simple series 06

deeIY pop-up cards

materials needed: 

1. Paper Cutter - $10-20. I like mine because it will also has an additional thingy that will score the cards. 

2. Stencil letters - You can also print the letters and use them instead of stencils(Helvetica bold stencils) - $4 (free if printed)

3. X-acto knife - $4-5 You can always use scissors if you would like. I just think the x-acto makes it easier. 

Board to use the x-acto - $7-10 You can use a cardboard box. 

4. Cardstock paper - you can use whatever you want. Mine was $4/pk of 50. 

NOT Pictured: pencil & glue 

Optional decorative items: 

1. Washi tape/craft tape - prices vary. 

2. Some type of bakers twine/string - $0.50/roll 

3. Corner rounder - Martha Stewart 

Step 1: Cut/fold paper 

The paper going on the outside of the card -- in my case the brown craft paper. I scored the paper at 4 inches and then at 8 inches. Then fold. You should have a flap that is shorter than the others. 

The white paper "inner" I cut to be 7.5in x 7.5in. Then using a pencil drew a line down the middle at: 3.75in. 

Then drew a second line 1/2in under the middle line. 

Step 2: Stencil/Lettering 

You will be working on the BACK of the "inner" paper. Everything you write WILL have to be backwards. So, flip over the stencil when you are tracing. And make sure you are going from right to left. 

Letters should be positioned on the line that is 1/2in under the middle line. The line going through the "JUST" is the middle line. 

If you decided to print the letters on computer paper. You will need to cut the letters out using scissors and glue them to the back of the card. Again backwards going right to left.  

Here I decided to do the word "because" underneath the pop-up words. 

Step 3: Cutting 

You will need to draw an extra line that extends the letters 1/2in above the letter on top of each letter. As seen above.

You do this by drawing in a line at the top of all the letters and a line 1/2in above the letters. Then extend any part of the letter that touches the 1st line to the line 1/2in above. I hope this makes sense. I tried to show you in the picture above.

Cut around the letters -- everywhere except the paces with the red lines above. 

You will need to score your card where you see the red lines -- to help fold the letters after you use the e-xacto to cut.

Step 4: Folding

Just follow where you have scored the red lines. The letters may be a little difficult to pop out but the scores will make it a lot easier. 

Step 5: Glue 

Glue down the "inner" pop-up portion to your outer paper. 

Done with the pop-up portion! 

Decorative additions: 

I used some string and washi take to make a cute little banner to go across the card. 

EL FIN! 

Happy card-making everyone! 

Baker Series 01

The First of the Baker Series 

Hello everyone! This week was my birthday. What is kind of fun is that my boss has a birthday the day after mine. SO, I decided that I would bake her a cake. I'll be giving ya'll a short Green Tea Chiffon Cake dEEIY today! I hope you enjoy it! 

This recipe comes from: http://kirbiecravings.com/2011/01/matcha-chiffon-cake.html

BAKE AT 350 degrees!

FOR: 40-60 minutes

Ingredients: 

Dry Ingredients (Step 1): 

1 3/4 cup Cake Flour (Approx. $4-5 1 box will make 4 cakes)

1 Tbs Baking Powder (Approx. $2)

1 tsp. Salt 

1/2 cup Sugar 

1 1/2 Tbs Matcha Green Tea Powder (Approx. $6-10)

Wet Ingredients (Step 2): 

6 Egg Yolks

1/2 cup Canola or Veggie Oil

3/4 cup of Milk 

Meringue (Step 4): 

6 Egg Whites 

1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar (Approx. $4-5)

3/4 cup of Sugar 

** Some recipes ask that you use 5 egg yolks and 6 egg whites. Some ask for 5 egg yolks and 8 egg whites. I like to just keep it 6 and 6 because it makes for less waste. If you have a recipe for egg yolks use extra egg whites -- this will make for a fluffier cake. 

TOTAL CALORIES (1/12 of cake): 268.33

(Without Whipped Cream and Fruits)

Step 1: Dry Stuff 

Sift all the dry ingredients (Flour, Salt, 1/2 cup Sugar, Baking Powder, and Matcha Powder)!Then make sure to whisk it. This helps in making a cake without chunks of flour or REALLY bitter Green Tea Chunks. 

Step 2: Wet Stuff 

Separate the 6 eggs into different bowls. Make SURE that the egg whites DO NOT have a drop of yolk -- or you will not be able to make a meringue. This will make the egg whites useless. 

What I like to do is separate the eggs over a different bowl. Then make sure the egg white is without yolk before putting it into the egg white bowl. 

Then whisk the yolks with the oil and milk. 

Step 3: Mix Step 1 & 2 

Mix the wet and dry ingredients. You should have a uniform puke green color. 

Step 4: The Meringue 

This is what makes the cake nice, light and fluffy. If you get this right, the cake will be without fail. 

Get the electronic mixer add the whisk attachment - mix the egg whites until you see a bubbly mixture like the top left picture. Add the Cream of Tartar. 

Then whisk until the egg whites start to look like the top right picture. Add 1/4 of the sugar (we need a total of 3/4) 

Whisk some more, add sugar. Whisk some more, add sugar. 

When all the sugar is added -- start to whisk until looks a lot like whipped cream. You want to whisk until you get stiff peaks. Look at the bottom right for an example. DON'T over beat the eggs or you will get a dry cake.  

Step 5: The Folding 

Add the meringue into your Step 1 & 2 mixture in 3 batches. 

You want to do what bakers call "FOLDING". Basically, it means that you put the spatula into the mixture from the side of the bowl -- when you hit the bottom of bowl you bring the spatula up. 

Don't mix with a electronic mixer because you will over mix it and the cake will be flat-like. 

You want to keep the air in the meringue while trying to get a homogeneous mixture. The color of the cake batter should now be lighter than the color you had after step 1 & 2. 

Step 6: Place into a Tube Pan. 

Don't grease the pan. Put the mixture into a Tube Pan (Also called a chiffon pan or an angel food's cake pan)

Bake for 40-60 min at 350 degrees. 

I don't like to open the oven at least until 40 minutes are up. 

Step 7: Invert cooling. 

If a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the cake. Pull the cake out and cool it upside down. 

Some people use bottles to put into the hole so that it has air going under it too. 

*** When pulling the cake out of the pan. Get a thin knife and run it through the sides and middle tube. 

Then put your hand into the sides and loosen the bottom of the cake. IF you have a NICE cake pan and the bottom unhinges, you won't need to do this. 

OPTIONAL tasty additions:

Clean the berries -- you can also use kiwis or canned tangerines. 

Whatever fruit you want to add. 

While they dry make the whipped cream! 

Whipped Cream:  

I put a metal bowl into the freezer before I make my whipped cream. It makes it A LOT EASIER to make. If you forget this step you can put a metal bowl into a bowl of ice. 

Add 3/4 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream into the chilled bowl. Then add Sugar to taste -- I don't add too much sugar. 

This will add about 100 calories to the cake! 

EL FIN!

Option 1 -- the LAZY way 

Option 2 -- Birthday Cake Way 

** I've added a homemade banner on the cake using cute paper pinstriped straws and cardstock. I've also cut the cake in half horizontally and added whipped cream and strawberries inside the cake. 



Thanks for stopping by and ENJOY!