Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

November 12, 2024

Christmas Easel Card

Hi Everybody,     

I made this card many years ago and I though that with Christmas coming round soon that now would be a good idea to add it again;

It also stays within the Easel Card theme that I gave been covering for the past few weeks.

 I have no photo to show you but because it is an old video at least I have been able to add the complete video from YouTube, and you can see the end result there. .


It is a lovely card created in red and gold and yet it was easy to make.
 It will be a real show stopper card for the special people you send cards to and one I am sure you will be very proud of.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 11, 2024

Quad Easel Card

Hi Everybody,  

Today I am creating a Quad Easel Card and this is a style I added to YouTube about 13years ago.

 It has been covered many times since by other people but I thought it was time for me to do an updated version of this card.

The video will show you how I got this look and it is a 6x6" card which will fit into an envelope or why not make a box for it to make it even more special.

Quad Easel Card

The top photo is the card with all the easels open but it will fold up neatly for you to send.

I have made some of my own paper to go with it and I have all sorts of bits of inked papers left over so maybe I will do a video on how to use up all these scraps.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 10, 2024

Sue Pollock - Winner

Hi Everybody,

Today it is dull damp and windy, and not the weather to go walking but if it brightens up later then Ruby will be in for a treat.  I am a fair weather walker and would much rather stay in by the log burner and keep warm, just toasting my toes.

Can I ask you all please to leave me comments when you visit the blog and check if you are still subscribed. And also check to see if you are subscribed on YouTube as YT seems to be unsubscribing people without their knowledge.

I am not the only one noticing this as other publishers have noticed that their numbers are falling even though they are adding regular content to their channel. It is very worrying and really disheartening too to see numbers going down.

 Please help wherever you can by giving the video a thumbs up, leaving a comment and subscribing ... or checking that you are still subscribed.
 Every little helps to grow the channel . Thank you xxx

In the meantime the draw has been done and the name this week is

Sue Pollock

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

I hope you enoy the gift and please be sure to let me know that you have it safely.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 08, 2024

Friday Freebie - Winter Wonderland

Hi Everybody, 

Todays offering is some lovely skating boots  from Spellbinders and they come with the Die Cutting Essentials magazine.

The pages are full of inspiration and ideas for you to try and there is also the chance for you to download some papers and toppers to go with the die set
 
This gift is also in time for Christmas so if you have not made all your cards yet then here are some more ideas you may like to try.

This magazine has not been out long so if you would like to win it then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of this post with your
FULL NAME

It is always worth having a try to win these gifts as they are always good quality and will fill out your own crafting stash, but you need to be in it to win it !!!

You will need to come back and check if your name is shown as the winner in a blog post over the weekend. You have 72 hours in whcih to claim it and if it is not claimed then it will be offered again at a later date.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx  

November 07, 2024

Easel Card Dies

Hi Everybody.

I have been covering how to make and alter easel cards in the last few videos and  hopefully shown you ways in which you can personalise it to suit you.

There are lots of dies around that can make this style of card with just a pass through your die cutting machine.

I brought out several of these type of dies while I was with Craft Stash ... but I do not know if there are any available.


I also made a video on using these dies and how you can adapt them to suit your needs. and this Snowflake die was one of my favourites.

It is a lovely die to work with and the end results are quite pretty and different., and here you can see just how different it can be,

 Did you get this die set ???

Or maybe you got one of the other styles that I brought out at the time as there where quite a few to choose from.

More tomorrow 

Hugs xx




November 06, 2024

I'm still Playing

Hi Everybody,

Going through my worktop I have found papers that I have created and never used.

The same goes for other die cuts that have been sitting waiting to be picked up again.

Well now is the time to use them and these have all been made from one session. 

I have cut the paper up into various shapes and used gold mirror card to add the decoration.

They all look different and I have used some old Card Making Magic sentiments on them all.
 
The dies I have used for these cards are all from CMM but there is no point in me adding the links as a lot of my designs are now not being stocked by Craft Stash.

If you have them all well and good but if you don't then just use any butterfly, flower, leaf or sentiment dies that you do have. 

Your card will look just as good simply because you have made it. 

The colours I have used have been Distress Oxides in Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers and a touch of Spun Sugar and they have been Smooshed onto the paper. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 05, 2024

Playtime Cards

 Hi Everybody,

These cards have been made from one sheet of handmade inked paper and the same die using both the negatives and positive pieces from the die cut.

I have got two for one and nothing is wasted and they all look different. Each of the square pieces have been added with a foam pad underneath

I have used gold and silver mirror card on them to make the sentiments stand out and other little die cuts for decoration.

But they have all been leftovers from other projects and I think they have created some really pretty cards.

I always cut extras when I am die cutting for the times when I have no inspiration.

I go through the extras and see what can be produced to make cards, and once I get going the inspiration comes back.

It saves me money, there is no waste and it helps to fill my charity box at the same time. So nothing is lost.

Here are two more, with different colours for the paper but the same die and silver mirror card for the sentiment.

I have more that I won't add just yet but here there are six cards to go to the charity shop and make the manageress happy in the process

Hope you like them too

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


November 04, 2024

YouTube Collaboration

 Hi Everybody,

Today I am so excited to be doing a collaboration with another YouTuber and I am sure that many of you will already know about her channel. We got together and decided to do our individual ideas on a Christmas card.

We have completely different styles, in fact at total opposite ends to each other. I am a more is more type of crafter and I love to add flowers, ribbons and pearls to my designs. 

