Hi, it’s Karen Burniston with the April 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 I invited each of the ten team members to invite one of their blogger friends to join the challenge. The ten guests each picked out an Accordion Album die and it was up to each pair if they wanted to coordinate their projects or do something completely different. You’re in for some amazing inspiration and are sure to find new blogs to bookmark as you peruse the work of the talented team and guest designers.
I just returned from the Collins Rep Group Spring Retailer Training Event in Boston where I launched a mini Farm Collection that will be shipping to stores at the end of April. I thought they would be perfect for my Accordion. I used the new Barn, Hay There, Brownie the Cow and Farm Greetings Clear Stamps.
Here is the video tutorial:
When the album is closed you can see Brownie peeking through the upper window. Slide open the barn doors and you see a haystack.
One of the techniques in the video shows how to create a debossed frame for an Accordion Album using Frame Edges. For my project I used the Katie Flourish Frame Edges.
Elizabeth Craft Designs Supplies:
- 1021 Barn Pop Stand (shipping end of April, 2015)
- 1025 Hay There Pop Stand (shipping end of April, 2015)
- 1022 Brownie the Cow (shipping end of April, 2015)
- CS001 Farm Greetings Clear Stamps (shipping end of April, 2015)
- Outdoor Edges (grass)
- Rectangle Accordion
- Katie Flourish Frame Edges
- Double-Sided Adhesive
- Australian Opal Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz (bells)
Other Supplies:
- Bazzill Cardstocks – Butter Mints Card Shoppe, Kraft, black, white, gold, green
- Echo Park Patterned Paper – Jack & Jill Cute as a Button (woodgrain) and Pink/Brown
- Brown ink and blending tool
- Twine, colored pencils
Time to send you on a journey to 20 blogs to see amazing inspiration from the Designer Challenge team and 10 distinguished guests. In all cases you can click on the designer’s name to travel to their blog post for more information about techniques and supplies used. Have fun!
Helen Cryer is the queen of patterned paper and her creation for this month’s challenge is no exception. Check out these bright fun colors and the clever way she adapted Honey the Bear into a sock monkey! I love this project!
Rita Edwards is Helen’s guest. “I was so pleased that Rita agreed to be my guest for this challenge! We ‘met’ each other when we were both on the Elizabeth Craft Design DT, and I love all her work – she colours exquisitely, and the details on her cards are just beautiful!” writes Helen. I agree! Check out this Rectangle Accordion by Rita:
Shelly Hickox can create one heck of a tunnel card using a technique with the Accordion albums. She has a link to her tutorial for this effect on her blog post. This month she incorporated the new Barn die into her scene. Love it!
Lisa Hoel is Shelly’s guest this month. Lisa also converted the Rectangle Accordion into a tunnel card, but vertical for her “under the sea” creation. So clever! Writes Shelly; “When we were asked to invite a blogging friend to join in the Accordion die challenge, I knew immediately that I would choose Lisa Hoel. I’ve been a longtime admirer of Lisa’s and love the way she uses Karen’s dies. Her unique vision is a breath of fresh air – I knew she’d wow us and she definitely has!”
I must say that when I saw Caz Counsell‘s creation for this month’s challenge I squealed with delight. Caz modified Dutch the Fox and Honey the Bear so they would be sleeping! What a clever idea and such a sweet card. She used the Circle Accordion.
Caz invited her friend Suzy Q to join the challenge and Suzy made this WOW! mixed Oval/Rectangle accordion. Says Caz; “This for me was a “No Brainer”. I chose my friend Suzie Q who I work with at Crafts U Love. Suzie makes lovely cards but unfortunately has suffered from lack of time and lack of mojo, I hoped in that choosing Suzie she might find her mojo and believe me she has!!” I agree!
Fran Sabad styled Brownie the Cow so sweetly for this 3-page Rectangle Accordion also featuring the new Farm Greetings Clear Stamps. The yellow and brown color scheme is fabulous!
Vicki O’Dell is Fran’s guest this month. Says Fran; “I met Vicki online and she is one of the most creative and upbeat people I know! She is all about DIY and gets involved in almost every craft out there!” Vicki chose the Circle Accordion and created a clever 3-page card with two connected pages and a third free-flowing. I love the serene feel.
Donna Wright made an adorable baby album using the Star Accordion and matching Star Buddies peel-off stickers. She also incorporated the Star Fancy Frame Edges on her second page. What a sweet project!
