Valentines 5x5 Card for TSOT #640 Sketch Challenge

 I came across this inspiration sketch challenge today and thought |I'd give it a try.  The challenge site is called Try a Sketch on Tuesday, and this is their current sketch which closes on February 18th, 2024.

Try A Sketch On Tuesday TSOT 640

Here is My Card:

Although the sketch shows a heart it could just as easily have been a square, or some other shape.  I used two different designs from the Most Adored Designer Series Paper (DSP) which is part of the Sale-a-bration Products you can get for FREE during the month of February. 

I also added Flirty Flamingo cardstock for the lst mat and the strip that goes across the card.  

The sketch did not include a sentiment but I chose to add "You Are Loved Beyond Measure" which is from the Perennial Postage (#162598) stamp set.  

For the inside of the card I simple used a layer of the plaid paper and added a
die cut heart from one of my old retired stamp sets.

I really like the Most Adored Paper and have made about ten Valentine's cards which I'll share with you tomorrow.  The one side of the paper has designs in traditional Valentine's colors while the reverse side is white with a variety of gold designs.  It's pretty versatile and the marbled and plaid designs could easily be used to create baby shower or wedding cards.   

I hope you liked today's card and will come back again to see the other cards I've made with this paper.  

HAPPY STAMPING! 

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Independent Stampin' Up! Demo

Check out my Online Store:

Don't forget to add my February Hostess Code to Your Order,
click here for information on how to do this.  

That's Amore for Valentines

As some of you may know, my 98 year old mom passed away in a residential nursing home in June of 2020 and although she didn't die of COVID19 she did die because of COVID19.  

I know that sounds weird, however when older folks like my mom who are used to having visitors and going for walks and participating in activities are isolated in their rooms and kept apart from their friends and loved ones during a pandemic it breaks their spirit, causes depression and some just simply die as a result of it.  

My mom was such a person.  Her dream was to live to be 100 and I really believed she would do it.  Her goal was to be the oldest surviving member of her family.  She talked about it all the time.  And although she was classed as a frail elderly person, she was a strong fighter and a determined woman who usually could make her way back from the brink no matter what.  She was like the Ever Ready Bunny and because of that she was my hero in so many ways.  Unfortunately because of COVID she gave up.  

So mom this Valentine's day post is in your tribute and for all the love you shared with our family.  You had so much fun and enjoyment making cards for your grand and great grand kids for Valentines and other occasions, so I know you'd be delighted to hear Heather and I made some Valentines cards for the nursing home residents where you lived, and we dropped them off last weekend.  While  we were there, we waved and blew kisses at the window to three of your very special friends - Pat, Lucille and Doreen.  

Here's Some of the Cards I Made:

For my cards I used an old Stampin' Up designer series paper called "That's Amore" which I cut using the Love It Chop It formula. This dsp was pretty muted but I liked how the mix and match worked. My card stock was a mixture of retired and current stock (Cherry Cobbler, Pool Party, Beautiful Brocade and Sweet Sugarplum).  

Over a three day period I enjoyed creating 46 cards including the ten I gave to  the nursing home.  

I don't know how you like to make cards but when I have a lot to do I like doing  an assembly line instead of working on one-at-a-time. I gather all my supplies such as stamps, card stock, dsp, ink, dies, punches and whatever additional embellishments or accessories I'll be using, and then I get to work.  I also like to have an idea of how many I need to make and a design. 

This is what the top of my desk looked like as I started assembling my cards. 

I cut and scored my card stock first, then mixed and matched the 5 1/4" x 4 designer paper mats (Love It Chop It).  I used all my scraps for adding layers to the front and the insides of the cards as design elements.  

I brought out a variety of retired Stampin' Up! stamps such as Bloomin' Love, My Little Valentine, Hearts A Flutter and Lift Me Up and I chose the Valentine sentiments and images I wanted and mounted them on acrylic blocks. 

I stamped all the sentiments in Cherry Cobbler ink on Very Vanilla and Pool Party card stocks. I also die cut and stamped hearts using the retired Hearts A Flutter dies and stamp set and used a retired medium sized heart to punch hearts from the That's Amore DSP.   

The inside panels were also pre-cut from Very Vanilla card stock and were all  stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink with a sentiment from Bloomin' Hearts. I used left over 3/4" x 5 or 3/4" x 4 strips of DSP to decorate the bottom or sides of these panels. 

