Featured Card ...

Hi Everybody,

Spectrum Noir  have added a new video I have made to their Blog page and you will find it here ...  Shaving Foam Technique

It is not a long video but it shows you what I have done to create the card and the end result ... and it is part of my commitment to being a Design Team Member.

There are many ways and many kits that you can buy that will create the marbling on your cards but they can be expensive.

This is a cheap way and it gives you the same result.  It is a simple idea and one that as been around for a long time and the whole thing is messy but fun.

 My tin of shaving foam cost me a whole 29 pence .... so it's not going to break the bank then ... and I can get a lot of use from the one can.

Once you have the foam on your card .... and any card will do... there are other things that you can do to it.

This panel has been embossed and then rubbed over with Gilding Cream and I have edged it with a black liner pen ... and it is not supposed to be a straight line !! ....

This one has been heat embossed and edged with the Spectrum Noir pen that matched the ink used in the background.

I think the whole effect is very striking and when other embellishment are added it will be a card that not even you can replicate.

Which is all part of the fun .... no two will ever be the same.

I hope you enjoy the short tutorial



Before I go I have been asked about the GNPE show in Harogate

It is on the 5th and 6th of October this year, at the showground, and you can buy your tickets from Craftwork Cards  ...

There is also a craft show on  12th 13th 14th September at Event City in Manchester 

The  "Sincerely Yours" Craft Fair  will be at  the Sports Village in Leigh, Lancashire is on the 12th and 13th October... some good dates for your diary and  if you go then enjoy yourself and don't spend too much

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Black Card ...

Hi Everybody,

It's a well known fact that we all like white on white cards and even the cream variation .... but what about black on black ??

This is a card I have made with the new Crisscross Pattern die from Spellbinders that I showed you yesterday ... but I have to say I don't know if I like it really.

 What do you think?

The card has been made following the video tutorial for

Creating  A  Frame  with  Spellbinders    and the Crisscross has been layered onto a dull silver card.

The black pearls are some from Want2Scrap  and I have jsut added them to the cross sections of the die

The sentiment has been heat embossed in silver and double layered onto some of the silver card.

I added a large double bow using the  Bow Maker  from the black ribbon that I already had in my "Stash"

The question is ... do I like it  ... or not ??  Er!  I think NOT ....

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

  

Crisscross Pattern ...

Hi Everybody,

This is one of the newest  patterns from Spellbinders and it is the Crisscross Pattern.

It makes really neat backgrounds and I bought mine from Sunrise Crafts

This is a  UK company  but they have the most up to date Spellbinders and the delivery is quick.

Mine arrived this week and so I had to play and see what it looked like and this is the card I came up with ....

I have created the design as a Hinged Card  and used lots of layers.

The pattern  has been layered with Mirror card and created in the same way as the instructions in the Creating A Frame with Spellbinders.

The other dies I have used are listed below.

The sentiment is from Clarity Stamp and it has been heat embossed in silver

The single flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts

 The inside of the card has been decorated to match the front and the ribbon is from Reasonable Ribbon and is part of their ribbon club.

Now I know that the list of dies below says Pre Order ... but these dies are all available now .. and have been for some time.

So please shop around and find them at the best price in your part of the world.  

The list below is there simply to show you what I have used and what  the dies  look like so that you know what you are looking for should you wish to get them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Medallions Seven

Hi Everybody,

The Medallions are one of the smaller dies from Spellbinders. There are several patterns in these dies and the ones I have used are the Medallions Seven.

This card is a 5" square that is created from the smallest of the Grand dies.

It is also the card that is featured in the video ...
Spellbinders Medallions Tutorial  which is not a long tutorial.

The beautiful embossing on the white layer is from the Regency Swirls from Crafters Companion and it leaves a lovely deep etched design in the card.

The pearls are self adhesive and they are from Want2Scrap.   .... and  were added at the suggestion of my "Film Crew" 

More  tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

The Winner is ....

Hi Everybody,

The offer of the Grand Decorative Ovals was a very popular gift but only one of you could win them and that lucky person is

Talk to the Tail

Congratulations on your win and if you would like to send me your land address I will get them into the post for you straight away.

The draw is done randomly by InLinkz so that it is fair to every one who enters ... which is why I remove duplicate entries so that everyone has one chance to win.

This is such a versatile set of dies and the photo shows just one idea for a card ... and it is in a  Tutorial

I will be adding more cards that I have been making and I will show you some of the newest die sets from Spellbinders.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Gilding Flakes...

Hi Everybody,


Yesterday I added another tutorial to the website with Gilding Flakes.

The first video was using the flakes with double sided adhesive sheets when I created the Gilded Bird Cage  but  this one is about using  ....  Gilding Flakes and Stamps. 

This card was stamped with the Lattice from Stamps by Chloe

I have applied Cosmic Shimmer Flake and Glitter glue to the stamp with Cut'nDry  and then I have added the Gilding Flakes.

Once the card was finished it looked too plain for me and so I added in a small self adhesive pearl to each of the cross sections.

These little pearls are from the Hobby House  and they fit perfectly.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and the ribbon is from my "Stash" ... and once it was done I quite liked the end result

More tomorrow

Hugs xx

Origami Folded Box

Click to Enlarge

This pretty box was from instructions that I found in an old magazine and of course I had to try it.

It uses a good quality double sided paper that is quite thick ...  and lots of different folds.

Then once made it can be dressed up any way you want and it is not a bad sized box either.


I added the lid to it and dressed it with the butterflies from the Les Papillion set from Spellbinders

The flowers on the top are made from felt and I used the Spiral Blossoms 3 to make three in pretty shades of pink.

The Organza Ribbon is tied in a large bow with a Diamante gemstone in the centre.

I have added smaller bows around each side and added the gemstones to them also.

Around the edges of each flap I have glued some vintage crochet lace before gluing them  in place.

On the lid I have edged it with La Creme Pearls from Want2Scrap and also along the body line of each of the butterflies.

Because the paper was double sided it makes the inside of the box just as pretty as the outside.

I will be making more of these to add gifts too for any occasion.

Hugs xx

Scalloped Card ....

I used the Scalloped Squares to make this card and the image is  from  CD from PolkaDoodles

I coloured  her  in with  Spectrum Noir  pens  and then  framed  her  and added  Diamante  from Want2Scrap   around the edge.

This ribbon  is  more of the  free stuff that came  wrapped  around a  pair of pyjamas that  I bought.

Being a  frugal crafter  I just can't  throw things like  this away.

And with the adddition of the sparkly button centre it looks very good.  I always love a "freebie" wherever it comes from.

Here  is a selection  of dies that  are in at  the moment at  Save on Hobbies   and there are new ones coming in soon.

Well worth a look for some really good bargains and the prices are amazing.

Over the next few weeks I will be adding some of these to my cards.

I will of course tell you which particular Spellbinders are the ones that I have used.

I am really looking forward to playing with these in the coming weeks and I have lots of ideas buzzing around this head.

But at the moment my "Film Crew" is taking me out for an Early Bird meal and he is getting  impatient to go .... so Bye For now ... back tomorrow.

Hugs xx

Babies, babies everywhere.

Since I discovered these beautiful images from   Mo's Digital Pencil   I have had so much fun colouring them in.

I have used Spectrum  Noir pens  throughout the process and they are available from Crafters Companion


Here are some that I have coloured in using the same image but I love the way they have turned out...and although the image is the same one the effect is different each time... and I will be adding these to cards as I need them





This baby was featured in a card a few posts ago and has been coloured with Spectrum Noir pens....

Clicking the photo will give you a larger image so that you can see the different effect on each one.

I used the palest in the turquoise set and outlined it all with a pale beige.

I just love the sofness of these images and they are perfect for new baby cards or a first birthday.

My Great Grand daughter will be getting one of these on her first birthday in October.

This one has been coloured with pale greens and the effect on the dress is created with the pens.

And this one is in a pale Lilac with a Polka dot dress and this is my favorite colour scheme.

Such a delightful image deserves your best shot at colouring it in and making it into the prettieset card you can.

Hugs xx

Silver and White Wedding Card.

This will be my last "live" post for a few days as I am all ready to go on my Canadian adventure to meet Naomi and her family. 

The cases are packed, we have the tickets, the dollars and the insurance all sorted, the house is clean and tidy and I am so excited about this trip I can't sleep.

My "Film Crew" has all his camera batteries fully charged and he is raring to go.... complete with the silly hat !!

But of course to family nothing changes and at the last minute my daughter has asked me to make  her a special wedding card.   This wedding has been planned for months ... but last night she asked me and it is for this Saturday.

So what could I say???

Click to enlarge

Once again the remit was for the ever popular white card with flowers and so I obliged ...and this is what I came up with.

The silver was added in to the blend to give some sparkle.

I have used two different types of ribbon and layered them at the top of the card and added a bow from the same two ribbons with a Diamante centre.

The  beautiful Diamante  "Bling" is from Want2Scrap

 The Spellbinders used will be in BOLD so that you will know what I have used.

Click to enlarge

The  background is created  from the   Regal M-Bossablities folder.

 The sentiment has been layered onto the Floral Ovals and the Labels 20 with  matching "Nestabling" added to the centre Label 20

The flowers are Spiral Blossoms 1 and 3, with the smaller Bitty Blossoms added into the spray and each of the flowers has  had a silver glitter ball glued into the centre.

I have used the small leaves from the Bitty Blossoms and larger ones from the Foliage set.

Click to enlarge

The Diamante has been used around the edge of the card and of course all self respecting wedding cards need a box and so I have added the flowers and the "Bling" to this as well.

The lid has an acetate centre so that the card can be seen through it ...but at the last minute I decided to add silver tissue paper to keep it safe.

So that is it until I get to Canada ... the next few days posts are all done and scheduled to go out each morning .... fingers crossed.

Then once I get settled Naomi and I will be doing some projects together and of course my Film Crew will be on hand to take some lovely photos or our trip to Prince Edward Island .

Thank you for all the lovely messages about my holiday... both here and by email to the website.

Hugs xx

Sugarplum Daisy CD

Staying with the Sugarplum Daisy CD from  Polka Doodles  for todays card. 

I have used the same fairy images from yesterday ... just added them in a different layout.  There are other characters for you to choose in different poses.

They come in four sizes for you to cut out and use with Spellbinders if you have them... or just mat and layer as you would like.

If you aren't happy to colour the images then they come ready coloured so you can just print them off as they are on the disc.

But if you are then you can use the line drawings
 to colour in your self.

The papers are in blue and pink and layered  onto some plain pink card.

The Lacy border is from the Persian  Accents from Spellbinders and it is cut from Glitter card, and the blue satin ribbon has been added to the top.

I thought I would add some blue buttons for a change but then decided to add the flowers as well.

Well why not???   The flowers are from  Wild Orchid Crafts

The fairy in the foreground has been added with   Pinflair Glue Gel   to give her height, and  the  wings have been sparkled with the lovely Glamour Dust for added effect.

A very pretty card for many occasions.

Hugs Christina xx

New video on the way ...

Today has been very busy with preparing another video that I want to add to the website and I hope you will enjoy making this   White on White Card  card.

 It is another staying with the Spellbinder theme as they have been very popular... and yep!  Griff had to get his ladder out again!!

I have stayed with the same set of dies that I suggested in the other    Spellbinder Videos   so that people will have the chance to get more comfortable using them... but it doesn't matter which sets you have they will ALL  make gorgeous cards.

The video will show you how to make this Special card and it would be lovely to give it as a Wedding Card.  You could personalise it with the happy couples names or the date of the Wedding day... and it needn't  be all one colour.

You could add in the Brides colour choice and make it even more special for her.

Or how about making it in a rich ruby red, gold, silver or pearl for those extra "Special Anniversaries"  and once again add the couples names to the front of the card. 

The list goes on and on .... and once I get started on Spellbinders there's just no shutting me up.

Hugs Christina  xx

Video Hitch ...

Over the three years that Card Making Magic has been around I have made several video tutorials that have been added regularly.  Just short ones so that you don't have time to fall asleep ... but long enough to show you what I am trying to achieve.

We have had slight hitches along the way but usually things go well.  So let me tell you how they are produced.   My husband (Griff) stands on his little ladder and films over my shoulder ... and whenever my head gets in the way he pulls my hair to get me out of the shot.... and sometimes he misses and oops! there's my head. (Soreeee!)

We laugh and we argue while these films are being made but  hopefully you  find them enjoyable.

So yesterday we made a video of the making of this card and I was hoping to add it to YouTube later in the day. Everything went well and the cards turned out very pretty .... but when we came to the editing of it something went really wrong.

As the PC was turned on the message read that there was an error and that the software used to edit the video was irrepairably damaged and should be removed. So what should have been a relatively quick task turned into an all day job and at the end of it .... still no video was produced.

So this morning the task is on to start again and hope fully Griff  (who does the editing) will be able to sort things out.  But we think that the music will be lost and all the start and end bits to the videos will have to be done again so it may take us a little time to get sorted.

The card itself is another one using my Spellbinders and is one of a series that can help you with  Starting Your Spellbinder Collection 

The links to the other two tutorials are on that page.

It is a much prettier card in real life than the photo shows and as soon as I can I will get the video on the card onto the website..... once my production team (Griff) gets things as he wants them again.

In the meantime have a really good day.

Hugs Christina xx