Sandy Diller is Donna’s guest and they both used the Star Accordion. Donna describes Sandy as “wonderfully talented” and I couldn’t agree more! Sandy not only flipped the pages to give the star a different look, but attached a clear spiral shooting through the album to suspend her floating stars. This is brilliant!
Frances Byrne shows off the new Cheepers the Chicken and Farm Greetings Clear Stamps on this fun 3-page Rectangle Accordion with Katie Star Frame Edges. I just love the colors and styling of this congratulatory album.
Maryann Einam joined the challenge as Frances’ guest. Maryann makes the coolest cards and this time used the Rectangle Accordion for a 4-page homage to shoes. Great sentiments, colors and imagery! Frances writes, “I chose my friend Maryann to be my guest for this month’s challenge as I know how much she loves Karen’s dies. We get together each month and enable each other when we go shopping out our favourite craft store.”
Kelly Booth made this superhero birthday card using the Star Accordion. Kelly has the greatest way with color and this Star Accordion project is no exception! She used the Star Fancy Frame Edges to make it a bright fun explosion of stars. It’s super!
Alice Wertz is Kelly’s guest. Writes Kelly, “I love the way Alice’s coloring brings things to life and she has been a friend of mine for many years.” Alice colored some adorable pups to use on her Star Accordion. She used the striped frame edges from the Star Fancy set. Absolutely fabulous!
Raquel Mason made this wonderful mixed Accordion to show off the new farm collection. She used all three new Characters and the Farm Greetings Clear stamps, plus Props1 and Props2. Love these party animals!
Debra Hensley was invited to the challenge by Raquel. “I like Debra’s work because she has a great eye for the little details. There’s always something extra or interesting on her cards,” says Raquel. Debra made this wonderful Star Accordion featuring the Star Buddies Peel-off stickers and the Palm Tree & Pail die. The glitter is so sparkly and I love the balloons!
Alicia, Raquel’s 12-year-old neighbor, also participated in the challenge as Raquel’s guest. She did a great job with the Star Accordion making this birthday album. Says Raquel, “I enjoy crafting with Alicia because she’s so eager to learn and loves glitter just as much as I do!”
Summer Hills-Painter made this hilarious anniversary card featuring a “Hogs and Kisses” theme with Virgil the Pig (And Virgilina!) on the Fancy Accordion album. The color scheme is perfect! Summer’s guest had something come up and was unable to participate.
Karen Aicken made an absolutely brilliant 4-page beachy Rectangle Accordion featuring Buster the Dog and the beach dies. She made the beer bottles using the Props2 Party Blower die. Brilliant!
Jackie Smith was Karen’s guest for the challenge. “I always looked forward to Jackie’s posts on the ECD Blog, as she has amazing way with texture and layers on her cards.” says Karen. Jackie made this amazing 4-page Rectangle Accordion with a Paris theme. All the layers are so intriguing! Love it.
Hopefully you’ve found plenty of inspiration this month and found some new designers to follow as well.
Join us May 13, 2015 for the next Designer Challenge, which is titled BARNS! BARNS! BARNS! The team will be using the new Barn die in a variety of clever ways.
Happy crafting!
Karen and all of the other designers are amazing! I have many of her dies and want more!!!!!! The Barn and new animals are so cute. I can’t wait for them to be available to purchase…..while I would love to me the one to win one of these give-away sets I doubt that I will, but that’s ok. I will end up with them someday! They are truly incredible products and simple to use. I love the dog and owl and use them all the time. One of the things I love the most about Karen is that she gives you so many fantastic ideas and all the designers are so very talented. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!!!!!!!!
I love the new farm themed pop-it-ups!
Didn’t think I would ever say this…but now I can’t wait to get back to the Farm!
Love your new dies, especially the cow. In early Autumn, I take my kids to the local farm that has a pumpkin patch. We go apple picking and drink fresh cider and bring home a few pumpkins to carve for Halloween.
Awesome cards ladies! Very excited about the new dies Karen!
I grew up on a farm which now is considered the city. I loved your video you did. on the Barn, Hay There, Brownie the Cow and Farm Greetings. It is going to be difficult to wait until the end of April to buy.
Oh my! These farm animals are so very cute! I love how you styled your card so that the cow is peeking out of the barn! I hope there are more farm animals to come. Maybe some sheep, goats, piglets, chicks…hint, hint!
I’m not really in to the FARM theme, but I love the debossed edge on the second page of the card in the video. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, my gosh – I like the FARM animals. They are so cute designed.
Thanks for sharing your cards with us.;)
I grew up on a FARM and this set brings back fond memories. Such a talented group showcasing their ideas.
What an adorable collection of farm animal dies. I especially love the barn. The farm animals must have a place to sleep. Love these dies.
Love the new farm dies. Especially the barn with sliding doors. Endless possibilities with that one.
Love the new Farm set! Can’t wait for my LSS to get them into their shop!
Chickens on a farm … Couldn’t be happier with this new mini release!
Super farm theme!
I love the farm animal cards. I need to get some, especially the barn and cow!
Back on the FARM, Brownie and Magnum (Black) would have made the cutest couple!! Karen, love all your dies….FARM set, cha ching!!!!
Cutest FARM collection ever!!
I LOVE all your designs. I’m so glad I joined your mailing list so I can see them. The FARM designs are so cute & would cheer anyone up who received the card!
That’s it!! I’m buying the farm!!
I love the chicken card! Great collaborations and just like the upkeep of a farm, it takes many hands to make something great. 🙂
I squealed with delight when I saw the new farm dies. They are moo-velous! I ran like Chicken Little clucking about them to all my friends. LOL Can’t wait to get my hands on the farm dies. Oh my that barn is fabulous! I so look forward to the designer team challenge post. They create the most amazing things and this month is no exception. Thanks for all the inspiration.
What a cute new collection. I also wanted to live on a Farm. I am a city girl and my husband said I would not last a week on a farm…. Got to get this collection! Wonderful job ladies!
I am so mooo-ved by the new Farm collection I want to buy the farm! Love it!
I grew up on a farm and I love your new dies. It is super how the barn doors open and you include hay, fork & all the cute animals. I can’t wait to buy them.
Love the new farm dies, especially the cow!
Love the new farm release. And your card is amazing as usual
Love the new farm dies!! The barn and the cow are my favorite!!
Llove the FARM collection cannot wait to get the Cow
OK, off all of the things I thought that Karen Burniston would come up with, a farm collection was not one of them…but they are adorable!! I suppose I have no choice but to buy now, brown cow, or should I say, Brownie the Cow for my personal stable of character dies AND I suppose the farm-esque dies of Countryscapes from ECD as well IF the scales are close enough.
I was really hoping for a Peacock or a Swan, but these newbies are adorable.
I got to say the Donna Wright’s card is lovely and has given me ideas. I got 2 arrivals last week! TWIN grandbabies, 1 boy and 1 girl, Sean Brody and Darby Dawn and I think a card like Donna’s will be great for her Post-baby baby shower (I’ll just add a page), the twins were born a little early as they often are. As I am sure you know, Karen!
Wow. The farm Collection is so wonderful.
All the cards are just darling, but Brownie the Cow is just way too stinkin’ adorable for the FARM!!!!
Love your FARM collection perfect for the kiddies snd youngsters in my life but please a little more info on the die packages like when you were with S____xo
What’s missing, Marianne? We have limited space, but we do include diagram instructions on the back of the package and show the die shapes on the front. Did you just want more steps and/or picture instructions?
Oh what Farm!! Awesome cards. Always inspirational to see your cards. Thank you.
Your new collection is farm-tastic! I love that it has a coordinating stamp set.
Great job to all those who participated in the design challenge. Love all the cards.
The farm cards are really cute!
Awesome projects! I just love the farm theme! That barn is the best!! Can’t wait to be able to get em, they’re all just so cute!
I grew up on a FARM that had been converted into a cemetery. The other FARMs around us were still being used as such. I still have fond memories of playing in the barns, etc.
OMG, I love the Cow! I need her and the barn on your new farm collection!
I Love Karen’s designs and her willingness to answer all questions. The new FARM collection is so charming and with the added coordinated rubber stamps is a perfect complete set to make such a wonderful card. Karen, you did it again with these great dies, characters and stamps!
I love the farm dies. I grew up on a farm. Thank you for all your neat dies and ideas
Thanks for the great inspiration you all shared here. I love the new farm dies.
What an amazing collection of farm animals released this month, I can’t wait until they are in the stores.
Loving the farm theme; so many great ideas (and so little time to try them out 🙁 ) – thanks for the inspiration
Such great inspiration will need to farm these ideas into reality with these great new dies!
All these farm creatures are so cute! Some great ideas on how to use them!
The new dies bring back memories of my Grandparents farm.
All of the cards are inspiring. This entire series is on my wish list.
I love the farm theme and all those really cute farm animals. Great cards made by the design team.
My fabulous mom lives on a FARM! Oh, the cards we could make! Love love love it!!!
Can’t wait to get my hands on Karens FARM collection. Love it!!!!
Thanks Ladies for so much wonderfull inspirations !!!
You all done an amazing Job … you are alltogether such inspiring !!!
Caz Card made me speechless… have to hop over to her blog and want to see more
TFS for showing the new mini Farm Collection it´s such sweet …. love it
CU hellerlittle
Love all the Pop It Up dies. Brownie the Cow is the cutest gal down on the FARM.
I absolutely love the farm dies, I can’t wait to get mine.
J’adore les dies “Farm”
The farm pop it ups are to die for! I love them.
I just love the April entries for the Designers Challenge. Can’t wait to order my own FARM inspired dies. They look like so much fun. Karen, you consistently blow out my craft budget.
Love the FARM theme – especially the Chicken!!
Hi Karen, I love the new farm dies…the barn is so cute! Love them all!….
So darn cute! You did that ” Giveaway”
All these new animals bring back sweet memories of when I was a little girl and would visit my aunt and uncles farm…..oh what fun that was!!!!
You always come up with the most wonderful ideas and I can’t wait to get my hands on them.
Just gorgeous, thank you for all the ideas, inspiration and techniques
I love the new Farm animals dies and stamps and can’t wait to get them
Love the farm animals and the barn die as well. So creative thanks for all the inspiration.
I love all these FARM animals. I can’t decide if the cow or the pig are my favorite. I’ll think I’ll probably have to get all of the farm animals!
Really like your FARM theme. Makes me smile.
These cards are splendid. Loved all the FARM animals. Super cute
The Farm is a hoot! But I’m blown away by all the other designs, too, from the clean and simple to the fanciest flourishes, they’re all fascinating. The accordion effect is so cool. I can see myself playing with them over and over. The Creative Juice card particularly tickles my fancy.
I love all of the farm dies.
Love the Farm theme, I grew up next door to my Grandparents farm and love all of the critters and the barn.
I love the new Farm theme, the barn is fabulous and the new characters are adorable!
Fabulous creations! Love the farm ones.
Those funny Farm dies are just too cute. I especially love the “Pig out/Go hog wild” card by Raquel Mason. Adorable! Thanks again for all the inspiration. These cards really spark our creativity.
I love all the cards. The design team really did an amazing job. I will have to get all the new Farm dies. I have a ranch and they will be perfect.
Love your work. They are always fun and exciting. No Farm should be without a dog. It would be fun to win. Thanks for the chance.
Love it all! So much inspiration! The FARM animals are too cute for words!
These cards are amazing! Your ideas are farm-fresh! Loving all the new characters as well as the coordinating stamp set!
Loving the farm collection and especially Cheeper and the egg! Cannot wait to get these!
I just love the new farm collection!! As soon as I saw the video I had to let me sister know, as we have both really enjoyed be creative with the Pop It Up Dies!! I will definitely have to call my local store and get them to set some aside for me….lol!!
Love the new farm themed dies. The barn with the sliding doors is the coolest. Karen you never cease to amaze me with your designs. I grew up on a farm and can’t wait to create a card that reminds me of my youth.Thanks so much for sharing your talent with the world!!!!
The farm dies are so cute and inspiring. I can’t wait until they are in my local store.
A Great Farm-ily of farm animals. Love all the farm related dies and stamps!!
As they say, “old McDonald had a farm”. You never cease to amaze me. The design team has gone over the top once again. TFS.
Love the Farm die collection!!!
I just love this farm die collection especially the cow….so cute!
I love the new releases. The FARM animals are the cutest!!
Wish I was down on the farm right now! Love all of the new dies – thanks for opportunity to participate.
My earliest years were spent on a FARM. I have fond memories .. we had a cow, Bossy, and a number of chickens so your new barn, cow, and chicken dies are topping my must-have list.
The farm theme is so popular now and your critters are adorable
I have fond memories of my grandfather’s farm and would dearly love to have all of the farm theme dies. I like that they are not too cute-sy, suitable for anyone’s card. Great job! Thanks
The Farm critters are just great! I can’t decide which I like better of them all. The barn is fantastic! Thank you for all the great ideas all the designers come up with!
