Hi, it’s Karen Burniston with the August Pop it Ups Designer Challenge. Each month I challenge my Designer Challenge team to use Pop it Ups dies for a specific theme. This month the theme is Inspired Creations. I challenged the team to look back through previous Designer Challenges and pick inspiration from their teammates. They could be inspired by a technique, color scheme, combination of dies – anything that could be a “muse” for a new creation. I think you’ll agree that they hit it out of the park with their new creations and as a bonus, I’ve included links to all the inspiration pieces as well. Settle in with a nice cup of something, because you’re about to be . . . you know what I’m going to say . . . INSPIRED!
For my card and video I couldn’t narrow it down to just one inspiration card so I decided to use three. I was very inspired by Kelly Booth’s 4-page Easter Oval Accordion, especially her use of fishing line to suspend an item, but I also really wanted to make a Halloween card. I went back to last year’s Spooky September challenge and found the perfect inspiration from Caz Counsell with her Frankenpop card and from Fran Sabad with her Poppy Halloween card.
There are two videos for this project because I wanted the Jolly the “Monster” Mouse to be its own video for people to refer to for general assembly of Jolly the Mouse. Just cut typical mouse colors instead of monster colors when you want to assemble him as a sweet mouse.
The second video teaches the Open Center Accordion technique along with several other techniques as follows:
- Technique #1: How to create the silver/black embossed damask pages.
- Technique #2: How to create an Open Center Accordion.
- Technique #3: How to cut an opening in an accordion page and add fishing line to float items.
- Technique #4: How to make bats and bones from the Cocoa the Horse die.
- Technique #5: How to use transfer paper to make a spooky debossed tree background.
When the album is closed you have no idea that the two center frames are shorter. It appears to be a typical Accordion album. This page shows off Technique #1 (silver/black embossed damask), #3 (Cocoa bat) and #5 (transfer paper spooky tree background)
Here’s a close-up of the first two pages:
The close-up of the second two pages shows Technique #3 (fishing line floating) and Technique #4 (Cocoa bat & bones) plus another version of Technique #5 (spooky ghost tree)
Here’s a handy reference for making bats using the Cocoa the Horse die.
The video mentions that the display of an Open Center Accordion will differ slightly from a typical accordion. The two inner ovals will not pull out all the way into a straight line but will stay slightly bent in the center. However, the lack of a center outer frame means there’s no problem viewing both inner ovals.
This technique will work with any of the Accordion Dies and can be made in any theme. I hope you’ll give one or more of these techniques a try. Here’s what you’ll need:
Elizabeth Craft Designs Products:
- 1038 Jolly the Mouse
- 772 Oval Accordion
- 906 Oval Clouds Frame Edges
- 1044 Cocoa the Horse
- 781 All Seasons Tree
- KB104 Damask Embossing Folder
- Glitter Dots
- ECD Double-Sided Adhesive
- Detail Scissors
- Detail Tweezers
Other Products:
- Fineline Bottle w/Lineco pH neutral adhesive
- Red and White pens
- Fishing Line & stiff wire & brayer
- Twill & Ribbon – Creative Impressions
- Silver ink pad
- Bazzill cardstocks – black, gray, green, yellow, white
- Saral White Transfer Paper
- Embossing Sandwich for your die cutting machine (should include a silicone rubber squishy mat)
Let’s see what the amazingly talented Designer Challenge Team came up with for their inspired creations. You can click each designer’s name to open a new window with their blog post, where you will see more photos, supply lists, basic instructions and either a link or photo of the inspiration piece. I’ve also linked all the inspiration pieces in each project’s description. I’ve separated the inspiration into All Occasion Cards and Holiday Cards. Have fun and be INSPIRED!
ALL OCCASION INSPIRATION
Karen Aicken took inspiration from a lovely floral Katie Label Eiffel Tower Pivot card by Helen Cryer. Karen used a beautiful combination of patterned papers, ala Helen, and created this gorgeous version.
Frances Byrne was inspired by Donna Wright’s Owl & Pussycat card to make a new version in a 90 degree pop-up card instead of a Pop Stand design. Frances used the Lots of Pops for her card, also featuring the bathtub as a boat. Such fabulous styling on the waves!
Caz Counsell was inspired to combine the Oval Accordion and Tags Pivot Card by Helen Cryer’s Rectangle/Tags card from the January challenge. I love how Caz used the structure and idea of Helen’s card as her muse, but swapped out the Accordion and Characters for a completely different look.
Kelly Booth made a version of Karen Aicken’s Glamping Card as a beautiful new home card. I love how Kelly incorporated a signature Karen Aicken look – the “high tree line” background effect. The Holiday House die works year round for any type of home.
Karen Aicken sent me this fabulous birthday card and come to find out it’s also a challenge card and I was the inspiration! How sweet (times two!) Karen was inspired by me to behead the Characters! Awww. Karen used lots of Farm and Farm 2 dies and it’s really fun to play with the fence on the front of this card, which is attached to an Action Wobbler so it jiggles.
Summer Hills-Painter took inspiration from Helen Cryer’s Butterfly Card for this cheerful pretty explosion of butterflies card. She used the Butterfly Pivot Card, Butterfly Accessory dies and the Agatha Edges to make this bright and beautiful card.
Helen Cryer took inspiration from Raquel Mason’s tent card to create this sweet version, featuring a barn-turned-tent and some styling All Seasons Trees. I just love that hanging heart tag and the tent strings – so clever!
Donna Wright‘s father loves Minions so for his 65th birthday she made him this special card, inspired by my Explosion Birthday Card for my nephew earlier this summer. I especially like how Donna suspended the balloon on a piece of acetate so that when the card is opened, the balloon floats in the air. Brilliant!
Kelly Booth took inspiration from a clever adaptation of the House Pivot Card by Shelly Hickox where she turned it into a planter box. Kelly filled her inspired planter with beautiful hydrangeas from the STC Garden Notes die. The lavender color scheme is gorgeous!
Caz Counsell was inspired by Shelly Hickox to make a tunnel card featuring a steampunk Poppy the Owl. Caz used the Rectangle Accordion and Clock & Gears die and it turned out fabulous!
Shelly Hickox took inspiration from Summer Hills-Painter’s Heart Pivot Shutter Card to make this lovely Butterfly birthday card. The colors are so pretty and the lace detailing along the bottom is a beautiful touch.
HOLIDAY INSPIRATION
Shelly Hickox used Donna Wright’s Westminster Clock Card as her inspiration for this spooky version. Inside the clock (made from the Spiral Circle Pull Card) a cascade of gears pop up at you – if you click Shelly’s name you’ll travel to her blog where you can also see a video of the card in motion. Amazing!
Fran Sabad used Frances Byrne as her inspiration for this mixed accordion with a beautifully crafted and colored stamped scene. Fran mixed pages from the Circle and Ring Accordions. Doesn’t it look like that happy elf is swinging right through the album? Amazing!
Frances Byrne chose to be inspired by Shelly Hickox’s tunnel card for this Christmas creation using new dies and stamps from the Merry & Bright collection. Make sure you click to Frances’s blog post to see a video of the card in action. Amazing!
Raquel Mason was inspired by Donna Wright’s impressive knowledge of how many “sleeps” there are until Christmas. This is a common bit of knowledge that you’ll find on Donna’s blog year round and Raquel decided to use it as inspiration to make a “sheeps” until Christmas card using Snowball the Sheep, the Fence, Props 5 and the Sleigh pop-up die.
Frances Byrne took inspiration from Fran Sabad’s stacked mice card to create a Jolly tree. What a cute idea! Frances incorporated the Katie Label Pivot Card, Paris Edges, Merry & Bright Clear Stamps and Props 5 as well as one of the brand new Quietfire Designs script word dies. Gorgeous!
Fran Sabad made a colorful hanging trees Circle Accordion using Shelly Hickox’s all-white card as her inspiration. She added the new Rudy the Reindeer Character die and altered his antlers to bring them more vertical – a great idea for using Rudy on an Accordion where his wide antlers may otherwise impede the mechanism of the card.
Raquel Mason shows what Christmas is like in her home state of sunny Florida where they decorate palm trees. Raquel was inspired by Debra Hensley, who was Raquel’s guest for the April Challenge and made an adorable baby-themed Star Accordion. Debra unexpectedly passed away last month and we are all missing her generous spirit and amazing talent. Thank you, Raquel, for honoring Debra with your inspiration piece this month.
Fran Sabad has developed quite a bond with Jolly the Mouse. So much so that the team jokes that Jolly’s middle name is “Fran”! I love her description of “cutting off his tail with a carving knife” and moving it to the other side so it fit in her card, inspired by Caz Counsell’s Merry Christmouse Sleigh Card. Adorable!
