I really love carrot cake. The denser the better. And it has to have coconut–an absolute must. I started to bake this very late last night–just before 11 pm. The next day, I was reading another blog (SeriousEats.com) and came across an article titled “Are You a Night Baker?” and it made me laugh because I have always done my baking late at night. It probably started out as a means of relaxing after doing hours of reading and writing in law school. The house was quiet, my husband (fiancee at the time) was asleep; it really was therapeutic. Our neighbors must have either really loved me or really hated me for filling the air with the smell of brownies, butter cookies, and cake at 2am!

This recipe turned out great. I did use pre-shredded carrots (I know, I know) but I didn’t feel like lugging out the food processor, shredding blade, etc. when I had a bag of them ready to go staring at me in the fridge! I hope you’ll forgive me!

Recipe for Fall’s First Carrot Cake

(See the leaves turning colors outside my window?)

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups shredded carrots (pre-shredded works fine)
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease a 9″ Tube pan. A deep Bundt pan will work also.

1. Mix eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat until well combined.

2. In a small bowl, sift all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon) together using a whisk until blended.

3. Add dry ingredients to wet mix and beat until incorporated.

4. Add shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, and chopped walnuts to the batter. Beat to combine.

5. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Test with a wooden skewer (moist crumbs are what you’re looking for) and the cake will spring back slightly when touched.

6. Allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove the outside ring of the tube pan (if using) and let the cake rest on a rack until completely cool.

Enjoy!

There are several cute cards out there using punches to make a tractor, and that is what inspired me. In addition, the wrapping paper I bought for the birthday boy inspired this particular tractor’s colors and style.

Card base is Pacific Point (last year’s In Color that I never seemed to use–at least I’m getting some good out of it now!) I layered it with some Bashful Blue DSP from the 6″x6″ Prints Pack.

The tractor body was made with Real Red Textured card stock, which I turned over to use the slightly more smooth side. I cut a rectangle and rounded the left top edge with the Corner Rounder Punch. The cab portion was made by cutting a Real Red square, rounding the top right corner with the Corner Rounder Punch and cutting the left corner on a diagonal.

Pumpkin pie card stock punched with the Word Window Punch makes up the exhaust pipe and hood detail. I cut the tip of the exhaust pipe with scissors almost all the way, and raised it to look like it’s opening up to let out smoke. A small piece of dimensional keeps the flap open when adhered to the card. The smoke is Basic Gray card stock circles which I cut using the Fiskars Swiss Cheese Edge Punch.

I stamped the boy from All in the Family in Basic Gray ink on Whisper White, which I punched out using a 7/8″ Square Punch. I colored him in with Watercolor Pencils and Blender Pen. The white square is layered on a 1″x1″ Kiwi Kiss square to make it stand out.

The body of the tractor has some white accents, which I made using the Signo Gel Pen. The large tire was made using a 1 3/4″ Circle Punch of Pumpkin Pie, layered with a Scallop Circle Punch of Ballet Blue card stock. I punched the scallop circle first, adhering it temporarily to a piece of computer paper. Then, I lined up the punch again by putting the points in the center of each scallop. Punch again and you get the “toothy” effect shown here. A Black Jumbo Grommet was poked through the center of the Ballet Blue tire and then adhered to the Pumpkin Pie circle using dimensionals. The tire was then attached to the tractor using SNAIL. The smaller tire was made using 1 3/8″ Circle Punch pumpkin pie card stock layered with 1 1/8″ Circle Punch Ballet Blue with another Black Jumbo Grommet in the center.

The sentiment is from Goody Goody Gumdrops and I just inked up the words I needed with my Real Red Marker, stamped on Whisper White and punched it out using the Word Window Punch. It’s adhered to the card using dimensionals.

This card uses the tree stamp from Season of Joy. I stamped the tree in Soft Suede ink on Whisper White card stock, then colored in the star with Crushed Curry and stamped again, trimming it out and adhering it to the card stock using a tiny glue dot. The whisper white was matted with Soft suede card stock.

As for the base, I used Real Red textured card stock, layered with Christmas Cocoa DSP, snowflakes on top and striped pattern along the bottom. Where the DSPs meet, I tied a piece of 5/8″ Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon.

The small circle hangs from behind the ribbon. I stamped the Merry Christmas image from Delightful Decorations in Red ink on whisper white card stock and punched it out using the 3/4″ Circle Punch. I layered it on a Real Red card stock circle of the same size, slipping in some Silver Cord between the two layers. Then, I placed a tiny glue dot behind the knot of the ribbon and adhered the other end of Silver Cord to the card base.

I wanted to try stamping the Woodgrain stamp in white to make it look like a snow covered log. This is the result. Card base is Real Red textured card stock, with a top fold. I scalloped the bottom edge using the Scallop Edge Punch, and layered some whisper white on the inside both to make it easy to write and to make the scallop edge stand out.

The DSP on the front of the card is from Christmas Cocoa. At the bottom of the card, I stamped Woodgrain in Versamark on Chocolate chip card stock and heat embossed it using White Embossing Powder. Where the DSP and card stock meet, I tied some 5/8″ Real Red Polka Dot ribbon.

The snowmen are from Snow Buddies stamp set, stamped in Chocolate chip ink on Whisper White. I colored them in using my Markers, trimmed them out, and adhered them to the base using dimensionals.

This card was made using Soft Suede card stock for the base, layered with Dusty Durango and Autumn Vines DSP in a More Mustard patterned paper. The image is Autumn Harvest stamp set, stamped in Brown Stazon ink on Very Vanilla card stock. I sponged around the edges of the Vanilla using Pumpkin Pie ink. The sentiment is from Chit Chat Rub Ons. I layered the Vanilla onto a piece of Dusty Durango that I scalloped using the Scallop Edge Punch.

Underneath the pumpkin, I used my Cropadile to punch holes for my Fire Circle Rhinestone Brads. The entire layer is then adhered to the base using dimensionals.

The Boo card was really very simple. I used Basic Black for the base, layered with Pumpkin Pie card stock. Along the bottom edge of the Pumpkin pie, I used a Swiss Cheese Punch. It’s hard to see but I sponged Pumpkin Pie ink along the bottom edge.

Next, I layered a rectangle of retired Halloween DSP with Whisper White card stock and adhered it to the base. The “Boo” letters were stamped using Defining Alphabet in Pumpkin Pie ink on Whisper White card stock. I punched out the letters using a 7/8″ Circle Punch, layered on Pumpkin Pie circles which I punched using the 1 3/8″ Circle Punch. The circles are then adhered using dimensionals.

This card turned out so cute! And I’m normally not one to make Halloween cards, but I figured I’d give it a try this year. Base is Basic Black layered with Going Gray. The black spider web DSP is a retired Halloween DSP. I traced over the corner web with my MS Glue pen and sprinkled on Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.

The spider was made from a 1 3/8″ Circle Punch of Basic Black card stock, with googly eyes and red circle nose. The legs are pieces of Silver Elastic Cord, that I pinched to make them bend slightly. The string he’s hanging from is also Elastic Cord. The entire spider is attached using dimensionals.

To finish off the card, I added a rub on from Chit Chat Rub Ons onto Basic Gray card stock punched with the Modern Label Punch, attached with dimensionals.

Version 2 of the Spider Web Glitter card uses Supernova Fine Glitter in Orange. Pretty much everything is the same as the card above.

These cards all use Thoroughly Modern DSP and the stamp set Upsy Daisy.

Card 1: I started with white card stock base layered with Thoroughly Modern DSP. Next, I stamped the Upsy Daisy image in Rose Red ink on Whisper White. The frame was made using the Scallop Oval Bigz Die with Chocolate Chip card stock. I just adhered the frame onto the whisper white using SNAIL and trimmed away the white card stock that went beyond the frame. Sentiment is also from Upsy Daisy, and I stamped it in Chocolate chip ink.

Card 2: White card stock base layered with Thoroughly Modern DSP and Chocolate chip card stock. Underneath the DSP I added some overlapping Close to Cocoa 7/8″ circles stamped with the spiral from Delightful Decorations. The main image is from Upsy Daisy stamped in Rose Red on Whisper White, punched out with a large circle punch. That is layered on chocolate chip Mega Circle Punch. The sentiment is a rub on from Chit Chat Rub Ons.

Card 3: Base is Sahara Sand card stock, layered with a 4″x 3″ piece of Thoroughly Modern DSP and chocolate chip. The colors in Thoroughly Modern DSP are Sahara Sand, Rose Red, Bermuda Bay, and Soft Suede. I stamped the image from Upsy Daisy in Chocolate chip ink on Whisper White card stock. The sentiment is stamped using my Chocolate Chip and Bermuda Bay Markers. To finish off the card, I added 5/8″ Chocolate Chip Ribbon layered with Bermuda Bay Grosgrain (polka dot side down), tied in a knot.

Card 4: Base is Sahara Sand card stock layered with a 4″x4″ piece of Thoroughly Modern DSP (Soft Suede/Sahara Sand polka dot). I stamped the image from Upsy Daisy in Rose Red ink on Whisper White card stock. Sentiment is from Upsy Daisy stamped in Bermuda Bay ink. Along the left side, I tied a piece of Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon.

