GORGEOUS!!!! Love love LOVE!!!!! :o)
And here is what I prepared for today: Happy Figgin' Birthday Card. :o)
I made this one for my honey's birthday, which is today. :o) Happy Birthday hon!!! ♥
How I made this Card...
For my card I used all stamps from the set, except one sentiment. I love to create my own backgrounds. It's a great way to use as much as possible stamps from one set. I call that good use of the set. :o)
First I randomly stamped images on a Kraft paper panel in watermark stamping technique using VersaMark Watermark Ink. After drying, I stamped the sentiment in black on the panel.
I cut and folded a card base and 5 more panels from the Kraft paper. I cut 4 panels slightly smaller than the panel with stamped background and glued (stacked) them together. I did this to add some dimension on my card, as I didn't have enough foam to do that. I glued the stamped panel on stacked panels and glued them on the card base. Last, 5th panel, I glued inside the card to make it sturdier.
Then I stamped a fig on a thick watercolor paper and colored it in watercolor technique with Distress Inks. After drying, I fussy cut the fig leaving white thin border around it. I glued 3-D foam squares on the back of the image and placed it on the card.
As a finishing touch, I drew white highlights on the fig and my card was finished. :o)
I like it, but is it enough masculine and will my honey like it, I'll know later today, when I'll give him the card at a small family birthday gathering. I decided to go with figs because we both love figs. :o)
Do you like figs? When it comes to fresh figs, I like one variety, don't know how it's called, but those figs have greenish/yellowish skin. But when it comes to dried figs, I can't stop eating them. Absolutely my favorite dried fruit. :o)
In Dalmatia, region of Croatia, they make delicious dried fig cake called Smokvenjak. It is my favorite energy snack.
"When compared with other fruit, the juicy and filling fig holds a special place in Dalmatian cuisine. During summer there is no sweeter taste than a freshly picked fig full of sweet juice which serves as a refreshment from the heat, the sea and the sun. Apart from eating them fresh, lots of picked figs are dried every year in order to preserve them during winter, when they are eaten on their own or in numerous tasty cakes. One of these is the fig cake, which used to be an everyday snack for field workers because it provides plenty of energy. Nowadays it is prepared for holidays or celebrations and is served as an aperitif before meals.
The traditional fig cake is considered to have originated on Croatian islands which abound in fig trees. This sweet dessert requires only a couple of ingredients, but it is very filling and delicious, and stays fresh for a long time which is why it has often been prepared as a travel snack. As its name indicates, fig cake or hib is prepared from dried figs, mixed with almonds, brandy or maraschino, powdered sugar and bay leaf for more flavour. The figs are first cut into small pieces or ground, and then combined with roasted and crushed almonds. Brandy is added to the mixture slowly and carefully so that all the ingredients blend well. The packed mixture of almonds and figs is formed into loaves and sprinkled with fresh bay leaves, or other Mediterranean plants such as rosemary or sage.
The basic recipe for fig cake can be altered according to taste, preferences and circumstances, so that instead of brandy the juice of any citrus fruit can be added, such as orange juice and its zest, or fennel seeds, different spices, as well as walnuts and raisins. Fig cake can be eaten immediately, but in order to be able to cut it, the moulded fig cakes need to be dried for some time. Nowadays this is done in the oven on low temperatures for up to an hour, so that the fig cake becomes a little harder. Individual fig cakes are wrapped in paper to prevent them from drying and for easier storage and transportation. These days, fig cakes are a popular souvenir among tourists in Croatia."
If you'll be visiting Croatia or will find Smokvenjak in a grocery store or have an option to buy it online, I would highly recommend to buy it. Not only it's delicious (if you like dried figs and almonds), it's healthy too. :o)
At the bottom of this post you can find detailed supply lists of my today's card. Link to this post will be in a right sidebar until the Blog Hop ends. :o)
And now to the Blog Hop prize...
Our generous Jane will be giving away one stamp set of winner's choice to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment on all blogs/Instagram accounts along the Hop for your chance to win.
Here is the Blog Hop order:
Jane will announce the winner tomorrow, Friday, July 30th, 2021, at Jane's Doodles Blog.
Also, Jane is having 30% off sale today and tomorrow. No code needed.
Now hop over to Marion's blog and see what she created for today's hop.
Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoyed on my stop today and got inspired. :o)
Happy hopping and good luck to all!!! :o)
Milka- Jane's Doodles 'What the Fig!' stamp set
- Canson XL Mixed Media Paper, 300 g
- Crafter's Companion Neenah Desert Storm Kraft Coloring Card
- Tsukineko VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad
- Ranger's Archival Ink (Jet Black)
- Tim's Holtz Distress Inks:
- Mustard Seed
- Twisted Citron
- Cracked Pistachio
- Uniball Signo White pigment ink pen
- UHU universal liquid glue
- 3-D square foams, 5 x 5 x 2 mm
- Fiskars High Precision Personal Paper Trimmer
- bone folder
- acrylic block
- scissors
- Marabu fine rounded paint brush no. #0
- paper towels
- water
Card measurements: 95 mm x 140 mm (3 3/4" x 5 1/2")
