Bloomin' Accordion

This is my final card for the Kindred Stamps design team.  Again, I made an interactive card using the KS set Bloom and a Karen Burniston die, this week the Fancy Label Accordion die.

After stamping and coloring the three panels, I cut them out using one of the smaller dies in the set.  To give a bit more depth to the panels, I sponged around each one so it almost looks like they're framed.

I hope you have enjoyed my cards this month using Bloom.  I'm sure I'll be showing you some more creations from Kindred Stamps in the future -- they are so much fun to play with!

New Kindred Stamps Release - Forest Elves

I was so excited when I saw this new Kindred Stamps set -- Forest Elves, which is a companion set to one I already own -- Size Doesn't Matter.  It's a relatively small set (4" x 4"), but has three wonderful characters and several clever sentiments.  As a HUGE fan of these characters, I had a grand time creating.  In fact, I was creating in my mind before I even had the stamps in my hand!

My first card centers around the beautiful, ageless royal elf.  I used two different stencils on this card.  The gold stars on the navy background was done by using some gold embossing paste; the sunburst on the card base was achieved with sponging some Ranger Fossilized Amber distress ink.  Because I didn't want to run the navy cardstock through my die-cutting machine for fear of smashing the gold stars, I instead cut the circle from the card base and mounted the entire navy panel on the inside.  I then just cut the gold circle and glued it onto the front.

The royal elf is popped up on foam squares.  After I colored her with Copic markers, I added some clear Wink of Stella to her clothing.  Hopefully, you can see the shimmer.

My second card is an easel card -- with a little bit of a twist.  To go along with the sentiment "you have my bow and my heart," I made the easel from a heart.  I sponged the background trees using Ranger Mowed Lawn distress ink and the Kindred Stamps Forest Stencil, adding some grass patterned paper at the bottom.  I colored the two forest elves with Copic markers, cut them out, and placed them strategically on the heart.    I added a couple of die-cuts to the sentiment panel.

I had so much fun with my third card.  I recently purchased a Lawn Fawn Magic Picture Changer die and thought it would work well with the two forest elves.  When you pull the tab on the right-hand side of the card, the picture inside the frame changes.

I recently bought a camera with video capabilities, and I think I've figured out the process.  You can see how the picture changes in this short video.

The entire Kindred Stamps April release will be available Friday, April 26th at 8am PST/11am EST.  Be sure to subscribe to the Kindred Stamps blog to see a daily line up of sneak peeks from our amazing Design Team and see the full product release on Friday!  Come join the Fan Club and release event to be part of the release fun, and you may just win some Kindred Stamps credit!!

CCEE1917 Arbor Day

Lynn winds up her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers by telling us that tomorrow is Arbor Day.  Her message to us:  "Let a tree or trees be the star of your CCEE design this week."  I chose the Karen Burniston Tree Pop-Up die for my center of attraction.  It doesn't pop-up on this card, but it definitely stands out!  And the tire swing reminds me of one we had on an apple tree in my back yard when I was a kid -- many years ago.

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog to see how the rest of the team is celebrating Arbor Day.

Happy Easter Circle Charm

Today is Easter, and I have a happy little Easter card for you today.  I recently purchased the Karen Burniston Circle Charm Pop-Up die and used it, as well as several other KB die sets, to make this card.

Following the great video instructions Karen Burniston has on her website, I was able to construct this card with little or no trouble at all.  Yellow and purple always make a nice color combination for an Easter or spring card.   I cut the sentiment die with both colors and layered them.  Using several of the circle dies from the main die set, along with the Crosshatch Circles, I decorated the front.

The inside has the same purple gingham background, and the little chick rotated to the inside when the card is opened.  I used the butterfly which came with the Circle Charm Pop-Up, added the egg from the Easter charms along with the rabbit from the Spring Animals set.  The two rectangular panels were created with the Crosshatch Rectangle dies.   I've already sent this card to my sister (another Karen Burniston fan) and signed it on the right-hand rectangular panel.

CCEE1916 National Month of Hope

Lynn continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers this week.  She told us that April is the National Month of Hope and asked us to create a card with a sentiment of encouragement and send it to a friend who is in need of a spark of love and hope in their lives.  Sometimes the smallest gesture can light that spark!  I belong to a group of women from my church called Sisters in Service (SIS).  Our main purpose is to provide assistance to any church project that needs many hands.  But, we also have a project of our own called Prayer Angels.  We each choose another member of the group (anonymously) and send messages of hope and prayer to them throughout the year.  I will be sending my challenge card to my partner in the next few weeks.

Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog for more messages of hope.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Continuing with my Kindred Stamps theme of interactive cards again this week, I made a card using the Karen Burniston Katherine Label Pop-Up die.  The children in this set, Bloom, are so sweet -- and I used the two little gardeners this week.

After creating the base with some sky patterned paper and "grass" on the lower portion, I cut a window in the front of the card.  The frame was created using a couple of the dies in that set.  I stamped and colored the two children with Copic markers and cut them out -- ignoring the leaves because I thought it would be too difficult cutting around them.  I then partially stamped the images onto the card, gluing down the fussy-cut figures on top.  I then colored the leaves with a darker green.

When you open the card, the sentiment that you had seen through the window now pops up.  I added the flowers (stamped twice) at the bottom.

As you may have guessed, I love making cards with moving parts!  I hope you liked this one.

CCEE1915 Drop Everything and Read Day

Lynn chose a subject close to my heart as the CCEE Stampers challenge this week.  She told us that tomorrow is Drop Everything and Read Day.  That could be any day of the week for me.  I love to read!  She asked us to create a design which features a favorite book, favorite book character(s), or has a reading theme.  One of my favorite series of books is all about hobbits, elves, larger-than life characters, and perseverance.  I have read J. R. R. Tolkien's books several times each and have seen the movies which were made from several of them many, many times.  Whenever I have to make a card based on a book theme, I always pull out Spellbinders Label Seven dies.  They are the perfect shape!

Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog to see what books inspired the rest of the team this week.

Easter Picture Changer

I recently purchased a Lawn Fawn Magic Picture Changer die and have been having lots of fun with it.  Today's post is an experiment to see if I can post a video to my blog, having recently bought a new camera with video capabilities.

The fun of this die is that your card is interactive -- with two different pictures and/or sentiments  on it.

When you pull the tab, this is what happens.

And now for the experiment . . .

Yay!  It worked!

You're Bloomin' Wonderful!

This is my last month on the Kindred Stamps Design Team, and I wanted to let you all know that I've thoroughly enjoyed creating for you.  This month my non-release week set to use is Bloom, which is actually a pretty new stamp set -- it was released just last month.  If you recall, last month all my non-release week projects were "anything but a card."  This month has a theme also -- all three of my cards will be interactive, using three different Karen Burniston dies -- another of my loves!

My first card is made with the Rockin' Rectangle die and uses a sheet of heavyweight acetate for the front cover -- so you get a hint of what's inside.

When you open the front, the panel with that sweet little girl pops out at you -- revealing a little bit more.

A top view of the card gives you an idea of how much it pops out.

When I decided to make this card, I didn't have any sheets of heavyweight acetate, so I cut up the packaging I had saved from a die set.  Use what you have is my motto!  I hope you like my card.

CCEE1914 - Read a Road Map Day

Lynn starts her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers by telling us that tomorrow is Read a Road Map Day and asks us to create a card which incorporates a map or has a travel theme.  My card actually does both of those things.  I love using maps as background paper for a card.   I also used a cool off-road vehicle to travel the wide-open spaces of this country!

Be sure to travel over to the CCEE Stampers blog for some more inspiration.

Designer Challenge - Spring or Easter

This month's Karen Burniston Designer Challenge is to make a card depicting spring or Easter, incorporating the Easter Charms, Spring Animals, or Happy Spring into it.  I decided on Easter and wanted to incorporate "He is Risen" into my card.  I chose the Woven Basket Pop-Up die, which is my current favorite, and a cross (that I stamped and fussy cut) with that sentiment on it, as well as one of the dies in the Easter Charms set.

I decided that the cross needed a bit of support, so I slipped a piece of clear acetate behind it.  And, as you can see, the card will fold flat for mailing.

I very much enjoyed this month's Designer Challenge and thank you for stopping by my blog to see my card.