Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

October 07, 2024

Double Twisted Easel Card

 Hi Everybody,

Today I am sharing how I made the Double Twisted variation of the easel card and the result is very pretty.

It is another card that can be adapted to suit any occasion or gender and dressed up as much or as little as you prefer

This card has another hand created inked panel but for the others I have used designer card from AnnaMarie Designs.

If you are new to cardmaking then this may be something that you would like to try and it really is easy to do.

It will get your creative juice flowing  again if you have got yourself in a rut from making the same card  shape and size over and over again
There is no end to what you can do with this style if card and there are lots of dies that will help you as well

I brought out lots of different shaped ones as
 Card Making Magic 
and I did lots of videos to show you how to use them.

You can find them all  on my YouTube Channel in the Easel Card Playlist.

Click the link above to view the latest video and be sure to come back for more 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

October 06, 2024

Sheron Egolf - Winner

Hi Everybody,

Well guess what ??? It's raining !!! This has been a dreadful summer and now it's nearly Christmas.
The clocks will change and the nights will draw in darker and it will be time to put the heating on again.

But ti cheer you yp I have done the draw and those delightful gnomes are going to live with
Sheron Egolf
would you email me with tour postal address lease to
christina@card-making-magic.com
ad I will get it posted to you straight away.

Be sure to let me know that you have received it ok and I hope you enjoy it as much as I think you will/
It is a fun set that can be used all year round for any of your cards.

More tomorrow  ...

Hugs xx

October 04, 2024

Friday Freebie - Festive Gnomes

Hi Everybody,

Todays offering is the Festive Gnomes from Hunkydory which is a male and female gnome for you to add to your cards.

You also have the opportunity to download some papers and toppers to match the dies to finish off your creations

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

You will need to come back and check if your name is the one shown as the winner and it will be announced over the weekend. You will then have 72 hours in which to claim the prize.

Good Luck

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx   

October 03, 2024

Double Easel Card

 Hi Everybody,

Today I am re introducing the Double Easel Card
that I covered on YouTube about thirteen years ago.

I am going to go through all the variations I covered years ago and re-new them here on the blog.

So far this is only the second video in this series as I covered the single style on Monday with three different ways to get that look for yourself.

They are easy to do and yet look very impressive to your recipient and there are many ways you can dress them up ... or down ... as the whim takes you.

I have kept this card to a gold and white theme and it would make a lovely wedding card too.

You can also vary the size, and where you place the stops, for different looks to your card and once you get the hang of making it you can play around even more

The second card in the video has been created with another of the inked background panels that are so quick to make and very addictive.

I hope you enjoy watching the video and all you need to do us click this link to view on YouTube.,.

Double Easel Card

More tomorrow

...

Hugs xx

October 02, 2024

Using those Roses

Hi Everybody,

Here are the other cards I created using up the roses from last week, as it would have bee such a shame to waste them.

The card to the right is a DL done in lilac and green, and to me this is such a calming combination to use.

It works well for any occasion and would suit a male theme to ... minus the flowers.

The panel is made by running a peice of card through an embossing folder and then swiping the ink lightly over the top

I used several layers for this design and added the flowers with foam pads to give them height.

The sentiment are just some that I found on my desktop and they came in really handy for these cards.

This oval card was created from nesting dies with the layers done in different colours.

The pink layer was done by swiping Picked Raspberry ink pad around the edges of the oval  and layering it up once it was dry. 

The butterflies are cut from silver mirror card and added to parchment..

Hope you like ...

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



October 01, 2024

Waste Not , Want Not

 Hi Everybody,  

While I was making the last Trellis card I stamped and coloured some of these flowers out to see which I preferred.

And of course once the video was complete I had all these beautiful images left over. 

So it was time to get busy and turn them into cards.

I wanted to make card of different shapes  to each other and so I decided on a square, a DL, an Oval and a small A6 and this is the result.

This is the 6x6 square card and for this I have used the embossing folder in the Altenew Craft Your Life Kit.

I cut the die cut up even more and add it with foam pads to the base.