The weather down on the farm is absolutely beautiful and so are your creations.
back home on the farm now takes on a whole new meaning! I love the Hogs & kisses card. These are so cute & I like that they are not too “childish” …fantastic creativity!
Thanks for sharing all these great projects! Lots of farm themes.
I have all the the first animals and am looking forward to purchasing the new ones. The idea of having them in a barn is exciting as it can be used for children or adults.
Ever since my brother had a barn built I have loved the theme. I collect many farm ideas to use for his cards. I love the barn die, as well as the cow and chicken. I am sure the pig is just as nice. Just look at his face. Great ideas and love the videos. I am a visual crafter. Thanks for the inspiration.
All these great cards have me “farming” at the mouth the get the new farm dies and stamps! What a wonderful spur to our creativity!
Ohmigoodness!! that are so cute! i love them! I want them all! I want to make my own farm in my craft room!!!
WHEN I LIVED DOWN ON THE FARM WE HAD GOATS, BUT I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR THIS COLLECTION TO BE ON SALE…..EVEN WITHOUT THE GOATS ! ! !
Love the new farm animals and can’t wait for them to be available at my local craft store.
I LOVE the new farm things. SOOO cute and such expressions!
I was born and raised on a farm. I love your farm theme and I can’t decide which of the animals I like best, maybe the cow or pig.
Adorable cards. Love the Farm theme. Great inspiration from an awesome DT!
Karen, loved your video for the barn in a rectangle accordion card. The FARM release is great. I’m going to have to try about half of the examples on the DT challenge this time, but there are twice a many with the addition of the guests! Where oh where will I find the time! I know I’ll have to give Shelly’s tunnel card a try, it is so fantastic! There is quite a lot of inspiration to digest this month. My thanks to all the talented people who shared!
Ruth
I’m in love! The new farm dies are so much fun. The cards are so creative and entertaining.
Loving all of the inspiration found here! Cheepers the Chicken is my favorite FARM critter of the bunch!
Just love your Elizabeth Dies and think the FARM die is so sweet, I would love to win it, Thanks for the opportunity
What a farm-tastick new release. i just love that new chicken die 😀
All of these cards are just wonderful! I love the farm designs and can’t wait to get shopping and get started….I’m wondering if any of these will be at CKC Manchester next week!
Love the Farm collection! My dad and grandparents all grew up on farms!
Love, Love, Love the Barn and the cow dies…. have loved cows and barns since my early days in Wisconsin!
I love, love, love your new farm collection. I can’t wait to start creating with these new dies and stamps!
I love farm ideas coz i grew up in the farm 🙂
I love all the cards made this month. I can hardly wait for the FARM collection to be in stores.
The new dies are adorable. I love all the Farm animals and the Farm related extra dies to go with them.
Carol b(cc)
Having a new great nephew the farm animals will be a perfect addition to my collection. Love them especially the cow.
Oh my goodness, these new Farm dies are so adorable! I expected to like the pig the best but I think my favorite is the cow. Karen these are just getting better and better!
Open up the barn door and kick out the hay! These dies are really cute. I especially love the cow.
The FARM is so cute! 🙂 Cute new die as always !!
Love Love Love OH Mrs Burniston had a farm e i e i ohhhh so cute.
So many wonderful projects, I loved them all! And thank you for inviting me, I truly enjoyed it!
I had so much fun being part of the DT Challenge this month- Thanks for inviting me Raquel! All the projects are amazing!
Fun barn. Great DT work/inspiration.
Great job everyone…..thanks for the great inspiration.
Amazing inspiration from Karen, the Design Team and their invited guests!
Wish the barn and other matching products were available NOW…..I get impatient when new stuff comes out, but it is not available yet. At my age, I might forget all about it when it does! 🙂
It isn’t my lack of inspiration but my lack of time and having all materials at hand when I really really want to take on something new. Barns, love it!
Oh my goodness! LOVE Helen’s Sock Monkey and Caz’s sleeping fox and bear are adorable!! Great job by all the amazing designers!!! LOVING the farm themed dies! TFS!
As expected wonderful range of fun projects. TFS
A great range of ideas. Well done eberyone!
I’m so excited to get the farm collection. seeing the cards posted just makes me want them more
You have put a lot of work into these cards! Lovely job!
There’s no shortage of inspiration here!! Great job ladies!