Using left overs ...

Hi Everybody,

A little while ago I made some plaid backgrounds and after trimming down the panel I had quite a few strips of left over pieces that could be used on another card.

I never throw these bits away, as you never know when they will come in handy again.

And these two card are the perfect opportunity to use them up.

This one has been layered onto some silver mirror card, spare glitter card and added to an embossed panel.

Waste Not, Want Not.

 I have used other left over die cuts that are on my desk to finish the card and I really like the result of this one.

On this card I have used a butterfly from the Butterflies and Lace collection and this has been cut in Silver mirror card.

I have used the same card to once more back the plaid strip that was left over. 

By using up the left overs and paper pads that we already have,  we can always get a lot more cards, and for me they go into my charity box.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Using Up Papers ...

Hi Everybody,

These are some cards that I made from another paper pack that I have in my stash and this one is for the RSPB.

This is part of my personal challenge to use up the  papers I have in my craft room.

 There are some really pretty papers in this pack and I made loads of cards,  plus I still have lots of paper left to make even more.

These four are all A6 size and will fit into a standard sized envelope so easy on the postage.

As well as the papers there are toppers and sentiment strips in there for you to cut up and add to the design.

It is amazing how far these paper packs will stretch and of course these cards will all go to fill up my charity box.

Just to be a little different I made this one into an easel card but it is still an A6 size.

I have lots of paper packs to use up. but eventually I will and I will show you what I make as I go through them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Gail Knapton - Winner

Hi Everybody,

Still enjoying this beautiful weather ? Or has it got a bit too much for you. I can remember a time when I would lie in the sun for hours and get a glorious suntan ... but not any more. I get bored now and it is far too hot for me to sit still in. Ruby doesn't like it either and she prefers to stay in the cool indoors. 

Ella on the other hand finds the sunniest spot and lies in it until I call her in again.

I have done the draw for the gift on offer on Friday and the name this week is

Gail Knapton

Would you email me with your postal address please to
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get it in the post to you.

Be sure to let me know that you have it safely and I hope you will enjoy playing with it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Spring Garden

 Hi Everybody,

Todays offering is from me ... Card Making Magic ... and it is the Spring Garden set.

This consist of an A4 stamp set of images and sentiments and covers lots of occasions you may need.

There are also some blackboard papers with it that have verses or sentiment written on them and they will make a complete card front for you.

Inside the magazine there are lots of ideas on how to use the set as well as other things you may like to try.

There are two magazines with this offering so plenty for you to get stuck into if you are the winner.

So all you need to do is leave me your comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME and then be sure to come back on Sunday and see if you are the winner whose name will be shown in the blog post.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Variations ...

 Hi Everybody,

Continuing on from yesterdays Monochrome theme I wanted to show you the difference between a one colour card and one with several colours.

Both cards have used the same flower die set but look completely different.

This is the Sulfur Cosmos flowers from Altenew teamed with my Simply Dots Embossing folder.

I think this card looks elegant in a beautiful shade of grey, and with the appropriate sentiment it could be for any occasion and any gender.  

This is the same die but with various shades of pink for the flowers and of course green for the leaves.

I have added black for the flower centres and they have been covered with Glossy Accents to give shine

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Monochrome Cards

Hi Everybody,

 

This is an idea that I covered many years ago and it is the monochrome card, which simply means making the card using only one colour, or shades of it.

So I thought I would give it a go again as a revisit to old tutorials on my YouTube Channel

The card to the right is done in blue  cardstock and this has to be my favourite one out of those that I did. 

I used  any flower dies that I have in my collections and my favourite Rose Flourish for the leaves.

The background is the Simply Dots Embossing folder from Card Making Magic

This all pink one is very soft and delicate and the flowers is the Hellebore Die Set from 

Card Making Magic

I used all three of the flowers in the set and raised them up with foam pads. 

The centre flower has double pads under it to make it stand out even more.

Using all one colour means you don't have to think about which colour goes with which and if they will clash.

And all my flowers have been added to either an embossed background or a die cut to stop it looking too plain.

This white one is a little more intricate as I have created a wreath from the leaves but I show you in the video how I made this one.

The leaves and flowers are from the same set called Daisy Flourishes and it is not a million miles away from the Rose Flourish.

The background is from the 5x7 Quatrefoil die set. 

The flowers I have layered all together to make full blooms and a white pearls is added to the centre of each.

They are all really pretty cards and can be for male or female depending on the colours you use.

Still they may appeal to you as we all like different things.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Apologies ...

Hi Everybody,

Last week I added two pages to my blog and for some reason they seem to have corrupted the look of the pages, and so to save my sanity I have removed them.

But I am adding the videos here again for those who may have missed them due to the mess on the page. 

Homemade Texture Paste

The first video was how I made my own texture paste using Talcum Powder and some cheap glue and paint. It is very easy to do and gives the same effect as the more expensive shop bought item.

The second video was showing how I used some of those backgrounds to make card like the ones I have shown here.

Texture Paste Cards

There are quite a few in the video and if you click the links it will take you to my YouTube channel where you can watch it peacefully.

I am sorry about the loss of the other two pages but it is really frustrating trying to sort it all out especially when you don't know how the html code works.

So I did the only thing I could and that was to remove them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugsxx

Old Technique re-visited

 Hi Everybody,

I have been going through old videos on my YouTube Channel and I thought it would be a good idea to re-visit some of the older ones and do the techniques again for those that are new to cardmaking

This is a technique I have covered many years ago and I thought that this was one of the ones I could re do and give it another airing and make some fresh cards.

I have added it to a playlist named Everyday Items and I will add all the new videos using things you can find around your home in there. 

So here is the video using a really cheap shaving foam from the supermarket. I think it was less than 50p so look for the cheapest when you buy.

In the video I have dressed some of them up but left others plain so that could be suitable for any male cards you may need to send.

Have fun creating the backgrounds and you will never get wo that look the same. 

Alter the colours for another type of look. 

More tomorrow 

Hugs xx

Doris Shawcross - Winner

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are all well and enjoying this glorious weather. I was up at 7am this morning and Ruby and I were on the beach by 7.45 We had it all to ourselves for quite some time and it was lovely. The tide was a long way out and would have been such a loooooong walk to get to the sea, so we gave that one a miss.

I wanted to show you this photo of the closeness of Ruby and Ella.

The kitten has been so patient trying to get close to Ruby. Rubbing herself round Ruby's legs  and following her everywhere.

Whenever we have been out Ella runs to Ruby to greet her and she tries so hard to be her friend.

Well this was taken while they are both lying on my bed and Ella was very sneaky. She crept in to lie beside Ruby and was so comfortable she started to groom herself.

It was lovely to see  .... but it didn't last much longer then three minutes and then Ruby was up and off. Still it's a start and Ella's perseverance paid off on that occasion.  Bless her !!

I have now done the draw for the beautiful Eucalyptus dies set and the name today is ...

Doris Shawcross
would you send me your postal address please to
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get it in the post to you.

I would be grateful if you could let me know that you have it safely and I hope you enjoy playing with the dies and stamps.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Eucalyptus Wishes

Hi Everybody,

Today is the chance for you to get this beautiful leaf set of dies and stamps called Eucalyptus Wishes.

This was offered way back in April and the winner never came forward to claim it and so it being offered again.

The magazine is packed ideas on how you can use this useful set and many other things that you may like to try.

So once you get this pack it will be time to sit down and relax while you browse the pages  while your favourite brew.

If this is something that you would like in your own crafty stash than all you need to do is leave me a comment. And I say it every week, please enter your comment with your full name. 

Not initials or nick names your complete FULL NAME 

The draw will be open until Sunday to give overseas visitors the chance to win and I am happy to send the pack to your wherever you live at my expense. All you have to do is leave your comment and be sure to come back and check if your name is shown on Sunday as the winner.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

More challenges ...

Hi Everybody,

The pack that I have used today is from Daisy Mae  but I don't know if it is still available as I have had it for quite some time. 

There are some really papers in this pack, including some plaids and some stripes, and on some of the cards I made I even used the thick card that was the front of the pack

I have lots of papers left yet to make many more cards and I have kept them all relatively flat to fit in standard sized envelopes.

The card to the right is a DL and I have kept the fold to the left.

The panels that I have used are from the Lovely Layers die set and I don't think that it is available either any more.

 But I have had these die cuts in my bit box for ages and so I thought I would use them up.

I have so many embellishments in my drawers and cupboards that I am running out of space for ME !!!

This card is also a DL but used in Landscape and the panel is the same die set as before.

I have used flowers, ribbons and pearls  on these and sentiments from a pack that I bought at the Craft Show

Once again more pretty cards for my charity box and lots of paper left make some more, in another personal challenge 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Personal Challenge

Hi Everybody,

Over the past few days I have been rummaging around in my craft room and I have found several paper packs that I have not used for quite a while.

So I have set for myself the personal challenge to use them on as many cards as I can.

The papers shown here are from the Card Making Magic Pretty Book Collection and it is one of my favourite packs.

I made lots of videos with this set of dies, but I also enjoyed using the papers in the Butterfly Collection set too. 

The flowers seemed to fit just perfectly into the butterfly wings

I have also used up some of the surplus die cuts on my desk at the same time and the cards are all really feminine and cute.

And the gold and silver mirror card that I have used also came in very handy to use as mats for the papers, and the sentiments that I have cut.

Oh! the things you find when you start to rummage ... and they where the Nuvo drops in lots of different colours.

 I squeezed them onto my cards in the place or pearls and they really made such a difference to the designs
 

Here are two of the cards. What do your think, is it worth using up the papers pads to make these ??

I know the Charity shop will be delighted with them once my box is full again and I take them in to the shop.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Carole Eaton - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

I hope you are all well on this beautiful Bank Holiday weekend. Ruby and I were out and about bright and early this morning while it was still quiet and then home again for breakfast. Hopefully the weather will stay well tomorrow also.

The draw for the Border set has been done and the name today is 

Carole Eaton 

Would you send me your postal address please to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and I will get it in the post to you straight away. Please be sure to let me know when you get it and I hope you enjoy playing with it.

More tomorrow …

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Border & Panel Dies

 Hi Everybody,    

Todays offering is a border and panel set of dies from Hunkydory. These are sure to add interest to any of your projects from cards to scrapbook pages.

You will find lots of ideas in the magazine for this and others that you may like to try so once you get it make a brew and sit and relax for a little "Me Time"

If you think that this would be handy for your style of crafting then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post.

Be sure to leave your FULL NAME so that it is easier to identify you as the winner and most importantly be sure to come back and see if your name is shown in the blog post on Sunday.

The offer remains open until then to give my overseas readers the chance to add their name and comments to the list.

I am happy to send the pack to you wherever you are.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Altenew Flower Cards

Hi Everybody,

All three of these cards featured today are using a die and  layering stencil from Altenew. It is the Bitterroot Flower die set 

I have altered the look by colouring them in different colours and adding them to a different background each time.

This first one has simply been coloured with the stencil direct to card and then that has been layered onto oink mats and a base card of a deeper shade of pink. 

I used the Card Making Magic Torn Edges die set for the layers.

The gingham ribbon has been wrapped around the top two layers before adding it to the base card, and the sentiment is from another Altenew stamp set that has also been added direct to the card.

This card has been coloured with purple and lilac inks and added with foam pads to a die cut shape.

The dotty card background has been trimmed to fit an A6 base with just a small border around the edge. 

The card itself is from Anna Marie Designs  and can be seen in this pack from their website. The white die cut is a really old Spellbinders die

You could of course stencil extra flowers or leaves and add them to your card as well to fill out our display even further.

When doing this colouring I find it easier to die cut the shape out first and then stencil the die cut turning the stencil as I need it.

For the card to the right I have created one of my Plaid backgrounds, and the video for that is here

I also used an Alcohol marker and a ruler to highlight the edges which gives the appearance of the card being layered.

This way of giving the layered look saves on postage costs if that is something that you ned to consider.

I thing all three look really pretty whichever colourway you use but the plaid one has to be my favourite

And they have all been dressed up with either pearls or sequins 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx