Friday, November 8, 2024

Happy Thanksgiving

I was playing with the new Karen Burniston Postage Pop-up yesterday and pulled out several other sets to go with it.  On the front of my 5" x 5" card I used both Autumn Elements and Word Set 7 - Autumn.

On the inside you'll find the new Postage Pop-up.  I have found that I like the look of sponging through the openings in the main die so that there is a rim around the layering pieces.  I again added pieces from Autumn Elements (the pumpkin), as well as Oven Extras (the cooked turkey), Picnic Elements (the pie), Feathered Animals (the other turkey), and Word Set 7 - Autumn.  Celebrate is a die of its own, and the two small leaves are stamps that I found in my stash.



 This is a real fun, generic die set.  You could use it for any purpose.

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Karen Burniston Designer Challenge

It's time again for the Karen Burniston Designer Challenge.  This month we had a choice of two themes -- "AUTUMN or CHRISTMAS CHEER."  I decided to choose "AUTUMN."

One of the new dies just released was the Postage Pop-up.  I haven't used it much, so I decided to give it a little love today.  On the front I just let some pretty fall leaves have center stage.  I cut out the centers of the four "postage stamps" and let them show through.  The sentiment is from a Simple Sentiments stamp set from Taylored Expressions.


But on the inside, I added some Thanksgiving symbols to the stamps.  The simple pop-up box under that panel raises it up.  


I think I used all the dies in the Autumn Elements set on that collage.  The turkey on the smaller pop-up is from Feathered Animals.  The "Happy Thanksgiving" is from Word Set 3 - Holiday.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you come back agin.

Monday, October 28, 2024

Karen Burniston - KB Riley LLC October 2024 Release Blog Hop

 Hi Crafty Friends,

Welcome to our Karen Burniston Products - KB Riley LLC October Release Blog Hop. The Design Team members have come together with Karen today for a fun blog hop to celebrate the release of 10 new dies and 5 new stamp sets. Sneak peeks of the new release started last week, and the dies are available to order NOW!
 

This release includes:
  • 2 new Pop-up Die Sets
  • 3 new Pop-up Add-ons Die Sets
  • 2 new Stand Alone Die Sets
  • 1 new Sentiment Die Set
  • 2 new Charm Set Die Set
  • 5 new Clear Sentiment Stamp Sets
Dies are available to order now on the website.
For my card, I chose the new Poinsettia die and the Merry Christmas Lorna Add-ons. 

The Poinsettia set has two sizes of flowers.  I used both on the front of my card, mounting them onto the largest of the Ovals - Crosshatch.  I glued small pearls onto the center circle piece.  I love that the set includes the little pine sprig and the berries.  They add to the texture of the card.



I added another smaller poinsettia on the inside, above the Merry Christmas Lorna Add-ons.  Included in this release are five new coordinating stamp sets.  The "and" and the "HAPPY NEW YEAR" are part of one set, which is called Season of Cheer.


GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate the release Karen Burniston and each of the Design Team members will be giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to some lucky person who comments on our blog posts, so make sure you join the hop and comment on everyone's blog post. Winners will be randomly chosen from ALL of the blog hop comments received on our blog posts by Monday, November 4, 2024. Lots of chances to win some goodies, so just leave a comment on this post or any other blog hop posts to enter! Don't forget to leave some way for us to contact you (e-mail address, etc.), in case you are a lucky winner!

Lois Bak (that's me)

Friday, October 25, 2024

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 5

Included in the Karen Burniston new release are three add-on sets, one of which is the Christmas Tree Add-on.  It has new pieces for the tree itself plus ornaments and a tree skirt.


One of the samples I had made for the previous release was an explosion box for the Pirate Ship.  I enjoyed making it so much that I decided to make one for this release as well.


When you remove the lid, it reveals the Christmas tree inside.  One of the panels includes a Mini Gift Bag, in which can be placed a gift card.  On the opposite panel is one of the sentiments from the new stamp set, Season of Cheer.





Here's a short video.


Thanks for stopping by today.  Don't forget about the new release blog hop on Monday.  You could win a $25 gift certificate to Karen Burniston's website.

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 4

Two of the dies in this new Karen Burniston Release are Snow Charms and Charm Rings.  These two sets are highlighed on today's card.


I made a card which was a total experiment using these two sets.  I say "experiment" because I was sort of playing it by ear as I was making the card.  You'll note the sentiment on the front.  It comes from one of the new stamp sets that are also part of this release.


I thought the mittens and the ice skates were just a bit small to hang by themselves, so I mounted them on circles before attaching them to the frames.  The steering bar (if that's what it's called) seemed too thin to try to feed the twine through it, so I knotted the twine at both ends and attached it to the bar with glue dots.  The charms are attached to the frames with the paper rings from the Charm Rings set.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today, and remember to check out the New Release Blog Hop on Monday for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Karen's website.



Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 3

Today's Karen Burniston sneak peek features a quiet, unassuming little set -- Charm Rings. 


There are three different-sized charm ring dies in this set.  What is so cool about this set is that you are able to make a charm out of any of the small dies in your inventory.  One of my favorite KB dies is the Fancy Label Accordion.  It may have been the first one of her dies that I bought.  I've made a winter card using it and the Charm Rings.


As you can see from the inside, I made charms out of the Winter Animals set -- the Polar Bear and the Penguin.  In addition, I used the two snowflakes from the new Snow Charms set, connecting them with a strip of acetate.  I attached all the charms to the frames using the middle-sized ring die.  


I'll have more about the Snow Charms with tomorrow's sneak peek.  And be sure to check out the blog hop on Monday for lots of chances to win a $25 gift certificate to the Karen Burniston website.


Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 2

I'm glad you stopped by my blog today; I've got another sneak peek at several of the new dies from Karen Burniston.  This card has the Photo Fan, Happy New Year, and Fireworks dies.


I had mentioned to Karen Burniston some time ago that I'd love to have a fireworks die set.  I'm so happy she was able to put one in this release. The front of my card is relatively simple -- just the sentiment and a few fireworks.


The inside, on the other hand, has two rows of the Photo Fans and lots of fireworks, all of which were cut from glitter paper.


Hope you can come back tomorrow for another sneak peek.  And don't forget the blog hop next Monday.  You could win a $25 gift certificate to the Karen Burniston website just for commenting.

Monday, October 21, 2024

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 1

A new release from Karen Burniston -- very exciting!  There are 10 new dies and 5 new sentiment stamps.  Don't ask me which one I like best -- that's like asking which is your favorite child.  I will say that I really like the Poinsettia.


There are two sizes of poinsettias and several smaller foliage pieces.  The card I have for you today used every one of those dies.  The sentiment is part of the previously released Small Sentiments - Christmas.  After I cut out the flowers, I sponged around the edges with a darker shade of red and/or pink to give some more depth to them.  I used a white gel pen for the highlights on the berries.


I'll have a sneak peek for you each day this week, leading up to the Karen Burniston New Release Blog Hop next Monday.  I hope you'll stop by.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Karen Burniston Designer Challenge -- Haunted Location

This month's Karen Burniston Designer Challenge is "Haunted Location."  After contemplating the many possibilities of locations that could be haunted, I decided on a graveyard. Last year Karen released a couple of Pattern Plate dies for Halloween.  I used the Pattern Plate - Bats for the front of my card.  


One of my favorite die sets is the Train Pivot Panel, so I put a haunted train going through the graveyard.  The background sky was created by using Distress Oxides and blending brushes. There is a ghost driving my train.


Be sure to check out the haunted locations found by the rest of the design team.  You'll find them on the Karen Burniston Pop-up Peeps page on Facebook.

Monday, September 30, 2024

STAMPtember -- Riley & Company/Simon Says Stamps

Riley & Company is again collaborating with Simon Says Stamps for STAMPtember.   I've combined the cute stamp set, called Flying By, with Karen Burniston's Katherine Label die set.  

I used one of the cute sentiments on the front of my card.



Riley and his co-pilot are flying high on the Kathryn Label.


Here's a close-up of Riley and his co-pilot.


This stamp set is a limited edition, available while supplies last.

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Poinsettia Christmas Accordion

Karen Burniston has the most informative and detailed classes.  She recently had a virtual class using the Fancy Label Accordion.  With these classes you are able to purchase a kit so that you can create the exact card she is demonstrating, or you can use what you have and follow along with her.  That is what I did for this card.

I love blue Christmas cards, so I searched through my stash of Christmas papers to find something in blue that I thought would work.  I found some pretty blue paper with a splash of red and decided it would work for my card.  The sentiment on the front of my card was made using Karen's Small Sentiments Christmas dies.  The pretty little poinsettias inside the frames are part of Honey Bee Stamps' Loads of Holiday Cheer set.


The Fancy Label Accordion has several Add-on sets, and the candles for the inside are from the Birthday Candle Add-ons set.


If you'd like to make one of these cards for yourself, here is the link to Karen's Youtube video.

Karen Burniston Sept 2024 Virtual Class Day Recording (youtube.com)

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Karen Burniston Designer Challenge -- Four Seasons

This month's theme for the Karen Burniston Designer Challenge is "Four Seasons."  After thinking about it for a while, I finally decided to use the Slim Flaps and Frame die, one I haven't used in quite a while  When closed, my card has patterned paper reminiscent of all four seasons.


 As you open each flap, you can watch a tree proceed through all four seasons.

Spring:


Summer:


Autumn:


Winter:



Here are all four flaps open.


Thanks for visiting my blog today.  I hope you found my card creative.


Sunday, August 25, 2024

Snowy Cards

I recently participated in a 4-day Card Maker Success Summit online.  It was a great experience, and I learned a lot of new techniques.  

I don't often make one-layer cards, but Justine Hovey's tutorials prompted me to do some.  I actually did four of her cards, two of them included a Karen Burniston pop-up die on the inside.  I also made them two-layer cards, popping up the front panels on foam strips.  

Two of them have snow.  Justine's tutorial called for an embossing folder, which I did not have.  I did, however, have a snowfall stencil; so I used that with some glittery embossing paste.  The coloring on the cards was done with blending brushes and distress oxide inks and masking paper.


As I said, two of the cards also included a Karen Burniston pop-up, as well as smaller versions of the front image.





Here are close-up photos of the other two cards.


I did not have two different deer silhouette stamps, but I did have a set of Impression Obsession deer.  I cut those out of black cardstock on which I had placed some 3" Elizabeth Craft two-sided tape -- making them stickers.  I added some tiny gemstones to each of the cards.


I thoroughly enjoyed the four-day experience and will use many of the techniques I learned in the future.

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Aug-toberfest

I was watching the Today show this morning, and they were talking about a current phenomenon I had never heard of before -- Aug-toberfest.  It seems Halloween has arrived two months early.  All kinds of decorations are appearing in the stores in August now.  

So I was inspired to make a Halloween card using the Lorna Label and one of the new Add-ons, as well as some previously released Halloween sets.  It seemed a little odd to be making Halloween cards when it's 98 degrees outside, but what the heck!



 I probably won't make another Halloween card until October, but this was fun!

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Karen Burniston Designer Challenge - Music, Music, Music

The new release from Karen Burniston has two dies and a stamp set that are music related -- the perfect choice for the August Designer Challenge.  I recently purchased a very pretty, vintage Christmas sheet music paper pack from Amazon that complemented the new stamps and dies.  I made two different cards using the two die sets -- one in red and one in green.

Here is the green one.


And here is the red one.




I'm not really musically inclined, but I've been playing with these dies over the past month and have been having lots of fun.

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Strike Up the Band

I've been having fun with the new Karen Burniston Piano Keys Pop-up.  Today I have a mini slimline card using this die, along with two other new sets (Music Charms and Just a Note Lorna Add-ons) as well as the previously released Little Labels Pop-up.  I followed Karen's directions on how to make that border using two of the Music Charms multiple times, creating a strip of piano keys.


I added two of the musical instruments from the Music Charms to the Little Labels Pop-up on the inside of the card.  The center label was stamped with one of the new coordinating stamp sets from the new release.


I had a cyber friend who passed away about 5 years ago whose favorite color combination was red, white, and black.  Every time I use that color combination I think of her.  This one is for you, Joanne!