Layered Florals Background

Hi Everybody,

Both of today's cards are created with the stamps from the Layered Florals set  in the
 "Christina Collection"
and they have made really easy backgrounds

Use any inks that you have in your own stash but you will need a light and a darker one for the layered flower

I show you an easy way to make card bases  and no dies are needed for either style

Both cards are stamped in a random way and choose your favourite colours to get the look

Change the look with silver embossing powder.


Both cards are handy to keep on one side for that unexpected occasion

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Here’s my problem ....

Hi Everybody,

So I offered my Friday Freebie as usual and on Saturday night I had not one ..... not two .... but three people claiming to have won the Snowflake Penguin that was on offer.  I wrote to each one saying that I had three winners and they needed to prove that they are in fact Daffodil Cards.

And while I was in the process of trying to sort that out I had yet another claimant. I checked out all  their profiles for my self and found that my fourth claimant was indeed the correct winner of the prize. 

It would seem that the others had not read the whole of the blog post properly and as soon as they saw the word YOU they thought it applied to them.  

My apologies for any confusion caused and the matter is now sorted.

In future I will not be adding the word YOU  to my notification... just the name of the winner. 

BUT I am going to insist that you add your full name if you leave a comment 

First name ... Second name 

and then there will be no misunderstanding as to who the winner is. 

I hope you understand the reason why this is going to be put in place and will continue to add your comments to win the prize that is on offer. 

Thank you 

More tomorrow 

Hugs xx

New Stamps from Crafti Potential

Hi Everybody,

Today I have some lovely new stamps to share with you from Crafti Potential.

The one I have done the video with is Pawfect Pets and I love this little Dinosaur

For the card shown here I covered him with Glossy Accents and it is much better in the hand than shown.

There are six sets in this new collection and each one is a delight to work with.

In the video I have created three glamorous ladies all off to a party and ready to have some fun.

And who says you can't have a purple dinosaur ???

You can in my world !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card and Gift Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

Sorry to be so late on another wet and cold Saturday. 

I have been busy filming this morning with a brand  new stamp set that is available with Craft Stash.  It is one of six new sets from  CRAFTI POTENTIAL and the video will be with you in the morning. So I hope you will be back to view .

But for now the draw has been done and the name today is YOU ...

Daffodil Cards ...

would you email me please your postal address to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and they will be on their way to you straight away.

I am sure you are going to love this little Penguin coz he is so cute 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Snowflake Penguin

Hi Everybody

Over the next few weeks the card and gifts that will be offered are a mixed bag of occasions.

But most of them can be used all year round to help you with some pretty designs

Each one will have the video to show you how I used it but I am sure that you can come up with many more ideas as you play.

This was one of my favourites when it was offered and here is the video ...  Snowflake Penguins

I made so many lovely cards with this really cute die set. So if you would like this one then all you need to do is leave me a comment.

From  those one name will be chosen at random as the winner and it will be announced in tomorrows blog post. Good luck every one  

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

More Water Colouring

Hi Everybody,

This pretty cards has an ink smooshed background in Squeezed Lemonade and Picked Raspberry background

I have added in some left over flowers from the Messy Water Colouring that I created with the Layered Florals last week and I just had to use them up 

The die and stamp set is called Sending Wishing Hoping from WPlus9 and I bought mine from Sevenhills Crafts

Ink smooshing is a lovely technique and no two cards will ever look the same. Play around with your inks to see which colour combination you like. I used Distress Oxides because they have a chalky look to them when activated with water. 

They also layer with each other much better than ordinary Distress Ink and they are my "GoTo" choice for all kinds of techniques 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Papercraft Essentials 158 - Make a Splash

Hi Everybody,

Today's fun cards are all made with the free gift that comes with Papercraft Essentials 158.

This stencilled rainbow background has to be my favourite and I used the sentiment from a previous free gift to complete the look.

In the past I have done colouring with pens and water colours but for today's cards I used pencils and blending solution to remove the pencil strokes

I have had so much fun playing with "Make A Splash" and it is brought to you by Crafti Potential.

It will be on sale tomorrow and I would get there early if you want to grab your copy.

There are lots of ideas in the video as well as making the two cards shown. 

And your options are plentiful once you get your gift. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

White Vellum Flowers ...

Hi Everybody,

Today's  card is a little more muted then usual as I have kept to more neutral colours with Neenah Desert Storm card stock

It still has lots of texture in it and is still a very pretty card for any occasion.

The vellum flowers are delicate and I have kept them white to enhance the card.

It is very easy to make and so I hope you will enjoy the video and then try them for your self

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Pretty Shoes ...

Hi Everybody,

This was a card I made a while ago with the free stamp set called Hello Gorgeous that came with Creative Stamping 53

There was so many stamps on this A4 set and I had a lot of fun playing with it. 

The stamps suited all occasions, male and female, and all age groups so plenty of ideas for you to go at.

This was one of the more brightly coloured ones I did as a sample for the video which you can refresh your memory with here ...  Hello Gorgeous !!

Creative Stamping has a good supply of stamps each month covering different themes and occasions and is an excellent way to build up your stash to be used throughout the year.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tonic Trinket Box

Hi Everybody,

So the other day I added a video using the Tonic Craft Kit 08 and making a card with it.

But since then I have been asked if I could show how to make the box that the kit was designed to do.

And always happy to oblige that is what I have done and here is the video to show you how I made my boxes.

If you are making a stacked drawer set then I would make all the drawers with the same pattern on them so that they look neat and tidy.

Dress the box any way you wish and for mine I have added in some pretty flowers to the top.

This would be ideal to pop a small jewellery gift into for a birthday or Christmas.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

Saturdays come round far too quickly and here we are with another damp one. I hope you all have a lovely Easter despite what the weather throws at you. 

Thank you for the comments about my kitchen and all I can say is .... it's coming along.

But this is what my dining room looks like at present

Still the draw for the card and gift has been done and the name this week is you ....

Polly H 

please would you email me your postal address to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and the gift will be on it's way to you straight away

You have 72 hours in which to claim it and I hope you will like it when it arrives.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Majestic Moments

Hi Everybody,

Now I think that this outline die and stamp set will make some really special male cards for all year round

Cutting the stags head out with the die makes a statement on the front of your design

The video for this set is here ... Majestic Moments  and this is one of the cards shown in the tutorial

You can be in with the chance to add this set to your collection by leaving me a comment at the end of this post. I will draw one name at random from them and the winner will be announced in the post tomorrow.

I am happy to send the gift wherever you live so please add your name ... you may be the lucky one

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tonic Craft Kit 08 - Making a card with the Trinket Box Kit

Hi Everybody,

Today I am showing you my project for the Tonic Craft Kit 08 and I know that it is late this month.

These kits sell out very quickly as they are such good quality so to be sure that you get you then consider a subscription.

This kit is called Trinket Box but I have used it to make a card instead. This is just to show you the versatility of the die set

I used the papers in the kit to make my card and they are really pretty with deep texture.

The links for a subscription are ...

UK & Europe

US & North America 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Crafti Potential New Release

Hi Everybody,

A little bit of news to share today and that is the new collection of stamps and dies from

 CRAFTI POTENTIAL 

The collection is launching with

Craft Stash at 1 pm on Facebook Live 

And Craft Stash are giving you the chance to win some Goodies and there is also a 10% off  discount code if you wanted to buy more of these delightful stamps.

Just choose the stamps and dies that you like and add the code at the checkout to get your discount applied

The collection is called Cute Critters and they are super cute.

INTRO OFFER 10% off (including bundle) 

CODE 10CRAFTI 

exp 4th April

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Creative Stamping 55 (CS55) Bright & Breezy Stamp set

Hi Everybody,

Creative Stamping will be in the supermarkets and craft stores tomorrow and so if you wanted the bumper pack of goodies then you will need to be quick.

Not only is there an A4 stamp set with all different garments and sentiments but there is also a paper pack and some lovely wooden buttons 

Have fun creating scenes to suit your recipients and use the cheerful papers in the pack to add more interest to them. 

The sentiments will help you to finish off the card but I would advise you to add them to card before you cut them out to make them more sturdy.

There are lots more ideas on the back of the pack as well as in the magazine and of course this video.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Messy Water Colouring

Hi Everybody,

Today's card is so lovely and yet easy to do and you don't need any painting skills to achieve it.

And because the dies are going to cut out the flowers you don't even need to stay within the lines.

This is pink and yellow and the two mix for a lovely peach shade

Let the video show you how to create this card and experiment with the colour blends that you like 

There is nothing neat and tidy about this and yet it looks really pretty and I am sure that you will be so pleased with yourself once you have tried it.

The colours in the video are blue and lilac and I love that combination especially with the green.
The addition of the sequins is the finishing touch and they are a lucky and very inexpensive find on Amazon.

I have used the dies and stamps from my very own "Christina Collection" that is available with Craft Stash

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

What a mess !!!

Hi Everybody,

At present I am living in a builders yard because Griff is putting a new kitchen in for us. I am having to do the best I can with a microwave and kettle in the dining room ... so needless to say we are eating out more than usual 

This is what my kitchen looked like as we started to rip things out.

The blue stuff has been there for almost twenty years. 

Very old fashioned now and so it had to go.

Just a few hours later it looked like this. 

Everything is gone apart from the solitary item which is the dishwasher standing in the middle of the wall

A few hours after this and even the floor tiles where up.

And now this is where I am up to with the new stuff going in.

It's going to look a whole lot different and I will show you the end result once it is all completed

But for now you can all feel sorry for me while my house is messed up. 

Even Ruby wonders whats happening here

So all together now .... Aaaawwww 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Simon Says Stamp Set - Easter Greetings

Hi Everybody,

I was lucky enough to be asked if I would like to try one of the new stamps from Simon Says Stamps and this one is called Easter greetings 

There are some really cute characters on the sheet and here I have added the sheep to an inked background.

I coloured them with Promarkers and gave them rosy pink cheeks. 

The little birds in the sky are simply hand drawn and it is technique I use quite often 

Here we have the bunny and the chick peeping through some windows and the background is also created from the stamp set

Quick and simple cards to make but perfect to wish some one a Happy Easter

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card & Gift Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

Well this weekend the Formula One starts again for the season and that means that Griff will be glued to the telly on Sundays. 

Aaaaand you know what that means ??? I will have the afternoon to play in the craft room while he is occupied. YaaaY !!

So the draw for the card and gift from yesterday has been done and the name this week is YOU ...

Toni

would you email me please with your postal address to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and they will be on their way to you straight away.

Please let me know that you have them safely.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Happy days

Hi Everybody,

This tropical coloured card was made with the free die and stamp set called Happy Days

The die is quite a good size to make a lovely focal point on your cards 

The making of this card is shown in the video  Happy Days  

If you would like to have this set as part of your own collection then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of this post.

One name will be drawn at random from those comments and announced in tomorrows blog so be sure to come back and check if it is your name that is there. You have 72 hours ion which to claim it and then it's gone 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Die Cutting Essentials 35 - Enjoy Today

Hi Everybody,

This months Die Cutting Essentials is giving away a lovely Tonic Studios Flip Flop Die called Enjoy Today.

It's a quick and easy way to make cards with movement but it will help you to create other styles as well.

In the video I have shown you a few of the ways in which I have used it and how to make an easel card 

The magazine will be on sale today the 22nd March and it is sure to go quickly for the quality die that is being given away free

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Simply Cards & Papercraft 175 Home Sweet Home

Hi Everybody,

The free gift with this months Simply Cards & Papercraft is a cute house that can be adapted to make so many other styles

In the video I show you ways in which to turn this into bungalows, town houses, add extensions and so much more.

There are lots of ideas within the pages of the magazine too for you to create some fabulous cards for your self.

For the card in the video I have kept it super simple with just an ink blending technique and I am really enjoying the ink blending at present.

I have been asked what is the difference between Distress Inks and Distress Oxides.  They are both made by the same company and they both react to water.  But Distress Inks are a dye based ink and the Distress Oxides are a blend of dye and pigment inks.

They blend really well and so much easier than Distress Inks and they dry to a lovely chalky appearance. They also have the ability to layer well on top of each other which Distress Inks don't do.

So really it depends on the look that you want as to which you prefer.
But for me it is the Oxides mostly for the way I like to work.
The whole collection of  Distress Oxide colours are available at Craft Stash

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Butterfly Rainbow

Hi Everybody,

Here again today with more beautiful butterflies done in rainbow colours.

I have used Distress Oxides because they are so vibrant and they dry to a lovely chalky finish.

This is another easy to make card with the "Christina Collection"  and one that I hope you will try for yourself.

I love the look of it against the white card and the base and stitched mat are done with a 300 gsm super smooth card 

The butterflies are created with 160 gsm card both from Papermill Direct, and I have used my bargain brushes from Aldi

Most of my supplies are from Craft Stash and the links are at the bottom of the page for you to see.

You could make this card for any occasion simply by swapping out the sentiment and the verse inside.

I hope you enjoy the video and like the new style introduction that I have done to show you what it is we are making 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Pretty in Pink ...

Hi Everybody,

This card is another of the ones created with the Water Bleaching Technique  

I added a video on the process last week in different colours and they are really lovely cards and oh so easy to do. Click the link to refresh your memory 

For this one I used Fired Brick, Picked Raspberry and Worn Lipstick and blended them well together.

Then with Wilted Violet I painted in the bleached butterflies again

I used clean water to splatter the front to the card and blotted it off with kitchen towel.

This card has used a Spellbinders stamp and Mermaid Lagoon, Blue Print Sketch, and Broken China.

Then the flowers painted back with Twisted Citron

Both are lovely vibrant cards and well worth adding the technique to your repertoire of card making skills

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Crafti Potential with Card Making Magic

Hi Everybody,

Today Card Making Magic has come out to play with Crafti Potential to create a really pretty card for any occasion

Once again I have used Distress Oxides and they are so easy to blend together

For this card I have used the 

Damask A6 Background Stamp

 from Crafti Potential and the link will take you to Christine's Blog 

There are seven other background stamps in the collection and they are all available at Craft Stash

The video will show you how I made this card and I hope you enjoy it ...

Keep blending with Distress Oxides to get the look you want and where the two colours meet it will create a third that will diminish any harsh lines.

The sentiment is from Tonic Studios and there are 12 different ones for you to choose from.
Each one is in two parts so that you can create a coloured backdrop to your words and they look really special with a vellum layer

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card & Gift Winner

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are all having a good weekend and have lots of good things to keep you busy. 

 Here is Ruby with her new haircut sat in my craft room waiting for me to finish what I am doing and take her out. Doesn't she look cute ? 

At present we are having a new kitchen fitted and every room in the house is messed up so I don't need visitors just now.  

This is why the Craft Room sale was postponed ... but I will re schedule it once I get straight again.

In the meantime the draw for the Card & Gift has been done and the name this week is you ...

Nana-Jane

please email me with your postal address to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and they will be on their way to you straight away

Please let me know that you have them safely

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday freebie - Winter Warmers

Hi Everybody,

I know the title of this A4 stamp set is Winter warmers ... but this truly a set that can be used all year round.

It is soooo cute !! and a lot of fun to play with.

Use it for male or female cards and all age groups. Kids are sure to love the cards you make using this

The video showcasing the stamps is here ... Winter Warmers  and the card being given away is one of the ones in the tutorial .

So if this is a set that you would like to have then you know what to do .... leave me a comment at the end of the post.

From those comments one name will be drawn at random and announced in tomorrows blog post so be sure to come back and check if it is you.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Stencilled Rainbow Butterflies

Hi Everybody,

Today I have another really pretty card for you using the "Christina Collection"

This one is using the stencil to create some rainbow coloured butterflies.

I have used other elements from the collection too and I am really pleased with the result

The video will take you through the steps to create this card for your self and it's not too long.

I have used Distress Oxides as I like the chalky look they give once they are dry and they dry lighter than you think.

I hope you enjoy this technique and will give it a try 

Because the card is relatively flat I have stencilled onto an envelope to bring them together.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Water Bleaching ...

Hi Everybody,

This fabulous card is created with a Water Bleaching Technique that is very easy to do.

For the blue card I have used the Layered Florals from the
"Christina Collection" 

For this one I used the Layered Butterflies stamps and I decorated an envelope to go with it

The technique needs lots of ink and I find that Distress Oxides give me a better result than the regular inks

Try different colour blends and see which you prefer.

 And write them down in a notebook so that you can always refer back to your favourites 

The trick with this is to use lots of ink and to keep blending to get a really smooth look with no harsh lines, and remember that it will dry lighter.

The Video will show you step by step how to make the card and I love both of these.
It is a technique I have used many times in the past and will use over and over again in the future.

Don't forget that there is a special offer until the 17th March at Craft Stash with the
  Christina Collection 
and if you add the code CMM15 at the checkout you will get a 15% discount

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx