books

Pop-Up Birthday Card for A Bookworm

| ullycatdesigns

It’s the Karen Burniston design team challenge for February 2025 using the theme of Bouquets. We were asked to make a card with a bouquet using some of the new Bouquet Bits and Flower Pot Add-ons. For this challenge I chose to make a birthday card for someone who enjoys reading. (You can see other bouquet pop-ups by clicking here.)

Watch the process video to see how I made this card.

Cardbase: The card base is made from a lightweight white cardstock measuring 5.5×8.5-inches and folded in half to for a side fold A2 (5.5×4.25-inch) card. I covered all four panels with library themed papers from Stamperia.

Card Front
Card Back

Pop-Up: For the brown pot of fern-like seedlings is made with the Flower Pot Pop-Up die set. (Follow the assembly video at the bottom of the linked page.)

Decorations: Tea and books often go together and the Tea and Coffee Borders set has both teapots and teacups. The green picks that the sentiment and books are attached to come from the Bouquet Bits die set. The green foliage pieces come from the Flower Pot Add-ons set. The books and bookworm are all from the Bookworm set.

Sentiments: The square stamped sentiments use the Photo Memories stamp set and the square dies to cut them out from the Photo Fan Pop-Up.

Envelope: The card fits into an A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) envelope. The same sentiment from the card front is stamped on the envelope back flap.

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Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please like and leave comments 😊

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Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

Papers

  • B
  • Stamperia – 6×6 Double-Sided Paper – Lady Vagabond Lifestyle
  • Stamperia – 8×8 Double-Sided Paper – Background Selections – Voyages Fantasiques
  • Recollections – 8.5×11 65 lb. Cardstock – White
  • Multicolored Scarps of Cardstock and Packaging
  • Fraser Papers for William House – A2 Envelope – Genesis Text Milkweed Smooth

Ink

  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Pigma – Mircon 005 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Sakura – Gelly Roll Pen – Medium – White
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Fine Tip – Black
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Ultra Fine Tip – Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, Yellow

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Bone Folder
  • Score Board
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Scissors
  • Paper Masking Tape

A Walk Along Main Street Pop-up Card

| ullycatdesigns

This card was made for Craft Roulette #203 whose parameters included a flip fold card, Main Street colors, walk(s) element and heart(s).

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Thank you for checking out this blog post. I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please like and leave comments 😊

________________________________________________________________

Materials Used:

Dies

  • Concord & 9th – Metal Dies – Bake Shoppe
  • Concord & 9th – Metal Dies – Book Shoppe
  • Concord & 9th – Metal Dies – Fashion Shoppe
  • Concord & 9th – Metal Dies – Pop-Up Shoppe Base
  • Concord & 9th – Metal Dies – Window Shoppe Pop-Up Base

Stamps

  • Concord & 9th – Clear Stamps – Bake Shoppe
  • Concord & 9th – Clear Stamps – Book Shoppe
  • Concord & 9th – Clear Stamps – Fashion Shoppe
  • Concord & 9th – Clear Stamps – Flower Shoppe
  • My Favorite Thinks – Clear Stamps – Coffee Shop CS-734
  • Rubbernecker Stamps – Rubber Stamp – Good Friends 642-13

Papers

  • Craft Consortium – 6×6 Double-Sided Cardstock – Brick Textures
  • My Favorite Things – 6×6 Single-Sided Paper Pad – Finishes and Textures
  • Spellbinders – 8.5×11-inch 100 lb. Cardstock – Terra Cotta
  • Spellbinders – 8.5×11-inch 100 lb. Cardstock – Snowdrift
  • The Paper Studio – 8.5×11-inch Printed Paper – Brick Wall
  • Gold and Silver Matte Foil Cardstock
  • Colored Cardstock
  • Dura-Lar – 9×11-inch .005 Clear Film or Acetate

Ink & Embossing Powder

  • StazOn – Solvent Ink – Jet Black
  • Stampin’ Up – Classic Stampin’ Pad – Early Espresso
  • VersaMark – Watermark Stamp Pad
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink- Antique linen, Salty Ocean, Scorched Timber
  • Gelly Roll – Gel Pen – Gold
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Ultra Fine Tip – Black
  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Recollections – Detail Embossing Powder- Ebony (used on “Books” sign)

Adhesives

  • Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
  • Fine-Tip Glue Bottle
  • Double-Sided Tape -1/8-inch wide
  • Double-Sided Tape -1/2-inch wide

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Bone Folder
  • Stamping Platform
  • LDRS – Stampendable Stamping Tool
  • Craft Mat
  • We R Memories – QuickStick
  • Tweezers
  • Sponge Dauber
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Heat Tool
  • Scissors
  • Metal Ruler/Straight-Edge
  • Pencil 

Carousel Birthday Card

| ullycatdesigns

This birthday card was made for Craft Roulette #199 whose parameters included card with a bookmark, bakery colors, large animal element and horizontal lines.

For this card I used dies from two of my favorite crafting companies – Karen Burniston Pop-Ups and Rubbernecker Stamps (rebranded as Brass & Bliss). The front carousel, as well as the animals and lattice work used on the inside cake are from Rubbernecker’s retired Carousel set. The other dies used are Karen Burniston’s Happy Birthday Shadow, Happy Birthday, Cake Trims and Cake Pop-Up.

Cardbase: I used a purchased A7 (5×7-inch) cardbase and envelope. Cut four 5×7 panels of decorative paper. Glue two to the outside and two to the inside of the cardbase leaving the center fold uncovered. (I used two panels of a London park map paper inside the card, matching up the design at the fold.)

Card Front: The background paper, green border and journaling quote card are all from a Mary Poppins themed paper collection. The carousel is a bookmark tucks into the journaling card pocket. To create the pocket, I used thin strips of foam tape on three sides of the journaling card.

Bookmark: Because the carousel die is one piece, I cut it three times from white cardstock and once from red cardstock. For the animals I used markers to color them and glitter markers to add some magic to each critter. Once all the elements for the carousel were cut, colored and assembled, I glued them together at the top of a 4×8-inch rectangle of heavy white cardstock. Using a ruler, draw with a pencil the bookmark base as a 2-inch wide column centered at the bottom of the carousel. Fussy cut around the carousel and bookmark base. Punch a hole in the top point of the carousel. Thread two 6-strand pieces of yellow embroidery floss through hole for a bookmark pull. Decorate base and back with stickers from the paper collection.

Card Back: keeping with the bookmark theme, more of the collection paper was used to cover the card back featuring books and a sticker related to reading.

Pop-Up Cake: Watch the assembly video at the bottom of the link page for the Cake Pop-Up before die cutting. I wanted the cake to resemble the carousel, so the middle layer is white with the animals from the carousel die attached. The base layer is red and uses the carousel base cut in white trimmed to fit the sides of the cake. The top layer uses the Cake Trims set’s scalloped swag trim and the candle from the Cake Pop-Up set to suggest the roof and flag of the carousel.

Sentiments: Happy birthday uses two dies – the shadow cut in pink patterned paper and the words cut in matte gold.

Envelope: The back flap of the envelope has a carousel tent top.

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope this inspires you and makes you smile. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

Papers

  • Carta Bella – 12×12 Double-Sided textured Paper Collection Kit – Practically Perfect
  • Spellbinder’s – 8.5×11 Color Essentials Cardstock – Snowdrift
  • Fun Stampers Journey – 8.5×11 Cardstock – Cranberry Bliss
  • Matte Gold Cardstock
  • Park Lane Paperie – A7 Cardbase and Envelope – White

Ink

  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink- Fired Brick
  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Crafter’s Square – Metallic Marker .05 in Point – Gold
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Fine Point – Pale Lavendar
  • Stampin’ Up – Stampin’ Write Marker – Chocolate Chip
  • Stampin’ Up – Stampin’ Blends Marker – Light Daffodil Delight
  • Scrapbook.com – Glitter Brush Marker – Pretty Pink
  • Scrapbook.com – Glitter Brush Marker – Sunshine Yellow

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Bone Folder
  • Craft Mat
  • Sponge Dauber
  • Stamping Blocks used as paperweights
  • Pencil
  • Ruller

Miscellaneous

  • Embroidery Floss –Yellow

Halloween Book

| ullycatdesigns

This card was made for Craft Roulette #186 whose parameters included a dude card, library colors, large flower(s) and stitched.

These parameters suggested a book box with a pop-up surprise to me. I followed Nicki Baxley’s idea of using an embossing folder with flowers for the cover of the book and Mary Gunn’s idea of a 3D book.

Before the show, I had been experimenting with a new Stampin’ Up stamp and die bundle of skeletons so I had a number of heat embossed skeletons ready. I also had been playing with a Whimsey Stamps ATC Book die set.

Book Box: Watch this video to see how the book box is assembled. Next, die cut two book cover pieces from kraft cardstock along with one of the box base piece from kraft cardstock and another from textured black cardstock. Run over one book cover with an embossing folder and color the flower centers with a yellow marker. Then trim off the front embossed cover and glue it to the top of the other book cover piece. Stamp the book title sentiment onto the embossed book spine and trim it off to be glued onto the top of the other book cover piece. With Distress Ink, age the book cover along the edges, spine and over the embossed flowers. Use a thin brown marker to color stitch marks embossed into book cover and closure strap.

Assemble the kraft box base. Cut off the tabs of the black box base piece and then trim off the four side pieces. Glue the black base into the kraft box bottom and then glue in black side pieces. Stamp sentiments to inside of book cover. Glue box onto inside bottom panel of plain book cover piece.

Book Pages: Cut three pieces of white cardstock the same width as the end sides and then trim to fit the outside of the box. Glue the white strips to the outside edges of the box. With a fine tipped dark marker, draw thin lines on all the white strips to represent page edges.

Skeletons:  Stamp skeleton pieces onto black cardstock with watermark ink. Heat emboss with white detail embossing powder. Use dies to cut out pieces. Glue a jumping skeleton together. Cut an 11-inch by 1/4-inch strip of black cardstock. Fold strip in half and begin folding one strip end over the other to form a spring. Glue spring to the back of skeleton. Attach spring to inside of box. Add cat skeleton below the skeleton’s feet.

Sentiments: Stamp the “No Bones about it, you’re a sweet friend” sentiment on embossed book spine before gluing the piece onto book cover. Stamp the inside sentiments “Happy Halloween” and “BOO to you” before the box is glued inside the cover.

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope this inspires you and makes you smile. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

  • Stampin’ Up – Cut & Emboss Dies – Bag of Bones
  • Whimsey Stamps – Metal Craft Dies – ATC Book – WSD569

Embossing Folders

  • Spellbinders – Cut & Emboss Folder – Floret Cluster

Stamps

  • Stampin’ Up – Photopolymer Stamp Set – Bag of Bones

Papers

  • My Colors Cardstock – 12×12 Textured Cardstock – Black Bear
  • Black, White and Kraft Cardstock

Ink & Embossing Powder

  • VersaMark – Watermark Stamp Pad
  • Recollections – Detail Embossing powder – Snow
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink- Vintage Photo
  • Stampin’ Up – Classic Stampin’ Pad – Soft Suede
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Ultra Fine Tip – Yellow
  • Pigma – Mircon 03 Fine Tip Pen – Brown

Adhesives

  • Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
  • Fine-Tip Glue Bottle
  • Scor-Tape – Double-Sided Tape -1/8-inch wide

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Pokey Tool
  • Stamping Platform
  • LDRS – Stampendable Stamping Tool
  • Kat Scrappiness – Anti-Static Tool
  • Heat Tool
  • Stamping Cloth
  • Sponge Dauber
  • Craft Mat
  • Scissors

Shop Cards – Coffee and Books

| ullycatdesigns

Miniature houses and shops fascinate me. When I saw that Concord & 9TH had come out with a Pop-Up Shoppe Die set and add-on sets for a bakery and a bookstore, I knew I had to try them.

First try – Bookstore
Second try – Coffee/Bake Shop

Here are my first and second cards that I made from these die sets. The first one, a bookstore, was done without watching the assembly video and hence I attached the pop-up store front as an accordion fold rather than the “U” pop-up fold as the video shows. The second one, a coffee/bake shop, uses the “U” fold. (Bake shoppe video, Book shoppe video)

For the coffee/bake shop I cut a 4.25×5.5-inches piece of banana cream cardstock folded in half for a top fold A2 size card base. using double-sided tape I adhered the decorative papers on all but the front inside of the card.

I found that assembling the shop front from the acetate windows, door and, flower box and eaves dental molding first, made it easier to plan how to lay out the inside scene. On the coffee/bake shop I used the largest door die to do a partial die-cut of three sides on the shop front, so that the door could be opened. (I’ve also thought for my next card to use both door dies to cut in windows to the door.)

The acetate windows can be one large piece if you don’t make the door open or two or three pieces if you do cut the door to open. (I reinforced the narrow strip by the door with a piece of acetate.) You need the acetate to glue the window frames onto as well as tables and lights bumped out with foam squares.

The inside decor for the coffee/bake shop uses the bake shoppe dies as well as the counter made from the bookstore’s cabinet with the shelves cut off. The stamped coffee signs come from a coffee shop stamp set from My Favorite Things. The “OPEN” sign on the door is from a Lawn Fawn stamp set. “Bakery” is part of the Concord & 9TH stamp set.

All of the coffee and bakery elements were curved using fingers or flower shaping ball tools. The breads and baskets were inked with Distress inks. Printed watercolored papers were used for other elements like cups and flowers. Foam squares are used to adhere most of the elements to the card back.

Placement of items to be seen through the upper windows and open door may make the inside layout seem off-balance.

The inside of the card needs layers of matted sentiment and a decorative paper on the card back to balance out the weight of the card front.  I think the top fold card works best for the card design, but the side fold card is good too.

As is my way, I decorated the back flaps of both A2 envelopes with stamps from Hero Arts (bookstore) and Concord & 9TH (coffee/bake shop) to hint as to what is inside the envelope.

See more coffee themed cards by clicking here or shop cards click here.

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope it brought you comfort and inspiration.  Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

Papers

  • Clear Acetate Sheet
  • Craft Consortium – 6×6 Premium Paper Pad – Brick Textures
  • My Favorite Things – 6×6 Paper Pad – Finishes and Textiles
  • Funky Fossil Designs – 20cm x 20cm Paper Pad – Watercolour Rainbow
  • Fun Stampers Journey – 8.5×11 Cardstock – Banana Cream – CS-0087
  • White A2 Card Base
  • Colored Cardstock
  • Colored, Pattern and Foiled Paper Scraps
  • A2 Envelopes

Inks & Pigments

  • Ranger – Tim Holtz Distress Inks – Walnut Stain and Soot Black
  • Stampin’ Up – Classic Stampin’ Pad – Early Espresso
  • Pigma Micron 01 – Black
  • Sakura – Gelly Roll 08 – Gel Pen – White

Miscellaneous

  • Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
  • Fine-Tip Glue Bottle
  • Scrapebook.com – Double-sided Tape – 1/4-inch wide
  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Stamping Platform
  • LDER Creative – Stampendable Stamping Tool
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Sponge Daubers
  • Piercing Tool
  • Tweezers
  • Foam squares

Holiday Card for A Bookworm

| ullycatdesigns

This is a holiday card for a booklover. It features the Bookworm and Bam Box dies from Karen Burniston’s December 2022 release. It also uses previously released die sets of the Fireplace Pop-up die set , Fireplace Extras 2 and Family Room die set.

Card Base:  The card base is an A6 size (4.5 x 6.25 inches) with a top fold. Decorative papers as well as the fireplace pop-up mechanism are glued to the base.

Bookworm and books:  The bookworm set comes with all the dies to create a bespeckled worm that fits on the sofa from the Karen Burniston Family Room die set. (See assembly video.) The book dies allow for creating books from most angles including open books. (I added book spines to the top of the fireplace and a stack of books to the base of the sofa hidden by the blanket.)

Bam Box:  The bam box is a rubber band powered spring box that allows the sofa to pop-up. Watch the assembly video before making. Heavy weight cardstock is recommended and allowing glue to dry at each step will make for the best working bam box.

Sofa:  A bam box is covered with the sofa from the Karen Burniston Family Room die set. The back of the sofa is just the seat portion left flat. I cut a rectangle to cover the front base of the sofa and hid the bam box. The pillows are attached as per assembly video directions. The bookworm is attached to the pillows with foam dots as is the stack of books to the base. The blanket is tucked around the worm’s body and attached under the foam square. (When laying out the position of the sofa in the card, I found that the lamp was too tall to be in the card when it was closed, so it was eliminated in the final card.)

Fireplace and accessories:  For the fireplace cut two of the fireplace brick front – one in white and one in black as well as two of the lined mantle/hearth pieces – one white and one gray. The black brick is colored with a white crayon and the fire and logs are also cut twice.

To assemble the fireplace, watch the assembly video first. You will need to attach the gray hearth and black brick pieces to the card base before adding the mechanism. There are two fireplace extra sets. I used the one with the clock, plant and basket of logs. The tiny pop-up mechanisms for the objects on top of the mantel are from the fireplace die set. The basket of logs is on a foam dot. I also add strips of white cardstock to the wall on either side of the fireplace as floor moldings.

Rugs and Wall Decoration:  Using patterned papers that suggest wallpaper or carpeting make this type of card pop. The picture molding strips above the fireplace are scraps trimmed off the patterned paper and the reverse side used. The large green oval rug is cut the second largest oval crosshatch die. The small white oval with a red heart is the cut out from the picture frame. It can be used to write a personal message.

Card Front
Card Back

Sentiments:  On the front of the card Karen Burniston’s Merry Christmas and its shadow are cut from contracting colors of patterned papers used on the inside of the card. The Happy New Year framed inside the card over the fireplace is a computer-generated sentiment. The frame is from the slim frames die set.

I used leftovers from decorating the inside of the card to complete the outside panels of the card which are covered using the reverse sides of the decorative papers used on the inside.

Envelope: The back flap of the envelope has a bookworm attached at the head to the flap and a stripe of double-sided tape on the back of its body for when the envelope is sealed.

Thank you for reading this blog post. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

Papers

  • Echo Park Paper Co. – 12 x12 Double-sided coated cardstock – A Perfect Christmas by Lori Whitlock – Berry Merry Christmas – APC135003
  • Echo Park Paper Co. – 12 x12 Double-sided coated cardstock – The Story of Christmas by Lori Whitlock – Flowers – TSC94003
  • Colored scraps of cardstock
  • Computer and color printer
  • Park Lane Paperie – A6 Textured Card and Envelope – Ivory

Pens, Crayons & Inks

  • Green, Red and Black Fine-Tipped Markers
  • Gelly Roll 08 Pen – White
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink – Walnut Stain
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Crayon – White

Miscellaneous