Hero Hostess Summer Picnic Blog Hop

• Welcome to the Hero Hostess Summer Picnic Hop!

• If you’ve been following along, you’ve just arrived from Marcy at En Papillate Arts blog!

• Hero Arts will be awarding prizes from randomly drawn comments. For a chance to win, simply comment on ANY of the stops along the hop on ANY day, including each day’s starting post at the Hero Club Blog. The more comments you leave, the better your chance of winning!

• I will also be sending out some goodies to a randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on my blog.  I'll announce the winner on Friday, EDITED TO 7/26/2013 - a FRIDAY, not today, 7/25/2013.

• If you find a broken link, you'll find a master list of the hop links at the Hero Arts Club Blog. Also, please report broken links to: blog@heroarts.com.

• Your next stop on the Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop is Lin Brandenberry at Sending Hugs.

I have two recipes for you at the end of this post, one for the card and one for a fantastic sheet cake, a cake that looks like you made fudge... ice it while the cake is warm... YUM.  

On to my picnic card and for me, a summer picnic is all about where we went and what we ate.  I thought I'd prepare my picnic dish in my apron.  I'd love to have an apron of the world, so I'm making this one of paper.

Close-Up

I lined up the water colored map with the background map and I do like the results.  

Card Recipe:

Hero Arts cling "Map of America - CG527"

Hero Arts "Travel AC031"

Hero Arts die-cut (HA die D1085 Tag)

Dreamweaver Apron Die & (Stencil LG736)

Cuttlebug
Ranger Distress Markers
Water pen
Water Spritzer
Water Color Paper for the apron
Kraft note card

Jennifer McGuire's post on July 3rd inspired me to use use a water color technique of misting the water onto watercolor paper first and then adding the distress colors.  I used markers and a water pen instead of putting the distress ink pad onto a craft sheet and picking the ink up with a brush.

Cake Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

o    1 cup butter, cubed

o    1 cup water

o    1/4 cup baking cocoa

o    2 cups all-purpose flour

o    2 cups sugar

o    1 teaspoon baking soda

o    1/2 teaspoon salt

o    1/2 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream

o    ICING:

o    1/2 cup butter, cubed

o    1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

o    3 tablespoons baking cocoa

o    3 to 3 & 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

o    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

o    2 cups Walnuts (see NOTES)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large saucepan, bring the butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Remove from heat. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and add to the cocoa mixture. Stir in the sour cream until smooth.

Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

In a saucepan, melt butter; add milk and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla with a whisk until smooth. Pour over warm cake. Cool completely on a wire rack.   Yield: 15 servings.

NOTES 

If you like nuts, stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the icing as you cook it.  As many as you like.  I used one cup for half a layer. 

THIS LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE MAKING FUDGE BECAUSE THE CAKE IS AN INCH HIGH.  IT IS SO YUMMY AND A GREAT CAKE TO FREEZE AHEAD OF TIME. 

Remember, your next stop on the Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop is Lin Brandenberry at Sending Hugs.