I also cut an oval and added that over the base front

The sentiments is from an old set and the butterfly is cut from parchment and silver mirror card.

I have added pearls to the butterflies bodyline and dotted more around the card front.

This card is the A6 and I have dry embossed the card and added an embossed oval to the front. with foam pads.

The flowers have been left as is for this design and they have also been added with foam pads.

I used some pearl flourish that  found in my bit box  and cut this up to add in areas on the card front.

There is the silver butterfly again and I use these because they are so pretty and hide a multitude of sins if you make them !!!

I will add the other two tomorrow to complete my playtime

Hugs xx

September 30, 2024

Easel Card - three ways ...

Hi Everybody, 

Easel Cards
are such an easy style to make and yet can give some beautiful results.
It was one of the first things I tried when I was new to card making and I did videos on all the variations over the years.

But I thought would be good to re-visit as there are always new people starting this hobby and they don't know how to do it.

I am also staying with my  personal challenge of using old stuff and so saving money on buying stuff I won't use.

All of these card have used a 300 gsm smooth white card and I have coloured it my self with Distress Oxides that I already have.

You can try this with anything that you already have too and some of the things I use are so old they may no longer be available to purchase. 

In the video there are three styles for you to try and over the next few videos I will be covering others.

They will be getting a little more intricate each time, though none of them are difficult

I have used shaped nesting dies and do if you have some of those then you are on your way.

Click the link above to the video and it will open a new window for you to view on YouTube.

It is a little longer then normal but I do cover three styles and the creating of the background too so I hope you will enjoy it just the same



The backgrounds are all created the same way just different colour schemes and this is such an enjoyable process that I will never buy coloured paper again

Experiment with your inks to see which colours look good together.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx







September 29, 2024

Denise Bryant - Winner

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are all staying well and not suffering too much from the weather.  
We are so lucky here in Blackpool as we have not had floods ... at least not in the part I live in.  
And when it snows elsewhere it doesn't stick around for ling.
We do suffer from the high winds on occasions though and that can knock you off your feet.
Those are the days I stay in and keep warm with Ruby and Ella.

This norming I have done the draw for the beautiful Christmas Tree die from Crafters Companion and the name today is ...

Denise Bryant

so would you email me your postal address please to
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get it posted off to you straight away.

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

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

September 27, 2024

Friday Freebie - Christmas Tree

Hi Everybody,

Today we are touching on Christmas again as the season is fast approaching and this week we have a beautiful Christmas Tree from Crafters Companion for you to win.

It is a two part die and in the same pack there are papers and sentiments for you to add to your designs.

The magazine is full of ideas and inspiration for this set and other ideas that you may like to try.

It will give you a good read as you brose the pages with your favourite cuppa.

So if you would like this then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME

From those comments one name will be chosen at random as the winner and announced in a blog post over the weekend so be sure to come back and check if it is your name that is shown.

It doesn't matter if you have won before just have a go and see where you get .

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


 

September 26, 2024

Trellis Card & Acetate

 Hi Everybody.

Todays card is yet another variation of the Trellis card and this time I have used Acetate to make the front of the card.

It is still easy to do and just as effective as the other styles and yet uses another product that we probably already have in our crafty stash.

I have use old stuff that I already have and nothing new has been bought at all. 

The embossing folder is an old one from Spellbinders that I got when I was on their Ambassadors design team, many years ago when Stacey Caron was still the owner. 

The other old die is the Altenew Craft Your Life Kit and I used to get their kit monthly ... until the postage became too much.

The embossing folder that I have used is from my own range  ... Card Making Magic ... but Craft Stash do not restock my products anymore now that I  am no longer with them.

The vidoe is a little longer than normal but I hope you enjoy it any way.  Click the link to view it on YouTube


More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

September 25, 2024

Using old stamps

Hi Everybody,

Both of these cards have been created using the same stamps and dies but with different colour schemes to ring the changes.

For the back ground I have used a really old Spellbinders stamp that adds distressed stripes. Each is a separate panel that is added to the card base with the inked stripes on the front.

I have chosen colours that will blend well together and not make a muddy brown, and at the bottom of the pink one there is a wax seal in the shape of a flower.

Both backgrounds have been splattered with inks and some of the colours used in the stripes.


The leaves have been cut from my favourite Rose Flourish die set but I don't think this will be available any more at Craft Stash.

I have used silver card for the leaves and added them with small foam pads underneath to give a little height.

The sentiment is different on both but you could add any that you preferred 

Two pretty cards made very quickly and easily using old products that I already have.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

September 24, 2024

Roses & Die Cuts

 Hi Everybody,  

All three of these cards have been produced in the same way. They are all 5x7 with the fold at the top. They have all had an aperture cut with a die and they all have the same handmade background behind each aperture

The flowers are all cut from the same red card and the leaves from two shades of green, though the flowers have been decorated in a different way.

They are all Christmas Cards but with different sentiments on them. One is stamped and two are wooden plaques

So to start the process I created the background panel by ink smooshing in reds and silver inks and trimmed it down to fit the front  on my my card below the aperture

The aperture panel is cut in white and added with foam pads to the base card.

The flowers are all cut from the same die and this top card has had the petals inked with white and white stamens added.

They have been layered onto the top left corner of the card with leaves arranged beneath them, and the red bow added for an extra effect..

This next card has used a snowflake aperture die with the red panel underneath.

These two flowers have been stamped in white with a snowflake stamp on all the layers, and tiny diamante gems added to the centres of the flowers and the bow.

The same gemstone has been added to all the bow centres

They have been arranged to the lower left, on top of the leaves, and the bow placed to the bottom of the card.

Seasons Greetings has been stamped in Candied Apple

The last card has used a lot of the background panel to cover the card, the Grid die has been cut in silver to blend with the red and silver panel.

Theses flowers have been inked with silver and silver stamens in the middle. They have been arranged along the right side of the grid with the leaves tucked in under them. 

The bow has been edged with a white gel pen and added to the flowers.

Three cards now all ready to send for Christmas and all three, although made with the same ingredients, look different and I am happy with all of them.

All they need now are boxes to put them in.

More tomorrow ...
Hugs xx

September 23, 2024

Trellis Card - Variation Five

 Hi Everybody,

Here is another variation on the Trellis card theme that will stretch your skills just a  little further.

It is another easy to do style and you can add the stirps in any way you would like,

I added an ink smooshed panel to the inside of mine, just to jazz it up a bit, and it has made a lot of difference to the end result.

One of the butterflies camouflaged a finger print on the inside of the card and now no one will ever know that it was there.

Trellis Card - Variation Five

Another things you could do, to make it look different again, is to add some parchment to the back of the trellis.

That way the inside would be diffused and yet it would look lovely from the front.

Lots of choices with this design and they are all there for you to make.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



September 22, 2024

Janet Boyne - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

At least it is not raining here, though I don't know if it will stay that way all day, but we live in hopes.
Ruby and I will go out later for a short walk. I didn't take her out yesterday as walking was far too painful but I will see how it goes later.

In the meantime the draw has been done for the Spellbinders Ampersand.
This is such a useful die and can be used to link many different words for your designs.

The name today is

Janet Boyne

so would you email me please with your postal address and I will get it sent out to you straight away.

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

More tomorrow

Hugs xx  

September 20, 2024

Friday Freebie - Spellbinders Ampersand

 Hi Everybody,

This week it is the turn of another much loved company that produces beautiful dies for us to use.

Last week it was the  Altenew Poinsettia and this week we have the Spellbinders Sentimental Ampersand.

Look carefully at any word dies that you already have and see what can be teamed together for the look that you are aiming for.

Inside the magazine you will find ideas to help you and it is always a good read with your favourite cuppa. 

In the pack there are sentiments and small flowers that you can use to dress the ampersand up.

Would you like to have this in your collection???

Then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of this post with your

  FULL NAME

Then be sure to come back and check over the weekend if your name is shown as the winner.
I am happy to send this wherever you live and it doesn't matter if you have won before.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx