Friday Freebie - Strawberries

 Hi Everybody,

Today I am offering you the chance to win this beautiful die and stamp set along with the Die Cutting Essentials magazine.

In the magazine you will find lots of fabulous ideas for this die set to create some lovely designs.

There are also other tips and tricks that you will find useful throughout your crafting journey. 

So if this is something that you would like to have in your stash then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of this post with your 

FULL NAME

Then pop back on Sunday to see if it is your name that is listed as the winner.
I am sure that you will find lots to do with this die and stamp set which will be a wonderful addition to your own personal collection.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Simply Christmas

Hi Everybody,

 Christmas In July has now officially launched and so if you wanted to make an early start  on your cards then now is the time to do it. 

 The brand new collection is available on Craft Stash if you wanted to take a look, and there are some really good deals there for you to take advantage of .... 

Simply Christmas Collection 

I also have videos to show you how I used the dies and stencils that you may find useful, but I am sure you will have many more ideas of your own once you start to play.

 Here is one of them and I will add the other next week. I hope you enjoy.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Christmas in July

Hi Everybody,

Today sees the exciting Christmas In July Launch with Craft Stash and this is designed to give you an early start with any of your Christmas makes. 

This card was very easy to make as all I did was cut out the letters and add them to my base. 

I have used other dies to get the flowers and the embossed background

This card took a little longer as I stamped out all the parts that I needed and then either die cut or fussy cut them out.

I used foam pads underneath areas to give them height and make them stand out on the card, and I added Accent Glaze to the lights for extra shine.

There are lots of ideas that you can try with these dies and they all work really well with last years collection too.

So no excuse to be late with cards this season, unless you are like me and cannot plan for Christmas when the sun shines. It wouldn't do for me to live in Australia.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Playtime with Altenew

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is created with a really old stamp set from Altenew and I thought it was time to dig out some of my old stamps and

re-create with them. 

This one has been stamped in shade of Pink and Lilac and the same two colours splattered onto the background.

The flowers and leaves have been cut out with the coordinating die set and added with foam tape to raise them up.

I also used an old stencil, that was free with a magazine, on the background to give the diamond pattern that you can see.

The second card is using a die, stamp and a stencil from a magazine that Altenew brought out and I don't like the colours on this one as much.

I think that the blues I used are too dark.

I again used a free stencil for the background and in the set there are some leaves to another Altenew stencil which I also added to the background.

It is good to play and experiment with items and colours and that is the way I learn what I like and what I don't like.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

 

Trellis Die Set & Brusho Crystals

 Hi Everybody,

This card shows an older die set from the Decoupage Delight Collection and this is the 5x7 Trellis.

I made lots of cards and used the Brushos on them and the video shows how I got two cards from one die cut.

It was good fun to play with these crystals again as I haven't used them in a long time, and I was more than happy with the  cards I created.

There are several different ways to use this die and each one will give you a different look. 

The top card was using the Brusho panel as my  background layer and adding the white panel to the top.

In the video I show other ways of layering the die cuts, and the card to the left is using up the pieces that fall out ... other wise known as the waste !!

But of course in this technique there is no waste just lovely cards that you can use for any occasion. 

I hope you enjoy the video and will give this a try. 

You could try the Colour Burst Powders instead if you don't have the Brushos or maybe just water colours.

So have a play and see what you can use and have some fun with them.

                    

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Sharon Brand - Winner

Hi Everybody,

Another week has gone by and they seem to go so quickly. Already into July and I am still wondering where March and April went.

 But the weather is good here today and I have had Dougal overnight and so I will be taking him, and Ruby, out for a walk in a little while in the sunshine.

The draw has been done for the Beautiful Butterfly set from Friday and the name this week is .. 

Sharon Brand

Please email me your postal address and I will  get the pack in the post to you.
And can I ask that you add your full address, including the country ... You may know where your postcode is but the post office don't and they will not accept it without the country clearly stated in the address 
 Be sure to let me know when you get it and I hope you enjoy playing with it.

There is also a special offer going on at Craft Stash for this fabulous numbers set if you would like to add this to your collection. It is part of the Clever Cuts Collection that I have featured in many videos and they are all in a Playlist on my YouTube Channel. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Beautiful Butterfly

Hi Everybody,

Today I am offering Die Cutting Essentials magazine complete with the Beautiful Butterfly die and stamp set from Chloe Endean.

There are also some large sentiment dies that go with this set plus the opportunity for you to download papers to compliment your designs. 

So all you need to do to be in with the chance of winning this set is leave me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME

If you don't leave your full name then your comment will not be entered into the draw

Then be sure to come back on Sunday and check to see if your name is shown as the winner.

The draw is open until then to give overseas visitors the chance to enter, so what are you waiting for ????

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Paper Flowers

 Hi Everybody,

This is the card that I showed yesterday using paper flowers created by me and I though it would be a good idea to share the actual video with you,

It was done quite a few years ago when I started to film for my self but the idea hasn't changed and is still appropriate today.

Some of the dies may not now be available anymore but I am sure that you have dies in your personal collections that would make excellent substitutes

The ink smooshed water colour card creates beautiful flowers as the colours are all intermingled and give the effect of light and shade without you having to do anything else, and I make some of my flowers in the same way still.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Floral Cards & Older Videos

Hi Everybody,

I was looking back over some older videos that I have on YouTube and I came across many that I still like.
And adding flowers was one of them.

It is something that I am often asked about and so that was why I made these videos many years ago. 

Can you believe that it was nine and ten years ago that these were made.

They were filmed by Griff and the style is so different to how I now make them, and I am sure you will be able to see the differences for your self.

Whatever the flowers are ... mulberry, silk, flower foam, paper or parchment the same principle still applies.

             

               

             

One of these videos shows how I made the corsages that I used to add, and sell, on my website and the other how I add a flower display to my cards.

The top card has used Mulberry Flowers but this one to the right is crated with paper flowers that I made my self.

This was also a video but one that I had started to make for myself in 2018 and it was a collaboration with Christine Smith from Crafti Potential. 

If you like to add flowers then maybe there is something that could be of interest to you.

And the cards turn out really pretty in the end.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Lazy Cat ... And a floral card

Hi Everybody,

Here is Ella, sprawled across the floor, and taking advantage of the sun streaming through the loft windows in my craft room.

They say cats don't like having their bellies exposed but mine does and she loves a belly rub too.

I have bought her a harness and I am slowly getting her used to wearing it. But at present when I put it on her she just collapses on the floor. 

Drama Queen

You would think it weighs a ton, But we will persevere and then I can take her out for a walk too.

This is another of the shaving foam cards, that is not in my usual colour scheme. But never the less I like it, and the flowers add that special touch

I used a circle die to cut out my panel and added it to some silver mirror card and then onto an embossed layer that is also on silver mirror card.

It is much prettier in the hand and although a bit messy this is such an easy technique to do, and you will never get two to look the same, even if you use the same colours, so don't try.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Sandra Smith - Winner

Hi Everybody,

It's a good weekend here in Blackpool and yesterday Vickie and I, with the dogs, went up to the Lakes.
We set off early and it was really lovely. Cloudy and cool, but perfect for the dogs to walk in.
We always take lots of water with us for them and Ruby got the chance to go swimming in Tarn Hows. 

We took a wrong turn at a roundabout on our way there but we ended up finding a lovely little coffee shop and had some breakfast. We got back home after our walk at bout 3.30 and I had to shower Ruby after her swim. 

But then I had to get ready to go out as Griffs family and mine all went to the see the
Agatha Christie - Mousetrap at the Grand Theatre and it was wonderful.

We all had a meal at a restaurant up town before the show  and I think a good night was had by everyone.

So I have had a really good weekend and now I have done the draw for Fridays prize.

If you didn't add your full name then I have not added in your comment as I need the FULL NAME to keep everything fair.  

This week the winner is 
Sandra Smith
and I would be obliged if you could send me your postal address please to
christina@card-making-magic.com

I will get the pack posted off to you straight away and I hope you enjoy playing with it, but be sure to let me know that you have it safely.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Border Panel

Hi Everybody,

Here is another chance to win one of the Border Die sets. One of these was won a few weeks ago and you now have another chance for this one.

But if this is something that you would like then all you have to do is leave me your comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME

It is easier, and fairer, to get the correct winner if your full name is shown. 

And to be safe please, DO NOT to add any personal details in the blog post, as they can then be seen by the world and his wife. 

With this set you will also get the magazine that is full of idea on using your border die and other things that you may like to try.

Be sure to come back and check if your name is shown as the winner. And to make sure overseas visitors have the time to enter then the draw is open until Sunday 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

 

Designer Card Front Dies

Hi Everybody, 

Today I am using an older die set and this was part of the Designer Card Front Collection released some time ago now.

I did several videos using these sets and thought it was time to ad another to the mix.

The colour scheme is not my usual and I must admit that I do not use orange or yellow very much. 

But I do like these cards and they look much prettier in the hand.

I used a mixture of flowers and leaves on them from foam ones that I made myself to silk ones that I bought ages ago.

This card to the left is a Gatefold created from the die set and I used the border die to produce the Belly Band just to add a little difference to the design. 

I hope you enjoy the video, it is long enough for you to have a cuppa with it ... and don't forget the biscuits too

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Cards from Ann

Hi Everybody,

A little while ago I mentioned that it was a good idea to rummage through your left overs and see what can be used on a card.

These card photos have been sent from Ann Topp and with her permission I am sharing them here. 

Ann leaves regular comments on my blog and so it is a pleasure to share her makes here, and I am so glad that she used up all her bits and pieces. 

It is far better than simply tossing them into the rubbish bin and the cards it creates can be a simple, or intricate, as you have the bits for. 

This one is my favourite and Ann makes them for the ladies in her line dancing class.

I am sure they will all be delighted with their card all made especially for them by their lovely friend Ann.

Thanks for sharing Ann.

If you would like to have some of your cards shown on the blog then send them to

christina@card-making-magic.com

But don't forget to give me your permission to share them when you do.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Summer Sale

Hi Everybody,

This is the Summer Sale that gives you lots of savings on many different sets of dies from Card Making Magic.

From the Flower Box dies that are shown here to the Alphabets that are always useful.

There are also some of my favourite words dies in the sale that can be added to a card to finish it of for many occasions.

This word die and the complete card dies are in the sale and these are the Plaited with Love Collection.

So now is the time to save your self some money and get the dies that you want to fill out your collection.

Have fun

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx