Karen Burniston New Release Sneak Peek - Day 5

The Stage Pop-up is one of my favorite dies, and one of the new dies in this release is an add-on.  It's the Tool Time Stage Add-ons.

My late husband was an auto mechanic, and the colors of his Craftsman Tool Box were red, black, and silver.  So they are the colors I used on my card.  One of the new stamp sets is tool-related, and I used one on the front and two on the inside.

I loved the card Karen made with the removable stage on the inside.  I used that technique on my card as well.

The tools in this set are the same tools from the Tool Charms -- just mirror images.   When you glue them together, the tools look good from the front or the back.

This set is perfect for those masculine cards we sometimes have trouble with.

Karen Burniston New Release Sneak Peek - Day 4

The new Gazebo Add-on was a great idea.  You could decorate it for lots of holidays.  Here is my version of a Halloween Gazebo, complete with skeletons, ghosts, and bats.

The acetate strips holding the flying bats are anchored between the two halves of the Stage Pop-up and go up through the roof.

 

Karen Burniston Sneak Peek - Day 1

I always love it when I get to show some sneak peeks of a new Karen Burniston release.  We've got 10 new dies and 5 new stamp sets being released next week, and I've got a sneak peek of one of them for you today.  It's an add-on for the Stage Pop-up, which is one of my favorites of Karen's dies.  The add-on makes a Gazebo.

When my daughter got married 36 years ago, we held the wedding in one of the gazebos in our development.  When I saw the Gazebo Stage Add-on, I knew I had to make a wedding card.

Also included in this release is a Little Bench Pop-up, similar to Karen's Garden Bench Pop-up (but smaller).  If you look closely, you can see that little bench behind the bride and groom.  All those vines are included in the Little Bench Pop-up set.

I know I'm going to have fun using this new add-on die, as well as all the new dies in this release.  They will be available on Karen's website next week (July 23rd).

Karen Burniston Designer Challenge for June

The theme of the June Karen Burniston Designer Challenge is "Flag Colors."  We were to use the colors of our country's flag on our cards.  

I'm still obsessed with the Stage Pop-up, so I actually made two cards using the red/white/blue colors of the American flag.  For the first one, in addition to the Stage Pop-up, I also used Karen's Hot Air Balloons and Fireworks as well as a patriotic sticker.   Some time ago I had made six patchwork balloons following Karen's directions, so I used two of them on this card -- one on the front . . . 

, , , and one on the back.   I added some fireworks to the center panel on this side.

My second card also includes the Stage Pop-up with some Scrappy Boy stamps from their Spirit of 1776 set.   I wanted to use some fireworks on the acetate background, so I tried a little experiment.  I put down some red and blue Copic circles on both sides of a piece of white cardstock.  I cut the circles and attached them to some wide double-sided tape.  When I cut out the fireworks dies, I was able to glue the fireworks to the acetate panel between the two "stages" with colors on both sides without having to cut them twice and trying to line them up.

I really enjoyed this month's challenge.  It enabled me to make several 4th of July cards for next month.

Stage Pop-up with Piano Keys

An idea popped into my head this morning, but I wasn't quite sure how to run with it.  My new favorite Karen Burniston set is the Stage Pop-up, and I was trying to think of another set that might work with it.  I thought maybe the Piano Keys Pop-up might work, so I gave it a try.

I was making this up as I went along, but I'm not totally unhappy with the way it turned out.  Fortunately, I had just purchased some musical patterned paper from Creek Bank Creations, and it worked perfectly with my idea.  I had to cut down the piano keys to fit the size of the Stage.  As I was constructing my card, I forgot that the keys would actually be higher and the stage; but it doesn't look too bad.  The center panel was cut using the Ovals Crosshatch dies.

I used a few dies from the Music Charms on the back of the card.  I had a friend who unfortunately died several years ago, but her favorite color combination was red/black/white.  I have come to like that combination myself.

All in all, I'd say this card didn't disappoint me.  It's always fun to stretch your imagination.

Set the Stage

It's time again for the Karen Burniston Designer Challenge, and this month's theme is "Set the Stage."  And the perfect way to do that is to use the new Stage Pop-up, definitely my new favorite.  I have made quite a few cards using this die set.

An early favorite of mine when I discovered Karen Burniston dies was the Christmas Tree Pop Stand.  I combined these two die sets for my challenge card.  Many years ago I made a Christmas Tree Pop Stand card in white and gold.  My new card is an updated version of that earlier one.

