Love Birds Anniversary Card #AHSC690

What a busy weekend.  We had our annual summer garage sale at our housing complex and the whole week was taken up with prepping.  I intended to hold my sale on my driveway, but woke up to heavy rain for the day, so had to go to plan B and hold it in my garage.  All in all a good day, but I was too tired to  finish my card for the sketch challenge.  

Here's this week's fun sketch from the Design Team at Atlantic Heart's Sketch Challenge site.  There's lots going on in this sketch, so if you're unsure how to approach it, make sure you take  a look at the AHSC Design Team's card samples.  They're super inspiring and fun! 

Here's My Card:

Since I seem to constantly need anniversary cards, I decided to create one using a designer paper called Flight and Airy that was part of a Sale-A-Bration release in 2021. This great sketch from AHSC allowed me to showcase the papers, mattes and focal piece in a unique way. 

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Cheers & Sips (R) #165588 -sentiment It's Your Day
• Sunset Coastal # 167775 - sentiments Happy Anniversary and Wishing you a Lifetime of Joy
• Stylish Shapes Dies #159183

Cardstock and Designer Series Paper (DSP):

• Cardbase Bubble Bath 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scraps for three 11/4" x 1 1/4" squares, 1 3/4" circle and 1 3/8" x 7/8" rectangle for sentiment matte. 
• Boho Blue (R) matte for front 4" x 5 1/4", inside matte 5 3/8" x 4 1/8", and three 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" squares for dsp. 
• Scraps of Whisper White for circle and tag on card front, 3 3/4" x 5" matte for inside card. 
• Flight and Airy Designer Paper, 6 1" x 1" squares, birds and flowers from DSP for decoration. A piece of dsp measuring 3 3/4 x 5" was flipped to Pecan Pie design side to provide some contrast between the Boho Blue and Bubble Bath cardstocks.   

Ink:

• Misty Moonlight 
• Bubble Bath (for decorative mask design on white stitched circle). 

Accessories:  

• Basic Pattern Decorative Mask 2020/21
• Sequins:  Pinks self adhesive sequins

I'm not really into a lot of fiddling and I have to be honest with layering the squares, measuring their distance when mounting and adding pieces of ephemera, I found this card quite fiddly.  That being said it was worth it to see the finished card.  

Thanks for checking out my rendition of this challenge and I hope you were able to play along this week.  It's such a cool sketch!   Until next time......

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 

 

Click here to visit my 24/7 online shop 

Top Three For AHSC#689 Challenge.... Woo Hoo!

It's super nice to be acknowledged.  I just learned that I was amongst the top three for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge last week for this card:

You can't wipe the smile off my face.  A huge thanks to the AHSC Design Team who left me lots of encouragement with their awesome comments and congrats to Vicki Burdick and Joanne James who were the other two picks.  Awesome cards ladies!  This was such a fun and easy card to make! 

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo Since 2006 

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Fun With Scenic Coast for Special Occasion Cards

I’ve completely fallen in love with the Scenic Coast suite collection showcased in the new Stampin’ Up Catalogue on pages 26 and 27. Having spent most of my life on the West Coast, nothing beats watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean and seeing the sailboat silhouettes as the day comes to a close.

I’ve been trying out this Sunset Coast stamps and dies as well as the Scenic Coastal 6 x 6 designer paper, and wanted to share some of the cards I’ve recently made with it. 

If you’re interested in purchasing this suite or the bundle, it’s currently out of stock due to its popularity, but you can join a “watch list” to be notified when it becomes available again.

Here Are My Cards: 

The idea for this card was actually inspired by Melissa Faust, who made a short video on YouTube. I wanted to CASE her design and experiment with her blending techniques. 

What you’re looking at is essentially a remake of her card. The only differences are the ink colours used for the water and sailboats, as well as the windows in the lighthouse, which I filled in using some additional blended cardstock.

Once I got the hang of how everything worked I created this card shifting the sentiment to the top, added extra dimensionals behind the lighthouse to make it stand out. 

I used stamping and blending techniques to create a sandy layer at the card’s base, speckling the sand using a small detail stamp from the Rolling Waves stamp set. 

I die cut the fishnet and shells using a beautiful die from the all inclusive Rolling Waves die set and coloured the shells with pastel blue and brown blends.  Once they had dried I  applied Nuvo iridescent drops to give them a subtle shiny finish. Blue iridescent self-adhesive backed sequins were added for some additional shine.

Previously, I shared my deep love for sunsets, so for this next card, I moved away from blending and stamping to focus on the background paper called Scenic Coast.

I must admit, when I first saw cards made with the Scenic Coastal suite, I was more attracted to the designer paper than to the stamps and dies. The paper made me want to "have it all," and I'm happy I chose to do so.

I have to say I'm in love with this card.  The layers of waves, seafoam and shells  were die cut using the Rolling Waves bundle. 

I've been experimenting with various retired papers, foils and blending to achieve the layering I wanted for the waves meeting the beach sand.  

This card showcases sentiments from the Scenic Coastal stamp set, the Rolling Waves dies, and a retired Stampin' Up! paper called Simply Marbleous DSP. The designer paper only required some blending around the die-cut waves to enhance the sense of movement. Tip: Don’t hesitate to explore your stash and incorporate older products that complement your project.

This is my latest card created for the Freshly Made Sketches #744 challenge, which ended on July 13th. I cut out the lighthouse for this sample and used a retired Embossing Folder named Smooth Sailing to make the background matte. It was a lot of fun!

Finally, my last card was designed as a special birthday card for a woman who adores everything related to outdoor living and nature. 

I combined various dies, mattes, and blending techniques to create this beachy scene. The gal on the towel was made using the July 2022 Day at the Beach kit by Spellbinders.  The palm tree is from a set called Paradise Palms, while all the other images come from the Scenic Coastal suite. I love how this card turned out.  

Paradise Palms Stampin' Up! Retired

So I've had fun playing with these beachy sunset cards, but that's all for the moment.  I hope to have more time soon to experiment with this suite's lovely papers, stamps, and dies. Such fun!  

If you enjoyed these cards or have any questions about their creation, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. If you live in the Abbotsford area and are interested in making any or all of these cards let me know.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Sunset Coast Retirement Card - FMS #744

Welcome to my blog.  This week's sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches hosted by Donna has been published and you can enter until January 13th. Here's the sketch: 

Here's My Card:

Supplies and Instructions: 

Stamps and Dies:

• Sunset Coast Stamps #167775
• Sunset Coast Dies #167780
• Stylish Shape Dies #159183 square 

Cardstock and Designer Series Paper:

• Basic White cardstock for base 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Scored at 4 1l4".
• scrap  for Lighthouse 3 1/2 x 3 1/2
• Front matte 5 1/4" x 4" and inside 5" x 3 3/4"
• Secret Sea front matte 5 3/8" x 4 1/8", 5 1/4" x 4" for inside matte,
• 3 3/4" x 3" piece for front square and strip 1/2" by 4" for front
• Scenic Coast 6 x 6 designer paper cut to 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" centered on sunset in scene. 

Ink:

• Secret Sea

Accessories:

• Smooth Sailing Embossing Folder for white matte on card front 
• Shiny Adhesive backed sequins mauve 
• Dimensionals. 

Thanks for taking time out of your day to drop by my blog and check out my entry for this week's FMS sketch challenge. I hope you enjoyed my take on it and will come back again. Until next time.....


HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 online shop 

Baking Encouragement AHSC #689

Hello and welcome to my blog for this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #689.  This sketch was designed by Michelle and digitalized by Brandi.  Here's their sketch: 

I would love to have you join in so f you want to play along visit their website and read the rules.  They're pretty simple.  The challenge is open from July 7th to July 12th, 2026.  

Here's My Card:

This was a fun and easy card to make.  I decided to go with squares rather than rectangles, and initially was going to make a slim line card, however changed to a standard A2 size.  

I created this card for one of my amazing neighbours, who is consistently thankful and kind. She frequently bakes creatively and often stops by with delicious treats. Her goodies are always tasty and seem to come just when they’re most appreciated. I believe she should consider a side business with her baking because it’s truly excellent! Cheers to you, V!

Supplies and Instructions: 

Stamps and Dies:

• More than Autumn #164228 stamps and #164075 dies

Cardstock and  Designer Papers:

• Basic White Cardstock for base -81/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"
• Basic White matte for inside 5" x 3 3/4" 
• Pecan Pie matte cut two 5 1/4" x 4" 
• DSP -Painted Illusions PoM 5" x 3 3/4" 

Ink:

• Stampin' Up! Blends: 
• Pecan Pie
• Strawberry Slush
• Timid Tiger
• Pretty in Pink
• Flirty Flamingo 
• Momento Black Ink

Accessories:  

• Nuvo Drops (brings a beautiful glaze to the donut icing)
• Neutrals Adhesive Backed Sequins - Copper
• Dimensionals
• "I AM"  Simple Stories - sentiment sticker 

I hope you liked my interpretation of this week's sketch. Thank you for spending some time on my blog, and I would be grateful if you could leave a comment. It really helps to understand whether people enjoy my work and if it encourages or inspires others to create. Until we meet again...

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to shop in my 24/7 Online Shop 

A Wild Bunch Birthday Greeting AHSC #688

 Here is the inspiration sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge  this week:

Here's My Card:

Do you like making cards with arches?  I really do, so this sketch was instantly appealing to me.  I don't know what the "arch"attraction is, but no matter theme or colour combination is, I just find arches to be the perfect focal. Here's my rendition of the sketch using the Wild Bunch stamp set:

The "Wild Bunch" stamp set was the product of the month of June 2026.  If you wanted it which I did, you had to act fast as once it was sold out it was gone, and that's exactly what happened.  This is my first attempt at playing with colouring the cute little characters in this photopolymer stamp set.  

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Wild Bunch #167987 (pom) - cows
• On the Farm #160652 (R) - grass and sentiment 
• Stylish Stitched Shapes dies - sentiment label
• Everyday Arches dies #154623
• Detailed Flora Dies #168664 - June 2026 Paper Pumpkin Add On

Cardstock and Designer Papers:

• 8 1/5" x 5 1/2" Basic White Card Base
• 4" x 5 1/4" Basic White matte for inside card and small scrap for sentiment on cover, floral die cut flowers and three cows.  
• 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" matte for card front and 4 x 51/4" matte for inside from Bashful Blue.
• DSP - "Rain or Shine" from Stampin' Up! for top layer - 4" x 5 1/4" - note arch is cut from the center and  the reverse side of the paper is used.  Cut small strip 1" x 4" for the inside layer of the card. 
• 1" x 4" Pear Pizzazz strip which is stamped with grass image from On the Farm.
• Scraps of Old Olive for the leaves.  

Ink and Blends:

• Secret Sea ink pad for sentiment 
• Blends:  Mango Melody, Petal Pink, Copper Clay, Pecan Pie, Colour Lifter, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede.

Accessories:

• Dimensionals 
• Sequins
• Mini Glue Dots for the flowers

I really liked the meadow and sky designer series paper I used for the arch and top layer of the card. The daisy field seemed a perfect place for these three cow images to gather.   I added some additional texture by stamping both the Pear Pizzazz strip of cardstock across the middle of the card and the pasture with a grass image stamp.  

Additional flowers were cut from basic white card stock using the Detailed Flora dies and the petals were coloured with Mango Melody and Copper Clay blending brushes.  The leaves were cut from Old Olive cardstock.  

I hope you've enjoyed this card and I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my  24/7 Online Shop 

Football Fan Masculine Birthday - FMS#743

 Here is this week's Freshly Made Sketch Challenge hosted by Judy. I was a little unsure how I wanted to use this sketch when I first looked at it.  I decided it had a masculine feel to it, and so began to think about masculine themes for a birthday card.  

My 18 year old nephew is in college sports and plays a variety of them including soccer, football and lacrosse.  Since I just recently purchased a new online exclusive stamp set called "Football Fan", I decided to incorporate it into my design.  Here's the sketch: 

Here's My Card:

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

Masculine stamps featuring realistic images don't come around very often, so when they do, I make sure to grab them quickly before they're gone. The Football Fan stamp set falls into this category. Although it's a standalone set without matching dies or papers, it's definitely one to keep.

This 12-piece photopolymer stamp set produces crisp, clear images that work well as either backgrounds or focal points, and all the images can be easily cut out with precise scissors. The sentiments included are also excellent and can be stamped and cut out using any dies or punches you have available.

Cardstock and Designer Paper:

I'm attempting to use up papers from my collection, but unfortunately, I've lost track of some of the paper pack names. This applies to these papers as well. Initially, I was searching for color combinations that would represent football themes, but when I came across this black and vanilla monochromatic designer paper, I thought it was perfect. It resembled old newsprint and was ideal for achieving the look I wanted.

I used Basic Black for the 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 card base and Very Vanilla mats measuring 4" x 5 1/4" for both the front and inside of the card. Smaller Basic Black mats were used for the two pillars, which measure 1 1/4" x 4", as well as for the sentiment base.

For the #1 Fan focal point, I used a stitched circle from the Stylish Designs die set.

After cutting out the football player, I glued the image onto a piece of Basic Black and then re-cut the image. I believe this additional layer added depth and helped anchor the image to the background.

Inks and Blends:

• Momento Black Ink

Accessories:

• Dimensionals

Thanks for visiting my blog and checking out this FMS challenge card. I hope my version or those of the Design Team inspire you to try your hand at sketch challenges. If so, I'd love to see what you made.

Until next time..............

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT!
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop