Outline Dies

Hi Everybody,

A couple of weeks ago I gave away the Rose outline die from Crafters Companion and that was quite a large die.

The card shown us also using an outline die though not the same one.

 This one us a really old die that I have from Spellbinders, but it gives the same result

It has been cut from white card and added to a handmade inky background

The sentiment is cut from silver mirror card and added with small portions of foam pad underneath to raise it up.

This is the same idea with the outline die on an inky background  but the centre is cut into an oval 

I have added silver dots cut from card around the edge and it is all added to a wall patterned die cut.

The sentiments have been stamped in black and clear embossed

The top card s a 5x7 and the middle ad bottom ones are an A6, but all have used parts of the outline die cut to their panels 

The result is very pretty and you could colour into the centre of the flowers if you wished and that would make them stand out even more.

This card has used a smaller panel to add the outline shape to and placed over to the left side of the card front, and again has used some handmade paper.

So there you have three very different looking cards from one outline die and some inky papers.

You could use any dies that are in your stash that give a similar outline look so look with fresh eyes at what you already have

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Everyday Items

 Hi Everybody,

This simple idea can give you some unusual patterns for your cards and it is using some cheap washing up liquid to create the background.

It is another item that we all have in our kitchens that can be used  in a different way,

 I have named the video

  Everyday Items - Washing Up Liquid 

and it has been added to the  Everyday Items playlist and all the suggestions there  can give you some pretty results.

You can use the panel just as a background piece or die cut from it for shapes, flowers. leaves, hearts or even stars.

Dress the card up as much as you would like and always be sure that you have papers that will go with your creations whatever your plan.

And making your own backgrounds is far more fun and satisfying than a shop bought paper.

Give it a go I know you will enjoy playing

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Carole Eaton - Winner

Hi Everybody,

Well it is sunny here but cold and damp and we will be going out later as long as the rain stays away.
Not long to Christmas no but at least this Birthday die takes away some of the ideas around that time.
I am sure that the winner will enjoy playing with this one when it arrives with them.

There are lots of idea inside the magazine for you to try and the draw has ow been done.

The winner thus week is ...

Carole Eaton

and so if you could send me your postal address I will get it posted to you straight away.

Be sure to let me know that you have it safely

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Fancy Foliage

Hi Everybody,

Today the offering is a beautiful eight peice die set that spells out the word birthday and gives you lots of small leaves and flower shapes.

The magazine is Simply Cards & Papercraft which will give you lots of ideas and is a really good read.

So grab your favourite brew and relax as you browse the pages for some "ME" time

Would you like to have this in your home ??

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

You will need to come back over the weekend to see if you are listed as the winner and you will have 72 hours in whcih to claim it.

I am sure that this is something you will enjoy playing with and adding to your cards.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Butterfly Easel Card

Hi Everybody,

Going back to the Easel Card theme for this card and this is created with pre shaped cards that I brought out some time ago.

The top and base layers of the detailed card have been done with teal and copper embossing powders and then dotted with the large pearls.

This gives a really pretty effect to the Card.

These are the items that where in the packs.
White base shapes, coloured base shapes and filigree tops in white and colours to add to them

You cam get these at Craft Stash and I will add the links below. If you order through the links I could get a small commission at no extra cost to you

There are several layers to this butterfly and one of them was in parchment, using the basic shape as a template to cut around.

I did some videos with these when they first launched using the shape in many different ways on my cards, and I was very happy with the look they produced. Here is the intro to the set

Butterfly Blossoms

If you got some of these then maybe now is the time to get them out again and finish the packs to give you some really creations

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Beyond the Stars - by Victoria Green

Hi Everybody,

Today I am showing you the first ever book written by my youngest daughter. (Dougal's mum)

Beyond The Stars by Victoria Green   
She has been doing a lot of studying for the past couple of years and has become an accredited NLP  practitioner 

 She is also a life coach with a speciality in menopausal women and has helped women from as far away as Brazil

This is her first book and it will be published on Amazon, and I am sure she will go on to do great things in the future.

Acetate Front Floral Card

Hi Everybody,

I first added this card to YouTube 12 years ago and I loved the comments that it got. 

So I am de-doing the video and this time I have made it a little different.

It is just as beautiful this time around though so I am hoping that you will still like it too.

I am using older dies to create the look and I still have not bought anything new, which is part of my challenge to my self.

You can use any flower, leaf, butterfly or sentiment dies that you already own.

You can make it any colour you like and so use up any older card stock or paper that you have.

Acetate Front 5x7 Card & Box

I have used a heavier weight acetate for the font  of the card and to line the lid of the box, as this will hold the shape a little better.

The card that I have used has also got some stamina in it at 300 gsm as this makes everything much more stable

This photograph just shows the bevel in the acetate once it is added to the panel.

You don't really want it any deeper as it will not fit into the box if you do. 

The items under the acetate can have some dimension to the though as they are protected by the acetate.

Hope you enjoy 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Marie Alder - Winner

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are all managing to weather this storm. We have been snuggled up in a warm house and watched the wind and the rain lash down. I have no plans to go anywhere until it is passed by and it is safe to go out again.  Ruby will sulk but she will have to grin and bear it until at least the wind and rain has stopped.

In the meantime I have done the draw for the lovely Rose die that was on offer with Die Cutting Essentials, and the name this week is ...

Maria Alder.

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

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

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Crafters Companion Roses

 Hi Everybody,

Beautiful Roses  from Crafters Companion are the gift on offer today and they will  add such grace to your cards. 

Flowers are always  a very special way to decorate a card and they can hide a multitude is sins.

The die comes with the magazine Die Cutting Essentials and in the pages you will find lots of tips and information to help you create.

If you would like this large die set then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post  using your FULL NAME

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

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Beautiful Butterflies

Hi Everybody,

While searching through some old self adhesive "bling" I found these diamante butterflies that  have had for years. 

They are originally from Want2Scrap but they are a US company and the postage costs stopped me from using them 

Never the less I decided to use the diamante on my cards to add extra sparkle to the silver butterflies that I had already cut.

I also found some flourishes that I could use as butterfly trails and I added them to the bottom of each butterfly  

I splattered this card with some silver paint and it is just visible on the card base

Even thought the diamante doesn't fit each butterfly perfectly it is a close enough match to make them look really pretty.

I used a brick wall die to cut out of Kraft Card my background and that gave me a  two for one die cut.

I added the Kraft card to some double sided sticky sheet and then used each little brick on the top card and the complete frame on the bottom one.

I used some oval dies to cut a frame and and then a panel die to cut out the centre portion and added it to the oval with parchment behind.

Both are pretty cards and look much better in the hand, and this close up gives you a rough idea of how the diamante looks on the card.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs x

Christmas Ideas

 Hi Everybody,

I made a card with red candy canes on it for my Great Grandson Bobby to give to his friends at school for Christmas, but while the die was out I decided to elaborate a little more with the canes.

And this us where the rainbow canes card came from.

Rainbow Candy Canes Card

This card could be kept as a Christmas card or used as a birthday card and children would love it with their name on it too.

The idea to video it was a last minute decision as well and it is not long, but the card is quite pretty once completed

It could be used as an adult card too and not just for children. 

It could be dressed u with real ribbons and flowers if you wanted to and adding glitter would make it sparkle 

The ideas care endless once your imagination is working and you could make this card as fancy as you liked.

Have a look through all your old dies that haven't had an airing for some time and I bet you will be pleasantly surprised with what you find.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Sharon Brand - Winner

 Hi Everybody,

Counting down the weeks now to Christmas and if you haven't made a start on your cards by now then you need to get a move on. This beautiful  layered stencil will help you to do just that. 

You could use them as a background, or make the large snowflake the main focal point to your design.
Whatever you do your are sure to have some lovely cards made very easily that will please both you and the recipient.

A name has been chosen from the comments that where left and this week it is 
Sharon Brand

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

Friday Freebie - Stunning Snowflakes

 Hi Everybody, 

Today the offering is on a Christmas theme and it features snowflakes which are always useful for the season.

The set features a layering stencil and a small stencil brush to add the colours and also sentiments to complete your designs. 

The magazine is Simply Cards & papercrafts and it is full of excellent ideas and tips for you to get the most from the gift and of course other ideas too. 

Would you like to have tis in your crafting stash ????

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

From those comments one name will be chosen as the winner and announced in a blog post over the weekend so be sure to come back and see if t is you.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Christmas Cards for Bobby

 Hi Everybody,

Sometime ago I added some
Birthday Cards
that my great grandson Bobby, asked me to make for him to give to his friends for birthdays.

Well here are some more only this time these are for him to give out at  Christmas.

I need to make many more yet but this is the start of what I intend to do for him.

Some of these are really old stamps from Crafti Potential, and some where free with magazines.

Some of the dies are those I have had for years from Spellbinders.

The reindeers are from Tonic and again very old now,  the cracker die was free with a magazine and they have all have been put to good use.

I have also used items that are left over from other projects like the Poinsettia and the Christmas lights in the deer's antlers

I spent  a morning making these and I have other stamps and dies that are suitable for children that I am going to use. 

Hopefully I can build up a good supply of cards for him to give to his friends and I hope that he likes them

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Still Available at Craft Stash

Hi Everybody,

There is no new video today but I do have a list of older ones that are using dies that are still available at Craft Stash. 

 These are the Elegant Nestables Collection and they are some of my favourite sets to wok with and they all work with each other to make you some beautiful cards.

Elegant Nestables DL & Slimline

I have been asked what does the DL stand for and it simply means Double Length ... so the card is 4" wide by 8" length

Each card is created with two different sets to showcase the versatility of them and the videos show you the possibilities of how you can mix and match them which are limitless

Elegant Nestables 5x7 + Circles

This beautiful pink card is a 6x6 size and  has been teamed with cream and some mulberry flowers.

You can add any stamped or die cut sentiment to the card to suit the occasion and your recipient.

It will certainly be playtime in your craft room with these lovely dies to work with and if you got them when they were first released then you will be aware of what they can do.

If you didn't  then here is your chance while they are still available . 

I have used a matt silver card for this base and added the Octagons to the top. 

Elegant Nestables 5x7 + Octagon 

  

I hope you enjoy these older videos and die sets and if you have them in your collections then maybe it is time to get them out again for another airing. 

I am on a mission to buy nothing new and so I am also looking at what I already have and making it work for me

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx