sifted flour (I don't bother to sift mine)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Wet ingredients:
1 cup melted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Blend butter and sugar.  Add eggs; blend.  Add pumpkin; blend.  Add wet ingredients to dry; blend.  Add chocolate chips and nuts, mix just until blended.  Spray two large loaf pans with no-stick cooking spray.  Pour batter 2/3 full into each pan.  OPTION:  sprinkle nuts on top of loaf instead of mixing in, or eliminate altogether.
Bake 1 hour or until a tester inserted into middle of loaf comes out clean.


Hope you enjoy that recipe.  My 9 YO will eat it, and that's really saying something for her.  (it's because of the chocolate, don't you know)

Thanks for joining me!

Colleen

Stamps:  Tree Trimmings (SU), Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:  Whisper White, white and black designer paper (retired) by SU
Ink:  Versamark
Punches:  designer label, small oval, large oval, wide oval
Other:  Big Shot, Sizzix Tim Holtz embossing folders in Damask and Regal Flourishes, red and clear rhinestones by Queen & Co., dimensionals, Cherry Cobbler marker, black and silver embossing powder, heat tool, silver cord scraps, black satin ribbon scraps

9 comments:

Joanne Travis said...

So beautiful and elegant, Colleen!
Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving. Wish I was there in NJ with my family.

Bonnie Garby said...

Great CAS Christmas card! Thanks so much for joining our Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge.

Andrea Ewen said...

Gorgeous! I know you're going to make the cut at Splitcoast, your designs are absolutely fabulous! Thanks for the recipe too, it sounds yummy~

Marisa said...

Beautifully done, Colleen. Love the silver embossing on the black for the ornaments. Good luck on the submission.

~Tammy~ said...

Oh my...so very classy! Good luck in your submission!:-) Love the embossing!

Holly AKA KopyKat said...

This is so beautiful, love the dp you used and the great design. Congrat's on round two. YUMMY, thanks for the wonderful reciepe, I was hoping to find something different that the old standard stuff and this looks like even if "they" don't like it, I can go ahead and eat the whole loaf, lol.

Emily Keaton said...

Colleen, both cards are so lovely, but I think your re-designed card hits the nail on the head! THAT looks like what they will be looking for. Nicely done!! I'm so sorry you ended up having to do another card, but none of your earlier efforts were wasted. Far from it!! These are both so elegant, wonderful, and eye-catching. Good luck!! I've got my fingers crossed for you :)

Julie Ranae said...

Such a lovely card, Colleen....beautifully CAS!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful work, Colleen - you'll definitely make the next round with your gorgeous CASness!

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