Earrings

 Hi Everybody,

Just to prove that I have not been idle over the past few weeks I wanted to show you some of the earrings I have been making.

I got all my jewelry bits and pieces from Amazon and following YouTube videos I made all these from beads that I already had in my stash. 

I was wearing some when I took Ruby to her playschool and my dog walker lady liked them.

I sent her the photo of the ones I had made and she bought all of them from me in one go.

Sally gave some to her daughters and another pair to the lady who works with her walking  the dogs, and told me I should ask more for each pair. But I am only learning how to make them and so at the moment they are cheap to buy.  

I used glass beads and some ceramic ones also and the end results are very pretty.

What do you think of them ???

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Charity Box

Hi Everybody,

So I have been busy filling up my charity box again with all the cards that are in my craft room that I have made over the past few months.

All will have envelopes with them and be placed in cellophane bags to keep them clean before they go to the shop.

I usually take a box full and in it there will probably be about 100 to 150 cards ... maybe more. It is always something I enjoy doing and I do it regularly.

Now next Monday my computer is going away to the repair shop to have a new hard drive put in it  and I will be out of action for a few days until it is returned to me. Hopefully it will be be back to a complete normal again ... hopefully !!!

I must admit it scares me to death when it goes wrong.

I will try and get as much done to schedule my posts and my Friday Freebies are already scheduled to go out each week till the end of the month.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Two More Layered cards

 Hi Everybody,

The Look at Layers Collection has made some lovely cards for me and the addition of the flowers makes them even more special.

These two cards are made from the leftovers that I have lying around my craft room and both of these are A5 size.

The one to the right is done in Portrait and the one below is Landscape and both are very pretty cards.

I used yellow flowers on this one, and along with the cards I showed yesterday it lets you see how the different colours work together 

I like to mix and match the flowers to add interest and all of them I have used my very favourite leaf die set called Rose Flourishes

I have used an embossed layer on both of these cards and added the die cuts to the top. 

This just adds a little more interest to the base layer and is something I like to do.

On the card to the left I have used two square layers and turned one at an angle to the other. I added them with foam tape underneath to raise them up.

The circular die cut has been added to the top of these layers

Gold mirror card sentiments finish them off along with some pearls dotted here and there. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Keeping Busy

Hi Everybody,

So as I have been unable to use the computer for the past couple of weeks I have kept myself busy using up anything that I could find on my desktop.

That included any die cuts, bits of ribbon, stamped or die cut sentiments, flowers and leaves and any images that I may have coloured in and not used.

These die cuts are from the Look At Layers Collection and are leftover from the samples that I made for the launch.

The card to the right is a 6x6 top folded card and I complimented the scheme with pink flowers.and pearls

This one to the left  is my favourite size and is a 5x7 with the fold at the top.

I made the leaves look like a wreath and added lilac flowers to go on top. I think the lilac goes very well with the pale blue.

The sentiment are all gold mirror card with a parchment backing to them.

I managed to get four really pretty cards from the items that I found and  I will show you the other two tomorrow.  

All will need boxes to go with them because of the depth of the flowers.

It's amazing what you can come up with using left overs bits and bobs.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Ethne Gloss - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

I feel so much better about the PC today and I will get some more work done now that it is fixed.

I have been up early to do the draw and later on I will take Ruby out for her walk, before the rain comes. Witch Wood is very muddy at present but the Promenade is clean and so that is where we will go so that she can have a good sniff about.

The draw for the lovely shaker elements has been done and if you have never tried shaker cards then you will be really pleased with the offer. So the name today is

Ethne Gloss

Please would you email me your postal address to 
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get the pack in the post to you, along with the glue bottle pin that is inside the pack.

Please be sure to let me know that you have them OK

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tower Computers

 Hi Everybody,

Well what a worrying time this has been and I have really struggled over the past two weeks.

 

But I am relieved to say that I found a really good computer man and I gave him a ring.
He tried to sort some of the things out remotely on the day that I called him but he needed to come and see what my system is like.

Griff used to sort out my problems for me and he would have known what to do.
ME .... well I am just lost !! 

 It seems that my PC has two hard drives and Antony, the computer man,  is going to simplify it for me in the next few weeks, by enlarging one of the drives and taking out the other one.
That way I will not lose any space that I now have.

He didn't recommend getting a new computer as he says this is a really good system and so that saves me some money.

He also managed to recover my Editing suite for the videos, and the photos that where lost was because of the two drives, so that is now sorted too.

I was just thankful that some photos were already in my Blog files and I could get to them,  and that I had done all my Friday Freebies well in advance.

So now I am back and can get things done again and I am happy that my PC now behaves as I expect it to. I will write gain with the winner tomorrow 

And if you live on the Fylde Coast and you are having computer troubles I would highly recommend TOWER COMPUTERS

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Super Shakers

Hi Everybody,

Another Christmas themed give away today and this one will create some beautiful shaker cards for you.

Don't worry if you have never made this style before as the magazine will show you how to get the look using the items in the kit.

The stamp set is also designed to work with this set and you are sure to be pleased with the result.

So if this is something that you think you might like to try hen leave ne a comment at the end of this post with your FULL NAME  

From those comments one name will be chosen as the winner and notified in a blog post over the weekend so be sure to come back and see if it is your name that is listed.

You will have 72 hours in which to claim the pack and if it is not claimed it will be offered again at a later date.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Christmas Past

 Hi Everybody,

This is a series of cards that I made for Christmases in the past and these are already in my Blogger account and so I can use them until I get my computer fixed.

I am not able to do videos as yet because I cannot get the filmed ones onto my PC to edit them and then upload to YouTube.

Such a pain .....

Many of them have been created using items that where free with magazines and some of these may have even been passed on to you as the Friday Freebies.

This one was so cute and I did make quite a few cards with this for family and friends.

I stamped the images and then coloured them 

in with water colours.

Both cards are A6 size and although they have layers to them they will fit into a standard envelope, and save on postage.

One of  my favourite stamp sets was "The Twelve Days Of Christmas"  and I gave a set of them away on the blog a long time ago.

This was another favourite and this was a die that cut the tree out for you but again it was a long time ago.

I don't remember which magazines they came with  but all would have been a really good give away and it as been nice to look back over these older cards.

I hope you have enjoyed this little look back also

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Stacey Kowbel - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

I am so sorry I have not been around this week but as I said I have had major PC problems. My computer asked if I wanted to regain some space on my hard drive and I said “yes”  but it wiped everything else from the desktop. My editing programs … all my photos … all my videos and even my emails. 

I have tried to get some of them back with a little success but my editing suite is gone. I bought the full edition a few years ago and now I cannot get in touch with the company to see if they can help, so it looks like I may have to buy it all over again. 

It also tells me that some of my stuff is not compatible with Windows 10 and that my PC will not accept Windows 11 so I may have to buy a new computer and I really don’t want to have to do that. This has been such a pain and if Griff was here he would know what to do. 

Anyway on to the draw which has been done and the name today is 

Stacey Kowbel 

Would you please email me with your postal address to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and I will get the pack in the post to you this week. I will also tuck into the magazine a little glue bottle pin so be sure to look for that and please let me know when you have them safely.

More tomorrow…… hopefully 

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Dragonfly Delight

Hi Everybody,

Todays offering is from Crafters Companion and it is a beautiful die and stamp set called Dragonfly Delight.

The name tells you what to expect with the die and it will cut into the card to leave the pattern in there for you. 

There is also the opportunity to download some papers that will match the design and you also get the magazine to go with it.

So if you would like this then all you need to do is leave me your FULL NAME  at the end of this post with your comment to be in with the chance of winning this gift.

You will need to come back and check if your name is shown as the winner as I have no way to contact you. If the gift is not claimed then it will be offered again at a later date to someone else.

I am happy to send the pack to you wherever you live and it doesn't matter if you have won before

Good luck 

More tomorrow …

Hugs xx

Jenny Hurley - Winner

Hi Everybody,

 You will need to be patient with me for a while as something has happened to my computer and I seem to have lost all my work. All my videos have disappeared and I can't find the Movie Maker programme that I bought ages ago and so at the moment I am stuck and I do not know how to resolve the problem.  

I have tried to fix it but I get totally lost to say the least. I am very annoyed with my self and frustrated with the computer.

But I have done the draw for the fabulous Christmas pack offered on Friday which I am sure you will enjoy playing with. The name this week is

Jenny Hurley

Would you please send you postal address to
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get the pack in the post to you.

Please be sure to let me know that you have it safely.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Believe in the Magic

Hi Everybody,

Another week where we are back to the Christmas theme and this time it is a die and stamp set complete with papers to go with your designs.

It is from Crafters Companion and it comes with the magazine as well. Always a good source of information and full of ideas for you to try,

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

From those comments one name will be chosen, at random,  as the winner, so to save any confusion please leave me your FULL NAME

 

You must be sure to come back and check if you are the winner, as your name will be listed in a blog post on Sunday, and I have no way to contact you if you don't claim it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Die Cut Sentiments

Hi Everybody,

Adding a sentiment to your cards is the perfect way to finish them completely.

 To say Happy Birthday. Thinking of You, Thank You, Sorry or for a Sympathy card they are instant additions.

Some of the dies have a shadow layer to them others are simply added to the card but Card Making Magic has lots for you to choose from no matter what the occasion.

This Thinking of You sentiment has been added to parchment and that doesn't detract from the beautiful background that it is added to.

Add the sentiment in Silver or Gold Mirror card to make it stand out or even black for a dramatic look.

There are many occasions, even this very simple  Love You, that are covered and you are sure to find one that suits your needs.

Just adding a Sorry to a card can make it a little more personal and is the perfect addition to a sympathy card.

There are other Word Builder Die Sets that have all the months in the year complete with anniversary occasions like Valentines day,  Wedding Anniversary occasions and even passing your Driving Test

You can build up any sentiment that you need to suit your recipient.

Blend in your sentiment to match with the monochrome cards.

This one has been added to an embossed background and the sentiment added to some plain blue card

It has been matched with the flowers and that will give you a uniform look that you are sure to love.

Add it to a box of the same colour and give with love.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Embossing Folders

 Hi Everybody,

For these cards you will need to look a little deeper into them as all of these are using some of my favourite embossing folders.

I always think that a card looks so much better with some kind of texture to the actual background and embossing folders can fill that requirement so easily for me.

This one has the Simply Dots A5 Folder and is layered with gold mirror card.

For me it always adds that little bit extra and give the card that finished look. 

You add another effect to the background like ink splattering or stamping and then add the embossed look to the top.

There is a lot that can be done with a folder and each side will give you a different look especially with inks and the Letter Press technique.

That is simply where you add ink to one side, add the card and close the folder, then run it through your die cutting machine with the embossing mats.

One side will give you an embossed look with the ink and if you ink up the other side the look will be debossed.

This simple flower design has the Letter Press added using the Trellis Folder and it compliments the overall design.

For this card I have use the Flourish Embossing Folder as the background to the detailed layer and it makes the panel stand out even more.

Whatever you design and whoever it is for the added detail to your card makes it even more special and is sure to be appreciated by your recipient.

I like to use a 300gsm card with my folders as that gives a really good impression without the card splitting.

You could also try a light spritz to the card before adding it to the folder for another way to get a deep impression and stop the splitting.

And there are lots of 3-D folders on the market to add a lovely look to your creations and embossing folders are so cheap to add to your own stash

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Some of my Favourites

Hi Everybody,

This card is from one of my all time favourite collections and I made lots of videos and cards with this.

This one is the Circles from the Plaited with Love Collection and I had so much fun using all these die sets on my designs.

I also love the round shape and this is perfect for turning into an Easel card very easily.

The colour scheme is purple and white the flowers are Mulberry paper from Wild Orchid Crafts.

The leaves are from another favourite die set which is the Rose Flourish and I use this a lot.

This is the  Lacey Nested Ovals and is another of my favourites.

I love the Ovals in this collection at there is so much that you can do with it.

I use this one a lot and I did videos for it when it was launched.

You can dress this up or down as you please and it looks wonderful added to a larger base card. 

Here I have used it as a shaped stand alone card with lots of layers, and of course the addition of flowers sprinkled with glitter.

But for making flowers I love this Layered Flowers Die and Stamp set and I have used this many many times on my designs.

These have been heat embossed in white powder and then water coloured and layered  onto my favourite card size of 5x7

There are so many die sets in the Card Making Magic range and many many that I truly love, and these are just a small collection of some of them that I use over and over again.  

 More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx