Holiday Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Leave it to java lovin' Amy Tsuruta to come up with a holiday sequel to the
 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. This time, she's rounded up a TON of sponsors 

with fabulous prizes for participants.

Please start at Amy's blog for all the details, list of sponsors and prizes.
And check out the 175+ coffee related cards and projects, too! Lots of caffeine awesomeness!

Truthfully, I'm not a hot coffee drinker. Iced coffee is my passion. But I do love coffee mugs!
Collecting them and using them for special guests on very special occasions.

Have you seen the new Dot Collection from Starbucks®?
If you peruse the collection, I'm sure you can spot which mug inspired my card.
(Hint: I'm currently crazy about handwritten, brush stroke sentiments)

I used some Studio Calico papers and the Sizzix tall mug die to create the card.
The green dot is an homage to the Starbucks® collection, and the
sentiment is also from a Studio Calico stamp set.
Oh, and this card can hold a Starbucks® gift card very nicely!

I'd like to leave you with a tried and true cold brew recipe for a coffee concentrate
that we use to make iced coffee year round in our household.

* * * 

                                                    HAZELNUT ICED COFFEE

(Halved recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman, adapted from Imbibe magazine)
 

8 ozs. ground Hazelnut coffee

One gallon of cold water

• In a large container, pour in the coffee and add water. Mix well and cover. Let steep for 8 hours or more. 
• After 8 hours, pour the mixture through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter, paper towels, or several layers of cheesecloth. Refrigerate until well chilled. 
• When ready to serve, fill a glass with ice cubes. Fill about 1/2 the glass with the coffee concentrate. Fill the rest of the glass with milk (soy, 2%,1%, whole, or half and half) and add a tablespoon of simple syrup or sugar. Stir well and taste, adjusting to desired sweetness.
• Insert (optional) straw and enjoy!

Coffee concentrate will yield 10 to 12 glasses of iced coffee and keep for two weeks, refrigerated. In our house, it lasts for a few days.

Link up your coffee creation by Friday, December 12th to win a sponsored prize,
or leave comments along the way to be eligible for other prizes.
The linky sign up and all the details can be found here on Amy's blog.

Happy Hopping!