Cooking Up A Delicious Gift!

Hi all! I don't know about you, but when the holidays roll around, I always seem to search for those fun little hand made creations to show people how much I appreciate them in my life! People like my hair dresser, my kids' teachers, my nail lady, you know - those people you see regularly that just need that little pick me up!


So, when I saw the new JustRite Baking Ensemble - I thought -- I NEED THAT! IT'S PERFECT! I made homemade candy and fudge, so you can see why this set would be awesome! (Note: if you like this set and want to snatch it up like I did -- know that you also need the actual 2-5/16" wood stamper as well in order to stamp with it!)


I thought of the hot cocoa stamp for a little sleeve of the gourmet drink! Well, when I started thinking, I remembered a project I learned how to make years ago! This project has been around the block - so to speak - so if you've seen it before - you can fast forward. If you haven't, stay tuned, it really is a fun little project to make!

Start with a 5-1/2" by 10" piece of patterned paper, score it 4" in and 8" in so that you have two 4" panels and a 2" overhang. After you score and fold, punch a hole in the center of the two 4" panels like I did below.
Make a 2" strip of patterned paper and score the same way. I also edged by red patterned piece with a bit of gold leafing pen for a little extra something!
Now, take roughly 20" of ribbon and string one through the inside left of your sleeve.
String the other end through the inside hole on the right. This ribbon will help hold your packet of hot chocolate in place! Seal it up and adhere your decorative strip.Now it's time to focus on the little "hot chocolate label!"
If you look back at the stamp set, you might not realize, each stamp is actually a ring of words and then the inner image. They can be mixed and mingled to create dozens of options! I kept my ring exactly as shown! I stamped it red and then inked up the Gourmet Hot Chocolate part of the inner stamp with a green marker. I didn't ink up the cup yet! Instead, I inked the cup with Versamark ink and stamped it on a scrap piece of white card stock and embossed it with gold detail embossing powder. I colored the cup with two shades of green Copic markers. I colored the hot chocolate with two shades of brown and then added some Liquid Applique so my whipped cream would be all fluffy! While the Applique was still wet, I sprinkled on some prisma glitter and then heat set the Applique to puff it up!

From here, punch out the label with either a Marvy Mega Scalloped Circle punch or a Spellbinders Nestabilites Scalloped Circle die. I used a circle cutter to create both my green and red mats. Mat it all up, add some rhinestones where the little dots are on the stamped border and.... you're ready to slip your hot chocolate inside! Now, excuse my low fat Swiss Miss. Before I give this little number away, I'll go shopping for a bit of the good stuff!! ;-)

This is what it looks like with the hot chocolate in the sleeve….
And, this is what it looks like when you pull up on the ribbon! It just slides that hot cocoa right up!
Pretty slick, huh? This one is easy enough to mass produce – which makes it even better!

Being that this is the 15th, the You Know You Rock Challenge will soon be up and ready to roll! Be sure to check it out!

Before I go, I wanted to share the sweetest card I got in the mail Tuesday. When I saw the return address, I smiled because my bud Jacki has been someone I visit for well over a year now! If you head on over to the Card Castle and read up you can actually read the smile in her voice! She's just too endearing. Not to mention, her cards are out of this world! So, when I opened up the envelope and saw this beautiful card, MY smile grew even bigger! The note inside was just too sweet. So, thanks Ms. Jacki! I hope you feel a big hug coming your way! You are just too cool for words!
Well folks, this post is getting to be book length! I might as well call it a day! Until tomorrow!