Sunday, April 20, 2025

Darling Dino Birthday - AHSC #625

Welcome to my blog and Happy Easter weekend!  Today I'm using the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #625 to make a child's birthday.  This little guy loves  loves dinosaurs so I created a scene by replacing the rabbit in the sketch with a dinosaur coming out of its egg.  I flipped the sketch on it's side so I had room to get all the little elements together.   

Here's My Card: 


I am really falling in love with the Basic Beige cardstock Stampin' Up! began stocking this past year.  When you compare the rocks which are in Crumb Cake cardstock in this photo to the Basic Beige there is such a significant difference.  I really like this lighter tone, and it's such a fabulous neutral.  It works perfectly with the Timeless Plaid dsp matting on this card. 


I kept the inside of the card fairly simple.  Again I used  a matte from the Timeless Plaid DSP and I stamped the "Happy Birthday" sentiment from Perennial Birthdays, one of my most favourite birthday celebration stamp sets.  
Supplies:

Stamps and Dies:

  • Darling Dinos #164728
    • Balloons x 3
    • Dinosaur
    • Flowers x 4 
    • Grass
    • Rocks x 2
    • Sentiment on front - "Hope Your Birthday is DINO-mite!"
  • Perennial Birthday - sentiment inside matte "Happy Birthday"
  • Darling Dinos Dies #164734
    • Three Balloons
    • Rocks
    • Dinosaur
    • Egg Shell top and bottom
  • Perennial Postage Dies #162607 - "Happy Birthday" inside card
  • Decal Rectangle Dies (R) #159173 - Basic Beige matte on card front

Cardstock and DSP:

  • Basic Beige 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" for card base
  • Basic Beige 3 3/4" x 5" for inside matte
  • Basic Beige scrap for dino egg shell
  • Mossy Meadow 3 1/2 x 4 3/4" for postage stamp layer 
  • Basic White scraps for balloons and dinosaur
  • Designer Series Paper:  Timeless Plaid #164678
    • Inside Matte - 4" x 5 1/4" 
    • Outside Matte - 3 3/4" x 5"
  • Crumb Cake scraps for rocks

Ink:

  • Mossy Meadow Ink 
  • Momento Black ink
  • Blends:  Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Boho Blue, Mossy Meadow, Cajun Craze, Old Olive
  • Black Fine Line marker for balloon strings

Accessories: 

  • Dimensionals 

Stamp sets like Darling Dinos are perfect for creating fun background scenes along with the main featured stamps.  All of the stamps on the card front come from that set.  What do you think?  Do you like to make cards with scenes?

Thanks for dropping by and checking out my card.  I look forward to your comments. 



HAPPY EASTER AND
HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 


Tuesday, April 15, 2025

I'm A Princess! FMS #681


Just a note of gratitude for the Design Team and especially to Kim at Freshly Made Sketches who chose my card as one of the Princesses for this week's sketch challenge!  
Congrats to the other 8 Princesses .... well deserved! 

Donna Mikasa was chosen as the Queen of Clean for her beautiful card.  I love to participate in their sketch challenges, so getting some recognition like this is really meaningful for me.  

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006


Sunday, April 13, 2025

Life's A Journey - Masculine Birthday Card FMS#681


Hey everyone.  Welcome to my blog and thanks for taking a look at my entry for this week's Freshly Made Sketch #681 hosted by the very talented Amy O'Neil

This sketch is so simple, yet so great.  If you haven't attempted to do a sketch challenge before this would be a perfect starter.  Remember to make it your own design.  And, while the sketch has a pocket shape for its focal, you can substitute any shape you want.  This sketch is open until Monday April 14th 3pm EST so if you've got a minute why not join the fun and play along.

Click here to check out the Design Team and participant entries. Awesome!

 Here is My Card:
I'm always on the lookout for sketches that have a masculine appeal. This sketch with it's clean lines and the pocket instantly conjured up the badge in the "One Wild Ride" stamp set.  So, with that image in mind, I began to design my card.

While looking through my stash of masculine papers I found the remainder of a kit called Easy Rider, by Reminisce. A piece of grey dsp with motorcycle treads across it caught my eye so I paired it up with a basic black card base. I stamped the motorcycle from One Wild Ride in Momento black ink across the bottom of the dsp. I also found a silver cardstock die cut from a bundle called Geared Up Garage, added some texture to the card front.

The next step was to stamp the badge in Momento Black ink on a scrap of Whisper White and punch it out with a coordinating punch.  The badge was mounted with dimensionals to the pocket die cut.  I used one of the medium sized dies from the Stitched Nested Labels dies to create the basic grey pocket.  To get the pocket shape I merely measured a 1/4" past the badge and cut across the die cut with my scissors. It worked perfectly. In this photo you can see a little more of the card's detail including the splotches, gears and the black stud embellishments I added.


I kept the inside of the card fairly clean, only adding the sentiment from another biker themed set called Legendary Ride #160754 and a few dark grey splotches using the very old Grunge stamp set. 

For the base mat I cut an additional piece of the Easy Rider dsp. Using dsp instead of cardstock is a great way to not only use up your paper stash, but it reduces the overall weight of the card for mailing.


Supplies:

Stamps and Dies:
  • One Wild Ride (R) #141724 - badge and motorcycle
  • Legendary Ride #160754 - sentiment for inside 
  • Geared Up Garage (R) dies #148590 - gear image in silver cardstock
  • Gorgeous Grunge (R) #130517 - splotches on card front
  • Stitched Nested Label Framelit Dies #149638 - pocket


Cardstock and DSP:
  • Card Base Basic Black - 4 1/4" x 11" scored at 5 1/2"
  • Cut two DSP mattes 4" x 5 1/4" for front and inside from Easy Rider Kit - Reminiscence Designer Paper
  • 3" x 3" Basic Grey for Badge
  • 2" x 2" Basic White for Badge
  • 3 3/4" x 5" Basic White matte for inside
  • 4" x 3 1/2" flat silver scrap for gear die cut
Ink:
  • Momento Black ink
  • Basic Grey for splotches 
Accessories:  
  • Dimensionals
  • Adhesive Backed Studs black #160767
I'm really happy with the way this card turned out.  All in all once I located the supplies in my stash the rest of the card came together pretty quickly.  I love that.  

How about you, do you keep a stash of materials that work for your masculine cards?  I'd love to hear if you do and how you keep those materials together.  I have one of those 12 x 12 plastic  containers from  the big box store and keep my dsp, neutral cardstock and masculine style stamps and dies in it.  This works really well for me.  

Okay that's it for this week.  Don't forget to leave me a comment before you move on, and come back again.  I love having visitors and I so appreciate your feedback on my cards.  Cheers and happy week ahead!
HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo Since 2006 

Click here to shop or browse in my 24/7 Online Store


Friday, April 11, 2025

Zoo Crew Birthday Wishes - AHSC #624


This has been such a busy week, with very little "me time" or "stamp time". Yesterday I was cleaning and busy getting ready for dinner guests but it was such a dismal rainy day, I didn't mind puttering about and cooking.  

I made one of my favourite meals of Mississippi Pot Roast with Yorkshire Pudding, yellow mashed potatoes, mixed veggies and a Caesar Salad.  We finished off the meal with a tart lemon meringue pie for dessert.  What a treat and especially on a rainy day!  
Today I have some time for card making, so I'm using the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #624 as my inspiration. This challenge ends on Sunday April 6th Eastern Standard Time.    Here's the sketch: 


Here's My Card:  
By moving the card stock strips over to the opposite side of the sketch I was able to have the fox in my focal point riding his motorbike in the right direction. The fox was cut from one of my favourite designer papers called Zoo Crew.  What fun! To add some interest I drew the little road squiggles and puffs of exhaust with a black marker, and I glued on the little daisy embellishments.  

Supplies:

Stamps and Dies:
  • Paper Pumpkin March 25 Kit (Happy Birthday)
  • Deckled Rectangles Dies (R) #159173
  • Stitched Oval Dies (R)
  • Unknown Birthday Greeting Stamp - Stampin' Up!
Cardstock and DSP:
  • Zoo Crew 12 x 12 DSP #161304 (Fox on Motorbike)
  • Whisper White card base 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"
    • 3 3/4" x 4 3/4" matte for card front
    • 3 3/4" x 5" matte for inside 
    • 31/2" " x 3 1/2" scrap for stitched oval
  • Peach Pie 4 x 5 1/4" for front and inside mattes.  Cut 2.
  • 1/4" x 3 3/4" strips for design element in Peach Pie, Petunia Pop, Shy Shamrock and Pretty in Pink
Ink:
  • Petunia Pop
  • Blends
    • Light Smokey Slate
    • Petunia Pop
  • Fine Black Marker 
Accessories: 
  • Loose Daisy Embellishments (R)
  • Dimensionals  
What a fun card to make and a terrific way to use up your scraps. Whenever I see the characters from the Zoo Crew paper I smile, they are so sweet.  

Well that's it for today.  I hope you enjoyed this card and will leave me a comment.  See you next time.......

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNYTOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006





Sunday, April 6, 2025

FMS#680 - Daisy Daydream Thank you Card

It's time for this Wednesday's Freshly Made Sketch  hosted by Narelle Farrugi:

I've been preoccupied this week with the beautiful March 2025 Paper Pumpkin kit.  If you love daisies you'll understand what I mean when I say this kit is to die for!  This kit is filled with artistically designed paper, coordinating envelopes daisy and honeycomb ephemera and accessories like ink, dimensionals, and so much more.  Oh I almost forgot to mention in true Paper Pumpkin style, this spring kit contains two wonderfully coordinated stamp sets.  

While I like the three card styles demonstrated in the kit, I prefer to just play with all the bits and bobs and see what I can come up with.  As a result, I thought it might be fun to use the Freshly Made Sketches design #680 to create an alternative card from this kit.  

 

Here's My Card: 



Supplies:

Stamp Set and Dies:
  • Daisy Daydream Paper Pumpkin stamps
  • Everyday Arches #164623 and Everyday Dies #164269
Cardstock and DSP:
  • Blue cardstock Daisy Daydream Paper Pumpkin kit 
    • I cut the original card  base in two at 4" x 5 1/4" on both sides of the base to use as mattes and discarded the center strip that was left.  
    • For the front matte I cut an arch  that measures 4 7/8" x 3 1/2".
    • For the inside matte I used the 4" x 5 1/4" matte.
  • Whisper White card base 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4".
    • cut one matte for inside measuring 3 7/8" x 5" and stamp sentiment, flower and honeycomb for design
  • Lost Lagoon matte 4 1/8" x 5 3/8" first matte layer on front
  • Lemon Lolly matte 4" x 5 1/4" embossed with with Hexagon Dynamic Embossing folder (R) #143231
I forgot once again to splatter my background paper before attaching the ephemera but improvised with a white gel pen and a black marker.  I loved the "honeycomb" effect on the Lemon Lolly paper when I embossed it.  

Ink: 
  • Mossey Meadow
  • Crushed Curry
  • White Gel Pen
  • Black Marker
Accessories: 
  • Dimensionals
  • Daisy Ephemera and Bubble Bee
  • Hexagon Dynamic EF #143231 (R) - for embossing stack #1 + two #2 plates with Die Cut and Emboss or Big Shot machines 
  • Gold Glimmer gems (r) 
I hope you liked today's card.  It was very simple and fun to make.  I was really impressed with the large arched stamp from Everyday Arches.  It was fun to use.  I also was impressed with the Ephemera included in the Paper Pumpkin kit, especially that little bee, it looked so sweet.  Please leave me a comment if you liked this card, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 


HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo since 2006



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Saturday, April 5, 2025

Masculine Birthday Card - AHSC #623

Update:  Top 3 for Sketch Challenge #623

I just found out my card was chosen as one of the Top Three at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I love this validation!  My card placed along with ones by Donna Scholtz and Christy Stanford.  

________________________________________________________________

Take a look at this great sketch challenge from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #623. 

This week I'm needing a few more masculine cards for birthdays that are coming up so I designed my card with that theme in mind and since the sketch reminded me of a "gate fold" card, I went with that design.


