Plaited with Love - Masculine Cards

 Hi Everybody,

Staying with the new collection I have made lots of cards using more masculine colours, and not a flower in sight.

But although they are for the men in your life they still don't need to be boring and so I have dressed my cards with leaves and sentiments.

You want the recipient to enjoy the card they get and to feel that you have still made some effort to hand make something really special just for them.

You will know what their favourite colours are and don't forget that some men do like flowers on their cards

In the video I have ended up making ten cards  and I hope you will like them, and enjoy the video. 

I have used all the elements in the collection to create my cards, but please remember there are many more different combinations that you can use with these die sets, and never get bored with the cards that you make.

Some ideas would be shaker cards, split cards, arrow cards and twisted cards to name but a few. 

And there are lots of different parts to each die set to help you be creative using them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Plaited with Love - Squares

Hi Everybody,

This card uses the smaller dies from the Square set in a different way to give an unusual look to your cards.

The vidoe will show you how I created this centrepiece for my design and it is easy to do. 

Try this with any dies that you may have in your collection and see what you can come up with. 

The flowers is also handmade but I have not covered that in the video. It is done from Flower Forming Foam and the result is quite a large bloom for my card.

             

This Poinsettia is also made from foam and this time I have inlaid the die to cut the pattern into the card

 

I really hope you are enjoying these videos, and if you bought the dies, or any part of this collection, then I hope you have had your imagination working to create your own individual makes.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

 

Winner

Hi Everybody,

It is a beautiful day here today and the snow didn't last for long. It never does really in Blackpool I suppose it is because of the sea air.  So later on Ruby and I will be going for a walk to the park so she can have a good sniff in the sunshine.

The draw has now been done  randomly, for the Bee die and stamps set and the name today is ...

Barbara Youngs

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

Please let me know that you have it safely and it hasn't got lost in the post and I hope you will enjoy playing with it when it arrives with you.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Friday Freebie - Bee Happy

Hi Everybody,

This pack contains some stamps and a circular die that will cut out an aperture and another die to fill it with a beautiful design for your cards.

The magazine is Die Cutting Essentials and it is full of ideas and inspiration for you to try. Grab a cuppa and simply relax for a while as you browse the pages.

You could really have some fun playing with this set and so if you would like this one then all you need to do is leave me a comment with your

FULL NAME

 I am happy so send the package to you wherever you live an it doesn't matter if you have won before.

Just add your comment and one will be chosen at random and added to a blog post over he weekend so be sure to come back and check if it is your name that is shown

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

 

Plaited with Love - A5 Card + Circle die

 Hi Everybody,

Today's card and video are featuring the A5 size and once more I have used the stencil. 

I have kept the colour scheme to the paler tones and teamed it with white and this makes for a really fresh and clean look.

I have created a shaped card using the largest of the dies to make the base and added layers for depth.

But to get the most from any dies that you may buy consider cutting into them to alter the size and create another look for your design.

               

Or simply use the smaller elements from a die set to create a smaller version of the card as I have done with this card adding them to a DL card for a change.

These cards have used a different stencil for each one but either will give you a fantastic look for your background whichever you use just by changing the colours that you use.

I have yet to do the videos with a masculine theme but it is on the way I promise. 

And for that one I will use more masculine colours and NO flowers !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Plaited With Love - 5x7 Card

Hi Everybody,

Today I am using my all time favourite size of card and that is the 5x7 and once again I have used the stencil to create the background.

I love this size because it is large enough to fill with beautiful flowers and embellishments but not so big it is cumbersome. And it fits into a box so well,  and makes a lovely gift. 

For this card I have used the detailed panel to cut into the card and create a see through design which looks very pretty in the hand. 

To the back you can add mirror card or acetate or even parchment if you wished and each one would give you  a different look.  

For the blue card I have used the same set of dies and turned this into an Easel Card using one of the strip dies as my stop.

I did not use the stencil on the pale blue card just the dies them selves.

They look totally different from each other by changing the colours and the way the dies have been added or used on the card.

And these cards, lacking the flowers, would also be suitable for the men in your life 

          

This is a very versatile set to have and I have more videos to add showing some great combinations to work with.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Plaited With Love Collection - 5x7 + Cirlces

Hi Everybody,

Today I want to share with you the new Plaited with Love Collection and this is 5x7 teamed with the Circles die set to create this really pretty design that would suit any occasion with a change of sentiment.

The video will show you how I got this look and I really enjoyed playing with all this collection. 

The stencils create beautiful backgrounds with inks or water colours, and all the dies will mix and match with each other giving you endless design possibilities.

