The Maui Stamper

Did I mention that Crystal makes an absolutely divine banana cake?  Some of you who were at our class on Saturday obviously think so, because I’ve had multiple requests for the recipe.  Without further ado…

Crystal’s Best Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 box instant banana cream pudding
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup mashed bananas (3 – 4 bananas)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Combine all ingredients and pour into pan.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

This recipe got me thinking about chocolate and bananas, which is a very dangerous thing for me to be doing.  To remove myself from the kitchen, I headed for the Chocolate Chip and Barely Banana cardstock and ink.  (Yes, I know, it’s a very cheesy connection.)  Of course, with all this food on the mind I immediately pulled down my Crazy for Cupcakes stamps.  However, this was NOT a “before you know it the card was done” kind of creation.  I did a lot of fussing and fiddling which does not show in the final product, but the one thing that does show is my Amazing Discovery for Today:

Can you see the shimmer?  It’s hard, I know, but imagine a gorgeous bronzed look with a little sparkle.  This is equal parts Chocolate Chip Classic ink refill and Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.  When I mixed it together I couldn’t believe my eyes.  I used my Aquapainter to brush it on.  Of course, I couldn’t leave well enough alone – I seldom can – so I tried the same combination using Barely Banana Classic ink refill.  You be the judge:

• Very Vanilla, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip and Naturals Ivory cardstock
• Retired Designer Series Paper
• Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Barely Banana, and Sahara Sand Classic ink
• Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint
• Texture Jumbo Stampin’ Wheel (run through the Sahara Sand ink pad)
• Versamark ink, Clear Embossing Powder and Heat Tool
• Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker
• Big Shot and Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate
• Double rectangle punch and Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon

My faithful but not very sophisticated little point-and-push does not do justice to these colors.  You will have to use your imagination to appreciate how glorious this is!

Somehow, the entire thing reminds me of an ice cream parlor.  This is not the best thing for someone who needs to stay out of the kitchen and away from the chocolate chips and bananas (oh, all right, it’s just the chocolate chips.  we knew that.)  Hope you enjoyed the card.  I’m going for a long walk!