Happy St. Patty's Day!

Rainbows, a Pot of Gold, Leprechauns green beer and shenanigans are all part of celebrating St. Patty's Day on March 17th. I have a small bit of Irish in my genes, and so I love this special day. But in going through my collection of stamps I don't have any to use for a card. What about you? Do you celebrate this annual occasion? Do you have Four Leaf Clovers or Leprechauns in your stash? I'd love to know.

So, in lieu of the fact that I didn't make a card, I've chosen Henry my trusty ceramic sheepdog to model my favourite chapeaux for the occasion. Sadly I think it looks better on him than on me. 

Well that's enough blarney from me.  It's a beautiful sunny day here in Abbotsford.  And, it's perfect weather for going for a stroll around Mill Lake.  We'll see how hungry we are after that , and maybe head on over to the Townhall Pub in Abbotsford for brunch and to check out the St. Patty's Day festivities. 

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demonstrator since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 online webstore: 

 

Zany Zoo Birthday Card for TSOT642 Challenge

Here's another sketch challenge from Try Stamping on Tuesday which runs from March 5th to 17th.

Card Sketches are meant to be inspirational but each sketch challenge blog has its own rules, so remember to check them out.  For example, I'm able to change this week's TSOT642 sketch by rotating, flipping or changing it from landscape to portrait orientation.  I could even use a mirror image of the design layout and I could replace the sketch shapes with a circle instead of a shamrock, so long as the finished project visibly reflects the original sketch and includes a sentiment. 

So with all that in mind I set out to create my birthday card following these rules and remembering when the link closes so I don't miss out like last time.

Here's My TSOT642 Card: 

This was a very simple card to make once I decided all the elements.  I cut three strips of cardstock in Pool Party and Petal Pink for the angled strips.  The 5 1/4" x 4" layer was embossed with a large dot embossing folder that's available as a 3-D Embossing pack in the Online Exclusives.  

Once again I chose characters from the incredible Zany Zoo DSP pack in the Annual Catalogue.  You can do so much with this paper!  Love it! 

And here's the inside of my card: 

Well that's it for this week.  I didn't actually get a chance to post this to  the TSOT blog post as they had already closed it before the actual link closing time, which was a real bummer.  This is the second time this has happened so I probably won't post to that challenge site again unless I can get my card done really early.  Oh well, it still was fun making it and it'll make someone happy when they receive it on their birthday.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNYTOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my online webpage and store: 

More Jungle Pal Birthdays

Earlier in the month, I posted a card for a TSOT challenge  that was made with the Jungle Pals stamps and dies that were available during Stampin' Ups! Sale-a-Bration.  That was such a fun get well/thinking of you card and the recipient really liked it.  

Since then I've made some birthday cards using this same set and today wanted to share them with you.   

Here are the Cards I Made: 

This card started with an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of Granny Apple Green card stock scored at 4 1/4".  I added a mat of Basic Black that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Before adhering that piece I die cut the stitched 3" circle for the backing on my focal point.  The final mat is a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of Lemon Lolly cardstock.  Before adhering this mat to the front of the card, I did two things.  First I cut a 2 1/2" stitched circle mat for my focal from the top center of the mat and then I embossed it with the Fern 3-D Embossing Folder.  

For the inside of the card I cut a Basic White mat that measured 5 1/4" x 4" and adhered that to the card base.  Before putting this mat down, I added some foliage to the bottom and stamped with a birthday sentiment. 

Here's a close up of the focal point on the card front. I coloured the Toucan with Sweet Sorbet, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight and Basic Black blends and cut it out with the dies from the Jungle Pals die set.  I coloured a variety of the die cut leaves with Granny Apple Green, Old Olive and Lost Lagoon blends.  The sweet little flowers were coloured with Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie blends.  

The sentiment "your special day" is from the Cake Fancy (#162932) stamp set in the January Mini catalogue.  I embossed it with white embossing powder on a strip of Basic Black.  Love it! 

I stayed with the forest jungle theme for my next card which features the Tiger from the Jungle Pals bundle.  Although I was disappointed with my actual colouring of the Tiger (he's much too flat and the shaded look I was going for didn't happen), I was happy with the card as a whole.  Here it is:

Once again I used a Granny Apple Green card base to begin the card.  I followed this with a mat of Lemon Lolly that measured 4 1/8" x 5 3/8".  The top mat started out as a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Basic White.  

If you've never tried to create your own backgrounds you're missing out on a lot of fun and creativity.  To get the plants in the jungle look (see the original card) I began by die cutting all the foliage and flowers in the die set from Basic White cardstock.  I placed them over top of the mat and coloured them with ink and blending brushes.  You could also use a sponge dauber. 

The trick is to colour them on top of the cardstock mat and keep moving the pieces around as you blend so that you're laying down colour over top of colour.  I started all the blending with Lemon Lolly, then switched to Granny Apple Green and then added Lost Lagoon.    

 I die cut the flowers from a scrap of envelope from the Sweet Thoughts Memory or More pack so no colouring was involved.  

I die cut the flowers from the Calypso coral card front featured in this photo.  The grid pattern gave a nice textured look to the flowers. 

Well that's it for today's post.  I hope you liked it and will leave me a comment as to which of the two cards you liked the most.  I'm going back to the drawing board to learn to colour the tiger more realistically.  I'm going to try using blending brushes rather than blends so I get a toned down version.  Cheers and have a good week. 

HAPPY STAMPING! 

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Web Store

Sending a Little Sunshine

We're already a week into March and so far we've had an arctic front, snow, heavy frost,hail, wind, rain and more rain. After a weekend of gray skies, heavy rain and winds I'm trying to stay optimistic and hoping for some sunshine and dryer weather in the days to come. 

With the weather focus on mind I decided to use this week's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #FMS626 for my inspiration. Here's the sketch:

FMS#626

HERE'S MY CARD:

I chose to design a positive card with a "rain and sun theme" that could be used for a variety of occasions.  

Remembering that the sketch challenge rules say it's okay to replace the circles with another image, I went ahead and changed the half circles with clouds. My basic white stitched clouds were die cut using the medium cloud die in the Stampin' Up! Bright Skies bundle featured on page 51 of the Annual Catalogue.  

There's also a cheerful little sun that's part of the coordinating stamp set and it has dies that make it easy to cut out and add dimension.  I stamped the sun in Daffodil Delight and used the small stitched circle die to cut a center for the sun from Daffodil Delight card stock.

I chose the "Sunshine to Brighten Your Day" sentiment from the "Sending Smiles" (#158701) stamp set on page 26 of the Annual Catalogue, and embossed it on a strip of basic black cardstock with Versamark ink and White Embossing Powder. I cut out the sentiment strip with the larger of the two label dies in the coordinating "Sending" (#159271) die set. What fun!  I love all nine of the sentiments in this stamp set, and any one of them would have worked perfectly with this theme. 

The Smokey Slate card base for this card measures 4 1/4" x 11" and is scored at the 5 1/2"  center line. I added a layer of Basic White 5 3/8" x 4 1/8", a layer of Balmy Blue 5 1/4" x 4" and a layer of Rain or Shine designer series paper that measured 3 7/8" x 51/8".  This piece of DSP has a myriad of glossing raised raindrops that capture the light when the card is turned. 

For the inside of the card I cut a 5 1/4" X 4" basic white panel and adhered another die cut sun to the bottom right hand corner.  I left the rest blank for a personal message. 

So that's my card for today.  I appreciate your dropping by to visit, and hope if my card inspired you in any way that you'll leave me a comment.  I super enjoy doing card challenges as it's a way of stimulating my creativeness and this weeks FMS#626 was perfect for that.  

Why not try out this challenge yourself, there's still a bit of time to do it.  Cheers and have a good week!

HAPPY STAMPING
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin Up Demo since 2006
Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Webstore

International Women's Day - Card Making

Happy March 8th and celebration of International Women's Day. International Women's Day (IWD) has occurred for well over a century with the first gathering held in 1911. Purple, green and white are the colors of International Women's Day, an annual event that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

My journey with Stampin' Up! started in 2006 and has given me the opportunity to celebrate creativity with women all over the world.  Whether we're coming together to make cards or scrapbooking or share our love of papercrafting it doesn't matter who we are.  There are no boundaries to the friendship, caring and camaraderie we've shared.  

So here's my salute and shout out to women papercrafters around the world. Keep your creativity positive and ongoing!  

HERE'S MY CARD: 

Happy Stamping!

Penny Tokens Stampin' Spot

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Visit my 24/7 Online Web Site: 

Click here to see the benefit of adding my March Hostess Code to your order.

On Line Exclusives ReFresh Starts Today!

Oh Happy Day!  Over the past week or so you may have seen some "sneak peek" cards or projects featuring new Stampin' Up! products and wondered how do I get my hands on those.  Well the wait is over!  

Starting today, March the 5th, 2024 you can begin shopping the new Online Exclusive product line. These new products are not in any catalogue and are only available online, and require an Online Account to place your order.

 It's easy to set up an account with me, but if you run into any difficulties or have questions don't hesitate to contact me for assistance. 

Online Exclusive products have no fixed end date.  Some of the Online Exclusives are available only while supplies last, and others will be reordered when inventory is low.  In this way, Stampin' Up! can offer even more new products throughout the year.

 

Click here to view the flyer or you can scan the bar code below to check out what was added today.  

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Independent Stampin' Up Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Store 

Zany Zoo March Birthdays #FMS645

March is always a busy month for me.  I have so many friends celebrating birthdays or anniversaries that my to do calendar is full.  I don't mind though, it's fun to celebrate and make someone's day with some happy mail! 

For today's card I've used the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #FMS625

HERE'S MY CARD: 

For today's card I used a fun birthday stamp and die bundle from the Annual Catalogue called Zany Zoo #161315.  There are 20 dies and 11 red cling stamps in this bundle.  The full suite called the ZOO Crew on pages 46 and 47 of the catalogue includes the beautiful Zany Zoo 12 x 12 designer series paper, as well as the stamps, dies and coordinating pastel ribbon  Duo pack.  Love it!  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator

Shop in my 24/7 On-line Store: