HELLO SUNSHINE TROPICAL BOTANICAL CARD...

It was time to come up with another swap for my downline meeting this Saturday.  Our theme is Occasions or Sale-A-Bration catalog products.  I decided to mix a little of both!  I've been dying to use the fabulous new Botanical Builder Framelits again, so I went with those in some tropical colors.  I was inspired by my fellow demo Sarah Williams who will be missing our meeting to go on a Caribbean cruise - lucky lady!!!

I just love this new coordinating Botanical Gardens suite from the Occasions Catalog!  The individual prices are listed in the card recipe, but be sure to check out the bundle which saves you 15% and includes the Botanical Blooms stamp set, the Botanical Framelits and the Botanical Gardens DSP!  See a video on the bundle at the end of this post.

The *hello* sentiment is from the Hello stamp set, one of the sets from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog available for FREE with a $50 purchase.  This is one of the Limited Time products that will only be available through Feb. 15 - don't miss out on it!  I stamped that on one of the Lots of Labels Framelits.  Then I used a marker to color just the *sunshine* from one of the other stamps from the set and stamped it below the hello.

To achieve the coloring on the flowers, I used sponge daubers to layer on Pumpkin Pie, Calypso Coral, and Melon Mambo.  For the very center of the flowers, I used an Aqua Painter with a mixture of Real Red and Chocolate Chip.  I also drew in some lines with Stampin' Write Markers, although in retrospect, I should have taken more time to draw them carefully.  With 12 to make, I was rushing through them.

Once everything was dry, I curled all the flower pieces with a bone folder and put them together with Mini Glue Dots.  Already can't wait to use these framelits again!!  Enjoy!

HELLO SUNSHINE TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDENS SUPPLIES:

• Stamp Sets – Botanical Blooms (P#140757, $17.00), Hello (P#141240, FREE with $50 purchase during SAB)
• Card Stock – Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
• Ink – Calypso Coral, Melon Mambo, Real Red, Chocolate Chip
• Accessories – Fine-Tip Glue Pen (#138309, $7.00), Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430, $4.00),  Mini Glue Dots (#103683, $5.25)
• Tools – Big Shot, Botanical Builder Framelits (#140625, $33.00), Lots of Labels Framelits (#138281, $27.00), Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder (#129984, $7.50), Sponge Daubers (#133773, $5.00), Aqua Painters (#103594, $17.00)

It's Sale-A-Bration time!!!  Earn FREE products starting for every product order of $50 or more.  OR Join My Team for only $99 and get FREE products!  Don't miss out... CLICK HERE for Sale-A-Bration Details!

LOYALTY REWARDS - When you purchase $50 or more, you qualify for my Loyalty Rewards program!  This Frequent Stamper program is my way of saying "thank you" to my returning customers in appreciation of their business and is in addition to other Stampin' Rewards.  Earn FREE stamps with MarieStamps.com!

CHRISTMAS TREAT: CHRISTMAS CRACK WITH SNOWY PINES TAG...

Time to make some tasty Christmas treats for my Bunco group again!  This time I am trying out a new recipe I've been seeing everywhere this Christmas, so I've decided to see what the fuss is about.  Hopefully, it's as good as it looks!  There wasn't enough for me to sample even after making two batches as I needed 12 bags!  The recipe is at the end of the post.

I am really loving the new Lots of Labels Framelits!  They have become my go-to for large tags.  And I am so happy that these two stamp sets,  Peaceful Pines and Snow Place are being carried over to the Occasions Catalog!  The snowman is paper-pieced so I could keep him white.  The tree stamp was cut out by hand and then layered on a Peaceful Pines framelit die piece so that there were no pesky white borders.

Here's a close-up of the tag and a shot of the basket ready to go to my Christmas Bunco:

SNOWY PINES CHRISTMAS TREAT TAG SUPPLIES:

• Stamp Sets – Peaceful Pines (P#139728 $26.00), Snow Place (P#139738 $26.00)
• Card Stock – Real Red, Crumb Cake, Cucumber Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White
• Ink – Real Red, Cucumber Crush, Chocolate Chip, Tuxedo Black Memento, White Craft Ink, Tangelo Twist Marker
• Ribbon – Real Red Pompom Trim (#139617, $6.00), Cucumber Crush 1" Dotted Lace Trim (#138423, $6.00)
• Punches – l" Circle Punch (#119868, $13.00), 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (#119854, $18.00)
• Accessories – Gusseted Cellophane Bags (#133770, $4.50), Fine-Tip Glue Pen (#138309, $7.00), Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430, $4.00)
• Tools – Big Shot, Peaceful Pines Framelits (#139665, $27.00), Lots of Labels Framelits (#138281, $27.00), Sponge Daubers

Christmas Crack Recipe

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray 
• 35 to 40 saltine crackers 
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter 
• 1 cup light brown sugar 
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/3 cups) 
• Christmas M&M's (my addition) 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.   Line 1 large or 2 small jelly-roll pans with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the saltines salt-side down in a single layer.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and boil until it turns a caramel color, a few minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly.

Put the jelly-roll pan into the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly, watching carefully.  Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers.   As the chips melt a bit (I find it helps if you cover the pan with tin foil for 3 minutes to help the chips to melt), spread them over the crackers with a knife.  If adding M&M's, sprinkle over the chocolate.   Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold.  They will form one big sheet.  Break up into pieces.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2010

LOYALTY REWARDS - When you purchase $50 or more, you qualify for my Loyalty Rewards program!  This Frequent Stamper program is my way of saying "thank you" to my returning customers in appreciation of their business and is in addition to other Stampin' Rewards.  Earn FREE stamps with MarieStamps.com!