Faux Step Waterside Retreat

Last Saturday, two of my favourite stamping friends came over, and I created a Faux Step Card using the Waterside Retreat papers. We shared many laughs and had a great time putting this card together, which is simple to assemble and has a clean design suitable for any event. Take a look at the card:

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Relaxing Waterside Stamps #167922
• Relaxing Waterside Dies #167927
• Stylish Shapes 2 1/2" stitched circle die #159183

Cardstock and Designer Papers:

• Misty Moonlight cardstock for card base.  Cut to  1/2" x 8 1/2" and score at 2 1/4", 4 1/2", 5 3/4", 7", and 7 3/4".  Starting at the 2 1/4" score line, fold in a mountain fold and burnish, then next scoreline is a valley, next one a mountain, ending with smallest score line which will be a mountain fold and is the front of the card.   Burnish all score lines.
• Misty Moonlight cut strip 2 3/4" x 8 1/2" for faux flap, a scrap to cut 2 1/2" stitched circle and a scrap for the sentiment. 
• Basic White cut piece 2 1/2" x 4"  for the back of the faux flap for signing.
• Pecan Pie 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece for the Adirondack chair 
• Waterside Retreat designer series paper (DSP)#167920 Cut the following strips which are adhered to the steps starting with the back panel and moving to the front one:
• 1 piece 2" x 5 1/4"
• 1 piece 1" x 5 1/4"
• 1 piece 1/2" x 5 1/4"
• Cut  a 2 1/2" x 4" piece of coordinating DSP for the front panel of the card.  

Ink:

• Misty Moonlight

Accessories:

• Copper Sequins self-adhesive
• Dimensionals

Thank you for stopping by my blog this week and taking a look at my masculine birthday Faux Step Card featuring products from the Waterside Retreat suite.

I hope you'll come back for more easy stamping and card making. Please leave a comment if you liked this post—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Gone Fishing Birthday Card

This week’s card is another masculine birthday design, using stamps and papers from Stampin’ Up!’s retired "Let’s Go Fishing Suite". This set of stamps, dies, and papers remains one of my favourite choices for making masculine cards. I’m drawing layout inspiration from this week’s excellent sketch, hosted by Michelle L. at Freshly Made Sketches.  

Here's My Card: 

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Gone Fishing #161535 - fishing gear 
• Gone Fishing Dies #161541 
• Best Catch Ever #148598- It's Your Day stamp
• Darling Dinos #164734 - Happy Birthday Sentiment
• All About Birthdays - inside sentiment

Cardstock and Designer Series Paper: 

• Basic Beige cardstock 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 scored at 4 1/4" for card base 
• Basic Beige 5" x 3 3/4"  for inside matte  and a scrap for Happy Birthday sentiment on card front and 1 5/8" square 
• Misty Moonlight cut two mattes 5 1/4" x 4 1/4" and scrap for sentiment 
• Let's Go Fishing DSP #161534 strip for front in Wild Wheat 1 3/4" x 5 1/4"

I looked through my leftover pieces from the Let's Go Fishing set and found the strip featuring fishing reels, which I thought was ideal. It just needed a small trim. I matched it with a matte made from Misty Moonlight cardstock, which I embossed with a water pattern to add some movement to the card front.

I already had a focal point created earlier with this set, and it fit perfectly, substituting the circles on the sketch with the block and tackle elements. For the front sentiment, I wanted something very narrow, so after searching through some of my stamp sets, I selected the "happy birthday" sentiment from the Darling Dinos stamp set.

Initially I didn't want to add sequins or other gems to this card, but it appeared somewhat flat in the photos. So, afterwards, I used a silver Wink of Stella pen to add some sparkly accents to the fish lure and bobbins. That was exactly the touch it needed.  

Inks and Blends: 

• Real Red
• Misty Moonlight
• Pecan Pie 
• Wink of Stella 

Accessories: 

• Seaside Textured  Embossing Folder for Misty Moonlight matte on card front
• Dimensionals 

Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment on this week’s challenge card. I truly enjoy creating masculine cards and hope you find them inspiring and enjoyable. I really appreciate your support and encouragement.

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Masculine Soccer Match Birthday Card #AHSC676

Only 2 months until FIFA comes to town and the soccer fans are out admiring the original World Cup trophy this weekend.  Soccer is such a popular sport with kids and adults.  So, it's only fitting that my card for this challenge be "A Wonderful Match" masculine birthday card.  

