May - New Stampin’ Up!® Products – Just Released

Welcome to May the month of showers and flowers and hopefully sunshine wherever you live.  May is also a month of union and birth, so it’s appropriate to introduce the Best of 25 Years Collector Series Best of Stamp Set called Best of Brides and Babies.  

Make sure you go to the Best of 25 Years link at the top of my blog for all the details on how you can earn free stamp sets simply by purchasing the Best Of series of stamps.  Click here to view the Month of May stamps online and for ordering information. The highlighted stamp is a "never before seen" stamp.


Penny Tokens Stampin' Spot

http://pennytokensstampinspot.blogspot.com

25% Off on Select My Digital Studio Products

What's All the Fuss About:
During the period from May 1^st to June 15^th you can take advantage of Stampin' Up!s  25 % offer on select My Digital Studio content and print products.  Wow now that's a great savings!

Digital content includes:

• ALL ensemble 
• calendar
• photobook and 
• swatchbook digital content. See it here.

Print products include: 

• ALL photobooks,
• swatchbooks
• cards
• tags 
• Individual pages, and calendars. See it here. 

 The Fine Print 

• Orders can be placed online or through me on a workshop order.  If you want to add to a workshop order remember to add the hostess code.
• Discount for downloads only available for artwork released prior to May 1, 2013. 
• Make sure you have the latest version of the MDS software to get the discounts on print products. 
• Offer deadlines:Phone: Friday, June 14, 2013; 6:50 PM (MT) OEX or online: Saturday, June 15, 2013; 11:50 PM (MT)

BLOG HOP PRIZE HAS BEEN CLAIMED

Once again Congratulations to Debbie Flattum for wining my prize on the LNS Spring Treasure Hunt Blog Hop.  I'm happy to say that Debbie has been in touch with me to claim her prize and it will be sent out to her today. 

Debbie will be receiving a Simply Sent Kit, Heart individual Clear Mount stamp and a card from me.

Debbie responded to my call out: "This is so exciting, Penny!!  Thank you soooooooo much!!!  I look forward to your wonderful prize!!  You are very generous." Inky Hugs,  Debbie Flattum

For those of you who missed out on all the fun and prizes,and for those of you who participated and enjoyed the Spring Treasure Hunt I've got exciting news. We're doing it again!

I've just learned that the LNS Fall Treasure Hunt and Blog Hop will begin on October 29th, so mark your calendars.   The Fall Treasure Hunt promises to be even bigger, better and more exciting!  Like Survivor, we'll be throwing in a few surprises and twists along the way so make sure you come back for more information.

Penny Tokens Stampin Spot
http://pennytokensstampinspot.blogspot.com

LNS Spring Treasure Hunt and Blog Winner

May 15th is here at last and I'm so excited!!  If you think I'm excited because  it's the Ides of March, you're wrong just like "Brutus" (Et Tu Brute).  But, if you guessed I'm excited because it's finally draw day for the Grand Prize Winner of the Spring Late Night Stamper's Treasure Hunt and my blog draw prize winner then you're oh so right!

So let's start with the winner of the $150.00 Grand Prize drawn by Sherrill Graff.  Drum roll please..........and the winner is Heather Hopson!!!  OMG that's my sister!!!!  

Can you see me?  I'm the one jumping up and down.  What awesome news.  I just couldn't wait to phone Heather to see if she knew her name had been drawn.......and guess what she didn't, so we both got to jump around together!!!!  She's been on a winning streak all week starting with 4 numbers in the lottery and then this!  What a lucky girl!.  Oh and if this win wasn't enough she also won a Stamp-a-ma-jig on Bev Farmer's blog.  I told Heather she better go out and buy another lotto ticket.  

Congratulations Heather!  All kidding aside I know both wins were well deserved because you spent hours checking out the 50 LNS blogs that participated in this fun event and then telling me about all the neat sites you explored.  

Heather's comment on my blog about participating in the Treasure Hunt read:  "Your card creations are wonderful and I had a lot of fun completing the Treasure Hunt.  The best part is going to other sites and seeing such beautiful inspirations."

I didn't have a picture of her this morning when she got the news, but thought I'd share this picture from my last trip to see her.  We had a fun morning opening up her box of new Stampin' Up! supplies and trying out all the new products.You couldn't wipe the grin from her face.  I can't imagine how happy she'll look when she gets her $150 grand prize goodie box and her Stamp-a-ma-jig! I'm sure she'll be grinning for a week or more!

KUDOS FOR THE TREASURE HUNT:
Before I move on to share the next piece of exciting news, namely the winner of my blog prize, I just want to say that the LNS Spring Treasure Hunt couldn't have happened without the generous support and backing of Sherrill Graff. Not only did Sherrill donate the $150 Grand Prize but throughout the months leading up to the draw she encouraged all the LNS Treasure Hunt bloggers in so many ways.  Sherrill emulates Stampin' Up!s Statement of the Heart philosophy so well!

Another great gal who deserves a round of applause is Deborah Smart a Canadian Demo from BC, who assisted with the setup and smooth operation of this year's LNS Treasure Hunt.  Deborahs done an outstanding job of getting the participating 50+ bloggers listed and kept us updated throughout the whole process.  

Both of these remarkable stampers have put in endless hours on this blog hop and I can't thank them enough.   And finally I just want to say that I am so proud to be a member of Late Night Stampers.  IMO you just can't find a better group of stampers anywhere to be associated with.  Awesome blogs ladies and awesome Treasure Hunt...............thanks so much!!

AND ANOTHER PRIZE: 
A big thanks to the 11 people who took the time to stop by my blog during the Treasure Hunt and to leave a comment or send me their Treasure Hunt Clue Lists.  You folks rock and to thank you I put all your names in a hat and drew a winner, and it is:

Debbie commented on my blog on May 2nd and said:  "It has been fun doing the treasure hunt.  I enjoyed looking at your blog, too.  Many creative ideas.  TFS!!" 

Debbie I'm so happy that you are my winner.  Please contact me within the next seven days to claim your prize at pennyhanuszak@telus.net.




 

MOJO MONDAY SKETCH CHALLENGE - MOJO291

Have you ever missed a deadline by just a few minutes?  Well that's what happened to me on Sunday night. I just didn't have any creative time during the week to work on the  MOJO MONDAY sketch challenge, so I thought that's okay I'll set it aside until the weekend. 

The weekend arrived and you guessed it, one thing led to another and  I didn't actually get working on my card until late Sunday evening, and I just assumed I would get my finished card posted before the deadline elapsed.  Wrong!  I still went ahead with my post, but it just didn't quite feel the same, even though I loved the card I made.  So this week I'm not being a laggard, I'm posting and linking early. 

Here's What I Made: 
Here's this week's MOJO291 sketch and my rendition:  

This week's sketch has two different options - a round or square card. I decided to go with the round version and designed an easel card.  I find these fast and easy to do.  
 

The theme for my card is Graduation and is meant to reflect on going out into the world, unlocking the doors and making life's journey one of discovery.  

Since "Graduation" is considered one of life's milestones, an Epic Day, I think I succeeded in capturing that feeling in my choice of paper, card stock and sentiments.   

I've been absolutely blown away with the Epic Day Designer Paper that was included in the Epic Day This and That Bundle (special ends today) and decided to use one of the designs that featured a map.  

One of the best things about using Stampin' Up! products is that everything is co-ordinated.  So, once the paper was chosen it was an easy next step to choose the card stock and accessories to complete the project.  I simply pulled the co-ordinating colours from the DSP pallette - Whisper White, Pool Party, Calypso Coral and Basic Grey.

Supplies Used:

Stamp Sets:  Affection Collection, Word Play and The Open Sea

DSP:  Epic Day Designer Series Paper 

Ink:  Basic Black

Card stock:  Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Basic Grey and Pool Party

Accessories:  Scallop Circle Bigz Die, Square Lattice and Stripes Embossing Folders, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, Key Trinket (retired), Ribbon, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects adhesive, Sponge Daubers.

You can just barely see the map in the background on the face of the card.  The colours are so beautiful.  I used the striped embossing folder to add some definition to the banners and I thought the sentiment "always" from the Affection Collection set the tone of the card message. 

This is a view of the inside of the card.  I stamped off the Pool Party ink before stamping the globe image from the Open Sea stamp set  onto a 2 1/2" circle of Whisper White card stock.  I also sponged the edges of the circle in Pool Party and  then stamped the sentiment "Go Confidently in the Direction of your Dreams" over the globe image.  It gives a nice watermark effect.  Layered circles of Basic Grey, Pool Party and Whisper White were cut out with a set of Sizzlet circle frames.  The silver key is from the Trinkets accessories.

Epic Day This and That:

Epic Day Designer Series Paper

Epic Day This and That Bundle

Although this discounted promotion ends tonight you will still be able to buy all the products in the This and That product line though my online store. Click here to Shop Now

Thanks for visiting me.  Hope you'll stay awhile and browse my site or leave me a comment on this post.  I love to get comments, it makes my day! 

1. Spring Surprise Promotion – March 15 to May 30, 2013
2. Special Delivery – Sent With Love    THIS PROMO ENDS APRIL 30
3. This and That Promotion - THIS SPECIAL PROMO ENDS APRIL 30 
4. Single Stamps Promotion – Extended to July 31st, 2013 Because of Enormous Response  a. Assortment 3 and b. Assortment 4
5. Photopolymer Stamps

Contests:

1. Win a Trip to San Diego - Contest Closes April 30th! 
2. LNS Treasure Hunt Blog Hop - Win $150 in Stampin' Up! Products  Contest Closes May 12

Penny Tokens Stampin Spot 

 www:  pennyhanuszak.stampinup.net

Mojo Monday Card Challenge: MOJO290

It's MOJO MONDAY Sketch Challenge time again.  This week's sketch was a simple design that lends itself well to that "spur of the moment" card.  You could put almost anything into those four little frames.  

As it's nearing the end of the school year and I'm thinking about Teacher gifts and thank you cards, I felt this layout would work perfectly for a Teacher Appreciation Card.  

Usually I would stamp something in each of those squares, but for this challenge, I decided to simply add paper to the frames and chose Story Time Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! because the images went so well with my theme.  This beautiful paper be retiring at the end of May.  

Here's is my card design:

DSP:  Storytime

Ink:   Basic Black 

Stamp Set:  Mixed Medley 

Cardstock:  Red Riding Hood, So Saffron

Accessories:  Red Riding Hood Red ruffled ribbon, Soda Pop Top,  3/4" and 1" Circle punches, Big Shot Machine, Adhesive, Dimensionals.

 

For the top strip which showcases four pictures I punched children's images from the Storytime DSP and spaced them out on a 1 1/4" by 4 3/4" piece of Red Riding Hood cardstock. Before adhereing these four little blocks, I sponged around the edges with Early Espresso ink.   I used the reverse side of this beautiful paper for the blackboard effect on the bottom of the card. 

Instead of adding a bow to my ribbon as shown in the sketch, I decided to add a Soda Pop Top which I flattened in my Big Shot Machine.  I stamped the "for you" sentiment from the Mixed Medley stamp set in Basic Black ink and punched it out with a 3/4" circle punch.  This sentiment was then popped up on a dimensional and added to the center of a 1" circle of so saffron cardstock. I glued these pieces to the Soda Pop Top with Crystal Effects.  The rippled ribbon in Red Riding Hood is retired but I liked the effect it creates on this card.  

These Soda Pop Tops are a retro accent piece that's proving to be very popular this Spring.  They come in two sizes, 1 inch and half inch and you get 8 each of the two designs per package.  They are item # 129388 in the Spring Mini Catalogue and will be available until May 31st, 2013.

Thank you for dropping by and checking out my entry in this week's Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.