It’s totally by coincidence that I made this card last week using Autumn Vines DSP and SU just announced an Inventory Blowout Sale that included this DSP! I think this has been one of the best DSPs of all time, especially since it coordinates with another one of my all time faves–Season of Friendship stamp set.

Card base is Chocolate Chip, layered with the beautiful Autumn Vines DSP. Then, I used another sheet of DSP (really rust polka dot) and ran it through the Top Note die. Around the bottom of the Top Note I tied a piece of 5/8″ Very Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon and attached it to the base using dimensionals.

The stamped image, from Season of Friendship was inked up with More Mustard for the tree and Sage Shadow for the leaves. I stamped it on Very Vanilla card stock and cut it out using a Mega Circle Punch. Then, I layered that circle onto a larger chocolate chip Giga Scalloped Circle Punch, attaching it to the base with dimensionals.

Finally, the sentiment is from Very Thankful, and I used my Sage Shadow Marker to just ink up the words, stamped it on Very Vanilla card stock, punched it out with the Word Window Punch and layered it on a chocolate chip Modern Label.

I REALLY like how this turned out. While I wait for my Ornament Punch to come, so I can make a card like this, I’m playing with what I do have on hand.

The base is Real Red Textured card stock, with a top fold. I punched out the circle window using my 1 1/4″ Circle Punch. Then I stamped the string/bow from Berry Christmas in Versamark and heat embossed it using White EP. At the top, I stamped Merry Christmas, from Christmas Greetings in Riding Hood Red on Whisper White. Then, I layered it onto a piece of Kiwi Kiss card stock and attached it to the card front.

Inside, I layered a piece of Whisper White cut to 4″ x 5 1/4″.  To get correct placement of the wreath, I closed the card and made small marks with a pencil inside the circle. Then, open the card and stamp the wreath inside your guide marks using Kiwi Kiss ink. I LOVE adding glitter to this wreath (see another card I made here). Using a glue pen, add some glue to random spots around the wreath, then using green Superfine Supernova Glitter, sprinkle it on and WOW! Inside the wreath, I stamped the bird in Riding Hood Red ink.

The sentiment inside is also from Christmas Greetings, stamped in Basic Black. If I were trying to be super fancy, I would probably wipe off some of the black using a Qtip and color specific words red and green but it was late and I wasn’t feeling super fancy!

For those of you looking for Christmas card ideas, this is really very simple to do in bulk and has lots of Wow factor for such little time and effort. It’s a serious contender for my cards this year. I may add a wallet size photo of my daughter inside the front cover so when you flip it open you will see it.

I don’t usually send Halloween or Thanksgiving cards, but I like the look of them, so I try to send them to people with fall birthdays, or as a seasonal Thank You.

The above card uses the Woodgrain BG stamp. I really don’t like using BG stamps because they’re so hard to ink up, but this was one of the exceptions because I like the image a lot!

Card base is Dusty Durango Textured card stock. I then stamped Woodgrain in Basic Brown ink onto Creamy Caramel card stock. The main image is from Autumn Harvest, stamped in Brown Stazon on Very Vanilla card stock. I used a mask to stamp the pumpkins and colored in the images with my Earth Elements Watercolor Crayons and Aquapainter. I layered the vanilla card stock onto Chocolate chip and tied a piece of Chocolate Chip Twill Ribbon around the front. The sentiment is from Chit Chat Rub Ons, applied onto Dusty Durango card stock, punched out with the Modern Label Punch, up on dimensionals.

This next card uses Autumn Harvest again, and of course my new favorite Woodgrain BG stamp!! Card base is Dusty Durango Textured card stock, layered with polka dotted More Mustard Autumn Vines DSP.

Across the bottom of the card, I took a strip of Creamy Caramel stamped with Woodgrain in Basic Brown ink and layered it onto a strip of Chocolate Chip card stock. That is acting as my “log” on which I placed my pumpkins.

Pumpkins from Autumn Harvest were stamped in Brown Stazon on Very Vanilla card stock, colored in with Earth Elements Watercolor Crayons and Aquapainter. Then, I cut out each image and attached it to the card using dimensionals.

The sentiment is a Chit Chat Rub On on Dust Durango card stock, punched out with Modern Label Punch and popped up with dimensionals. As an added touch, I “stitched” around the label with my White Gel Pen.

Inside both cards, I lined them with a piece of Very Vanilla card stock to make writing easier to read.