Once again, an amazing challenge by an amazing team. Join us next month on September 16, 2015 when the team is taking on a challenge called Celebrate! They can make any type of project using any dies for any celebratory occasion, from birthday, to anniversary, to new baby, new home, retirement, new job, etc. – anything! As an added twist I’ve asked them to incorporate Frame Edges into their piece. The Frame Edges are sold separately from the Accordion dies because they work great as flat frames and borders in addition to fitting the Accordions perfectly. Get ready for some clever inspiration!
Ahhh, your cards, your dies, your team’s creativity all bring me such delight and inspiration. Thanks a bunch.
(I’m a Cocoa kind of gal.)
I love all the creations by you and your talented designers! Since Halloween is my favorite holiday, I pick Team Jolly!
I am voting for Team Cocoa, though Jolly seems to be very useful too.
This is such a tough decision…especially when there are sooooo many awesome example cards from your lovely designers. I love both teams, but I will have to choose only one so I go with Team Cocoa! Thank you for the opportunity to win! 🙂
All of the cards are winners. But it is Karen’s and the StampTramp Shelly Hickox’s cards that always make me want to run into my studio, pull out all of my dies and start cutting.
Steampunk and engineered cards go together like chocolate and strawberries.
At least in my world!!
Oh what fun it must be for your team to use Jolly and Cocoa as their inspired main theme. Jolly the Mouse is my favorite.
Karen, Every time I try to subscribe to the EC blog site I get an error message. I’ve tried so many times I just gave up. Are you’re subscriptions closed now?
Hi Kathleen – I’ll forward your comment to the tech person who handles the blog. I can’t see any reason why subscriptions would be closed. Maybe they can add you manually. Thanks for letting us know.
I am a big fan of the Halloween Holiday so the use of Jolly in the accordion card was great. I am Team Jolly today!
AMAZING work by a team of SUPER TALENTED designers – WOW!!!
Jolly good show … thanks for the inspiration!
Sandra ltb
Team Jolly – and more great ideas. Love these posts!
Jolly the Monster is awesome! Fab Halloween card and DT samples.
Jolly has so many possibilities for Christmas, Halloween, cat-themed cards, etc. etc. Woo-hoo!
Team cocoa! Grandkids doing some horse things:) You are so clever with your creations Karen B:)
Oh my goodness, what gorgeouliciousness I see created with all of these dies that I don’t already have!! I can’t pick between these two teams as I want them both and they are just too cute! Team Cocoa as he would make an awesome unicorn/pegasus, and Team Jolly as he makes such a cute Frankenmouse!! Oh dear, decisions, decisions! I’m off to have a jolly hot cocoa to calm myself down!! lol!!
Love yours cards and technics.
I’m with team Jolly. Like it
Amazing creativity from you and your team! I think I will have to be on team Jolly. Adorable!
Team Jolly…so cute…for a mouse that is.
Such cute various uses of each die…I love Cocoa…but would be happy with both of them.
I now have a problem deciding what to do for a Christmas card this year! Way too many great ideas on this post! But I know Jolly would be great on whatever I choose. Thanks for the inspiration(s)!
Jolly all the way!
The great design team has given me some fabulous ideas for Cocoa the horse. My granddaughter
likes horses so I would love to give her some on cards! go Team Cocoa!
All of these cards are really great! I’m amazed by everyone’s craftiness! I never would have thought to create bones from Cocoa the horse!!
Team Jolly. Well I actually love them both and all of the great card inspiration! Oh yes, I would be Jolly to win some of your awesome dies!
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com
My granddaughter (who is 6) Liliiana was staying with me when we saw the first video of Cocoa. she said ” Oh grandma can you please let me watch the horse video? You know I love horses!” Then she told me I had to buy Cocoa for her as soon as my local craft store got Cocoa in. I guess I will have to order online instead cause my local craft store still hasn’t got Cocoa in. So yes I am Team Cocoa all the way!!!
Cocoa the horse is decorating my sister’s birthday card, but I had to turn him into Paint the Pinto since she used to have a “paint” horse. Using the floating floor with the barn and it looks jolly good!
I vote for Jolly.
I really love both Jolly and Cocoa dies, but I think Cocoa is my favorite.