Here are a couple of close-up photos of my card.  Those cute little trees on the bottom panels were made with one of the dies in the Winter Charms set.

 

You can even decorate the bottom of the stage.  The two holiday sentiments used on the card are from one of Karen's clear stamp sets, Christmas Wishes.  The "push" comes from the Stage Scene stamp set.

Another Christmas-themed card I made using the Stage Pop-up (this time with the Sleigh Pop-up) is this one::

Karen Burniston Designer Challenge -- For the Birds

It's time again for the Karen Burniston Designer Challenge.  This month's theme is "For the Birds."  Even though the new release has a bird -- the Peacock Add-on, I went in a totally different direction and used the birds from an older set, Outdoor Scene.

I did not ignore the new release, however; the base die for my card is the new Stage Pop-up along with the Sea Stage Add-ons.  

Like a parent, I'm sure that, as a DT member, I'm not supposed to have a favorite; but I must admit that the Stage Pop-up is definitely my favorite of this release.  It was the first one I used as soon as we received our dies, and I have made quite a few stage cards since then.  This is my "For the Birds" card:

Karen Burniston has an excellent video on construction of this stage.  Be sure to check it out.  In addition to the two new die sets, I also used the Palm Tree Pop-up and a sentiment from the Cruise Greetings clear stamp set.  My sea gulls are flying high, attached with acetate strips.

This was such a fun release -- make sure you check out the rest of the cards made by the team.  I'm sure you'll find at least one with the new Peacock Add-ons to the Arch Pop-up.

 

Karen Burniston New Release Blog Hop

 Hi Crafty Friends,

Welcome to our Karen Burniston Products - KB Riley LLC January Release Blog Hop. The Design Team 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
4 new Add-on Die Sets
2 new Lorna Add-on Die Sets
1 new Charm Die Set
1 new Stand Alone Die Set
5 new Clear Sentiment Stamp Sets

Dies are available to order now on the website.

I hate to have to choose a favorite among the new dies (they all are GREAT), but I think the Stage Pop-up might be my favorite.  My project is not a card but a 3-D creation -- a carousel.  I used the Leaping Animals for my ride.  

To create my carousel I cut two of the largest Circles - Crosshatch, one in red and one in yellow.  I made a slit in the red one and formed the roof.  The yellow one I cut into eight pieces and placed four of them around the roof, as shown; adding another smaller yellow circle at the center.

After creating the Stage, I cut two of each color horse and mounted them on either side of the upright panels, which were placed at the edge of the stage, next to every other panel.

I found some 3" turntables on Amazon (made for cake decorating) and mounted one under the carousel so that it was able to turn.

And now it will turn just like one at the fair.

To celebrate the release Karen Burniston and each of the Karen Burniston - KB Riley LLC 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, 9th February. 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, in case you are a lucky winner!

Karen Burniston

Lois Bak  (that's me)

Sue Small-Kreider

Frances Byrne

Jennifer Webster

Suzanne Smit

Nicky Foden

Sandy Diller

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 3

As I mentioned in my first sneak peek post, the Karen Burniston new release includes three add-on sets to the Stage Pop-up.  Another one of the add-ons is the Grass Stage Add-on.  

 I used that set (along with the Rainbow Add-on to the Arch Pop-up) on this St. Patrick's Day card.  

Also included on this card are the cauldron from the Witch & Cauldron set and the figure from the Gnome & Santa set (dressed as a leprechaun).

We're having a blog hop next Monday, Feb. 2nd.  I hope you'll check it out; make sure you comment on the blogs.  Each DT member is giving away a $25 gift certificate to the Karen Burniston website.  The more you comment, the greater the chance you have to win.

Karen Burniston New Release - Day 1

Hooray!  Karen Burniston has a new release coming next week -- 10 new dies and 5 new stamp sets.  I've been having lots of fun playing with these new toys.  I think my favorite base die is the Stage Pop-up.  There are also three add-on sets to go with it.  My card today uses the Stage Pop-up with the Party Add-on.

I made a similar card to the one on the packaging -- although I did add some fireworks, adding them on acetate panels.

I used some really old patterned paper I found in my stash, placing the wording around the stage so that you can read "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" around the edge.

We will be having a blog hop on Monday, February 2nd; so be sure to check it out.  You may win a $25 credit to your account on the Karen Burniston website by commenting on the DT's blog posts.