Here's My Card:

Supplies:

Stamps and Dies:

Best Catch (SU) R #148598
Arched Everyday Dies #164629 Online Exclusive Feb 2025

Cardstock and DSP:

Basic  Beige:

  • Card base 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 score at 2 1/8" on left side then rotate and score at 2 1/8" on left side. Burnish fold lines. 
  • Cut one 3 7/8" x 5" for arch on inside of card
  • Cut one 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" for smaller arch on front panel  
Soft Suede (Retired): 
  • Cut two panels for front of card 2" x 5 3/8"
  • Cut one matte 4 x 5 1/4" for inside matte 
Woven Textures DSP #165560 SU Online Exclusive Feb 2025
  • Cut 2 pieces 1 7/8" x 5 1/4" for front panels
  • Cut 1 piece 3 7/8" x 5" for inside matte
Additional Cardstock Scraps: 
  • Mossy Meadow - small scraps for grass front and inside card and for Happy Birthday die cut
  • Crumb Cake for ball cap die cut 
  • Copper Clay for fishing sign die cut 
  • Very Vanilla for fishing sign 

Ink:

  • Mossy Meadow 
  • Soft Suede
  • Momento Black for fish 

Accessories: 

  • Dimensionals 
  • Rustic Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots #159082


Thanks for visiting my blog today and I hope you enjoyed my masculine birthday card design.  

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT
Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo since 2006


WELCOME APRIL - WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Thanks for visiting my blog today.  It's April 1st and it's the month of transition. The signs of Spring are starting to show up in my yard now. Today I was checking out the forsythia blossoms in the trees below our yard.  Looks like the birds know it's Spring too because they seem to be busy looking for nesting materials.   




As we get closer to the end of the current catalogue year, Stampin' Up! has just updated the Last Chance Products portion of the online store with some more retiring deals.  You can check it out by clicking here.

BIG STAMPIN' REWARDS CHANGES:
Stampin’ Up! is updating their Rewards Program beginning April 15!

A big change is coming on April 15th, 2025 to the current Stampin’ Rewards program offered by Stampin’ Up! Any order over $20.00 will now qualify to earn Stampin’ Rewards from 2pm MT April 15 onwards.  This is a big change and probably a welcome one.  

Here's what you'll need to know:
  • Stampin’ Ups! online store will be offline from 8 AM MT until 2 PM MT on April 15 for the transition to the new rewards system.  So don't place any orders until after 2pm on April 15, 2025. 
  • My  “host code offer” will no longer apply my so you won't see any more Hostess Code postings or decals on my blog. 
  • Orders of $200+ are no longer needed to start rewards with the new Stampin' Rewards system.
  • Orders of $20+ will earn 10% rewards.  So, if you place an $50, you’ll earn a $5 reward to use the next time you shop! And, the system tracks your spent/unspent rewards for you.
  • You can choose to spend a portion or all of your Stampin' Rewards on your next order, or you can save them up for a special purchase.
  • Stampin' Rewards can be saved for up to a year.

The Fine Print - What do you need to do:
  • If you don't already have an active Stampin’ Up! online store account you'll need to set one up so you can place orders and earn and redeem rewards.  If You can set one up your online account at stampinup.com.  
  • I won't be able to create and manage customer accounts any longer.  Although I can still provide demo assistance, and answer any questions regarding your order, because of stricter banking policies and data/privacy laws, you'll need to officially be in charge of your own customer account for ordering and earning & redeeming Stampin' Rewards. 
  • Starting April 15th you'll need to opt into the program to begin earning and deeming Stampin’ Rewards. When you place your first order on or after April 15, you’ll be given an option to opt into the new rewards program.  If you don't choose to opt in at that time, you'll have the option again when you place your next order.  When you don't opt in you won't qualify for rewards on your order, so why lose out on rewards, opt in right away.  
  • There'll be a pop up option when you log into your stampinup.com as of the afternoon of April 15th just click the “get started” button to go through the opt-in process and start earning your rewards.
  • If you don’t want to opt into the rewards program, you don’t have to opt in.  You can still order; you just won’t receive the Stampin’ Rewards for your purchases.  

Again, these changes will begin April 15th at 2 PM Mountain Time.  Contact me if you have any questions, I'll be happy to help you out. 


HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNYTOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 




BYGO - 50% off June Promotion June 3rd to 30th

  HAPPY JUNE EVERYONE:   Just a reminder that the 50% off promo starts today and lasts until June 30th or stock is no longer available.  Cli...