Happy Birthday, Wild Thing

I recently saw someone do a very cool technique -- putting a lattice work die-cut behind the openings in a slimline card -- and I knew I had to give it a try, using just some new Karen Burniston dies.

After cutting my 3 1/4" x 8 1/4" lime green panel, I cut three circles in it, using one of the Crosshatch Circles dies.  I then backed the outside two circles with pieces cut from a panel which I had previously cut using the Fronds Pattern Plate.  I stamped the sentiment at the middle of a 3 1/4" x 8 1/4" white panel and overlaid it with the lime green panel, using foam tape to raise the lime panel just a bit.  I then glued it down onto the darker green card base.

After the card was constructed, I added the giraffe from the new Safari Animals set, a couple of leaves from the pattern plate, and several sequins.  This just shows that you really don't need slimline dies to make a slimline card.

C4C550 - Retro

Tracy gave the Crazy4Challenges team a real challenge this week -- at least it was for me.    She said, "Get your Retro on!  Make a card in a 'Retro' theme.  Interpret "Retro' any way you like!"  I wasn't exactly sure what the difference between "retro" and "vintage" is, so I googled it.  I pulled up some images which were labeled "retro" to get an idea of where to go.  I actually found a photo, which I have sort of copied for my card.  I hope this works!   The skyline die is from Sizzix, and the letters are from a CottageCutz die called (interestingly enough) Retro Alphabet.   I made my own stencil for the "moon" and colored the sky with two shades of Distress Oxide inks.

Check out the Crazy4Challenges blog to see how the rest of the team handled this interesting challenge.

CCEE2035 - Peach Month

For Liz's final challenge this month she told the CCEE Stampers that August is Peach month.  This is one of her favorite colors (mine, too, by the way); and, of course, who doesn't love a great peach to eat.  So she asked us to make use of either the fruit or the color on our cards today.

When I was growing up in Pennsylvania, we had several peach trees on our property.  One of them was a white peach, and people are surprised to hear that there are white peaches.  They are actually sweeter than their yellow cousins.  Enough of the nature lesson, on to my card.  It's another card using a Paper Nest Dolls image.  Oh, BTW, the color of my cardstock is Florida Peach!

Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more peach delights!

C4C549 - Oriental Card

This week's Crazy4Challenges challenge is to make an oriental style card.  Tracy said, "Let's use some of our stash that are 'Oriental Style' and make a card.  You could use a kimono, cherry blossom, pagoda, lanterns, fans, birds ,koi, etc."

When given an "oriental" challenge, I love to make screen cards.  I've got some cherry blossoms, a parasol, and some Chinese symbols on my card.

Check out the Crazy4Challenges blog for some more "oriental style" cards.

CCEE2034 - National Senior Citizens Day

Here it is the day after Liz's BIG birthday, the Big 7-0!  So in honor of Liz's birthday and National Senior Citizens Day (Aug. 21st), the CCEE Stampers are using some adorable old women still having fun and enjoying life on our cards.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many annual stamp shows were canceled this year.  Hopefully, next year we'll all be able to get back to normal.  My card depicts all of us racing off to the convention centers looking for new toys.  I just love these happy Art Impressions gals, don't you!

Check out more fun-loving old women on the CCEE Stampers blog.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!

I have been having so much fun with the new Karen Burniston Bitty Ball Pop-Up, in conjunction with last year's Surprise Ball Pop-Up.   I have made a whole menagerie of animals using these two ingenious die sets.   The Bitty Ball is 20% smaller than the Surprise Ball, allowing the body of the animal to be slightly larger than the head.

Today's card is a tiger, wrapped up in a gatefold card.  I bought a pad of safari papers several years ago, and it was perfect for my wild jungle card.

These animals are so much fun to make!

C4C548 Sketch Challenge

The Crazy4Challenges challenge this week is a sketch challenge.

I decided I didn't want to make a card with flowers this week, so I substituted gears for the flowers in the sketch.  I now have a guy card in my stash!

Check out the Crazy4Challenges blog to see how the rest of the team handled this challenge.

CCEE2033 - Roses

Liz continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers and tells us that tomorrow (August 14) is International Rose Day.  Roses are one of Liz's favorite flowers, so she asked us to put some on our cards today.

I just got this cute little Paper Nest Dolls girl, and this is the first time I've used her on a card.  I haven't put a sentiment on it; I'll do that when I use the card.

Check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more roses.

Never Too Early for Christmas Cards

I tend to make Christmas cards all year long, usually winding up with more than I need -- but nothing wrong with that!  Today I have a Christmas card made with the new Karen Burniston Pop 'n Swap die.

The idea for my card popped into my head at 4:00 in the morning.  I've not been sleeping well during my Covid quarantine, and my brain keeps working overtime.

After watching one of Karen Burniston's videos, I wanted to try the "cut down the front" type of card she made.  As you can see, the front of the card is cut down by about 2" so that you can see the angel from the inside of the card.

When you open the card, the angel moves down behind the inside panel and the Nativity scene pops out from behind the panel at the bottom.  The tip of the angel wing does not go completely behind the panel, but I don't sweat the small stuff.

This is such a fun die to work with -- and really pretty easy to construct.   Karen Burniston has videos for each one of her die sets.  Check it out here.

C4C547 - Sweet 16

Tomorrow (8/9) is Crazy4Challenges' DT member's (Tracey Farr) daughter Melissa's 16th birthday.  So she asked the team to make a "Sweet 16" card.

I used the Karen Burniston Ice Cream Sundae die to make my card.

Be sure to check out the Crazy4Challenges blog for some more birthday wishes for Melissa.

CCEE2032 Lighthouse Day

Liz starts off her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers today.  She tells us that she has lived most of her life near the Gulf of Mexico, so salt water seems to run in her veins.  Since August 7th is Lighthouse Day, she asked us to use a lighthouse on our card and use a scripture or encouraging verse to add to it, letting words be a way to light someone on their path of life.  My encouraging words are on the inside of the card with an additional lighthouse.

Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more encouragement.

Designer Challenge - Wings

The theme of this month's Karen Burniston Designer Challenge is WINGS.  My favorite thing with wings is a butterfly, and I think my all-time favorite Karen Burniston die is the Fancy Label Accordion.  So I combined these two things for my card this month -- along with one of my favorite colors.

I pulled out some old, but still beautiful butterfly stamps for my card.  I stamped the one on the front twice, cutting one of them out so that it has a nice 3-D look to it.

A closer look at the inside panels . . .

 
. . . with the computer-generated sentiment on the first panel.

Scor-Pal "More Than One Score" Challenge - Birthday

It's time again for the Scor-Pal "More Than One Score" challenge, and this month's theme was pretty easy -- Birthday.  I've become enamored with slimline cards lately, and that's what I've done for the challenge.

It's hard to see, but I made diagonal score lines on the background, placing small brads at the intersecting lines.  Then I added the flowers, which have larger brads in the center, and the layered Karen Burniston birthday sentiment.

Stop over at the Scor-Pal blog to see some more creations from our talented team.

C4C546 - Camping

I'm continuing as a guest designer for the Crazy4Challenges challenge again this month.  Apparently, the first Saturday in August is "Campfire Day," so we were to make a card that is camping/campfire themed.

I pulled out an old MFP Stamp Shop set as well as the Karen Burniston Twist Panel die and Camping Charms dies to make my card.

Check out the Crazy4Challenges blog for some more camping fun.