For my main images on most of the cards, I  used the Kangaroo & Company and Darling Donkeys  animal images as well as the tiny envelopes and sentiments for embellishments.  The heart from my Dog Builder punch came in handy for punching out the tiny red, pool party and dsp hearts. I used a 3/4" circle punch for the Feb 14th sentiment and the retired Gift Bow Builder Punch and one of the stamps from that bundle for the little sentiments from Kangaroo and Company.

, 

At the end of the day, almost every card was different because I was able to mix and match all the elements. Not only was it a fun experience making cards for the nursing home and friends and family, but it was a relaxing one. Time certainly flies when you're stamping and creating.  If  you're looking for something to occupy your time or a new hobby, keep stamping in mind it's fun and relaxing.  

The large red and pink hearts came from the "That's Amore" designer series paper pack (retired). There were two sheets with pink and red lacy heart images, that I cut out at the joints. These 3" hearts made a nice focal point for the cards and acted as a base for the rest of the design elements.

I used Stampin' Blends to colour the mama and baby kangaroos and the little heart clusters.  The Kangaroos, the heart envelope and the heart clusters are all components of the Kangaroo & Company stamp and die set which is currently in Stampin' Up!s  January to June Mini  Catalogue.

For the ten cards I made for the nursing home I used a sentiment from the retired stamp set Lift Me Up that says "Just a Note to Lift Your Spirits".  I thought that was very appropriate and meaningful for these elderly folks during COVID times.   

Kangaroo and Company is a 20 image stamp set and has a coordinating 11 piece die set.  It's certainly a versatility and fun set that can be used for almost any occasion.  I love that the die for the mama kangaroo cuts the pouch opening so you can insert a variety of the images like the flower or heart bundles.  Besides the kangaroos I stamped the envelope, some of the sentiments and the bundle of hearts for my Valentines Day cards.  Love it!  

Darling Donkeys is a Sale-A-Bration 21 stamp set and is available for FREE with a $60.00 purchase from any of Stampin' Ups Current Catalogues until the end of February or while supplies last.  I can't get enough of these cute little donkeys.  So much fun! 

Thanks for dropping by today and taking a look at my Valentine's Day cards.  I hope you liked them.  If you could leave a comment that would be wonderful.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, Independent Stampin Up Demonstrator 

HOSTESS CODE FOR FEBRUARY: 

Valentine's Blog Hop - Join the Party!!!

 

Oh what fun!  I just heard Shirley Sumption's hosting a Valentine's Day Blog Hop and everyone's invited to play along.  I had such fun with her Halloween and Christmas Blog Hops that I'm really looking forward to this one.

So, what are you waiting for?  It starts tomorrow January 17th through Valentine's day (Jan 17, 24, Feb 6 and 14).  That's four weeks of fun! 

It's easy to play along here's all you need to know.  I'm running to my craft room now to make a card.  Hope you are too! 

Here are a few rules:

Anyone can  join the fun! 

1. Anything goes, Card, 3D project it just has to be Valentines.

2. Add the Hop to your Post, by using the code from Linky tools.

3. Add the badge to your post with a link to Shirley's blog at http://lookatmycutestuff.blogspot.com

4. Whatever you post has to be new not copied from a previous post or challenge.

Okay that's it.   Hope to see you there.

Penny

Tuxedo Card CASE

Today I want to share with you a card I unabashedly "CASED" from Linda Aarhus (with her permission of course).  Linda is a demonstrator from Washington State who I truly admire. I often visit her blog site Polka Dots and Paper to see what's new.  Linda produces such top notch creations and this design is no exception.  I hope you'll drop by her blog and see Linda's original card. 

Here's my version. This originally started out as an anniversary card for my husband, but while I was in the midst of making it, he wandered in and said "Wow what a great Valentine's Day card that would make", so I changed it to Valentines. 

<><><><>

I basically copied Linda's card with the exception of the front panel on the shirt.  Linda used a crimper to capture the look of a tuxedo shirt.  I've never managed to use a crimper properly and find my lines always come out on a bit of an angle, so decided to use the Stripes Embossing folder and it worked perfectly.

I also changed the occasion from New Years to Valentines Day as noted above, and used the sentiment "Sweet Valentine" from a "Something to Celebrate" hostess set which is now retired. 

This is a sneak peak at one of the faboulous stamps featured in the New Occasions Mini Catalogue called "You Are Loved". It's stamped in Real Red on the inside of the card.

Hope you enjoy this card and come back and visit again.