Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

December 13, 2014

This weeks Winner ....

Hi Everybody,

This is a busy week for me as I will be back on your TV next week.  I have four shows for Create and Craft and I am really hoping that you will join me... and maybe send me an email in to the show

Bur more on that later as I know that you are waiting for me to say who has one this weeks card. Well it's you ...

 EMA

and so if you can email me please ...
christina@card-making-magic.com 
with your postal address then I will get the card in the post to you straight away.
I hope you will like it and please let me know when it arrives with you.

So back to next week ... I will be with you at 3 pm and 6 pm on the 18 th and again at 10 am and 2 pm on the 19 th ... then home in time for Christmas.

I will be featuring the  new Teal Grand Calibur from Spellbinders.  I have had lots of emails about the box that I made the last time I was there and so... Fingers crossed !!  I will have the time to show you again 

I will keep you up to date with what is happening as I should have a little more time to keep on blogging this time.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

December 12, 2014

Friday Freebie 037

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is staying with a more laid back feel and there are no flowers on this one

It is created in peach, black and white and has a rather dramatic feel to it.

I have used the Botanical Swirls  and I also added a video to show you how to get the best result from any of the expandable dies

The Diamanté  flourish is the luxury touch to this card and it is from Want2Scrap




If you would like to win this card then all you need to do is  join the growing band of followers and then leave me a comment to let me know you have been to visit ... and would like to have the card.

A name will be drawn from the hat by my trusty "Film Crew" and the winners' name will be announced on tomorrows blog post.

Please come back to check if it's you who  has won as you will only have 48 hours in which to claim it by sending me your postal address.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 11, 2014

Masculine Card

Hi Everybody,

Just in case you missed the update on the Butterflies die from yesterdays post ... the die is available in limited quantities and so if you see one then you will need to grab it quick

One of my readers Helen Aiken has located this die at Sunrise Crafts ... but be quick or it will be gone

I am often asked for ideas for male cards as this is an area we all seem to struggle with each time we need to make one.

Well there couldn't be a more simple card to put together than this one

All it uses is an embossed background ... a border die ... and some ribbon and a sentiment ... and that's  it ... job done.

So to be more precise I have cut my base card from brown card and layered it with a deep  leaf green.

The top layer is cut in white and I have embossed it with the Diamond Fleur De Lis EL-031 M-Bossablities folder. It gives a really deep pattern into the card and is excellent for any card

The  border is cut with   Petite Monarch  and I have added tiny pearls to each point.

The ribbon is just a thin gingham from  Mei Flower  and I have added a pearl buckle to it. The sentiment is from Anna Griffin and matches the color scheme perfectly.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 10, 2014

Two Ways to Use ...

Hi Everybody,

This pretty die template is the Spellbinders Butterflies and is one of their expandable range

I have been informed that this die is available and so if you see it grab it quick as once it is gone ... it will be gone forever 

Helen Aiken has just found it here at Sunrise Crafts  for you   Butterflies Pattern

Todays post is to show you two different ways in which I have  used  this die.

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For this one I have simply cut the whole die from some pink card and used it as it is, and teamed it with a soft cream

I created a frame around the cut piece with Matting Basics and added it on foam pads to give dimension

I wrapped it all in pink ribbon before adding it to my base card.

Then I  added the bow with a dazzler for the knot and a little sentiment that can be for any reason you wish.

The outside edge of the frame has been surrounded by a white pearl strip that is self adhesive and it is from Want2Scrap

I have added a small heart to each of the Butterflies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


For the second card I cut the whole piece in green and then carefully cut out the butterflies.

I spattered the butterfly embossed background piece of  cream card  and added it to the same green card as the Butterflies.

The Butterflies have been layered two together and the wings bent upwards slightly

Each Butterfly has a pearl body and small trail just to add the finishing touch

The verse on the second card is from Sheena Douglass  "Little Bit Sketchy" range

And there you have a very easy card that looks nothing at all like the first card and yet uses the same expandable die template.

I hope you will enjoy playing with any of the Spellbinders that you have in your collection and looking at them in ways other than their intended use.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



December 09, 2014

Reflective Moment ...

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is  in a pretty shade of blue teamed with white  and the die used is the  Reflective Moment  from Spellbinders

If you click the link you will see what the die template looks like and it is a large 5 x7 set

I have embossed the background piece of blue and then added the die cut panel with foam tape to give dimension

The sentiment is from  JustRite Stampers  and is the one that will fit the Labels Twenty Nine

I have also added that panel with foam and then edged it with Diamanté from Want2Scrap  for a really pretty finish

The beautiful flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and as usual I have added fine glitter from  Glitter Magic

The satin ribbon is from  Mei Flower  and I have tied it in a bow and added a dazzler to cover the knot

Another card that I like and it's not pink !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


December 08, 2014

Back with pink ....

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is once again in my comfort zone with Flowers, Ribbons and Pearls.

I have used the Anna Griffin papers and these are some that I got while in Phoenix.

They are from a box of 5x7 papers called Lovely Layers and the patterns, colors and quality is exceptional.

I have embossed the panel before adding it to the card front to give more texture

I cut two of the border strips Petite Monarch and added in some pearls

I have wrapped it with two types of pink ribbon and a double bow with a cluster of flowers over the centre

The flowers and the white leaves are from Wild Orchid Crafts   with added sparkle from Glitter Magic    The pearls are from Want2Scrap  and the little sentiment is also from Anna Griffin

Yes !! I like this little 5x7 card

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 07, 2014

Elegant Ovals ...

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is using some very beautiful Anna Griffin papers and a lovely blue ribbon and in a style that maybe you wouldn't associate with me

This one is very vintage and I have woven the ribbon through each other on the bottom edge.

I have tied a double bow and added a gemstone to cover the knot and just tucked it in place under the sentiment.

The bas card is blue  but the sentiment tag is also from Anna Griffin and I must say it makes a very pretty card.

Maybe not quite my style but one that I am quite pleased with all the same

The only Spellbinders that I have used on this card is the Elegant Ovals and I have cut the largest #4  in the same blue as the base and #2 in cream and layered them together

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

December 06, 2014

Good Morning !!

Hi Everybody,

Today is cold, dull and wet here in the UK but I am up bright and early this morning as I have lots to do.  The main thing is to get my Christmas Tree up with it's beautiful lights shining and then I will be on the way to being ready for Christmas.

But first of all is the draw for the lovely purple shaving foam card.  My "film Crew" pulled a name from the hat and the winner is ....

Diane Naylor

You have 48 hours to send me your postal address please to 
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get the card in the post to you straight away and I hope you will like it when it arrives

More later ...

Hugs xx

December 05, 2014

Friday Freebie 036

Hi Everybody,

Todays Friday Freebie is a card with a background created with   Shaving Foam 

This is an old video tutorial that I did and I have added it before but for those that are new to the idea I have added it again

The Card is in a lovely deep purple with a flower corsage to match and the flowers are from   Wild Orchid Crafts

I have sparkled them up with fine iridescent glitter from Glitter Magic

The hat pin is a very feminine addition and it is removable from the card.  I use 3" hat pins with end protectors from the Sparkles Group

The sentiment is from   Lili of the Valley   and is one of a set on an A5 sheet of verses

Now if this is a card that you would like to win then all you need to do is add a comment at the bottom of the page.

Scroll down to just under my signature and there you will see the word Comments and if you click that word it will open another window for you.

A name will be chosen at random and the winner will be announced tomorrow morning in the blog post.

This is the last day of the  Spellbinders Sneak Peak and Give Away 

Click the link to see the  Imperial Square  that I featured on Monday ... the links on each designers pages are open for 48 hours for your chance to win the featured die set

 And for other die templates on offer visit the other designers blogs and enter there for more chances to win.  A winner will be drawn each day with a grand prize to be won on the last day



More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



December 04, 2014

Card Class

Hi Everybody,

In the last card class my ladies tried their hand at creating a more masculine card with the unusual technique shown

If this is a new idea to you then maybe you would like to watch a tutorial on Faux Leather Effect

The two different color schemes make the card look totally different and you can make it suit your recipient whether male or female

It is very easy to do and I hope you will enjoy the short video  ... and I am sure that you will agree that both Mary and Brenda have made lovely cards on this their first attempt.

The Spellbinders Sneak Peak and Give Away is now in its fourth day

Click this link  HERE   for the form that you need to fill in and submit to be in with a chance

Visit the other Designer Team blogs too for even more chances to win and there are other sets on offer... and at the end of the week there will be a grand prize fro someone to win.

But remember that these dies are  being newly launched at the CHA shows in California and  they will be available for you to buy  next spring 2015

The link is open for 48 hours and is the only way to enter.  Good Luck

Thank you for all the comments on my practise run with the camera. I had some really good tips and advice from many of you and I will take each and every one on board and work with it.  Many of you preferred the third photo of the cards and that was my favorite one as well.

It was only a practise run and my first attempt with my new camera and I do intend to use other staging props and not just the ones shown.  So hopefully my pictures will get better

 All the advice given was well received by me and in the manner it was intended

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx