Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

December 04, 2017

Baby Occasions - Baby Boy card

Hi Everybody,

The other day I  showed you a baby card for little girls and today it is the turn of the boys

I used the Baby Occasions Additions from the "Christina Collection" and that is available only from Craft Stash

So this card is created using the stamped elephant for the background and I used Blue Print Sketch.

It looks like a really dark ink but it dries a lot softer than you think and it matched the blue card much better than any other shade


But today I have a special treat for you and that is to share not only my own video but also that of my lovely young friend Christine Smith from Crafti Potential
She makes the most amazing cards and this be is no exception.
 I am delighted with what she has done using the stencil from my Baby Occasions


More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 03, 2017

Saturated Canary & Copics

Hi Everybody,

The other day when it was cold and wet I had an afternoon colouring and this beautiful image was my choice to use.

She is called Cinderella and she is from

This was a digital image and it is one that I bought some time ago. 

But they have many images now on rubber stamps and at reasonable prices

I have coloured her before but this time I have used the new Copics that I have just bought as a Christmas gift from ME to ME

There are mistakes in it but as I practise with the Copics I will improve and I really enjoyed the process of colouring her in.

I love the images from Saturated Canary as they have big eyes and lots of beautiful hair and are such a pleasure to colour.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 02, 2017

Card Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

Here we are with the weekend again and not many to go now to Christmas,  When I got up this morning there was a box behind the front door and it wasn't until I opened it that it dawned on me 
Today is my Wedding Anniversary and the card was from Griff.  

I completely forgot about it, so I sneaked up to my craft room to make one. 

But I haven't forgotten the draw for the card and gift from yesterday and the name today is...

Marjorie Bates
could you email me please with your postal address to
christina@card-making-magic.com
and they will be in the post to you straight away.

I am happy to tell you that the "Christina Collection" of dies, stamps and stencils is now back in stock with Craft Stash

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 01, 2017

Friday Freebie Card & Gift - Cottage Garden

Hi Everybody,

The lovely gift this week is from 
and this is one of the cards from the video.

It is a really useful corner die that can add a pretty finishing touch to your designs.

So if this is a gift that you would like than all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post.

Then Please Please Please come back tomorrow to check if it is your name listed as  the winner because I have no way to chase you up if you don't.If the gift is not claimed in 72 hours then it will be offered again at a later date to some one else.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx




November 30, 2017

Baby Occasions - Baby Girl Card

Hi Everybody,

Baby Cards are always lovely to make and they are something I really enjoy doing especially with flowers, ribbons and pearls on them.

But I have been very restrained with this one and kept it  soft and un-fussy ... well it is for me anyway.

I have used the new additions to my "Christina Collection" and this is the Baby Occasions set of dies, stamps and stencils

The video is not long but I hope you enjoy it all the same Baby Occasions  - Baby Girl Card

With hindsight I wish I had done the baby shoes from the stencil a little deeper in shade and maybe added a few more along the panel.

But once I came to that conclusion it was too late as the card was nearly finished.  Still I will know better next time ... live and learn !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 29, 2017

Another lovely freebie ...

Hi Everybody,

The free gift with Simply Cards & Papercraft 171 is this die and stamp set duo and there is quite a lot that you can do with it.

In the video I have tried to show you some easy ways in which to use both.

 I hope you will enjoy

There are more ideas on how to use the gift inside the pages as well as other card designs you may like to try

So it's time for a break and cuppa especially if you have your own copy of the mag.

 I know you are going to enjoy reading this months.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 28, 2017

Tuesday Tutorial - Quatrefoil Trellis - Card Making Magic

Hi Everybody,

The Tuesday Tutorial is changing from this week and instead of other companies dies I am going to be featuring my own collection from Card Making Magic
This whole set of dies, stamps and stencils are available only from Craft Stash and each week I will be using a different piece to show you just how versatile it is.
More will be added to the collection in the coming months and the links to the products I have used will be at the bottom of the post 
Supplies:
  • Complete Card & Box Die Set
  • Quatrefoil Trellis
  • Cream & White Card
  • Guipure Lace
  • Pearl clusters
  • Altenew Inks
  • Finger daubers
  • Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue
  • Foam Sheets
Instructions: 
With the card making element from the Card & Box Die Set create a tent fold card base in cream
Cut another in white with the Stitched Mat
With the outer part to the Trellis die cut a layer in cream and then with the two dies cut the patterned piece in cream and glue these two layers together
Wrap with the lace and glue it on the back so that the edges cannot be seen
Arrange the foam tape to avoid the lace and creating more bulk 
From the flowers and leaves in the Card & Box Die Set cut as many as you would like
Cut extra if you intend to decorate the box in the same way
Cut several Happy Birthday sentiment and stack them together for strength  
Add these to the Banner die cut
Ink and shape the flowers and leaves with a ball tool and inks of your choice
Stack them with as many layers as you prefer to create as many flowers as you need
Arrange the flowers and leaves as pleases you and glue the pearl clusters to the centre of each flower
Add the sentiment banner to the top of the lace with foam pads and a little extra glue to hold it securely.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 27, 2017

Love and Marriage Additions

Hi Everybody,

A really easy card today using the beautiful Love & Marriage Additions to the Christina Collection

I used the border stencil to create the coloured panels in the card and an assortment of Distress Inks

To get the blending add a little more ink as you come onto the card and then fade out to lighter strokes as you more away from the stencil.

  I used bright gold card for the heart and wedding rings and accented the panel with black

The second card was done a little more heavy handed and with some of the deeper colours but still the same technique

I add more pearls to the second one and I tried to use the same shade pearl drops as the colour they sat on

The video will show you how I got the look and it is just long enough for a cuppa and a biscuit


Both of the cards are relatively flat and so will fit nicely into a standard sized envelope for posting


It is a really effective look and I was quite happy with the result.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 26, 2017

Ruby Card & Tonic Craft Kit 02

Hi Everybody,

Craft Stash have a special deal on their website for the Christina Collection and the Gemini Junior Machine together and so today I have made this card using that die cutter.

I have also used the beautiful cad and papers that came in the Tonic Craft Kit and these are lovely vibrant reds and golds 

So what could be better than a Ruby Wedding Anniversary Card to celebrate forty years of being married. 

The video will show you how I made this card and the box ... Ruby Card with Gemini and Tonic   and you may have to improvise with your card if you don't have the Tonic ones that I used.

I was really pleased with this one once it was finished and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and are quite deep.

But once again it looks much better in the hand than the photo shows
To get your craft kit visit Tonic ...
UK & Europe 
US & North America 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 25, 2017

Today's Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

This is gong to be a cold day by all accounts and the weather forecast says to keep warm.
 And as it is Formula One weekend and Griff will be glued to the TV it looks like I will have to do some crafting to occupy my time ... so no hardship there then !!

The draw for the card and gift has been done and the winner this week is you 
Christi 
so if you could pop your postal address in an email to me 
christina@card-making-magic.com
they will be on their way to you straight away.

You have 72 hours to claim the gift and if you could let me know that you have received it safely please that would be great.

Look out for another give away next Friday.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 24, 2017

Friday Freebie Card & Gift - Floral Wishes

Hi Everybody,

Another free gift and card on offer this week and this is the gift free with Papercraft Essentials.

It comprise of a die to cut out the centre of the wreath, an embossing folder for extra texture to your cards and a lovely stamp set

The card that I am sending with the gift has used the little bow stamp to create a background and is the one created in the video 

If this is a gift that you would like then simply leave me a comment at the end of the post and then come back tomorrow to see if you are the winner.

You will have 72 hours in which to claim the gift 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 23, 2017

A Video Collaboration ...

Hi Everybody,

Today's video is in collaboration with Christine Smith from Crafti Potential and we both used the same Christina Collection to make a Pop Up Box.

It amazes me how we can come up with totally different ideas using the  same items but we have a lot of fun in the process.

So here for you to view are the two videos from myself and Christine bringing you our ideas with the Pop Up Box.

Hope you enjoy both


Christine has created her pop up box using a die and I have gone the long way round and given you the measurements. But both are fantastic creations and well worth the effort to make them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 22, 2017

Die Cutting Essentials 31 - Sparkling Snowflake

Hi Everybody,

Another Christmas card today and this one is using the gift that is free with Die Cutting Essentials 31

This lovely snowflake will help you to create some really pretty designs.

For the one pictured I have used Peacock Feathers Distress Oxides to colour the snowflake

It is a Shaker card and I filled the centre with Turquoise Glitter from Tonic 

The dazzler on the snowflake was the wrong colour so I altered it with Alcohol markers

In the video I show you how to do some partial die cutting to create a different look to the front of your cards.


I also used the die cut as a stencil to blend the background with the front and then I decided to colour the whole die cut and add it to the card

So you see when you start to play things can develop along lines that you hadn't planned on and still give you a pleasing result at the end.




Crafters have happy accidents ... they don't make mistakes !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 21, 2017

Tuesday Tutorial - Spellbinders Christmas

Hi Everybody,

It's not that far away now and so here is a Christmas Card to get me in the mood to make more. This one is using Spellbinders A2 sized dies but I have made the card bigger and I will show you how I did this as the layering progresses 
Spellbinders Supplies:
  • A2 Matting Basics A
  • Water Lilies Deco Accents
  • Merry Christmas 
  • Mosaic Vine Leaves
  • Platinum Die Cutting Machine
Other Supplies:
  • Flowers and Holly leaves from Wild orchid Crafts
  • Glitter from Glitter Magic
  • Card from Papermill Direct
Instructions:
With dies #6 and 8 from Matting Basics cut the larger die in gold and the smaller in some patterned paper (Die #1 is always the smallest)
From the Water Lilies dies cut #3 in red and #2 in gold
Layer the patterned piece onto the red layer and then both onto the gold card with foam pads between
Layer these onto another piece of patterned paper and let these now determine the size of your card base ....
... by placing them onto the fold of an A4 piece of gold card and trimming to the size you want it.
You can make your borders as wide as you like ... I kept mine quite narrow
Cut the sentiment die out twice in red and gold and layer them together.
See which way round you prefer them to be stacked  ... I decide on the red shadowed by the gold
I added the words to my card front with a double layer of trimmed foam pads underneath to give a really deep effect and the picture shows you how it looks from the side
Cut the vine and trim to the size that you require and add to the card front with Poinsettia flowers and Holly leaves  Dot the flowers with glue and sprinkle with glitter for a sparkly effect
There is your pretty card all ready to send for someone to display on their mantle shelf 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 20, 2017

Silver Wedding Anniversary Card

Hi Everybody,

This beautiful card was made with the Love & Marriage Die Set  that is part of the New Additions to the Christina Collection available from Craft Stash

I have made it in silver and white and it is much better in the hand then the photo shows

My flowers, Leaves and the Dove are all from Wild Orchid Crafts and they have been sparkled up with glitter from Glitter Magic

The fibres that are on both card and box are from AnnaMarie designs and they are some that I use often on my Shabby Chic Cards.

It has its own matching box made with the Complete Card & Box Die Set and I really enjoyed making this .... I just need someone to send it too !!

But with yesterdays card and the addition of the five stencilled cards to one box I am trying to show you just how versatile this new collection can be 

I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am and thanks for all your lovely comments

Moe tomorrow ...

Hugs xx