Christmas Train

Earlier this week as part of the Karen Burniston Designer Challenge, one of the other designers Sue Small-Kreider made an accordion card which I just loved.  She took the Fancy Label Accordion and cut it in a similar manner as what you do to the Landscape Rectangle Accordion when you use one of the new Add-on dies (Fence and/or Cupcake Add-ons).  Her card had Santa's Sleigh and Reindeer going through the accordion.  See her card here.

I thought that was such a cool idea that I decided to try a similar technique, using the Landscape Rectangle Accordion and the Train Pivot Panels.

When you alter the panels to accommodate the Add-ons, you normally leave just a "post" down the center, as seen in this photo.

But, as you can see in the photo below, I left part of the panel to support the train tracks.

I want to congratulate Sue for her creativity and thank her for the wonderful idea.

Final Karen Burniston Sneak Peek

Tomorrow is the day the new Karen Burniston dies are available for purchase.  For my post today I've got two relatively simple cards for you -- no pop-ups -- just two cards made using the new Rectangles and Labels Crosshatch set.   These dies actually make larger cards than the standard A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").

My first card is a 5 x 7.  I made a layered frame by using the two largest dies in the set, cutting them together.  It is popped up, using foam strips.

Also used on this card are the Santa and Gnomes, Happy Birthday, and Birthday Charms.  The gnomes and gifts are popped up on foam tape.

My second card is a 4 x 6, using the next two layered rectangles, decorated with the flowers and leaves from the Flower Pot Pop-Up set.

In this photo you can see the difference in the sizes.

Tomorrow is the day!  All of the new dies will be available for purchase on the Karen Burniston website then.  Don't forget about our Blog Hop tomorrow.  You will have many chances to win a $25 gift certificate to Karen's website just by commenting on each of the blogs in the hop.

Karen Burniston New Release Day 3

I know it's early, but card makers (and other crafters as well) must work ahead.  My card for today is a St. Patrick's Day card, using the new Little Twist Panel.  Nothing brand new on the front -- just last year's sentiment die and  the Gnome & Santa transformed into a leprechaun.

There are two Little Twist Panels on the inside, decorated with the Good Luck Charms.  

On my earlier sneak peek of this set, I glued the Little Twist Panel on top of the patterned paper on the inside of the card.  On this card, the "anchoring panels" are placed under the patterned paper.  This was accomplished by gluing a strip of paper on both sides of the fold of the card base, then gluing down the twist panel mechanism.  Another strip of patterned paper was then adhered over the "anchoring panels.".

This is definitely a fun die set, and it works so well inside a slimline card.  As I love making slimlines, I can definitely see me using this one a lot.

All the new dies will be available for purchase starting next Monday.

CC2210 - Leprechaun for St. Patrick's Day

I did not need Frances to tell me that today is St. Patrick's Day.  My Irish ancestors are whispering in my ear!  But Frances' challenge to the CCEE Stampers this week is to create a card that features either leprechauns or gnomes.  (You know which one I chose!!!)

I have a friend who asked me to make a birthday card for her to give to her friend whose birthday is on St. Patrick's Day.  It fit today's challenge to a T.  The Karen Burniston Good Luck Charms were the perfect way to transform this gnome (from the Gnome & Santa die set) into a leprechaun.

 Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog for more leprechaun/gnome fun.

St. Patrick's Day "More Than One Score"

As St. Patrick's Day is this month, I decided on an appropriate card for my "More Than One Score" challenge card today.  One of the first fun-fold cards I learned how to make was a center-step card.  I used several Karen Burniston dies on this card -- the Santa and Gnome set (disguised as a leprechaun), plus the new Good Luck Charms and Happy St. Patrick's Day and Shadow.

Erin Go Bragh!

Another Sneak Peek

I must say that I've been having a great time creating St. Patrick's Day cards with some of the new dies from Karen Burniston, and I've got another one today.  And I've got another one today, but this mini slimline one uses the Heart Collage Pop-up as well as the St. Patrick's Day dies.  I love how you can convert the Gnome & Santa into a leprechaun using the hat from the Good Luck Charms and changing the colors of his hair and clothes.

In addition to the Heart Collage Pop-Up (using some of the Good Luck Charms instead of the hearts) I have some labels from both the Paper Frames Pop-Up and the Crosshatch - Labels, as well as one of the Border Blends on the inside.

This is such a fun release.  The dies will be available to order next week.  And be sure to check out our blog hop on Monday.

Karen Burniston New Release -- Sneak Peek Day 1

Today is an exciting day -- it's time for sneak peeks at the new Karen Burniston release.  14 new dies!!!   We've got stand-alone dies, add-on dies, sentiments and pop-ups!

My first sneak peek is the first card I made using the new sets -- one of the new Character Add-ons, Mr. & Mrs. Santa.  I made an extra-large slimline card (5 1/2" x 11") to accommodate both figures.  On the front of my card are Santa & his wife, made from the Gnome and Santa set, and a reindeer from Christmas Animals.  See that sentiment -- it's also new!

Mrs. Santa uses two Bitty Ball Pop-Ups, and Santa uses one Surprise Ball Pop-Up and one Bitty Ball Pop-Up.

Do you see that garland across the top of the background?    Another one of the new sets is a Streetlamp, and one of the pieces in the set is a swag.  I just cut five of the swags and pieced them together to form the garland.  And another new die is the shadow behind the Merry Christmas.  I'll be using that one a lot, I am sure.

I hope you liked this card.  I have a suspicion that I will not be giving it away.   Come back and visit my blog again during the week.  I'll have some more sneak peeks of new toys.