Valentine Bear Hugs and FMS#719

 Freshly Made Sketches #719 the first sketch for 2026 is hosted by Judy this week.  Here is the sketch:

Here's My Card: 

It's mid-January already and time to get busy with some Valentine cards for friends and family.  I recently purchased Stampin' Ups! new Valentine themed set called "Valentine Kisses".  When I looked at the FMS challenge, I knew instantly it would be perfect for showcasing the super cute die cut kissing booth.  Here's what I came up with: 

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• Valentine Kisses #167027 
• Valentine Kisses Dies #167029
• Stitched shapes Large and smallest ovals

I purchased mine as a bundle and saved 10% off total cost.

Cardstock and Designer Paper:

• Card base Basic White 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" 
• Basic White matte for inside 5 1/4" x 4"
• Basic White scraps 3" x 4 1/2" for Oval and 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" for sentiment
• Flirty Flamingo 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" matte on front, 4 1/8" x 1 6/8" matte for dsp band on card front
• Crumb Cake scrap for bears 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" 
• DSP Retired Most Adored #162976 cut x 2 at 5 1/4" x 4" for front and inside mattes.
• DSP coordinating piece of Most Adored DSP for band 1 1/2" x 4". 
•  Real Red scraps for small die cut heart and trim on kissing booth. 

Just look at those sweet little bears.  So stinking cute.  I added some translucent pink self-adhesive sequins to give some shine.  

Ink:

• Strawberry Slush 
• Pretty in Pink Stampin Blends for cheeks and belly on bears

Accessories:  

• 3-D Basic Hatched Design Embossing Folder for Oval 
• Dimensionals
• Pink Self-Adhesive Sequins 

Thank you for dropping by and checking out my card for the challenge.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this card or on the stamp set.  Were you inspired to make some Valentine's Day cards?  If so there's still time to play just click on the FMS link in the first paragraph for details and sketch.  Cheers! 

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Branching Out Masculine Birthday Card

Freshly Made Sketches #718 - designed by Amy, is the first sketch of this popular sketch challenge site for the New Year.  It's so clean and sleek, I found it frightening, however decided to dive in an see what I could come up with.  Here's their sketch which closes on  January 12th in the afternoon.

Here's My Card:

Because this sketch was intimidating to me because of its simplicity and clean and simple lines, I didn't want to overthink what to make.  I decided to look through stamp sets I'd purchased at the end of the year but not used, for inspiration. Here is my card:

This 18 piece photopolymer stamp set with 10 coordinating dies is called Branching Out.  I bought it as a bundle because I'd ran across a Christmas card I wanted to recreate.  Unfortunately I didn't have much time to play with it.

Now that I'm giving this set a try, I'm pretty excited.  It's going to be one of those sets with a lot of potential and can be used way beyond the holiday season.  It would be great for fall/winter masculine cards, sympathy and friendship cards to name a few. This particular card is in celebration of one of my guy friends who has a birthday coming up the end of January.   I hope he likes it. 

See those tiny little pine cones they are cut out with one of the coordinating die cuts and then sponged with a dauber to add some depth and detail. It was a great way to use up some Pecan Pie paper scraps.

Supplies and Instructions: 

Stamps and Dies:

• Branching out Bundle for pine branches, pine cones - stamped and die cut, and sentiments inside and front cover 

Card Stock and Designer Paper: 

• Pecan Pie for card Base 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"
• Early Espresso matte 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" and strip 1/4" x 5" for edge along DSP
• Sahara Sand (R) 5 1/4" x 4" - cut two one for front and one for inside mattes
• Country Bird House Designer Series Paper 

Ink: 

• Shaded Spruce
• Early Espresso
• Pecan Pie
• Pebbled Path 

Accessories: 

• Gold Self Adhesive Sequins 

I'm so excited I finally used the Branching Out bundle to make this card.  It's inspired me to explore more ways to use it.  I hope you liked this card and my take on the FMS 718 challenge.  I'd welcome your comments and or questions regarding how this card came together.  Thanks and see you again.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 online shop 

Click here to see the Jan to April Spring Catalogue

Click here to see January Product of the Month 

Click here to see how you can earn Bonus Day Coupons

Donuts and Coffee for a Happy Birthday! AHSC#663

January is such a busy month with taking down the Christmas decorations and cleaning the house from top to bottom that it's going by quickly.  My house always looks so blah after all the lights and sparkle are put away especially on all the grey rainy days we've been having.  

I was proud of myself because I was able to stick to my decluttering plan and whittle down more of our Christmas decorations.  I still have way too many boxes in storage, but it's less than last year, which is a good thing!   

I had a bit of spare time left in between packing and cleaning, and decided to play with the first sketch of the year at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog.  I love this layout and had no difficulty coming up with my own version of the sketch. 

HERE'S MY CARD: 

SUPPLIES AND INSTRUCTIONS:

Stamps and Dies:

• Branching Out #165771 sentiment "Sent With Lots of Love"
• More Than Autumn #164228 donuts, coffee cup and leaves
• Wishing You the Happiest Birthday Yet from Stampin' Up

Cardstock and Designer Papers:

• Basic White card base 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4".  
• Basic White matte for inside card 5 1/4" x 4" 
• Basic White scraps for coffee cup, donuts and 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" sentiment square and for hearts 
• Pecan Pie 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" matte for card front and 2" x 2" scrap for square 
• Old Olive - scrap for die cut leaves 
• A Little Latte DSP # 163453(R) - mattes for front and inside card 5 1/4" x 4" and scraps for strips for front of card and 1 1/2 x 1 1/2" square for front 

Ink and Blends:

• Momento Black Ink for donuts and coffee cup
• Lost Lagoon for sentiments
• Calypso Coral, Lost Lagoon, Daffodil Delight alcohol blends for donuts and hearts

Accessories: 

• Dimensionals
• Nuvo Clear Drops for shiny glaze on donuts
• Lost Lagoon self adhesive faceted gems

Well that's it for this week.  I hope you enjoyed this card, and would love to hear your thoughts on the layout.  Is this design one that you would use in your cardmaking?  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

New Spring Mini Catalogue - January to April 2026

NEW SPRING MINI CATALOGUE - AVAILABLE NOW 

JANUARY 6TH TO APRIL 30, 2026 

Click here to see the digital version of this catalogue

The new Spring mini catalogue is now live click on the link above to see the digital version.  If you live in the Abbotsford/Aldergrove area and would like to have a catalogue please contact me.  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #662

 It's time for Atlantic Hearts first sketch challenge of 2026  digitalized by Michelle.  

Here's My Card:

I decided to make a feminine birthday card using the AHSC sketch.  

The inspiration for this card came from a package of ephemera called Easter Time Mix and Match Ephemera which will be available in the new January to April Stampin' Up! catalogue on January 6th, 2026.  The precut images feature beautiful subtle colours and I was really drawn to the combination of purples and yellow in the floral designs.

Supplies and Instructions:

Stamps and Dies:

• "Wishing You" is from an old Stampin' Up! birthday stamp set, that I can't locate the name for.
• "Happy Birthday" from Perennial Birthday 
• Impressions Abloom Dies for ovals

Cardstock and Designer Paper:

• 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Basic White for card base
• 3 x 4" Basic White for Oval 
• 5" x 3 3/4" Basic White for inside mat 
• 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" Daffodil Delight for front mat and 5 1/4"x 4" for inside mat
• Oval stitched frame cut from 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" Daffodil Delight 
• 5 1/4" x 4" Highland Heather embossed with Sequin embossing folder for front mat

Ink:

• Gorgeous Grape

Accessories:

• Easter Time Mix and Match Ephemera Pack #166984
• Shiny Self-Adhesive Lemon Lolly Sequins 
• Sequin retired SU Embossing folder 

Thanks for visiting my blog and checking out this sketch challenge.  I try to complete these sketch challenges on a weekly basis, so why not start the New Year off by following along and adding your own rendition.  The linky for this challenge ends on January 4th, 2026.  

HAPPY STAMPING

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT 

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006 

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop 

It's January - What's Happening?

 

WELCOME TO JANUARY 2026 - 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Stampin' Up! has a BIG DAY coming up on Tuesday, January 6, 2026:

• January to April 2026 Mini Catalog Launches to the Public
• January 2026 Online Exclusives Launches
• Bonus Days Begins (January you "earn" rewards and February you can "redeem")
• Product of the Month Release for January
• Two New Kits from Kits Collection

Bonus Days - January 6 to February 2, 2026

Get ready for Stampin' Ups! first promo of the year! BONUS DAYS are coming!!!! When you shop Stampin' Up! between January 6 and February 2 and spend $60 CDN you will earn a $6 CDN coupon! Make sure you save all your coupons because you can redeem them (and we mean ALL of them) between February 3 and 28. Each purchase earns you Stampin’ Rewards, so that’s even more bang for your buck!

There’s no limit to how many coupons you can earn.  Check out this video from Stampin' Up!

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 online shop 

Wildflower Birthday card and FMS#717

 Freshly Made Sketches #717

This is the final sketch for Freshly Made Sketches for 2025.  Narelle is the host made a beautiful card using these sketch elements, so make sure you check it out on her blog.  

Since it's Christmas time and everyone is so busy, the Design Team at Freshly Made Sketches are taking a break.  So that's the reason this sketch which would normally run for a week has been running since December 17th and will carry through to January 5th, 2026.  The sketch prince and princess notables will be announced on January 6th and then everything will return to normal with the first sketch challenge for 2026  

Why not add "sketch challenges" to your list of New Year's resolutions for 2026, and start a weekly habit of joining in. And while you're at it, there's still time to play along with Sketch 717.

Here's My Card: 

I don't know about you, but at this time of the year, I'm looking for something new to make, and I'm not wanting to make any more Christmas cards.  When I looked at the FMS sketch I thought it would be a perfect layout for a feminine birthday card, so I decided to let some new designer paper and ephemera I'd purchased, influence the card design. Here's what I came up with: 

The paper I used is called Wildflower Birthday.  I'd admired this papers soft feminine contrasts and designs since it first came out, but couldn't justify getting another birthday DSP until it recently went on sale in the Last Chance products listing.  I was also interested in buying the coordinating dies called Birthday Celebration and got them for half price along with the paper.  

For my card I added some pieces of ephemera from the Wildflower Birthday DSP instead of stamping images.  There were two sheets of ephemera included with the paper, so it was fun trying different pieces to see what would work and what wouldn't while developing my card.

I also tried out a new to me fancy fold that is great for using up paper, for the inside of the card. I have no idea what this fold or design is called, however it involves putting a 10 1/2" x 4" piece of DSP that's scored at 5 1/4" on the inside of the card and then adding a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of neutral cardstock for writing your message on that is adhered to the inside of the DSP.

I added quite a few self-adhesive sequins to the front of the card to add a festive look.  The tag for the sentiment is from another new to me die set that I bought off the Last Chance List called Tags To Go.  Love, love love this tag die for it's shape and simplicity.  I know I'll be using this die set often in the future. 

Supplies and Instructions: 

Stamps and Dies:

• Tags To Go #165576 sentiment tag
• Round We Go #163724 - sentiment

Cardstock and Designer Papers:

• Wildfire Birthday 12 x 12 DSP #164591 
• 10 1/2 x 4" scored at 5 1/4" for inside fold 
• 5 1/4" x 4" matte on card front 
• 2" x 1 1/2 inch stripped piece for rectangle 
• Soft Seafoam Cardstock Matte 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" for front matte
• Basic White 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" for card base; two 2" x 1 1/2" scraps for sentiment tag and for 2" x 1 1/2" layer 

Inks and Blends:

• Blueberry Bushel for sentiments 

Accessories: 

• Ephemera from Wildflowers Birthday 12 x 12 paper pack
• Purple Adhesive Sequins 
• Dimensionals
• Glue 

Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you'll return again.  If you liked this card or know the name of the DSP panel I used inside the card let me know, I'd be happy to hear from you. 

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, CDN Stampin' Up! Demo since 2006

Click here to visit my 24/7 Online Shop