Happy Halloween Waffles!

So the storm of the century has come and gone and left us with a blanket of snow for all the trick or treaters tonight - first time ever!  I was really in the mood for a nice, hot breakfast, thinking of these waffles I made last weekend for my son.  I opted for the healthier choice of oatmeal, but wanted to share this AMAZING recipe I adapted from HERE.  These waffles are BLOOD red and ROCKED!  Enjoy!

Red Velvet Waffles with Cream Cheese Pecan Butter

Serves 6

Non stick cooking spray
2        cups all purpose flour
1 1/4  cups sugar
1/4     teaspoon salt 
1        teaspoon  baking soda 
4        tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 
1/4     cup butter -- melted & cooled
2        cups buttermilk
2        large eggs
1        teaspoon vanilla extract *see NOTE
2        tablespoons red food color
4        ounces cream cheese -- room temperature
1        stick  butter -- room temperature
1        teaspoon vanilla extract *see NOTE
1/4     cup pecans -- finely chopped

Preheat waffle iron and spray with non stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. To a food processor, add the butter, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract and red food color. Pulse to blend.  Spoon in half of the flour mixture, pulsing to blend before adding the last of the flour mixture.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter evenly onto the waffle iron and cook until desired doneness.  Remove waffles as they cook and keep warm until all are done.  They will crisp as they sit.

Fold together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and pecans until well blended.  Serve waffles with a scoop of the cream cheese butter and maple syrup.

NOTE:  I used Taza's Mexicano Chocolate Extract instead of vanilla.  It has a depth of flavor that made these waffles DIVINE!!

Have a wonderful week and Happy Halloween!
Hugs, Marcy

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #136 "Borders and Frames!"

With snow flying here in New England, I'm really looking forward to crafting some Christmas cards!  There's no denying it now -55 days left until that jolly, old elf arrives down the chimney!

The challenge this week at Stamptacular Sunday, is to create a card that includes at least one border and/or frame on it. This may be ANY theme. This time of year, your options are endless!  Be creative, but please don’t forget to stamp.  We are STAMPtacular after all!

Here is my design team card and what I chose to do.

My first thought was to use a punch or a stamp for the border element.  When I looked in my stash of Christmas cardmaking goodies, I found my beloved Tim Holtz On the Edge Snow Flurries die.  Oh how I missed thee! This was to be my inspiration for my card.  I LOVE snowflakes and decided to do a whole theme on them as a Christmas card.

Now to choose a color palette.  Well, I've always loved China blue and gold, and it's so trendy now everywhere you look, so I went with it!  I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Broken China to get inky everywhere on the card.

I knew I wanted some fancy, schmancy snowflakes as the main decorative element on the card front, so I used my war horse, my Silhouette die cutting machine.  From the Studio library, I chose two different kinds from a "four pack" and manipulated them until I got what I wanted.  Ah, the beauty of a great tool!  I distressed them in the Broken China ink too, then over-stamped them using Hero Arts Old Letter Writing in Versamark Sahara Sand ink. Those were sprayed with Glimmer Mist, as was the snowflake border.

One of the final details was the hand-dyed rayon seam binding.  I wasn't sure if I wanted it smooth or crinkly.  I decided I liked the clean, elegant appearance of a full, smooth bow.  I tied it off with waxed twine and added one of my vintage buttons. (Seen HERE) I topped it with a simple, white pearl.  Oh, and that gold embossed sentiment was originally one whole stamp, but I divided it into two, to make it work for my card!

Our sponsor for this week is -

BUNNY ZOE’S CRAFT

 

Don't forget to check out the cards from the other Design Team ladies. They are AMAZING!

Challenges I'm entering this card in:
Lily Pad Cards Texture Challenge 

The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC105   

Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge - One Colour, Any Colour
Creative Craft Challenges - Fancy Borders

SUPPLIES:

Stamps - Hero Arts CL551, CG887, S4878

Cardstock - Bazzill

Inks - Tim Holtz Broken China Distress Ink, Versamagic Sahara Sand

Die - Tim Holtz Snow Flurries On the Edge Die, Silhouette Die Cutting Machine 4 Snowflakes

Other - Ranger Gold Ultra Fine embossing powder, Glimmer Mist, rayon seam binding, twine, pearl, vintage button 

Thanks for looking!!

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #135 "Black, Orange, Purple and SCARY TOO!"

For this weeks challenge at Stamptacular Sunday, you are to create any card or project that uses ONLY the colors BLACK, ORANGE AND PURPLE and has something that pops up/out when opened.  That part must be SCARY!  You may use white cardstock to make sure the image stands out, but please keep it to a minimum. This may be ANY theme. Be creative, but please don’t forget to stamp.  We are STAMPtacular after all!

Here is my design team card and what I chose to do. I used "Pumpin Pile" from MelJen's Designs.

I chose the theme of Halloween and wanted to use chipboard for my card base, so I took apart a mini album and used 2 pieces. I covered each side with pp and tied them together with ribbon instead of the "O" ring.  One of the elements we are asked to use, is a "pop-up" element.  I chose to do an interpretation of that on the outside of my card using the fence.  I distress-crackled the fence cutout and dabbed it with black soot distress ink.  I was going for the textured look of CREEPY, old wrought iron!

My pumpkin image is paper pieced using three different pp for a textured 3-D look.  I also used yellow fiber paper for the eyes and mouths and used Glossy Accents on them for the look of a glowing candle inside the pumpkin.  Then I colored the stems and leaves with Copics.  For the top little guy - I used marbled eyes.  CUTE, huh?!

The finishing touch was the die cut leaf flourish using the new foil paper from Spellbinders.  I wanted that to be the purple in the challenge's color palette. I wanted a spooky sentiment, so I used a calendar for the month of October and stamped over it.  I ink distressed most of the elements.  For even more texture, I used creepy, crawly spiders on the inside page here.

Our sponsors for this week are Meljen's Designs - winner's choice of  FOUR digis and The Charm Barn with a $10 Gift Certificate!

Don't forget to check out the cards from the other Design Team ladies.  They are AMAZING!

This is also being entered into these challenges:
Paper Crafts October 2011 Gallery Challenge
Color Throwdown #164
Textured to Perfection at the Moxie Fab World

 SUPPLIES:
Cosmo Cricket blackboard chipboard, Spellbinders craft foil, yellow homemade fiber paper
Stamps - MelJen's Designs digital "Pumpkin Pile," Hero Arts stamp CL353 Happy Halloween
Inks and Markers - Copics, Tim Holtz Distress inks
Die - Silhouette fence design, Sizzix vine with leaves
Ranger Glossy Accents
Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint
Embellishments - Queen marble "eyes," Memory Box Jewel Spiders, Maya Road Calendar
Ribbon - Creative Impressions, Offray, Michael's

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #134 "You Choose"

Like a little gift, this weeks challenge at Stamptacular Sunday is to create any card or project that your heart desires. Anything goes! Try something new! Maybe even create something you’ve never made before! Be creative, but please don’t forget to stamp.  We are STAMPtacular after all!

Here is my design team card and what I chose to do.

I decided for my card, I wanted to use some new materials I recently purchased.  The gorgeous paper lace is from my friend Linda Coughlin's Funkie Junkie Etsy shop.  Isn't it DEEEVINE?!

Our sponsor for the week is Bugaboo Stamps.  The winner of our challenge will receive SEVEN digi stamps of their choice!

Don't forget to check out the cards from the other Design Team ladies.  They are AMAZING!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps - Animal Train - The Cat's Pajamas, Hero Arts S5433 Lg Canvas Stripe
Paper - Bazzill, Basic Grey pp
Paper Lace - Funkie Junkie Esty store
Die - Spellbinders small scallop Nestabilities, My Favorite Things rolled roses
Markers - Copic
Other - Divine Twine, Offray ribbon, Maya Road embellishment pins, Hero Arts pearls, Heidi Swapp Newsprint chipboard alpha, Zing blush embossing powder, Ranger Glossy Accents, Perfect Pearls

Can You See It??

For the Hero Arts October 2011B Challenge, I wanted to create a card using a material I haven't tried before, acetate.  (I may have used it on a window card once.)  My mojo has been on vacation for a while, so I decided to start off slowly.  I am also NOT a student of the CAS school of cardmaking. I love it, but my right-brained self has to keep adding more and more.  Hard for me to "stop and walk away!"

I took the acetate sheet, folded it in half, and used an embossing folder of sheet music on the "front" of the card base.  OK, I'm happy with that.  I search my new stash of holiday stamps from Hero Arts and find a beautiful ornament stamp that screamed to be wet embossed.  Out came the ultra fine powder in black - nice and shiny like patent leather!

I now have sheet music and an ornament.  What am I going to use to bring it all together?  I am void of color.  Do I want color?  I dive into my stash of scraps and find my favorite black and white gingham cardstock.  I need a plan.  Ah ha - these sketches!

I choose the sketch in the upper right.  But wait - my acetate card is in portrait, not landscape.  OK, I can deal with that.  A plan is coming together!  My mojo is home!!  I take my piece of gingham and run it through my CB with the oval scalloped Spellbinders Nestie.  It needs something to stand out.  I take black soot distress ink and rub the edges of the oval. 

I search my ribbon stash for the piece behind the oval.  I find a gorgeous plaid silk ribbon I have been saving for a time like this.  I cut, snip and put in place.  NOPE!  NOW the perfectionist in me wants to come out?  Really? I still need to bring this card together.  I look through every piece of Christmas paper I have.  Nothing works!  And THEN I spot my trusty friend - that cute little piece of scrap sheet music that takes me to my comfort zone again.  It gets a rub of the black soot ink.  I have conquered my fear of the CAS card! 

I continue on to complete my card with a simple sentiment that seems to express how I'm feeling right at this moment - JOY!!  "Stop and walk away!"  It needs nothing else.  Not a pearl, no bling, no embellishment but a simple silver ribbon on the neck of the ornament.  Ha - I did get a spritz of Glimmer Mist onto the oval though!  I adhered the piece of music to the back of the front of the card and put the oval on the front to hide the glue.  Here is my finished product!!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps - HA CG226, CL343

Paper - acetate - PTI, gingham - Memory Box,  sheet music - Internet

Embossing folder - Sizzix sheet music

Die - Spellbinders small scalloped oval Nestabilities

Embossing powder - Ranger Ultra Fine black, Zing silver

Ink - Tim Holtz black soot distress ink

Bowdabra silver cord

Shortest supplies list EVER!

Thanks for looking and please feel free to leave me a comment!

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #133 "So Distressing"

This week at Stamptacular Sunday, you are asked to create a card or a project using some sort of distressing technique. Ink it, tear it, sand it, scratch it, scrape it…the choice is yours! Be creative, but please don’t forget to stamp.  We are STAMPtacular after all!

Here is my design team card to show you the distress technique I used.

For this card, I used ink to distress the edges of all paper materials. I also used the paper piecing technique on the balloons and the wings.  The wings are heat-embossed vellum.  I love how they came out - so light and ethereal.  The background pp was dry embossed with a flower-patterned folder. I used Glossy Accents on the pretty pixie shoes to make them look like patent leather.

Our sponsors for the week are Simon Says Stamp where you'll receive a $20 gift certificate and  Elisabeth Bell Digi where you will receive two digi stamps!

Don't forget to check out the cards from the other Design Team ladies.  They are AMAZING!

SUPPLIES:
 Digi Stamp - "Good Luck Pixie" from A Day for Daisies, Sentiment from PTI
Paper - Bazzill cardstock, PP - Basic Grey's Marjolaine, DCVW's Winter Combo, blue vellum
Spellbinders - label 22
Sizzix Embossing Folder - tiny flower
Taylored Expressions die -pennant border
PTI Tiny Tags
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - vintage photo
Glossy Accents
Martha Stewart butterfly punch
May Arts ribbon
Making Memories Vintage Findings button
Ranger Ultra Fine Embossing Powder - silver
Hero Arts pearls
Copics - B39, 45, 93, 97, YG00, 03, 06, YR00, E00, 29, 31, 33, 50

Entered in Paper Sundaes Challenge #90 - Favorite Color Combination 
A Day for Daisies "Use Your Noodle & Add Some Doodles!"

SERENDIPITY

ser·en·dip·i·ty/ˌserənˈdipitē/ Noun: The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: "a fortunate stroke of serendipity".

 Every once in a while, life takes an interesting turn.  You never know where it's going to lead you.  On a recent visit with a friend, we went to a lovely vintage shop, aptly called Serendipity Boutique.  Upon entering, Linda, the owner, whom my friend knew, immediately shared her sad news that she had to close and move out West to take care of her ailing parents. We chatted for a while as she spoke so lovingly of her beautiful boutique.

After a while, the mood shifted and Linda asked if there was something specific I was looking for. I told her I was a cardmaker and I collected vintage buttons and lace.  With that, she told me to wait a minute and left the room.  When she came back, she was carrying a box of the most gorgeous buttons.  She said I could have them for some absurdly low price.  I said I was willing to pay more.  She left the room again, and this time came back with a huge box and a large bag filled with more buttons.

At this point, we are both in tears because what turned out to be a treasure for me, was Linda's treasure she had been collecting for years. And then she took me to the back of the shop and filled my arms with vintage sewing machine drawers and lace.  It later turned out, when I got home, I had received over 30 pounds of buttons!

It is now one month after my visit to Serendipity Boutique and I just finished sorting out my wonderful, new collection of amazing buttons.  As I touched each and every one, I fondly remember Linda, her story and our serendipitous meeting.  I have all kinds of ideas of what to do with them.  First thing, I'm going to share them with some special friends.  I had promised Linda that I would take care of her treasures and be respectful.  I could never use them all in my lifetime!  AND, no, they will never be on Ebay! 

Here is just a sample of some of the collection.  They are mostly glass, bakelite, wood, ceramic, metal and shell.

This Week at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge

This week we have a "Photo Inspiration" at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge.We would like you to create a card or project using this photo as your inspiration.  Be creative - your options are endless; but please use a stamp.  We are STAMPtacular after all!  Our sponsor for the week is KennyK Downloads and they have some excellent prizes for this challenge!

And, don't forget to check out the cards from the other Design Team ladies.  They are AMAZING! Now here is my card to show you how I was inspired.

I want to thank you for dropping by.  Please come visit me at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge and leave me a comment.  Have an AMAZING week!


SUPPLIES

Let's Celebrate World Card Making Day

As a participant in the Paper Crafts Magazine Blog Hop, welcome to my blog, En Papillote Arts!  To honor the day, I have made a card using some of my favorite products - and as a celebration, I am giving away the Collage Music Background stamp by Hero Arts.

 I wanted to use some of Hero Arts latest holiday stamps for my card.  Can you tell how much I LOVE Christmas!  I also couldn't wait to get my hands on the new flower die by Spellbinders and My Favorite Things.  The leaf flourish is from Sizzix and the sentiment is Hero Arts, CL459 Merry Christmas Trees.  The paper rose was made using Stampin' Up designer paper digital series, Frostwood Lodge. Finally, those beautiful red tulle roses on the bottom border of my card are from Maya Road.

To be entered into my GIVEAWAY, please leave me a comment along with your e-mail so that I may contact you if you win. If you sign up to follow my blog, let me know and you'll be entered twice! Winner will be chosen via random.org on Sunday, October 2nd, 11:59 PM EST.

Thanks so very much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!