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Monday, July 13, 2020

The Lost City of Atlantis, Lemon Bars and a Giveaway!

*Compensated affiliate links used where possible at zero cost to you. No posts are ever sponsored or paid.*

When I was little, my little buddy David & I spent a lot of time in imaginary pursuits. One day, much to the chagrin of his parents, we spent the day digging a hole to China between his house and the neighbor's. By the time we were apprehended we had probably destroyed 7 cubic feet of St. Augustine. 

OOPS. 

But I remember all that with great fondness. We played hot lava, we watched a lot of Jason and the Argonauts, and we talked a LOT about Atlantis, Pompeii etc. I really, truly believed in imaginary worlds - the world of the Hobbit and Alice and Wonderland. I also believed in Sea Monkeys, but that's a bitter story for another day. 

Atlantis was a standout because it was at odds with the Poseidon Adventure, which it seemed like aired weekly on David's TV set. I bet I've seen that movie hundreds of times as a result of summer breaks and very limited TV offerings.

And I don't think I've ever seen an Atlantis themed stamp set - UNTIL NOW. I'm super duper excited about this month's Hero Kit - which you can see here. I have a video on the card I made with the kit below, but here's what you need to know. The main layering image in the kit is a stunning, very easy to line up three-step image that creates the little sandbars and plants. There is a matching edge die and a ton of other dies. So after I used alcohol inks (Purple, Gentian, Caribbean, Turquoise and Aqua) on mineral paper to create a watery background, I stamped and die cut the layering scene, glued it to the mineral paper and then die cut it all with my circle infinity dies. The sentiment is from the main kit.



The rest of the release has an underwater theme too. This gorgeous window die I just left white, and did another alcohol ink background (Aqua and Turquoise) on mineral paper, and stamped the images from this stamp set with alcohol lift ink, and then added the frame and the ombre ocean sequins. The sentiment is from this set.


This last one made me laugh. Such a cute little fishy! I stamped this Atlantis background stamp in Soft Granite on my card base - there's so much detail on this stamp - it will be fun to color later. 

I used Circle Infinity Dies to cut a piece of watercolor paper. I misted the paper and then used Indanthrone Blue and New Gamboge watercolor to carefully create the glow from the lantern fish in this set. I stamped and die cut the fishy and colored him with Copics, adding a few white dots with my pigment pen, and putting a little yellow glow on the front of his face. I love him! I stamped the hearts from this set in Unicorn ink on top of that. The sentiment is from this set.



Here's what the full kit looks like. This is available while supplies last. Love the dude with the trident so much!



So now for a quick video on the very first card! 


My Monthly Hero July 2020
[ HA ]
Get Them All July Add-Ons
[ HA ]
School of Fish Bold Prints
[ HA ]
Underwater Pattern Bold Prints
[ HA ]
Deep Sea Background Cling
[ HA ]
Deeply in Love
[ HA ]
Deeply In Love Frame Cuts
[ HA ]
Need a Hand
[ HA ]
Need a Hand Frame Cuts
[ HA ]
Sea You Soon
[ HA ]
Sea You Soon Frame Cuts
[ HA ]
Deep Sea Messages
[ HA ]
Porthole Fancy Die
[ HA ]
Underwater Pillar Window Die
[ HA ]
Submarine Fancy Die
[ HA ]
July Word Fancy Die
[ HA ]
DI199 Nesting Circle Infinity Dies...
[ HA ]
Marabu Alcohol Inks | BLICK Art...
[ BLIC ]
Yasutomo Mineral Paper Artist Pad |...
[ BLIC ]
Lift-Ink Pad, Ranger Alcohol Ink -...
[ ELH | SSS | ACH | HNB | RNG ]
Derwent Paint Pens | BLICK Art Materials
[ BLIC ]
CH300 Ombré Ocean Sequins - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
AF249 Unicorn Pigment Ink Pad - Hero...
[ HA ]
AF226 Soft Granite Shadow Ink - Hero...
[ HA ]
Pre-Cut & Scored Cardstock
[ CTC ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Crafter's Companion GEMINI...
[ SSS ]
Scor-Pal MINI SCOR-BUDDY Scoring...
[ SSS ]
Essentials by Ellen Storage...
[ ELH ]
Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets...
[ CHC ]
XL Stamp Storage Pockets
[ ELH ]
Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies
[ ART ]
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors -...
[ BLIC ]


Of course, they're giving away a $50 gift card, so be sure and leave me a comment, and comment on the other artists in the hop today as well. The winner will be announced HERE the week of July 20th. 

Just a note - they are catching up on shipping, so please remember to be patient - the wait is worth it!

Before I go, I wanted to share that I made the BEST lemon bars of my LIFE this weekend! 4th of July weekend I had gotten someone else's groceries from Instacart in addition to my own and I felt so bad, because they were clearly making a pretty dessert with blueberries and strawberries and lemons. When that happens, Instacart just gives that person their money back - they can't take the groceries back because that violates health department rules. So I gave half of it to my neighbor, and was determined to use the fruit to dampen my feeling terrible for the person whose groceries I had. 

The last batch of lemon bars I made were just okay. I was excited about them because there was both coconut flour and coconut in the crust which sounded amazing. But the lemon curd wasn't exciting and neither was the crust. 

So, determined to give these mistake lemons glory, I made some modifications to a few recipes I assembled over years of dedicated lemon bar research, and ended up with a dessert that should be in a dessert museum somewhere. The crust was crispy perfection and the lemon curd was DIVINE. There's literally nothing anyone could do to improve on these babies, so try them and enjoy! My version is dairy-free because of my allergy, but you can use dairy butter. I want to try this with limes!

Crust:
1.75 oz. white sugar
8 TBS Miyoko's Butter, melted
1/2 tsp. Real Salt 
5 oz. all purpose flour

Mix that all together and press it firmly into an 8x8 pan. I used a glass pan lined with foil. 

Bake at 350 until golden brown. For me - about 22 minutes. 

Filling:

2/3 C. + 4 tsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice. I think this was three lemons for me - but they were big.
7 oz. white sugar
2 TBS flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. lemon zest from your lemons

Whisk that all together and cook it in a saucepan to 160 degrees and it's thick and custardy. I strained it to make sure there was no lemon pulp, but you don't have to. When I made lemon bars for a 4H competition in elementary school, my recipe called for straining and I've never gotten out of the habit - it is my base lemon bar recipe to this day. Stir it the whole time - roughly five minutes. Pour it onto the hot crust and bake it until it barely jiggles - for me about 12 minutes. 

Let these cool completely before cutting them. I don't add powdered sugar on top - I think it has a gross, metallic taste and I'm generally opposed to powdered food, but you do you!

Enjoy this fun, cool summer treat. Loveyameanitbye.

Enjoy some inspiration too from these lovely people!


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57 comments:

  1. Love them all, Lydia! Great designs using the window die.

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  2. I am in awe of your card technique and loved the recipe.

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  3. Lydia, nice cards, this is quite a kit! Amazing! I confess I'm partial to the spotlighting and funky fish with his own headlight... Oh, and I'm going to try the lemon bars, I'm a little concerned about weighing some ingredients and measuring others, but I'm game for it! TFS -- cards and recipes!

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  4. First...the lemon bars, can't wait to make them! Sea Monkeys...spot on, I bought them. Digging to China, tried that too. Happy that I didn't make it! All three cards are gorgeous and the last one is so cute. Didn't we see that fish on Dory? Hmmm...must watch again. Sometimes I think a jellyfish is my spirit animal, sometimes a wolf...

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  5. Love your cards! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Absolutely fabulous and I feel yet another add on order coming on 😆

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  7. Wow amazing cards! Very cool techniques that you used!

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  8. Great release! Awesome creations, espeially the alcohol inked water in the circle scene card!!

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  9. Great cards Lydia! I love the background on the first card.

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  10. Thanks for the recipe! And AMAZING CARDS! I love the alcohol ink background!

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  11. Love your cards, the alcohol ink is amazing

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  12. I love the alcohol ink background; really, really pretty

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  13. I love how each of your cards has a focal point and a great commitment to the ocean.

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  14. I love all of these cards! The alcohol ink background on the first one is perfect, and the circle shape against whiwhite really let's it shine. I love the understated use of the Atlantis background on the angler fish card. And thanks for clueing me in to the mineral paper!

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  15. As always your cards are awesome. The second one particularly caught my eye. Gorgeous underwater scene. Thanks for the great video. The lemon bars sound yummy Thanks for the recipe. This would be awesome in lime too.

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  16. Sadly I can't see your video because it says it's private.

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  17. I love the Atlantis background stamp in the soft granite ink. A beautiful way to make a subtle background for your cute lantern fish!

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  18. Really beautiful cards today.

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  19. Lydia, I’m a huge fan! This posting didn’t let me down! Your alcohol ink backgrounds are beautiful, and I love what you did with the stamps and dies. I’m also going to check out what mineral paper is. And, lastly, I’ve gotta try the lemon bars- yum!

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  20. Beautiful and fun cards as always! Your video doesn't seem to be working? I always love to see what you create. Thanks for sharing and will have to try the lemon bar recipe!!

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  21. What a cute fish, the lantern fish. Glad you made him a focal point.

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  22. Beautiful, bold cards! This kit is just amazing, it will be so fun to play with. Also, thanks a ton for the lemon bar recipe, I have a bag of lemons in the fridge right now that have found their destiny ;)

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  23. i love lemon bars! his kit looks like fun

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  24. Love your alcohol inked backgrounds for the underwater scenes, looks fabulous!

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  25. Nice scenes created. I like the lit up fish idea.

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  26. What a beautiful kit. I am definitely going to order this tonight.

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  27. Love all the cards! I adore alcohol ink so particularly loved the one you did on camera. I also love the one with the angler fish. Now I just need Nemo Dory and crush and I'm all set LOL I had never heard of mineral paper so I'll need to check that out.

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  28. I love all of your cards but I’ll be honest I’m more excited to try the lemon bars lol. Thank you for sharing both!

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  29. Wonderful cards, Lydia! I love the use of an alcohol ink background on your first card! It adds so much depth! Thanks for the inspiration!! :)

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  30. These are beautiful, Lydia! I'm in love with what you did w/ the window die--simply stunning in white over the alcohol inked background.

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  31. Great cards!! Also, thanks for the lemon bar recipe!!

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  32. Beautiful, colorful, fun cards. However, now I'm craving lemon bars, but I'll have to make a trip to the grocery store before I can make them!

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  33. You light up my world is so cute!!!! He cracks me up.

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  34. I love your cards and the color combinations. I can't wait for my kit to arrive.

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  35. Lovely cards, I’m so excited to see your second card using the window die as I ordered it!

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  36. Your cards are gorgeous and the lemon bars sound wonderful..
    Thanks so much for sharing.

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  37. Love the alcohol ink backgrounds you created for the first two cards, and that fish in the last one just makes me laugh!

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  38. Beautiful cards! I love the backgrounds you created, and your pretty color combos! Awesome kit!
    The lemon bars sound yummy!

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  39. Your childhood sounds pretty awesome! Love your cards! The alcohol inked backgrounds go so well with this theme!

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  40. Great cards! Love your alcohol inked backgrounds!

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  41. Oh Lydia... I always enjoy your stories and quite often relate. I too made Lemon bars this past weekend, but keto for a diabetic and (were told) they were fabulous! I am in love with that fish and if I ever win something that you'll be mailing to me I shall request that card too please. Thanks for the smiles always!

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  42. Very unique and creative cards!

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  43. I love that alcohol ink background!

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  44. I guess it is dark underwater.
    Nice to have a lamp to light your
    way. He is a cute fish.
    Fun card. thanks for sharing
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  45. Love your cards. Hero Arts made a nice bunch of stamps this time around. Love the angler fish!!!

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  46. Beautiful cards! Thank you for the video!

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  47. I agree, I've never seen an Atlantis theme before and I love this idea ! Hero arts is full of creativity and I love it. This alcohol background is beautiful and I find this little fish from the 3rd card very cute too ! :) Really nice cards. :)

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  48. I love, love, love the intense background on your first card. All of them are great, of course, but something about the intensity of that background just really spoke to me! This is a really fantastic kit and the add-ons are just over the top.

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  49. I LOVE your awesome collection of cards! And I agree, the dude with the trident is THE BEST!
    Warm Hugs,
    Michele

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  50. Beautiful cards! The angler fish makes me smile - so cute!

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  51. These are great cards! I have never heard of mineral paper before so will need to keep that in mind for my future alcohol ink projects.

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  52. I love these cards. And I have never heard of mineral paper before. I'll have to keep it in mind for my next alcohol ink project.

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  53. These are lovely. That alcohol ink background is wonderful.

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