Cozy Christmas Paper Pumpkin Alternative

Hi everyone and welcome back.  After recently returning from holidays, I've been wanting to create a few more Christmas cards to have on hand.  

I decided to interpret the clean and simple sketch from  Freshly Made Sketches #715. Michelle F. is the sketch designer and she says although this sketch would work well as a wreath, the circle is open to interpretation. With that, I changed my interpretation of the circle to a classic Christmas ornament.  Hope you like it. 

Here's My Card: 

I had a few supplies left from my October Paper Pumpkin kit called Cozy Christmas so I made an alternative card using them.  For the matte layer I cut an envelope from the kit in half and cut a 5 1/4" x 4" matte.  The sentiment "Deck the Halls" is from the Greetings For You Mix and Match ephemera pack #166208.  The beautiful red self-adhesive sequins are from the Cozy Christmas kit.  

The inside has a 5 1/4" x 4" real red cardstock matte layer and a basic white layer that measures 5" x 3 3/4"  The sentiment is stamped in Real Red ink and is from a retired Stampin' Up! stamp set called More Merry Wishes.  I added some Garden Green star images using a stamp from the coordinating Cozy Christmas stamp set.  

Well that's it for today's card.  I want to thank you for stopping by and checking it out.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 

Click here to visit my online shop 

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HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my online shop

North Pole Delivery Slimline - AHSC #654

 The Atlantic Hearts Challenge this week is a slimline card.  I don't often make slimlines because I always wind up having to make a coordinating envelope which takes time. Here's the sketch challenge.  I hope you'll join in.  

Here's My Card:

I actually made two cards, one with green sequins and the other with the red and white peppermint dots.  Let me know which one you like more.  

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Traditional Labels #165854 stamps (sentiment on front) 
• Branching Out Dies #165771 - Labels on front 

Cardstock and DSP:

• Basic White slimline card base 8" x 4" 
• Inside Basic White matte 3 3/4" x 7 3/4" and scrap for label 
• Real Red front matte 7 7/8" x 3 7/8" and inside matte 3 7/8" x 7 3/8" and scrap for label
  
• North Pole Delivery 12 x 12 DSP cut to 3 5/8" x 7 5/8"

Inks and Blends:

• Real Red 

Accessories:   

• Dimensionals
• Real Red & White Peppermint self-adhesive dots #164050
• Traditional Sparkling Sequins self-adhesive #165875 - green 
• Ephemera from North Pole Delivery DSP 

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at this week's sketch challenge.  I hope something about it encourages you to play along. Sketch challenges are not only fun and a productive way to  make cards, but they also encourage you to try new things.  What fun!  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 

Paper Pumpkin Cozy Christmas and AHSC #653

Hi and welcome to my blog.  The past two weeks have been a blur with work and family tasks taking the forefront over crafting, but today I was able to spend some time with my stamping bestie Sheri, and have some fun.  

For inspiration I chose to use the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #653:

Here's My Card For the Sketch Challenge: 

My October Paper Pumpkin Kit called "Cozy Christmas" was sitting on my counter for over a week, so I was anxious to dive in and make some Christmas cards.  This sketch worked out perfectly for my first card. 

Instead of using an oval or circular shape I chose to add the large Christmas bauble from the kit and place a die cut sentiment at the base.  

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies: 

• More Merry Messages Stamp for inside sentiment
• Branching Out Dies #165775
• Abundant Joy Dies (Paper Pumpkin) #167855

I'm absolutely head over heels in love with the Abundant Joy Dies. This die set is designed to work with THREE Paper Pumpkin Kits: the Cozy Christmas Paper Pumpkin Kit (Oct 2025), the Wrapped in Cheer Paper Pumpkin Kit (Nov 2025), and the Watercolor in Bloom Paper Pumpkin Kit (Dec 2025). 

Please note that this Paper Pumpkin "add on" die set and any other add-ons are only available for current Paper Pumpkin subscribers to purchase. To become a subscriber, visit www.stampinup.ca/paperpumpkin. 

Cardstock and DSP:

• Card base - Basic White 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Scored at 4 1/4"
• Inside Matte - Basic White 5 1/4" x 4" die cut with Branching Out Die Nesting die #2
• Cherry Cobbler 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" for front matte and 5 1/4" x 4" for inside matte and scrap for die cut "JOY"
• Garden Green 5 1/4" x 4" for front of card matte
• Pre-cut Crumb Cake layer from PP kit - randomly stamped stars from the Cozy Christmas PP kit stamp artwork
• Christmas Bauble and leaves ephemera from Paper Pumpkin kit 

Here's a view of the inside of the card.  I used the nesting dies from Branching Out and I was so pleased with how this turned out. 

Ink:

• Pecan Pie 

Accessories: 

• Traditional Sparkling Sequins (red) #165875
• Dimensionals 

This card came together fairly easily.  The most finicky part was gluing the two piece bauble together as the red portion has very thin design edges and tears easily. The background bauble with the flocked greenery was far easier to work with.  

Before I go, I made three other cards from the Cozy Christmas kit and thought I'd share them with you. 

I hope you enjoyed my AHSC #653 challenge card and the Cozy Christmas October 2025 Paper Pumpkin cards.  If you have a favourite be sure to let me know, I love to receive your input.   

HAPPY STAMPING!

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

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online shop

Top 3 Sketch Challenge AHSC#651 Winner

 

Thank you Atlantic Hearts Design Team for choosing my Peaceful Place Shaker card to be among the Top 3 for challenge #651.  Congrats to the other two winners Tracey Stevenson and Christine (Belgium).  

What a fun sketch.  Just the right elements in the design for making a monochromatic Christmas shaker card to add to my growing stash.  Here is my winning card: 

You can find details on how this card was assembled by clicking here.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Freshly Made Sketches Winners For Challenge FMS708:

 Freshly Made Sketches Winners for #708

I was just checking for this week's sketch challenge and I see my entry for last week's FMS708 challenge was chosen by Judy as one of the princesses. How awesome!  What wonderful and positive news at the start of my day.  

This was extra special news as I've been so swamped with work at our Strata that it's hard to find time and energy anymore for cardmaking.  So, this card came together in the wee hours of the morning following a very long and stressful day. I was literally feeling blue, so my choice of matte colours, designer paper, sentiment and title for my post was really a message to myself to hang in there doing the thing I love.  Thanks so much Judy and the other FMS design team for affirming that! 

There were so many beautiful cards entered this week.  Congrats to Chris Lawlor the Queen and to all the other princesses and entrants for their beautiful cards too!  Here's my card and link to the details. 

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Free Shipping - Three Days Only!

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Free Shipping starts October 22nd through 24th..........

• All order types qualify for this promotion.
• Free shipping is for three days only. Orders must be opened and closed from October 22–24.
• Free shipping automatically applies to your cart after the qualifying amount has been met, which is $100 CAD (before tax).
• Coupon codes and Stampin’ Rewards will lower your order’s retail amount. Orders must meet the qualifying amount to be eligible for free shipping.
• The additional cost for expedited shipping is not covered by this promotion.
• Prepaid 3-, 6-, and 12-month Paper Pumpkin subscriptions and month-to-month subscriptions do not qualify for free shipping.
• Refills, past kits and add-ons do qualify toward free shipping, but you must be a subscriber to purchase. Subscriptions billed and shipped this month will be charged for the normal amount ($36.75 CAD shipping included) + tax.

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Words of Encouragement - FMS Challenge #708

Freshly Made Sketches #708:

The wonderfully talented Jen T is the hostess for this week's wonderfully basic card sketch on Freshly Made Sketches.  Make sure you check out her own card design, it's stunning!  Also, why don't you play along.  Don't be intimidated by the blank canvas and simple design.  You  can choose any element to replace the circle and make it your own.  

 Here's My Card: 

Clean and simple cards are one of the biggest challenges I face as a papercrafter.  I never know when is enough or if I've done too little on my card designs.  After I finished this card I thought I could have possibly done more by dry embossing the white matte after I stamped the sentiment on it.  However, I didn't because I was concerned it would affect the lettering.  Oh well.  

I love the floral wreath die cut on this card.  Its a bigger image than I was going to use however it worked out well on the card. I die cut the image from a piece of Meandering Meadow Designer paper and then used the cut piece that was left, as a matte.  This combination of matte and design compliments each other quite effectively without having to do blending or other means of adding colour and design.  

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Encircled in Natures stamps and dies #163623

Cardstock and DSP:

• Basic White card base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" 
• Balmy Blue matte  5 1/4" x 4 1/4" 
• Meandering Meadow DSP matte 5" x 3 3/4" - die cut taken from the center of this piece before adhering
• Basic White matter 4 3/4" x 3 3/4" 

Ink and Blends:

• Misty Moonlight

Accessories:  

• Adhesive Backed Shiny Sequins #163484 

Well that's it for this challenge.  I'd love to hear your comments.  Do you use designer paper for mattes?  What are your thoughts? 

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Store 

Peaceful Place Shaker Christmas Card #AHSC651

 Hi and welcome to this week's sketch challenge by Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges.

I really love the layout of this sketch which features multiple layers and  opportunities to add texture.  Making it into a monochromatic shaker Christmas card meant I didn't have to colour the cute little garden cottage, which kept things simple and I was able to keep the sparkle and shine in the shaker portion of the card.  

Here is my card:  

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies: 

• Home for the Holidays Oct 23 Paper Pumpkin Kit stamps
• Snowman Magic  #159816 sentiment stamps
• Stitched Circle Dies 

Cardstock and Designer Series Paper:

• Basic White 
• 1/2" x 4 1/4" for sentiment strip
• 3 x 3 for stitched circle cut out 
• 3 3/4" x 5" for inside layer
• Smokey Slate
• 3" x 4 1/2" for front matte
• 4" x 5 1/4" for inside matte
• DSP Stampin' Up!: 
• Peaceful Place 12 x 12 #156394 (R)
• 1st matte 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"
• 2nd matte 5 1/4" x 4" 
• Window Sheet 
• 2 3/4" x 4" for shaker window cover 

Ink:

• Pebbled Path 

Accessories: 

• Foam Adhesive Strips #141825
• Frosted Sequins #135835 (R) SU
• Subtle Shimmer sequins #156407
• Dimensionals
• Snowflake Sky Embossing Folder #162026

The Peaceful Place DSP was one of my all time favourite Christmas papers when it came out a few years ago. There's such a rich blend of silver foil and images on each of the pages. The first mat is a mix of foil snowflakes and basic gray background while the second matte has rows of snow capped trees making it the perfect background for the winter cottage. The basic gray layer worked really well for creating a shaker card. 

Well that's it for this sketch and I've lost count, but I think this is the 101st of 150 cards for this season. Please leave me a not to let me know if you liked the style of this card.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Store