Karen Burniston Designer Challenge -- Raise It Up!

Happy New Year!!!  The title of the first Designer Challenge of 2024 is "Raise It Up!"  We were to make a card of any theme, using the brand-new Raising Platform Pop-Up die.  

I had a request from a friend of mine to make a humorous birthday card for her 80-year-old friend.  I took the opportunity of this month's designer challenge as a starting point.  Art Impressions stamps has a line of humorous "Girlfriend" stamps which I love. They were perfect for this request.  

Remember:  the Raising Platform Pop-Up was to be used on today's card.  Obviously, it's on the inside.

I confess that I used the Katherine Label die rather than the die that came with the Raising Platform because it's just a little bit bigger, giving me room for all those stars (part of the Raising Platform die set) and the numbers.  I did, however, use the label from the Raising Platform set for the sentiment at the bottom, which sits on top of the border created using two of the borders from the Border Blends sets (Party and Trims).

Just as a bit of trivia -- I used red as the primary color for this card for a particular reason.  I Googled "color for 80th birthday."  While birthday numbers don't really have a particular gemstone, one of the responses I got back was:  As ruby is the gem for an 80th anniversary gift, it could also be used for an 80th birthday.

Thanks for stopping by today to look at my Designer Challenge card.

CCEE2234 Intl. Toy Testing Day & Karen Burniston New Release Sneak Peek Day 4

Kelly Santi started her month-long stint as hostess for the CCEE Stampers challenge by telling us that today is International Toy Testing Day.  She asked us to make a card with a toy/toys on them.  Think Christmas cards and Santa's workshop, too.

Many years ago I purchased some Art Impressions Doors & Windows stamps.  The fun part of this series is that there are many add-on sets to create different themes, one of which was a Christmas Toy Shop.  I combined the Art Impressions stamps with a set of stamps/dies from Pink & Main to create this delightful toy store.

AND, when you go into the store (by opening the card) you'll find a couple of dies from the new Karen Burniston release, which will be available next Monday.  The fireplace is actually a pop-up, but I had wanted to make a card with a flat fireplace.  This was my opportunity.

Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog for more toy cards -- and make sure you check out the new dies from Karen Burniston.  

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.

CCEE1847 - Humorous Birthday

Anne continues as hostess of the CCEE Stampers this week and tells us that today is her daughter's birthday.  She says that Amy (her daughter) loves to get funny cards and challenges us to make a birthday card -- extra points if it's humorous.  Art Impressions makes some really humorous stamp sets, so I pulled out their Spring Chicken set and made this card.

The inside says something that is close to what my feelings are about growing older.  I've always said, "Getting old is not for sissies," but you get the idea!

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog to see some more birthday cards -- humorous or otherwise.

CCEE1812 National Goof-Off Day

Vicky has a fun challenge for the CCEE Stampers today.  She's celebrating National Goof-Off Day.  She says it's one of her "favorite days evah!"  She asked us to make a funny card . . . any kind of card, just so that it's funny.  I hope my card is funny enough for her.

For some more humor, be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog.

Stampin'B's Challenge - Acetate Window

Nicole is this week's hostess for the Stampin'B's DT Blog Challenge. I took her literally when she said to do a “clear acetate window” card. I put an acetate window in my toy store. Art Impressions has a great series of stamps called Doorways. There is a door stamp and a window stamp. Then there are many different “theme” sets. This one is called Christmas Toy Shoppe. The lamp post is from the Bakery set.

I stamped the door and window onto Very Vanilla cardstock with Palette Burnt Umber, colored them, and then cut them out. I paper-pieced the awning over the window. The cornice at the top and the sidewalk are Sahara Sand. I stamped the Christmas lights with Palette Noir Black across the cornice and colored them with Spica glitter pens. The sidewalk is stamped with Palette Burnt Umber. The storefront is a piece of Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses DP on which I stamped the window and then cut out the opening to place the acetate window behind it. The piece of Close to Cocoa matting is also cut for the opening, as is the Kraft card base.

Inside the card is the image of the toys, stamped on Very Vanilla and colored with Copic markers. The lamp post, sign on the door and bench are all popped up on dimensionals. This was a fun card to make. Thanks, Nicole, for the push.

Stamps – Art Impressions Doorways, Christmas Toy Shoppe, Bakery
Paper – Kraft, Close to Cocoa, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses DP
Ink – Palette Burnt Umber and Noir Black
Accessories – Copic markers, Spica glitter pens, Acetate sheet, Dimensionals

Stampin'B's Challenge #29 - Diagonal Double Pocket

Nicole (ButterflyEars) was the hostess for this week's Stampin'B's DT Blog challenge. She had us make a diagonal double pocket card. I haven’t done one of these for a long time. Nicole’s challenge cured that! The tutorial in SCS’s Resource section was helpful in reminding me how to do it – much folding!

The gorgeous paper is from Basic Grey’s Wassail collection. I stamped the little nutcracker from Art Impressions’ Christmas Toy Shoppe with Palette Noir Black and colored him with Copic and Prismacolor markers. After cutting out the oval with a Nestabilities die, I sponged with More Mustard before removing the die; then matted with the Basic Grey DP, More Mustard, and white. The little sentiment on the front is part of a stamp from Lizzie Anne Designs called Many Merries. The stamp is a list of how you say Merry Christmas in seven different languages. I used a marker, colored just the right one, and then stamped and punched it out – matting it in More Mustard. The larger tag is stamped with an image from Flourishes’ All Wrapped Up, and the smaller one is from Lizzie Anne Designs’ Holiday Script.

I forgot how much fun this type of card was. Thanks, Nicole, for suggesting it.

----------------

Stamps - Art Impressions Christmas Toy Shoppe, Lizzie Anne Designs Many Merries and Holiday Script, Flourishes All Wrapped Up

Paper - Flourishes Classic White, SU More Mustard, Basic Grey Wassail DP

Ink - Palette Noir Black, More Mustard

Accessories - Copic and Prismacolor markers, Nestabilities, Tag Corner punch, Ribbon, Sponge dauber