Whereas Christine is a Clean & Simple style and she makes some beautiful cards .
I am adding the links here to both our channels for you to view each video and we would be delighted if you would  "Like" comment and subscribe to each of us.

Christina's Video ...  https://youtu.be/6idnJlRbKuk
Christine's Video ...   https://youtu.be/VgFRjELSm2U?si=DTjSDtRPQjkB5uGY

Enjoy

Christina Griffiths
Christine Stokes

  &

November 03, 2024

Anne Owens - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

Another week closer to Christmas and I am fed up of making Christmas Cards already. It is not my favourite time of year and it seems to go on for ever.
 I went to the supermarket a week ago and in one aisle there was Halloween stuff and as soon as I turned the corner there was Christmas and it was still only October      

Christmas is fine for children but it comes in December not September, October or November.

I had a lovely email from Kathy Olsen.  She is a lady who lost her home a couple of years ago in Hurricane Ian She has since suffered through two more hurricanes and after two years she is still not back in her home. She lost everything and all her craft stuff was looted.

She contacted me via her smart phone but she no longer has a computer.
She explained that this is why she cannot leave me a comment any more. 
I asked you all to pray for her two years ago and I am asking you again.

Keep Kathy in your thoughts as she struggle on to get her home back

I have done the draw for the lovely butterflies  and this week the name is

Anne Owens

Please email me your postal address Anne to
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get it in the post to you straight away.

Be sure t et me know that you have it safely.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


           

November 01, 2024

Friday Freebie - Mariposa

Hi Everybody,

We all make mistakes on our cards and we all know the blessing of a suitably placed butterfly or flower to hide that fingerprint or ink  splodge !!.

But butterflies also make beautiful card focal points in their own right and this die set is no exception, and it comes with the magazine Die Cutting Essentials, so you will never be short of ideas.

There is also the opportunity for you to down load papers and toppers, and they will work really well with the die set for you to create some lovely cards for any occasion.

If you would like this die set then all you ned to do is leaves me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME
Then you will need to come back and check if your name as show as the winner and then contact 
me within 72 hours to claim the prize. If it is not claimed then it will be offered again at a later date.

You can enter wherever you live,  and it doesn't matter if you have won before

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

October 30, 2024

Water Coloured Parchment Flowers

 HI Everybody

Both of these cards have been created with water coloured flowers  made from parchment and the effect in real life is very pretty.

I have added glue pen to the striations on the flowers and then sprinkled it with glitter but it doesn't show up very well in the photo.

They have both been added to a panel, that is deeply embossed, and very old , from  a Spellbinders embossing folder .

They have then been added to the base card with foam pads underneath  .

The flowers look veery delicate and glittery 

The gold butterflies are there for effect and they have been added to parchment also. 

Both cards are 5x7 top folded smooth white 300gsm cardstock

I am really pleased with the look of these cards and I was quite surprised.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


October 29, 2024

Block Easel Card

Hi Everybody,

Here is another way to make an Easel Card and this is also one that is easy to do, that looks a little different.

I have added quite a few variations over the past few days  all with  a new way to make them and yet all looking fresh from the others. 

I am adding the link to the video here  and if you click the link it will open a new window for you to view on YouTube

Block Easel Card

I am doing my best to increase my subscribers both here on the blog and on YouTube but I need you to add your comments and likes in both places.

YouTube respond well when people like the video and they then promote it to other like minded crafters. So it is very important to me and the future of my channel.

Just as important is the blog and I have noticed that there is a distinct lack of comments from visitors to my pages.

I may consider not blogging in the future if the numbers don't increase as it is very disheartening when the response is not forthcoming .

I will see how it goes for a little longer before I decide what to do.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 


October 28, 2024

Triple Twist Easel Card - Design 5

 Hi Everybody,

Here is yet another way that you can add that twist to your triple easel cards and make them completely personal to you.

Add them to an envelope or make them a box and they are so very different for your recipient to enjoy.

The video will show you how to create this one and it is very easy to do. 

I have used my own handmade papers again and I tell you the colours I have used so that you can try it as well. 

Play with some of your inks to see what colour blends you like the look of and don't be afraid to go for it.

It is only paper and a little ink so if you don't like it then try again until you find something that you do like. 

Click the link to watch the video on YouTube and please leave me a comment, Like and subscribe

Triple Twist Easel - Design 5 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

October 27, 2024

Betty McAlister - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

It is getting colder now and the nights are drawing in again. It is time to turn the clocks back again and enter into our winter. I am still waiting for summer to arrive as it seems to have been a really dismal one this year.

But on a good note another Friday Freebie has been drawn and the lucky winner of the fabulous sentiments dies on offer this week is ...

Betty McAlister

This is such a good addition to anyone's crafting stash  and will come in very handy as it covers many occasions for you. 

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

Please let me know when you get it and I hope you have fun playing with it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

October 25, 2024

Friday Freebie - Stylish Sentiments

Hi Everybody,

Todays offering is all about the sentiments that we like to add to our cards and in this set you will find many mix and match words.

You will also get the copy of the magazine
 Die Cutting Essentials
that is full of tips and information for you to browse at your leisure

There is also a download of papers and toppers that can be used on your creations.

Is this something that you would like to have, or maybe it is even something that you need to finish off your cards.

To be in with the chance to win this 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 to see if your name is listed as the winner.

Please check your comments too because if your full name is not added then you will not be entered into the draw.

I am happy to send this to you wherever you live and it doesn't matter if you have won before you can still enter again. Good Luck.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx