Summer Freebie

click each image to enlarge

Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and got to spend lots of time with your family! We're now officially into Summer vacation and this time of year has me thinking about spending evenings with friends and family, out on the deck, with a nice frosty cocktail and lots and lots of little votive lanterns.... so I got inspired and designed these just for you! By the way, this is an exclusive, these little cuties are not for sale......yet.

We ♥ Summer
freebie

What better way to keep in touch and ditch email,
than with these fun little lantern note cards?
Complete with InkSpot Workshop's signature flower icon

Here's how to get your own set...

Just head over to InkSpot Workshop's Facebook Page
here and click "like"

If you're on Twitter, follow us click here

Sign up for our newsletter click here

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

contact me by clicking here when you're finished,
be sure to include your email address
and I'll send you an email containing a printable file,
print as many as you'd like.

Just print and cut, add a standard A2 envelope and you're all set

Thanks and I hope you ENJOY your SUMMER

Super Sticky Fingers

Happy Sunday! Since I missed bringing you Stickyfingers last week, I have a super special issue, choc-full of firsts for me. In fact, everything I'm about to share with you was actually made by yours truly, today even. Roll up your sleeves because there is nothing is stickier than sugar and Karo syrup!

Each year my lucky neighbors get a little something made by me with love, directly from my kitchen. I say with "love" because baking is not my specialty at ALL. My mom got all the baking genes and as a result I can't fit into my own jeans! Click here to see what I made last year.

Can you think of a better way to say..."thanks for being such great people to live by and not having wild parties till 4am" or "thanks for not leaving your cars propped up on cinder blocks in the font yard" or "thanks for not getting your morning paper in your driveway in the nude"? Nope, didn't think so. It is just for these reasons I felt these great peeps needed a little something to sweeten their day, like some homemade hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows. Mmm, who couldn't love that?

Sure, you can go and buy some marshmallows from the store, but not me! Heck, if Whimsy & Spice and Mia Mallows can do it, why can't I? OK, here's the reason I will not be starting a 3rd Etsy shop to sell these buggers... it starts with the fact there is a candy thermometer involved and that just screams WARNING Black Diamond hill ahead.

Oh, then there's all the hand mixing of the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites. For goodness sake, I have a Culinary degree and I'm still using this $20 dinosaur and not a $300 Kitchen Aid stand mixer, what's wrong with this picture?

Awww, the finished product and not looking so badly after all. A little elbow grease goes a long way. PS. they really do taste as good as they look!! (if I don't say so myself)

Anything made with almost 100% sugar is doomed to be a sticky mess, so I strongly suggest a healthy dusting of cornstarch, not mentioned in the recipe, thanks Martha. Funny how it looks like I just carved up a side of beef - nice marbling.

Now that the treats are all cooked and cooled it's time for the fun part. I'm a complete and total sucker for packaging but since I didn't plan on making these goodies until today, I had to use what I already had on hand. Hot chocolate mix would have looked so much nicer in a glass container, but some super cute gift tags can dress up even the saddest of wrappings. Kim, over at The TomKat Studio was my inspiration for these designs.


I made layered hang tags for both the hot chocolate and the marshmallows. I like the off center look and made the circles 1.5 inches round with enough of a colored background to use a 2 inch circle punch.


Personalized tags always put a nice finishing touch on any gift, so guess what?? I am making them available for you today, all for free. Simply download, print and punch or cut. I hope you enjoy and most importantly.... go make something!
PDF Candy Cane Tags

Stickyfingers

Sorry for being a day late with this week's issue of Stickyfingers. Arrived home yesterday exhausted and brain dead from an incredibly fun weekend with my gal pals. As a result, I'm going to also give you a little break... the 3 DIY projects I'm offering up this week do not require any tools. All you will need is a printer and some paper and you will be on your way. Figured we are all in the throws of summer activities and simple printables may be a better option for us right now. Having said that... get out there and MAKE SOMETHING!

While browsing Big Blue Eyes Press, I spotted something that not only appealed to my creative side, but my heartstrings. It appears there is a little 6 month old named Cab, who is in the process of getting a heart transplant and we all know how much that can cost. Carrie is kind enough to offer this adorable Owl Invitation Set in her Etsy shop and although this is not a free download, each and every cent is going to be donated to the efforts helping Cab. To read more please click here. This set includes a cute downloadable envelope, stickers, matching Thank Yous and more. Good Luck!

How cute are these? Deliciously illustrated free downloadable bookplates, compliments of mommy and illustrator Helen Dardik, of Orange You Lucky. Thank you Helen!

Is your summer choc-full of parties? How about using these gorgeous, sherbet colored Summer Tags with little bees, from Erin Vale of Vale Design? Yes, they are FREE too! Thank you Erin!