Karen Burniston's March Designer Challenge - 'Make 'em Laugh!'

This month, Karen Burniston's Designer Challenge Team are creating cards with a 'Make 'em Laugh!' theme!

This quote which I came across on Pinterest always tickles me for some reason:

''A friend told me I was delusional... I nearly fell off my unicorn!''

I thought I'd make Buster the Dog into a unicorn, on a Katie Label Accordion card base.

Seeing as this is a rather random kinda card, I saw no reason not to throw a palm tree on there too!

(I used Papertrey Ink's 'Type Strips' stamp set for the lettering.)

I cut Buster's unicorn horn by hand from glitter card stock, and added some detail with Copic markers.

The papers are all from We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard 6x6 pad.

I have no idea when I might actually use this card, but no doubt some person/reason will spring to mind at some point!

Some of the products used:


   

Whiskers the Cat in Adirondack Chair Pop Up Card

Els of Elizabeth Craft Designs, is going to a trade show in Japan soon, and needed some simple 'cute' character cards to take with her. Here's one which I made:

I cut the Adirondack Chair Pop Up from chevron card stock (from Stampin' Up), then cut the chair again from white card stock, snipping out the parts of the white chair I needed. I then glued the white chair on top of the chevron chair, and added a dark pink card base, and some ribbon strips and clouds.

To add the Whiskers the Cat, I folded a strip of card stock into half and half again, then used the fold lines to make a square, which I glued onto the chair, and onto the back of Whiskers. The open side of the square is positioned at the fold of the chair.

You can see the square below. I allows everything to fold flat when the card is closed.

I also added a journalling space with a die from the Lorna Label PopUp die set, and some paw prints from the Props 4 die set.

The card front is pretty simple, with a tag from the Tags Pivot Card die set, and another paw print.

Some of the products used:


   

Purple Onion Designs Camera Stamp & Sizzix Circle Flip-its Birthday Card

A quick card to show you today, using the Sizzix Circle Flip-its #4 die set, and stamps from Purple Onion Designs.

I stamped patterned paper, and cut out by hand the camera parts.

The patterned papers are from Basic Grey's Spice Market 6x6 pad, and I also used some wood veneer paper.

Some of products used:


   

Purple Onion Designs Damask Background Stamp Card & Tutorial

I just wanted to show you a fun technique for creating background paper, which I used on this card.

I started by stamping some white card stock with Versamark Ink, using a Purple Onion Designs Vintage Damask Background stamp. I then added clear embossing powder to the VersaMark stamped image, and heat set it.

I used sponge tools to add water based inks (not Staz-On).

I then spritzed my inked paper with water mixed with a bit of mica power (I bought a pot of unbranded white mica powder on ebay) in a Mini Mister bottle. This makes the inks smudge into each other, and adds a gorgeous shimmer.

When the water spray has completely dried, I put the stamped card stock on an ironing board, covered it completely with white copy paper, and ironed over it. This removes the clear embossing powder (it kind of melts off and absorbs into the copy paper), and gives you smooth patterned card stock. (You don't need to bother with the ironing stage, if you like the look of the clear embossing powder.)

This picture below gives a better idea of how shimmery it is!

I added an 'I love_____' stamp which I gold embossed, a die cut from Simon Says Stamp, and added a gold card stock border.

Some of the products used:


   

Little B Block Out Thank You Cards

I needed a couple of Thank You cards a while back, and wanted to use the word dies I have from Little B's Block Out die set.

For my first, I used the card shown here by Yoonsun Hur for inspiration, with flower dies from the Persian Motifs set by Altenew, and ink blots from the Gorgeous Grunge set by Stampin' Up.

My second card uses a new banner die set soon to be released by Sizzix.

Purple Onion Designs Poppy the Rabbit Birthday Card

Here's a card I made using stamps from Purple Onion Designs - Poppy, and Birthday Greetings.

I coloured Poppy with Copics, and paper pieced the ears, tummy and flag.

Inside, I added a white card stock layer, stamped with another Purple Onion Designs image.

Some of products used:


   

99th Happy Birthday PopUp Card

This was quite a quick card I made today using the Happy Birthday PopUp card dies.

I cut some floral paper with the same die, and snipped off the parts needed to cover the pop out part.

The card is for my friend's Grandmother who is turning 99 on Wednesday!

 I covered the card with K&Co flower stickers, and added a couple of layers behind the 99, which I cut using a Sizzix Stampin' Up alphabet set.

The label stamped with Congratulations, is from the Lorna Label die set.

Some of the products I used:

   

The Stamps of Life Bicycles2stamp March Club Set

The March Stamps of Life Club set 'bicycles2stamp' is lovely! It includes all sorts of bike related stamps, and the die set also includes a gorgeous Hello die and shadow.

Sadly though, this is my last post as a member of The Stamps of Life Design Team. I made the decision to leave a few weeks ago, though I will very much miss it!

I've been so grateful for the opportunity to work with Stephanie Barnard and her fun products!

I hope you enjoy my cards made with the set.

(You might have spotted a new design of Stand-Ups Card here!)

Some of the products used:


   

Bathtub Pop Stand & Purple Onion Designs Stamps New Baby Card

Here's a card I made using Karen Burniston's new Bathtub Pop Stand die set. The set is really clever! You use one die to make some little tabs in a card base of your choice, then the feet of the bath fit perfectly onto the tabs. Add two baths, stick them together along the top rim, and you're done!

The set also comes with dies for the little claw feet, various bubbles, the cute little tap, and a rubber duck!

I used one of my favourite Purple Onion Designs stamps - Rosie, so go in the bath. I sandwiched her and the tap and bubbles in between the two bath layers.

I stamped her onto patterned paper, and cut her out by hand (and stamped her ears onto pink card stock, and glued them on top.)

I made a kind of bath mat area, using the Paris Edges die set, and added some stamped letters from this Skinny Dip set (which I partially coloured with Copics, and cut out by hand), and die cut letters from the Alphabet 1 - Caps set. I stuck wide Elizabeth Craft Design double-sided tape to the back of both of these before cutting, to make it easier to stick down the fiddly bits.

I added an identical bath mat area behind the bath as well, to give me space to write a message.

The ribbon was from Stampin' Up.

Lastly, I glued on the bow and flower, and added a heart from this Purple Onion Designs set.

All of the papers are from First Edition's Bella Rose 12x12 pad.

Some of the products used:


   

Sizzix Friends Forever Step-Ups Cards

One of Stephanie Barnard's fabulous new die sets for Sizzix is this 'Friend Forever Step-Ups Card' - isn't it great, with that lovely centre stepped part, plus all the layer dies, for decorating it so easily?!

On this first card, I also used some more of Stephanie's new Sizzix sets - the 'Oh Baby Triplits' set, and a set coming soon with layered banners and letter stamps.

On this card, I used Stephanie's new Sizzix Spring Birds Triplit die set, and a new flower set she has coming out soon. 

Here's a card using all the extra dies which come with the Forever Friends Setp-Up Card set.

I just happened to watch the video shown on this page at Scrapbook.com, showing Stephanie at the recent CHA show, and was really happy to see her showing this card I made below!!

And finally, another card made with the 'Oh Baby Triplits' set, and a ribbon slider from the cute new Bugs Framelits and Stamps set.

Some of the products used:


   

Purple Onion Designs Ruby the Owl & Mama Elephant Birthday Die Card

I have got heaps of cards which I just haven't got round to blogging yet - here is one using some Purple Onion Designs stamps, and a Mama Elephant Birthday die.

I cut the die into the patterned paper background, then cut it again from green paper, and inlaid the green die cut.

For the Ruby the Owl, (and also the bunting) I stamped the image in pale pink ink, and then coloured it with Copics, to give more of a watercolour effect - I quite liked this look!

I cut it out by hand, and stuck it down with small foam pads.

Some of the products used:


   

Sizzix Eat More Cake Step-Up Birthday Card

I loved making this card! I used Stephanie Barnard's Basic Step-Up Card die for the base, and Brenda Walton's Layered Cake die for the cake sections and scalloped trims.

I used a Tim Holtz Handwritten stamp set for the cake sentiment, and an Altenew 'Label Love' stamp for the Happy Birthday.

The candle stamp is from Stampin' Up's Balloon Bash set, and papers are from First Edition's Bella Rose pad.

Some of the products used:


   

Cat in a Box Pop it Ups Card

I had fun making this one! I just got a new Neat and Tangled box die in the post, and thought it would look cute teamed with one of Karen Burniston's character dies - Whiskers the Cat.

I also thought it would look good as a pop-up card too, so used Karen's Lucy Label Pop Up card die, to create the panel to stick the box to.

I added a party hat to the cat, from the Props 2 set, a little tag and stamp, both from a Sizzix tags and stamps set, the paw print dies from the Props 4 set, and the frame from the Rectangle Pull Card die set.

The paper are mainly from First Edition's Bella Rose pads.

I added ribbon strips (stuck on with ATG tape, with the ends tucked under the floral paper panels), and a Birthday die cut and stamps from Marianne Design, and rounded off the edges of the card with a Zutter Round-it-all.

Some of the products used:


   

Star Accordion and Purple Onion Designs Birthday Card

Another birthday card for one of my nieces today... it's the Half-Term holidays this week, and we are having a nice quiet time at home, and I've been able to get a few cards made.

This one uses Karen Burniston's new Accordion Star die set, which cut the panels, the inner star layers, the 3-D barn star, and the small stars.

I used Purple Onion Design's 'Jackson & Bubbles' stamps, which I coloured with Copics. I stamped the bubbles with Staz-On ink onto acetate sheeting.

Before folding the barn star, I used a stamp from this set with Versamark ink, and gold heat embossed it.

I used papers from Crate Paper's Maggie Holmes and Flea Market 12 x12 pads.

Some of the products used:


   

Sunburst Black and Gold Birthday Card & some new Stash

 I thought my husband might like a little help choosing a Valentines gift for me this year, so I picked out some new craft products! How nice of me!

I made this card for my brother with some of them - I used the Sunburst stamp from Neat and Tangled to stamp with Versamark ink, and then gold heat emboss the background. I added a glitter card 'birthday' cut with a Mama Elephant die, and the 'Happy' with a 'Label Love' stamp from Altenew.
That's it really - just trimmed some narrow strips of gold glitter card and glued it to the borders, and added a few sequins and gold glitter candy dots.

What a lovely present!!

My lovely husband also treated me to flowers and chocolates... he obviously wasn't too impressed by stamps!!