For this card I have used Mulberry flowers and tucked in lots of greenery around the display.

I think the end result is beautiful and I would be more than happy to get a card like this.                     

                      

I will be adding more vidoes using this new collection so I hope you will pop along and view them. Please consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel and don't forget to leave me a comment both here and on YouTube.

Another request I have is to please allow the adverts to run as this is the way the channel makes a small amount of income. They are not long but advertisers pay for that space on my videos.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Plaited With Love - A5 + Stencil + Circles

Hi Everybody,

This new collection is so much fun to play with and it can be adapted to any size card you wish to make.

For this card I have used the stencil as it really makes the backgrounds stand out, and I should make much more of the stencils that I have.

The flowers are silk and I have had them for a long time but the leaves and greenery are cut from a die set that is fast becoming a favourite.

The video will show you how I got this look and I have more to be added over the next week or so. I hope you enjoy.

 

                  

All these dies can be used separately or can be mixed and matched with each other or any other dies that you have from previous collections.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Winner

 Hi Everybody,

Thank you for joining Lou and I on Facebook Live on Friday and I am so pleased that you like the new collection. And if you won the prize on offer the I really hope you enjoy playing with it.

I have new videos being added to the Blog that will highlight some really pretty cards. And I have promised on Facebook Live that I will use the same collection to create masculine cards and add the video to the blog.

So the winner has been chosen at random and the name this week is …

Diane Crowe

Would you email please with your postal address to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and I will get the pack to you straight away. I hope you enjoy playing with it and please be sure to let me know that you have it safely

More tomorrow…

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Terrific Tulips

Hi Everybody,

Tulips always herald in the spring and this set is no exception. 

With this set you will get stamps to colour and make the tulips just as you would like them and then the dies to cut them out and add them to your designs.

There are sentiments dies to go with it and the magazine of course will give you a wealth of inspiration on how to get the most from the set.

Would you like to have this to play with ?? Then all you need to do is leave me your comment at the end of this post with your FULL NAME

From those comments one name will be chosen at random and announced in a blog post over the weekend. It doesn't matter if you have won before and you don't need to have your own blog either.

I am happy to send the pack to your address wherever you live, but please do not add personal details to a blog comment, and don't forget that the draw is now open until Sunday morning, to accommodate my readers from over seas, so be sure to come back and check if it is your name that is shown 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

A5 Nested Die Set

Hi Everybody,

Do you remember these boxes? All created from the A5 Nesting dies.

I can't believe it, but this video is now three years old and I thought I would add it again here as a reminder of what this set can do.

And they do work well with the A5 Card & Box Die Set giving you even more variation to the size of the boxes and cards you make.

This is also a reminder to dig out your older dies and put them to good use again, and get more for your money with each use. 

Don't forget to join me tomorrow on Craft Stash Facebook Live, or their YouTube Channel, at 12.30 for some fun time with Lou and me.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

New Collection

 Hi Everybody,

. 

Just a little video to introduce you to the new collection launching on Facebook Live this coming Friday

 
I hope you can join me then and hopefully win some of the fabulous prizes that will be on offer.

This is just one of the cards that I have made with these new items and I have had a lot of fun playing. 

You can make them as fancy or clean and simple as you like but you know me I always add loads to most of my designs.

I will be adding videos to the blog pages showing all the different designs I have come up with and I hope you enjoy some of my ideas.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

      

Card Mistake ...

Hi Everybody,

This card is created from nothing but mistakes and failures but I thought I would show you and try to explain how it all went wrong.

Some of the things I have used are Gold Deco Foil, Glitter, Oval dies, and Alcohol markers and bit by bit I will tell you the mistakes.

First of all I used some white card and added a double sided sticky sheet to it. 

Then I pressed on to it some Gold Deco Foil without any heat, as that was how it said this was one way it could be used. 

I went over it all to press it down with my bone folder, but when I removed the gold foil it left a very patchy finish that was sticky in parts.

So I decided to add some glitter into the sticky areas and pressed it in well with my fingers.

Next I used the same foil and some ordinary Ovals from Card Making Magic and tried to foil with them using the Gemini hot foil machine for this purpose.

It worked to some degree but as you can see it is patchy. I used a larger and smaller die to turn this into a frame.

I also foiled the stamped the Spiky Flowers and cut them out with the dies.

I used alcohol markers on the petals but the colours did not blend very well at all although the gold foil did show up on the flower

I coloured the leaves at the same time and then I added some shape to the flowers before stacking it all together.

The sentiment was gold foiled but for that I used a really old Spellbinders die and I had to fussy cut that out with some small scissors

So to press on  ... I added the gold panel to my base card and put some foam tape behind the frame.

I arranged the sentiment over the frame and added the flower in to the bottom corner of the frame, with the leaves tucked in around it.

I glued the white pearl centre into the middle of the flower and I added small foam pads under each of the petals to give some dimension to the bloom.

And at the end I was not unhappy with my card mistake.

What do you think?

 Is it Ok or should I bin it and try again?

Or should I just give up on this idea? 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Winner

 Hi Everybody,

The winners announcement is a day late due to the special offer over at Craft Stash yesterday.
But at least it gave you more time to add any comment that you wanted to add.
The draw has now been done randomly and the name today is ...

Lin Duke

would you please email me your postal address to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and the pack will be in the post to your straight away.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Deal of the Day

Hi Everybody,

There is a special offer going on at Craft Stash to get some of the word die sets, worth up to £17.99, free if you spend £40 on other Card Making Magic goodies.  

There are four sets for you to choose from and they are sure to make a statement on your designs. 

They are quick and easy to add to your and many of the sets have a shadow to them so that the words can be added with a backing of parchment or mirror cards to enhance them even more 

They can be used on any size and orientation of card.

So if there was something you are looking to get from the Card making Magic Collections then why not take advantage of this offer at the same time.

The Special Words set will be popping up a lot with next new collection due out on the 3rd March 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Floral Window

 Hi Everybody,

So this pack is fabulous as you will be getting Die Cutting Essentials that is full of ideas, plus a beautiful die and stamp set.

The magazine is full of ideas on how to get the most from the die set as well as other ideas for you to try.

The set is called Floral Window and it is from Memory Box and is just in time for all your Spring makes. 

The die actually cuts out an aperture in the card for you that would make a perfect shaker element.

You can also download some papers to go with the set that will enhance you designs even more.

So if you would like to have this set then all you have to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post to be in with a chance of being chosen at random as the winner.

You must leave your FULL NAME as your comment will not be entered if you don't and you must make sure to come back and check if your name is shown as the winner as I have no way of contacting you if you are.

I am happy to send the package to you wherever you are and it doesn't matter if you have won before.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

A6 Collection - Cards, Box & Envelopes

 HI Everybody,

Here is the box and it is slightly deeper than the other box sets.

But this is to to your advantage as it means that you can get six ... maybe more ... cards inside, complete with envelopes for you to give a s complete gift to someone.

These can be "Thank You" cards, teacher appreciation cards , birthday cards or anything that you enjoy giving a card for but it enables you recipient to have card on hand whenever they need to send one out.

Add some stamps and a pen in the box too and it is a complete package for a Christmas present to them.

Just make sure that you use paper and not a thick card to make your envelops or they will not fit into the box with the cards. You could pre make a stack of ordinary ones also from copy paper and keep them on hand ready to use.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Stencilled Roses

Hi Everybody,

I found this stencilled card from some time ago and I thought it was really pretty.

It also uses some of the older dies and stencils as they need to be brought out and used a lot more, and they may be some that you already have in your own collections.

If you like the large words sentiments I have on many of my cards then there is a really good deal coming on Sunday with several word sets being offered.

The large pearl flower is one that I have had in my stash for years, and I still have another one to use up so that will also be making an appearance soon.

The inks have been blended onto smooth white card and the sentiment is cut from holographic mirror card.

It is an A5 size so quite a large design and of course it will need a box to go with it. 

I am going to make a concentrated effort to use older dies much more often so as not to forget about them.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

A6 Collection - Card & Envelope

 Hi Everybody,

I am amazed at how well this new A6 Collection has done. It was a size I was asked for quite a few times and as always I am happy to oblige. 

So if you bought it I hope you have fun with it and this video will show you ways to make the most of it for your designs.

You can add decoration to the envelope as you like of simply leave it plain to go in the post. The smaller size also means no extra cost when you do post it.

They are also the correct size to add to the box if your preferred. The choice with this collection is entirely up to you  and if you wanted a larger card then there is nothing to stop you adding this to a bigger base.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Text Background

Hi Everybody,

I like to add lots to my cards and the text background to this card is the perfect backdrop.

I used a stamp that was free with a magazine and I added it to some ombre paper, it has all been created with the slimline card & box die set and layered with pink.

The card is thin enough to go into an ordinary envelope, which can be made using the die set, and of course stamped with the same flowers and text if you like.

I like the soft colours in this card and it would suit any occasion, with a change of sentiment.

This card has got a textured paste background added to another inked layer.

The gold oval was a left over on my desktop and the flowers are coloured with alcohol markers and I have used foam tape underneath to raise them up a little.

This card would be perfect for Valentines Day with a change of the sentiment. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Winner

 Hi Everybody,

So here we are on a Sunday afternoon to announce the winner of Fridays Give Away. This is a fabulous pack and will certainly make some lovely cards for all year round. I am glad that I kept the offer open for an extra day as I know that some of you have not been getting the email with the Friday Freebie in it until late on Saturdays. 

At least now it gives more opportunity for people to enter the draw. And so all that is left now is to yell you who the winner is and that name this week is ....

Denise Bryant

would you send your postal address please to me
christina@card-making-magic.com
and I will get the pack in the post to you straight away.

I would be obliged if you could let me know when you have it and I really hope you enjoy playing with it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Seasonal Scene

Hi Everybody,

Back to a Christmas theme for this weeks freebie but it is one that can be used all year round with some imagination.

The magazine is Die Cutting Essentials and in the pages you will find lots of ideas and inspiration for you to try.

So would you like to have this come and live at your house for you to play with ???

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

 Then be sure to come back and see if your name is listed as the winner, as one comment will be chosen at random each week for the Friday Freebie on offer, which is different every week.

It doesn't matter if you have won before you can still enter and I am happy to send the package to you wherever you live. So go on give it a go !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx 

Deal Of The Day

Hi Everybody,

Todays special offer over on Craft Stash is to get this

  Mindful Words die set with 50% off.

So instead of the price being £14.99 you can now get it for just £7.49 The words in are quite a good size to make a focal point on your cards, and you can build up the sentences as you like.

They also work well with other words die sets in other collections so that you can build  names, dates, relationships or even deeper sentences for you to add to your designs 

For this card I have added them to the Tapis Builder die set on top of a inked stencilled background.

Each of the frames has parchment added to it and this could of course be the start of a shaker card if you wished. 

There are lots of combinations that can be achieved with this set ... Sending Healing, Love You, Thankful For You, Hello Friend and many more.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Craft Stash VIP Blog Hop

 Hi Everybody,

Today it is my turn to add a video to announce the launch of the new VIP Club where you can get special offers and deals every week. Membership means early bird deals and notification of any new collections as well as better prices over non members. 

Today I am showing you a way in which you can 2-4-1 cards from one make. In the coming months I will be sharing techniques and ideas with you regularly.
Other design team members will be adding their videos too, and there will be lots more for you to join in with as the club develops.  

                     

Please join in with the Blog Hop and be in with the chance to win a £25 voucher.
You will need to leave a comment on the YouTube video and subscribe to my YT channel. 

Join the Craft Stash Channel also.
The more comments you leave the better your chances, and click the links to the next designer to join in with the hop. 

Find out all about VIP Membership and watch some fab craft tutorials every day this week from our cobrands. Sign Up here - https://www.craftstash.co.uk/vip VLOG HOP - Chance to win £25 vouch each day just by following Craft Stash and commenting on the video!   

Saturday 11th - Helen Griffin - https://www.youtube.com/@HelenGriffinUK

 

Sunday 12th - Lou Collins - https://www.youtube.com/@LouCollins/video

Monday 13th - Sam Calcott https://youtu.be/vGo6iVFRI8I

Tuesday 14th - Katie Skilton - https://www.youtube.com/@KatieSkilton/videos 

Wednesday 15th - Christina Griffith - https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaGriffiths/videos  YOU ARE HERE

Thursday 16th - Ruth Mackie-McCartan - https://www.youtube.com/@CraftStashcoukTV/videos

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Happy Valentines Day

Hi Everybody,

I hope you are having a good day and maybe celebrating with the ones you love. 

Perhaps you are going out to dinner this evening with your partner, I know that is what Griff and I would be doing.

The featured card has a matching envelope to it and that has also been stamped with the hearts background. 

I used the Love & Marriage die set from Card Making Magic, and the stencil from the same set. Sadly it is no longer on the Craft Stash website.

It is a card I made for Griff many Valentines days ago but for some reason I cannot part with it. I still think it is a pretty card even now years later.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

 

Old and New mix ...

 Hi Everybody,

We are all guilty of this and that is buying crafting items , using them just a few times and that putting them in cupboard and forgetting about them.

So today I am sharing a video that uses quite a few older dies and teaming it with the circular sentiments from the new A6 collection.

This card is very easy to create but gives and unusual affect to your backgrounds and gives you yet another way to use those Clever Cuts Offset Background dies.

        

Use your favourite colours to ink up the card and for mine I used the easy to blend Distress Oxides but you can use any that you have in your own collections.

I really like this look and it is one I will be doing again with other shapes to add to my cards.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Winner

 Hi Everybody,

One of my readers left a comment on the blog that she doesn't get the email about the Friday Freebie until late Saturday afternoon. And so because of that information I am going to leave the list open, for entries into the draw, from Friday morning to include all day Saturday and that will give my overseas readers the chance to enter with their comments. This makes it even more important that you leave your FULL NAME along with your comment and that you come back on Sundays to see if your name is chosen as the winner.

This week the name that has been chosen at random is ...

Jenny Cottam

so would you email me your postal address please to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and I will get it posted to your straight away.

Things should be back to normal now and my overseas winners will get their packs soon.

 I know that my UK readers have now got their packs. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Craft Stash VIP

 Hi Everybody,

The wait is over, CraftStash VIP is here.  Want to save money, get your orders quicker and be rewarded twice as much every time you shop at CraftStash? Then join CraftStash VIP today for just £9.99 a year, and get access to the best value craft membership around.   Join with no ongoing commitment and get all these incredible benefits instantly**. 10% discount on every order* Double reward points every time you shop Priority dispatch on every order Members only hub with exclusive content Mega offers unavailable anywhere else

JOIN TODAY

And a note to remember is that this is not AUTO Renewed at the end of the 12 months, so no money will go from your account with out you knowing.

 A reminder will be emailed out to you as you come towards the end of your 12 months asking you to renew yourself if that is what you want. 

Find out all about VIP Membership and watch some fab craft tutorials every day this week from our cobrands. Sign Up here - https://www.craftstash.co.uk/vip VLOG HOP - Chance to win £25 vouch each day just by following CraftStash and commenting on the video!   

Saturday 11th - Helen Griffin - https://www.youtube.com/@HelenGriffinUK

 

Sunday 12th - Lou Collins - https://www.youtube.com/@LouCollins/videos 

Monday 13th - Sam Calcott- https://www.youtube.com/@MixedUpCraft/videos 

Tuesday 14th - Katie Skilton - https://www.youtube.com/@KatieSkilton/videos 

Wednesday 15th - Christina Griffith - https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaGriffiths/videos 

Thursday 16th - Ruth Mackie-McCartan - https://www.youtube.com/@CraftStashcoukTV/videos

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Lisa Horton Crafts

HI Everybody,

This weeks gift is a real treat from the Lisa Horton collection of Dies and a DL sized embossing folder.

This is a beautiful design of a rally large flower that will grace the whole front of your card.

You can leave it as is or you could colour it with your favourite medium. You could even try Letter pressing with this folder for another fantastic look.

There are even some digital papers that you can download to go with the set. And of course the magazine is full of lovely ideas that you may like to try for your self.

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

Then be sure to come back and check if it is your name that is shown as the winner. 

Only one name will be drawn as the winner and you will have 72 hours in which to claim it.
Good Luck everybody 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx  

 

A Big Thank You xxx

 Hi Everybody,

I just wanted to say a really big thank you to all the people who purchased my new A6 Collection on Create & Craft earlier this week as it was a really big sell out in the first hour.

All the products went and the second show had to be cancelled because there was nothing left to sell. I was thrilled that you liked it so much.

The Craft Stash Launch will be this coming Friday on Facebook Live and I will be there with Lou to show you what there is in the Collection. 

I hope you can join me at 12.30 and see what is on offer. I have a couple of vidoes to share with you and these demos will be different to the ones Ruth did on C&C.

Don't worry if you can't be there as the videos will be added at a later date to the blog pages, so you won't miss anything with them. But you will miss any prizes that are on offer in the show so make a note to join Lou and myself this Friday.

And I also wanted to tell you that the Cyber Attack in the UK is now at an end and I have been able to post all my parcels today to the winners. Please be sure to let me know when you get them though they will still take while to get to Australia and New Zealand.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Little Step Further ...

 Hi Everybody,

Todays card is done exactly the same way as yesterdays with the paper towel technique but this time I have gone a step further.

Once the towel was completely dry I have taken finger daubers and some inks and very lightly gone over the design.

I have coloured the flowers pink and the leaves a pale green and then I added the panel to a cream card base with glue. 

The flowers and leaves have been hot glued in place and then all of it has been splattered in white, black and gold.

I have added some glitter to the petals and the sentiment to the top and this is a very pretty card that would need a box to send it in. 

You could do this with any embossing folder that you have and use the cheapest of kitchen roll, toilet paper, tissue or napkins that you have and it doesn't matter if there is a pattern already in the roll it will still take on the embossing pattern once it is wet and you run it through your machine. 

Just have fun and play and you will be surprised at the result. 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx