HAPPY NEW YEARS - HAPPY STAMPING

Hard to believe we're leaving 2010 behind us, but at the stroke of midnight tonight a new and exciting year will be unfolding.  Tomorrow will be a day to embark on those annual resolutions and thoughts of self-improvement and to reflect on the year just past.

When I look back at my stamping life in 2010 here are some of the things I've reflected on:

• I think of all my fantastic customers who have kept me a float doing what I love.  You're all so awesome and I hope you'll come back next year for more exciting times.
• I think of all the great stampers I've had the pleasure to meet and to correspond with. 
• I think of  all the great blogs I've had the pleasure of visiting and the awesome projects that I've seen displayed.  Thank you Chandra and Julie for expanding all our horizons.
• All the fun I had designing my many projects for UStamp and working with Dawn Raspas to create some wonderful stamping times.  Thanks Dawn you gave me some great opportunities to test my mettle and to participate in your wonderful series.  Also a big hug to all of my friends on UStamp and to all the awesome designers who work so hard to bring about a successful event...........you are my heros!  A particular thanks to Betty Traciuk who works so hard behind the scenes to make this event move along.  Betty was always there to answer my many questions and help me through when I was had doubts or was stuck............. you are the one girl!  Thank you.
• Being able to participate with all the great gals on the Inkspirations Blog Hop.  That was fun and I so enjoyed being a part of your wonderful tour.  Makeesha Byl thanks so much I love this group!
• Participating in the Royal Blog Hop tour and winning a great blog candy prize from Jennifer Blomquist! I loved hunting for clues and visiting all the fantastic sites.  This tour really rocked. Whoo Hoo that was fun!  Can't wait to sign up for the next one.
• Participating with Late Nite Stampers and in particular Sherill Graf who is so inspiring!
• Being a member of the Langley Colourful Impressions Group..........you ladies rock!  A big salute to Kristina Koch for all her wonderful events and helpfulness over the year.  You sure know how to have fun, teach us new stamping tricks and keep us informed.  Take a bow Kristina, you deserve it.
• Recruiting two great gals in the 10,000 Recruits Promotion on Stampin' Up.  Wow you ladies came through in the nick of time and I am so thrilled to have you as part of my "Penny Token's Stampin' Girls"..............Janis and Lorraine, you are both awesome and I hope I can be an inspiring leader too!  Good luck with your upcoming workshops!
• I think of how fantastic the feeling was to hit 10,000 visitors to my blog...........I cried that was so much fun and so exciting watching the visitor count rise through the help of Stampin' Connection and UStamp.
• I think of my wonderful friend Sheri Lee who inspires me and gives me such happiness in my stamping world.  Sheri you are just the best friend and I truly love all your phenomenal creations and talent, not to mention your friendship which I value immensely.  Thanks Sheri you made my year .....again!
• I think of all the changes that Stampin' Up has made over the past year, and just to name a few the color rennovations, punch modifications, catalogue changes, the addition of so many new and wonderful products, DBWs, MDS, Stampin Connection and more.  Thanks Shelly Gardiner.

Although there are so many more things I'd like to share I think I'll end this post with a New Years Poem by Joanne Fuchs.  I think it says it all!  Happy New Years Everyone!

Happy New Year Wish

My Happy New Year wish for you
Is for your best year yet,
A year where life is peaceful,
And what you want, you get.


A year in which you cherish
The past year’s memories,
And live your life each new day,
Full of bright expectancies.


I wish for you a holiday
With happiness galore;
And when it’s done, I wish you
Happy New Year, and many more.

Win a Free Pass to Get a Jump on Your Jingle......Holiday Papercrafting 2010

Dawn Raspas of UStamp Dawn & Friends!! has just announced her next big event…it's called Get a Jump on Your Jingle…Holiday Papercrafting 2010!!   This fabulous event will run from November 12th to December 1st and Early Bird Pricing of $19.95 US is now open…until October 15th when the price will go to $24.95 US.  So don’t delay and don't miss out!! Register today!

Did you see my cool blinky?  You can click on it to see more details of this great event.  In the meantime I'm busy creating another project that I hope you will love.  This event will feature all your favourite designers from around the world and some brand new designers who're also busy creating a total of *40 Projects with Color Combos * 40 co-ordinating cards with co-ordinating envelopes *All Projects include downloadable PDF with Photo’s * Designer hosted chats with even MORE prizes * Open Chat Room 24/7 * Gallery to share your re-creations * A totally cool blinkie for your website/blog.  One of the really great things about participating in these UStamp with Dawn and Friends events is that you have plenty of time to go and work on your projects and visit this site as it stays open for months after it finishes in December. 

WIN A FREE PASS!!!!!

Okay, so this time around I have only "One Free Pass" to give away.  To be entered in my draw all you have to do is: Add a comment telling me what your favourite holiday tradition is, and include your name and email address so I can contact you.  I'll be drawing the winner's name by 8pm on October 8th.  So don't delay!  Comment today!

UStamp With Dawn and Friends!!! Cards With Cool Moves Opened Today

UStamp With Dawn and Friends!!! Cards with Cool Moves opened this morning and is off to a wonderful start!  Every twelve hours a new designer's project will be posted.  These posts contain one Movement Card and one Regular card.  What a great way to increase your template library.  These are really "cool" cards.........guaranteed to be WOWs!  Once you join, you'll receive all the directions on a PDF tutorial and you can visit the gallery 24/7 to check out additional pictures posted by the designers and re-creations by other members........that's the part I truly love!  In all  there will be 40 posts! You can also join in on the chat lines, ask questions of the designers and win prizes!  You can't beat the value at just $24.95 US.  These are exceptional cards folks, so if you want to join us you still can.  Just go to Dawn's site at:  http://www.ustampwithdawnandfriends.com/ to register.

Free Pass Winners - UStamp With Dawn and Friends!!! Cards With Cool Moves

Apologies, apologies, apologies!!!! To all those great ladies who entered my draw for free passes to the Ustamp with Dawn and Friends, Cards With Cool Moves Event........... which started today!  I'm sorry, I didn't forget about you........ unfortunately, I've been away since last weekend and was unable to access my site to do the draw and make the announcement. Yikes!!!! What super bad planning on my part. So, when I arrived home last night I did the draw right away and submitted my winners names to UStamp. 

Before I announce the winners names, I'd like to thank all of you for participating and sending me your great comments.  I loved hearing about your favourite new products from the Holiday Mini and receiving your great reviews and awesome comments regarding my blog and being a UStamp Designer again.  Much appreciated!!!   Now my two winners names were drawn using the Random Number Picker ( 2 numbers from 13 comments (I had to disqualify one because it was entered twice) and the winners names are:  #2 Jessica Cruz and #12 Debi Hadley.  They're comments were:

#2:  Jessica Cruz:  Hi Penny!! Tx for visiting my blog. Im now your follower too!! Many blessings.
Jessica U  http://www.rememberj.blogspot.com/

#12:  Debi said...I've seen lots of advertisements for this, but didn't really know what it was. It would be awesome to have a free pass just to get acquainted with it before I take the plunge.  Thanks, too, for your sweet comment on my blog.

So thank you ladies, and congratulations for being my winners!  I'll be in touch with you and I've submitted your contact information to Dawn Raspas and she'll email your free passes/invites to join today!  See you on the boards!

2 Free Passes to be Drawn - August 15th, 2010 to UStamp With Dawn and Friends Early Fall Event 2010

You have an opportunity to win a free pass to the Ustamp with Dawn and Friends Early Fall 2010 Edition which will run from August 20th to September 10th, 2010.   All you have to do is leave me a comment by 7:30pm on August 15th and your name will be entered into a random draw for a free pass.  That's a $25.00 US prize........whoo hoo!!!  So don't be shy check out my blog while you're here and leave me a comment.  I'd love to have you join me on this next event.  I'm hosting a live chat on August 22nd at 10pm EST (7:00pm Pacific) and I'm once again a Guest Designer.  To give you a little enticement here's a bit of a sneak peak at my design.  Hope to see you there as this is going to be one of the best events yet!!!! 160 cards in all different designs and colours................ you heard that right, cards only and 160 of them!!! Great value for your money.  If you've already signed up and paid your money for this event you can still enter my draw and if you're the lucky winner your money will be refunded.  How's that for a deal!  Here's the sneak peak.............. hope I catch your interest.

For more information on this event check out:  http://ustampwithdawnandfriends.com/

160 Cards..............Every Kind of Card You Can Imagine!!!!

Another UStamp with Dawn and Friends is starting on August 20th, and it sounds so exciting!  The theme is A Fall Festival of Cards. Has that title got you salivating yet............. it means cards, cards and more cards!! Lots of cards!! All kinds of cards!! There'll be fancy cards, simple cards, pop-up cards, cards that move, technique cards, cards, cards and more cards!! How many you ask?? How about a whopping 160 cards!! That's alotta cards, right??!! Each Guest Designer will be creating 4 cards and the Dream Team and Creative Crew Girls will each be creating 8 cards.

The really fun twist is that the Designers will each pick a stamp set and colors and will create 4 cards using that same stamp set, and same colors. Although a few Designers may choose the same stamp set, the color schemes and layouts will be completely different!! Just think how cool it will be to have 160 layouts, 40 different color combo's and at least 4 new card ideas for each stamp set the Design Team uses. Whew!! It's going to be AWESOME!! Oh and here is another really cool thing about the cards...all PDF instructions will be in 8 steps or less!! Easy Peasy!!

Here is what you can expect when you join up...


* 160 Cards with 8 Steps or less PDF Tutorials with photo's for you to download!! Each PDF is translated in French, German and Spanish.

* Designer hosted chats with prizes

* Open Chat Room 24x7

* Gallery to share your re-creations

* A cool blinkie for your website/blog COMING SOON

* Prizes, Prizes and MORE Prizes!!

Want to be part of all the excitement?  Well you can be, just sign up now for just $25 US.  Click here  for Pay Pal or check Dawn's website for all the details.

With Love Tri Fold Card

Ustamp with Dawn and Friends "With Love 2010" is now underway, but it's not too late to join in.  Just click here if you want more information.  So today is day four and the projects so far have been just fabulous.  How can you miss with a theme like "LOVE"!

Since I am such a huge fan of Tracey Olds I decided to choose her project first.  She made a beautiful Tri Fold Card  called "With Love".  Tracey is the Dream Team representative from New Zealand, and all of her projects are simply awesome.  Here is my rendition of her Tri fold Card.

I've used the "Happy Heart" Stamp Set (11758) " from the 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalogue to stamp my images.  I used Kraft cardstock for my base, followed by layers of Black, Real Red and Whisper White.  The Love hearts were stamped in Versamark Ink on the Real Red cardstock to give a little more depth.  I used some non-Stampin' Up red crystal hearts to add some bling. 

I think you'll agree that these cards have a definite  WOW factor when opened, and are so much fun to make.  This Tri-fold is a  little different from most templates, and once you master the process they can be made in any size.  You could even use DSP instead of the card stock layers and I'm pretty sure most stamp sets could be adapted to fit the design.  Hope you enjoy this project.  Let me know if you like it!

Are You Ready for a Free Give Away???????????

Hi everyone!  I've been absent for a long time now.  Coming back to California the beginning of December I found myself overwhelmed with our kitchen renos and unexpected visitors.  And, with all the Christmas entertaining and visiting we've been doing, I just haven't been able to get my stamping and creative mojo on.  Well it's back now after my much needed hiatus and I'm ready to get those creative juices going again! To add to that excitement I now have a new camera (thanks mom) and a card reader I've just purchased, so I should be able to start posting pictures again real soon....... maybe tonight!   I want to share my Christmas cards with you and some of those kitchen reno pics before the New Year arrives.

Since I've been so out of touch with everyone, I'm hoping all of you faithful readers have had a wonderful Christmas and you're looking forward to 2010 and the excitement and wonder that a new year brings. I know I am and I want to add to that excitement by offering something free. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about ways to improve my stamping and blogging skills and do more creative things in 2010, and since it's almost New Years, why not make some resolutions:  Here goes...........

1.  I am going to make time to stamp or create more than once a week.
2.  I am going to post to my stamping blog every Sunday.
3.  I am going to take more photos of things I make and share them with you.
4.  I'm going to enter more challenges and try out more new things............ UStamp with Dawn and Friends, Mojo Monday, Kerner's UGirls............. here I come.
5.  Play with My Digital Studio more and share what I've learned............
6.  I'm definitely going to have more fun!!!

Okay that's enough about my resolutions.............how about you?  Will you be making any New Years Stampin Resolutions?  If so send me a comment with your resolution(s) or plans and I'll enter your name into a draw for New Year's Day.   The value of my free draw gift is $24.95 US so it's well worth your while............... stay tuned for more details and don't forget to send me your comments by Dec 31st............... let your friends know too!

Blog Candy - Another Give Away - Send Me a Comment!!!!

Only four more sleeps to go before UStamp with Dawn & Friends!! Holiday 09 starts.   As promised, I have another FREE PASS TO participate in the next round of UStamp with Dawn & Friends Holiday 09 (a $24.95 US value)  ............ isn't that exciting!!!!  This session promises to be even better than the two previous ones, and is focussing totally on holiday projects.................I've had a sneak peak and I can tell you they are awesome! 

So don't miss out, all you have to do to win this fabulous prize is send me a comment telling me what is your favourite Stampin' Up Winter/Christmas Stamp Set and/or Accessory.   Pretty simple don't you think?  I can't wait to hear from you.............................

Please respond no later than Wednesday Oct 15th to get in on this fabulous prize!  The winner will be drawn that evening.

If you've already registered, still respond because you will be reimbursed for your payment.