Here is this week's sketch challenge digitalized by Michelle:    

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #676

Here's My Card:

Supplies and Instructions: 

Stamps and Dies:

• Best Catch #148598 for the front sentiment "It's Your Day!"
• Inside sentiment is one I use often but I can't find the stamp set it came from.  If anyone knows let me know, I'd appreciate it as it's one of my favourite Stampin' Up! stamps.

Cardstock and Designer Paper:

• A Wonderful Match #167515 designer paper by Stampin' Up!

Ink:

• Basic Black Hybrid - New Ink for May 2026 season Stampin' Up!

Accessories:  

• Mini Dimensionals
• Glue Dots
• Rustic Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots 
• Twine 

One Last Look:

Thanks for visiting my blog today.  I appreciate your support and comments.  Take a look over at the AHSC #676 and see all the wonderful samples for this sketch challenge.  Who knows, it might inspire you to play along!  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Blog 

Pet Sitter Thank You Card - FMS#728

Personally I'm not a big fan of circles on a card.  When I looked at the recent sketch from Freshly Made Sketches I made the proverbial big sigh, and then began thinking about the sketch objectively in terms of what I could do to make the sketch satisfying for me. 

I needed something that worked for my brain and that's the really fun part of participating in a sketch challenge.  It doesn't have to be about copying the sketch  in every single nuance or detail, but rather exploring what works and what doesn't in terms of your own creativity.  Here is the sketch: 

Freshly Made Sketch #728 

Here's My Card: 

I'm an animal lover and so are most of my friends, so I'm often called upon to create or send a card featuring dogs or cats. Stampin' Up! released two stamp bundles called Pet Love and Cutest Crew recently, and they were my inspiration for this card design.  Pet Love includes pet accessories, paw prints and heartfelt sentiments.  Cutest crew has playful pups, curious kittens and chirpy little birds. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get the coordinating dies for Cutest Crew because this bundle sold out almost immediately, but the images are easy to fussy cut. 

Supplies and Instructions: 

Stamps and Dies: 

• Pet Love #166032 stamps and dies
• Cutest Crew #167146 stamps
• Stitched Shapes Dies #159183

Cardstock and DSP: 

• Basic White cardbase 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"
  
• Basic White matte 3 3/4" x 5" for inside matte, scrap for stamping dog images and die cutting circle
  
• Lost Lagoon matte card front 4" x 5 1/4"" 
• Flirty Flamingo matte card front 3 7/8" x 5 1/8"
• Painted Illusions DSP (Product of the Month February 2026) 3 3/4" x 5"

Ink:

• Lost Lagoon
• Secret Sea 
• Stampin' Blends:  Mango Melody, Smoky Slate, Pecan Pie, Pretty in Pink, Lost Lagoon, Granny Apple Green, Timid Tiger

Accessories:  

• Dimensionals
• Adhesive Sheets 

Well what do you think.  Is this a card you would send to a dog loving friend?  Were you still able to capture the feel of the original sketch in my card.  I'm hoping you were.  If you liked my rendition, or if you want more information about how it came together, don't hesitate to drop me a comment.  I love your feedback.  

Before I go, here are a few more cards made with the Cutest Crew and Pet Love stamp sets:

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 

Happy New Home Card using FMS#727

 Freshly Made Sketch

This week's Freshly Made Sketch is a little different and gave me pause for thought.  I was really bothered by all the blank space until I came up with an idea for a housewarming card I was planning to make.  

The half arch reminded me of a baseboard mouse hole for some reason and since I'd just purchased the Pet Love stamp set that has the cutest little mouse die in it, I was inspired to put together a monochromatic happy new home card using the mouse house concept  I hope you like it. 

Here's My Card:

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Pet Love #166031 - mouse die cut 2, small heart
• Everyday Arches dies #164629 2 smallest dies 
• Handsomely Suited #154444 stitched placket die for the baseboard trim
• Family and Friends stamp set #148598 for sentiment "A Warm Welcome"

Cardstock and DSP:

• Card Base in basic white - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"
• Basic White for card matte inside 3 7/8" x 5" 
• Basic white scraps for larger of two arches, baseboard and heart
• Soft Succulent (R) for matte on front 4 1/8" x 5 3/8", cut a second matte for inside of card 4" x 5 1/4", scraps for two mice and small arched door 
• Soft Skye Designer Series Paper (R) - 3 7/8" x 5" for front matte and strip for inside 3/4" x 5" 

Ink:

• Soft Succulent 

Accessories: 

• Dimensionals 

I hope you enjoyed today's card.  It's a little different but a fun way to blend old and new products. I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop