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the-tasting-cups

Taste Test Tuesday — Starbucks vs. Dutch Brothers Hot Chocolate

By on October 29, 2013 in Taste Test Tuesday

Welcome to our Taste Test Tuesday Hot Chocolate Throwdown! Today, we are highlighting two powerhouses in hot chocolate: Starbucks vs. Dutch Brothers. We wanted to include Seattle’s Best (because I LOVE their hot chocolate…they even serve it up with a little chocolate swizzle stick); unfortunately, there aren’t any Seattle’s Best near us anymore. 🙁 They all closed.

But we DO have a Starbucks (actually 2) within 1 mile and a Dutch Brothers just down the street. It’s about time we held a blind taste test between the two. And, since the weather is cooling off just a bit, now seemed the perfect time to hold this throwdown!

hot-chocolate-throwdown

We ordered 2 plain hot chocolates. Nothing fancy, no peppermint or gingerbread, no vanilla or hazelnut. Just. Plain. Chocolate.

The Starbucks hot chocolate cost us $3.25
The Dutch Brothers cost $2.50

Both came with whipped cream on top.

the-whipped-cream

I was surprised to see more whipped cream on the Starbucks (on the left), since we purchased that one first before running to Dutch Brothers (on the right). I thought it would have all melted in by the time we got to it.

the-tasting-cups

Since this was a “blind” taste test, I marked the tasting cups with an “A” and a “B” and poured the chocolate in before handing them over to the judges in the other room.
The Dutch Brothers was significantly lighter in color than the Starbucks. And the Starbucks tasted much richer, and like a dark chocolate.

And when the judges cast their votes, it was UNANIMOUS!

The Winner {Drumroll please…}
By a landslide, the winning Hot Chocolate maker is:  Dutch Brothers!!! (Crowd goes wild)….Congratulations to Dutch Brothers!!

Final Notes
After the votes were tallied and the winner was announced, one of our judges declared that the absolute BEST way to drink them, was to mix them together to get just the right balance of chocolate flavor. So, if you are in the mood to give it a try…order up one of each and mix them up. 🙂

I love hot chocolate in the fall!

Next Taste Test Tuesday will be a PART II to this taste test: Homemade Hot Chocolate. Yes, we will be searching all grocery stores and specialty stores for the BEST hot chocolate mix that you make at HOME.

So, what’s your favorite…leave me a comment below and we’ll include it in our next Taste Test Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by.

Comments { 2 }
whole-bunch-of-halloween-sacks

Dose of Sunshine Monday: Happiness is…

By on October 28, 2013 in Halloween, Inspiration

“Happiness is not so much in having as in sharing.”

whole-bunch-of-halloween-sacks

I agree with that statement. Do you?

I had such a great time handing out my Halloween Treat Sacks to my neighbor kids and my nephews over the weekend. In no time flat, they had those things torn apart and the candy devoured! But it was all worth it because I had a great time and I sure do love those kids. 🙂

For this Monday, ponder on that statement and see if sharing something DOES make you happy.

Tonight, I’m off to share some {Halloween} Peach jam! See you next time.

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10-13-hello-acorn-2

Fall Acorn card 2

By on October 27, 2013 in Paper Crafting

This is my second card I’m entering into the Paper Smooches card challenge here.

It is a cool shade challenge using these colors

OCT_2013 cool shades challenge (Teal, light purple, kraft, orange)

So here is my second card using the adorable acorn in the Paper Smooches “Falling for You” stamp set.

10-13-hello-acorn-1

I clear embossed the acorn in the background on kraft paper. Can you see those shimmering in the background? Then I used some distress inks to ink up the banner with purple, teal, and orange. The “Hello” is cut using My Favorite Things hello dies. I painted it with watercolor.

10-13-hello-acorn-2

I’m pretty happy about that watercolored acorn. I’m loving my watercolors right now. I popped the acorn up with some dimensionals.

Hello, Fall!

Edited to add: This card was a WINNER! I won the challenge…So Happy, Excited, and Grateful!

Comments { 1 }
10-13-foot-is-slipping-last

Verve “Tag You’re It” card

By on October 27, 2013 in Paper Crafting

I’m loving Verve Stamps. In fact, I have a couple sets now…and today I am going to use a stamp that I WON from Verve. (Thanks! I love it!) I thought I’d turn it into a tag card and enter into the current Verve Challenge here.

10-13-foot-is-slipping

The fonts they used on this stamp are just BEAUTIFUL, and I heat embossed it in silver on my tag. Yes, I made that tag from scratch (I don’t have a tag die cut….yet! Wink*)

The flag on the left is embossed with a new embossing folder I found at Hobby Lobby (50% off; how could I resist?) I think it pairs nicely with this sentiment. You might be surprised to know that the “paper” I embossed is actually the backing to vinyl that I used on some girls camp water bottles! I loved how it had a bit of shine to it and I knew it would come in handy for something! 🙂

10-13-snowflake-close-up

These little snowflakes I cut out with my cricut using the NEW Anna Griffen Winter Wonderland cartridge! I’m loving that cartridge so far, and I’ve only used it once.

10-13-tag-close-up

I added a little glitter to those snowflakes and I love the shimmer it adds.

10-13-foot-is-slipping-last

So there’s my first Verve Tag Challenge card ever! A little winter, a little glitter, a little embossing and a tag. Hope you like it!

Comments { 3 }
10-13-acorn-evolution-final

Paper Smooches Color Challenge: Fall Acorn Card

By on October 27, 2013 in Paper Crafting

Last week I had a few computer challenges and so I couldn’t upload my card in time for the Paper Smooches Challenge! So this week, I have TWO cards I’m entering.

This week is a color challenge:

OCT_2013 cool shades challenge

(Teal, Light Purple, Kraft, Orange)

I knew I wanted to use my little acorn stamp from the Paper Smooches “Falling For You” set. And this card changed quite a few times over the course of the creation process!

10-13-acorn-evolution-1

Here’s the first draft. It seemed a little plain to me, but I did LOVE how that plaid acorn turned out using watercolors and Inktense pencils. The “tree branch” was painted teal to match the acorn and embossing with a wood grain embossing folder. But that Sentiment seemed a bit out of place.

10-13-acorn-evolution-2

I thought it would be great to have the sentiment hanging from the tree. But it here seemed a bit too low, so I changed it to this:

10-13-acorn-evolution-final

What do you think about the evolution of this card? I used a little plaid paper to play off the plaid acorn. <3

Entering into the Paper Smooches challenge here.

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