The Secret Lives of Ninjas + Giveaway

I was listening to a podcast the other day, and I realized that every superhero movie I've ever seen is a lie.

No, I don't mean the part about getting bitten by a spider and then being able to run up a building - that's not a lie, that's fiction. There's a difference.

I mean the whole secret life thing.

I've listened to like 25,000 hours of crime podcasts, and many of them involve secret lives. But none of them are secret lives being Spiderman. I want to hear a story of someone with an AWESOME secret life. Like during the day they are a bank teller, and at night they go around paying people's utility bills. (But not with money they stole from the bank - that would spoil it.)

If I had a secret life, it would definitely be as a ninja. Sneaking around, flinging throwing stars at bad guys stealing old lady's purses. I already only wear black, so I'm perfect for this job.

That's what inspired my card today. Well that and this adorable stamp set from Altenew.

Altenew Watercolor 36 Pan Set [ ALTN ] Altenew Clear Stamps, Ninja Invasion [ ELH | SSS | ALTN | SBC ] Altenew Dies, Ninja Invasion [ ELH | SSS | ALTN | SBC ] Puffy Heart Crisp Dye Ink [ ALTN | ELH | SSS ] Puffy Heart Re-inker [ ALTN ] Ocean Waves Crisp Dye Ink [ ALTN | ELH | SSS ] Ocean Waves Re-inker [ ALTN ] Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink [ ALTN | ELH | SSS ] Lucky Stars - Nice and Neat Dies |... [ N&T | SSS ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK | SSS ] Fabriano Extra White Cold Press... [ BLIC ] Da Vinci Cosmotop Sable Mix F Brushes... [ BLIC | ELH ] Escoda Versatil Brushes, Travel Round... [ UTR ] Lawn Fawn BLACK LICORICE Cardstock... [ SSS ] Neutrals Glitter Paper Pack - Concord... [ C&9 | SSS | ELH ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT ] Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... [ AMZUS ] Lawn Fawn Stamp Shammy [ ELH | ART | SSS | CST | SBC ] Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 [ SSS | ART | AMZUS ] Essentials by Ellen Storage... [ ELH ] Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC [ ELH | SSS ] Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... [ SSS | ART | BLIC | ELH ] Ink Off Cloth [ INK ] Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. Cold Press... [ AMZUS ] Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... [ BLIC ] My Favorite Watercolor Sketchbook [ UTR ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ]

Altenew has released their own watercolor set today and that's what I used for the background of this card. I wanted to show you how closely they matched the pigments to their inks, so I used Ocean Waves and Puffy Heart ink and the matching watercolor pans in the background, along with a yellow. You know - my holy color trinity.

The case for these holds a waterbrush too, which is included.

Now one of my actual other secret lives is as an imaginary chef, so I have some recipe updates and tips today.

One of the very few things that I do NOT make from scratch is brownies, because Ghirardelli does such a very fine job with their mixes, but I do do a small upgrade to them. I use this mix, and I do two things. First - instead of vegetable oil in the mix, which is SUPREMELY boring, I use either unrefined, expeller pressed coconut or peanut oil in them. The unrefined oils retain their flavor, so the brownies come out tasting peanutty or coconutty and they are DIVINE. Second, I cook the mix in a 13x9 pan, even though they are supposed to be cooked in an 8x8 pan. This makes the entire pan of brownies like the corner piece - chewy and awesome and half the thickness.

In the update department, one of my all time favorite personal recipes is my Chicken Enchiladas Suiza, but I became lactose intolerant and so I've had to modify my recipes accordingly. Well, I modified this recipe and it's even BETTER than the original. I made it last night and now I'm going to make another one just for the freezer so future Lydia has more time for her secret life as a ninja. The recipe is here, with both the original ingredients and the substitutions, and if you can't find that seasoning or the salsa in your area, I included places you can find them.

Okay - back to crafting.

Your next stop on the watercolor release hop today is Kathy, and SIX lucky commenters will win $50 shopping sprees to Altenew, so don't forget to finish the hop and comment before the deadline of 8/15. 

They also gave me a $30 shopping spree to one of you, so be sure and comment by the same deadline, so leave me a comment telling me what YOUR secret life would be to be eligible to win my giveaway and Altenew's. 

And wait -  you will get a FREE watercolor pan case(value $5.99) with the purchase of the watercolor pan set for a limited time. The free gift will be added to your cart automatically.

Okay - I think that's it. Ninjas, enchiladas, brownies and watercolor. What the heck else does a person need in life?

Loveyameanitbye.