Team Jolly! Love both Jolly and Cocoa and the amazing ideas your team comes up with. Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh, I love both Jolly the mouse and Cocoa the horse!! AMAZING what your team can design!!! ALL the cards were awesome, as usual!
Another great bunch of cards from your wonderful design team. Count me in on Team Cocoa. That has to be the cutest horse I’ve ever seen!
I’m going with COCOA since my child was born in the year of the Horse and hour of the horse… <3
Love all the ideas! But Team Jolly is my choice!
Have always been a fan of your dies Karen and it is a jolly good new collection you have here. the cute mouse does indeed look JOLLY!!!
OMG! Team Jolly all the way! They are both very cute but something about that adorable mouse caught my eye. All of your dies are a must have and you have the most amazing ideas. Thanks for a chance.
Team Cocoa although I hate the thought of cutting him up 🙁
I would say I am team Colly lol which is both team Cocoa and Team Jolly. They both are so versatile and would be great to have.
What a great challenge. Sign me up for both team Jolly and Team Cocoa! I am in love in all your new dies. Thanks for all the inspirations.
and they’re off…It’s Cocoa by a nose!!! Both are the daily double! And actually the whole farm set is only limited by lack of imagination. It’s endless creativity…love it! I’m hoping to win for the cancer craft crate & heal class I teach. God knows we need the “time out” to forget we have cancer for a while. Hoping!
Diane
Lets all cheer GO TEAM JOLLY! Stop mousing around and get the cheese! Or cheese curds if you are from WI!
I think I am team Jolly. The little mouse is so cute and seems more versatile with different kinds of cards.
I am for Team Cocoa! Especially as it makes me thing of hot chocolate!!!! And cooler weather!!!! Thanks for the great ideas. 🙂
You rah rah !!!!! I am a member of the Jolly mouse team. He is just so adorable and I love him as Frankenmouse.
Cocoa, he just has more everything!
I’m team Cocoa, but I do love them both.
Your team is so creative! I look forward to the Challenge every month. We have several mice at my workplace (zoo) and I’m sure I’ll be able to use Jolly for many occasions.
Whoa there!!! We have to choose a team? Well, I guess I will pick team Cocoa, because he’s an excellent addition to the neigh-borhood. (Plus he makes a really cool unicorn.) All horsing around aside, they are both super!
Team cocoa for me and my grandaughter who adores him
Love all the beautiful cards! So inspiring! I’m in the Jolly team, the little characters are so adorable.
Wow, so hard to pick just one! But, I pick Team Cocoa. No wait, Team Jolly. Yes Team Jolly. by a landslide.
One for the giveaway would be Team Jolly.
Fantastic cards this month! I would be hard pressed to select a favorite! Your Halloween card just made my day! Jolly makes such a great Frankenstein’s monster!! Thank you for all the inspiration!
Great projects again this month. The creativity of all the designers never ceases to amaze me. Love Jolly as a monster. I’m definitely Team Jolly!
Team Jolly! He is so cute at Christmas and horrid for Halloween! Love the great designs!
Team cocoa all the way!!!! Thank you forr the never ending inspiration from all the designers!
Who would have thought that you could use Cocoa to make bats?!
Carol b
Thanks for the great inspiration to use the accordion dies. I so like the way you turned jolly the mouse into a monster, very versatile!
Jolly the Mouse is my favorite, since you said we have to choose ;-}! But, I am always happy to have new Karen Pop ups in my craft room.
Jolly the Mouse is the only mouse that I want in my house. Love the Monster Mouse. What a nice change for Halloween. Thanks for the ideas.
I’m for Cocoa because I live in the West and everyone loves horses.Your ideas are great!
I love team Jolly, your dies are so much fun
My sister and her family of three sons and two daughters-in-law and four grandchildren (oh yes, a husband too!) all live in Texas. How fun it would be to make Longhorns for their birthdays! Very inspiring ideas. Think Jolly could be worked into the designs easily too. Love to win them! Thanks for sharing all your talents.
I choose Team Jolly. Lots you can do with the mouse.
Love all these dies! but I think I’m team cocoa!
Looking forward to having a jolly time making all the jolly Christmas cards ?
Love these. I guess since I have to choose, I will choose team Jolly.
Terribly difficult decision, but TEAM COCOA! VERY inspirational creations, as always!
It’s kind of hard to pick, I really like both. But Jolly gee I’ll pick the cutie (mouse).
I had a JOLLY good time watching your video on how to create the monster mouse! So CUTE! Love all of your videos and samples that you share. Thanks Karen!
Love what you did !! I will need to play more to get different looks but I see more coming from Jolly. I love your dies and work and use the a lot. Thanks!!!
I am teams Jolly- so many cute ideas!!
wow a lot of great replys!!! I have them both and made the monster already!!! Halloween is my fav holiday so will go with Jolly!!!
I’m a Team Jolly person. I can see so many holidays that the little mouse can be embellished to celebrate. The first will be as a jolly elf for Christmas. Or he could sit on a jolly pumpkin for Halloween. I don’t like scary pumpkins so it would have to be jolly.
thanks.
I love how cocoa the horse was used to make bats— so creative!! I loved seeing all of the creativity on this challenge
Team jolly! He is so cute and can be used is so many different ways.
Love this months challenge. Gave me many ideas. I’m team Cocoa, but both are so great that it is hard to choose.
I think I’m team Cocoa but I do love Jolly you have made him so versatile on your cards.
All great cards and I am for Team Jolly. Team Jolly, I hope you will pick me as a winner so I can be jolly in making my cards!!!!
Hmmm….Team Jolly or Team Cocoa? Can I be an independent and vote for Team Cocoa today and Team Jolly tomorrow? :o)
Jolly is my favorite thanks for all the techniques you pack into a video and the close ps so it is so understandable!
I like both of them, its hard to pick one, but i would say Team Jolly
Great cards all but I am team Jolly!
I’m definitely a Team Cocoa for sure. All the designs were awesome!
Team Jolly…it’s even in the name!
Looking forward to a jolly time making cards for the holidays!
I am TEAM JOLLY, because I love meeses to pieces!
Love both but I think Team Cocoa will be more versatile.
I really dislike having to choose between two awesome designs but i am going to be for team jolly all the way
I’m team “Jolly Coco” they are both so cute and versatile. You can create so many fun things with both!
It is hard to choose, as I am sure you can do a lot with both! If I have to pick though, I will say team Cocoa. I just love all the new dies and want to thank you for the chance to win!
I grew up on a farm with Horses so I’m team Cocoa. I can imagine lots of cards using both of them so I’ve got to have them both
So many beautiful cards. So much inspiration! Thanks for it all Karen! I’m team Jolly for sure! You have such a vivid imagination Karen!
Cocoa.
I’m team Cocoa all the way! He is just too sweet!!! I love all of your barnyard and farm character friends. I’m a farm-girl at heart who enjoys all kinds of chocolate in any form.
Team Jolly, defintely. I love how you find new uses for your die sets. An upside down bathtub as a car, who would have thought of that besides you!! I see a little deuce coupe card in my future!!
Love the tent card and the minions but it’s team jolly that got me.
I am undecided as to which team I would like to be on–team jolly or Team Cocoa. And my kids are NO help to me. lol! Can’t I be on both, be a cheerleader for both??
I love all of them, but definitely Team Jolly as I think he is so cute!
Oops! Forgot to say I’m team Jolly!! Thanks
I love your cards and we have been looking for a couple years for a horse to use like Team Cocoa but I think I can see using Team Jolly the mouse in so many ways. I hope I have to choose which one then I will only have to purchase the other one.
WOW – these are so cute! The creative knowledge here is unbelievable. Thank you for the chance to win some of these amazing dies!
I think I belong on Team Jolly – soooooo adorable 🙂
Great, great creations by all. I am Team Jolly to the end 🙂
LOVE all of these awesome creations!! I am Team Jolly all the way!! He is so cute and I can think of lots of ways I would use him other than as a mouse!!! TFS!
Lots of great inspirations here! You’re an amazing group of talented ladies that I am honored to be working with.
So many awesome cards! This was a great idea for a challenge!
“Accordion”g to my heart, this is an extremely inspirational post! So many fabuliscious creations using ECD’s amazing dies and stamps! I love using mine to create beautiful things for friends and family!! The local children’s hospital absolutely loves it when I send a batch of cards that includes a bunch of Accordion cards!! I am hoping to get the farm collections and the Christmas collection so that I can use those to make cards for them! I am trying to set up a date that I can go to the hospital with a bunch of card bases and critters already die cut so the kids can make some of their own cards and hope to have the farm set by then!! Fingers crossed that I win the lottery! LOL TFS!