Lenas' Notebook

A few years ago a lady  that visits my website  sent me a small gift that she had made especially  for me.

This Notebook has been decorated with gemstones and glitters and the photo does not do it the justice it deserves ... and it sits on my desk to hold important phone numbers.

In the package Lena also sent me some handmade papers and they are all the way from India.

The colours and the work is exquisite on these papers and I was very reluctant to cut them up and use them on cards.

But the notebook was complete and I was delighted with it.

Lena is based in Mumbai ... and so maybe popping to the craft shop is not quite so easy for her.

But the work that she does is beautiful.

She has also just started her own Blog and so is very nervous about her reception.

So please pop over and give her some of your lovely support and tell her Christina sent you too.... go on make her day.

Here is the link to Lenas' Blog ...     Lenas' Works of Heart  and look at some of the tags that she has made.   My favorite  is the Clown in the first group and he is so cute.

Hugs xx

Walking the Prom...

We took a  walk along the  promenade the  other day ... which is not  something we do very  often.

But it was a  lovely day and so we  decided to take a look at one of the  newest features  to our sea front,  and there have been  quite a few over the  last few years.

Millions of  pounds have  been spent trying to  make Blackpool  an even bigger visitor  attraction.

And the sunshine always brings the people out to walk the front just as we did.

 This is the feature we went to see and it is different jokes,  sayings and song verses...  but it is all on the floor.

You can walk over it all and read the sayings and some of them are very funny.

We bought ice cream as we wandered around for an hour or more.

It is certainly a very cosmopolitan place and it does draw the visitors in.

Even more so when we have our annual light display otherwise known as the "Illuminations"  and that brings folks in from all over the world.

We also have an annual World Fireworks Competition and that is a free show on the Promenade over four weeks culminating in a Winner being selected at the end of that time.  Some of the displays are fantastic.

But of course our biggest attraction is our tower which is now well over 100 years old.

You can go to the very top of the building and it has a glass walk way if you are brave enough to try it.

Inside there is an aquarium, ballroom and circus ... as well as places to take the weight of your feet and people watch.

Always a fascinating pass time....

Especially here where people are on holiday and enjoying the atmosphere of this very unique place.

Hugs xx

Spellbinders Bracket Edge Box

I am so glad that you liked the idea of the little boxes and they really are useful even if they are small... and here is the video to show you what I did   Spellbinders Bracket Edge Box Tutorial

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But they can be dressed up in so many ways... and have you seen the price of boxes in the shop for those small gifts that you may want to give for Birthdays or Christmas.

The little embellishments around the edge of this baby box are from the Spellbinders Play Time set  from  Save On Hobbies

These two have been dressed up as baby boxes and I had so much pleasure from creating these... especially the baby girl one and adding all the pretty stuff to it.

And this is the Wedding favor one that I made on the video and I am really pleased with this.

So I hope you like them and will give them a try.

Hugs xx

 

Little Boxes ...

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 This is a little project that I am going to use to decorate my Christmas table this year.

 It will be filled with a small gift for each person.

It could be chocolates, or some bath cubes.

And although it is a small box it is just the right size to hold three tealight candles perfectly.

It is created using the Square Bracket Edge box from Spellbinders

Although it is one of the Grand templates ...  the beauty of this die is ...

... it will go through the smaller machines.

 And here I have pictured it in my Big Shot.

The top and the base of the box will go easily through my machine  and I have even embossed them to add a lovely pattern to both.

You will need to read the instructions for your machine as to layering up the cutting plates.

I have used the  Decorative Labels 1  to add to the top of my box.

And I have added some matching "Bling"  from   Want2Scrap 

I think it will make a very pretty gift and if I add a tag with each persons name it will also serve as a  place name setting too.

Hugs xx 

Damask Accents and Motifs

I didn't add a post yesterday but not because I was being idle ... in fact quite the opposite.

The Canadian company SBI (Site Build It)  that I build my website  Card Making Magic with has introduced some real state of the art tools to create a better look to the pages.

Yesterday I made a start on converting  the pages to incorporate the new features, but it will take me weeks to complete the transition as there are a  " lorra,  lorra pages"  on the website.

Some of the changes  are very subtle and behind the scenes that will not be obvious to my visitors ...what I call my  "Back office stuff"

But others have already changed the look  and are noticeable.  My aim is to increase  my visitors participation and enjoyment when they visit.

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So all I have done is make one card  and it  is as far away from Christmas as I could get.

I have used pale Lilac and White and it is all created with the   Damask Accents and Motifs.

The large bow is from purple and silver ribbon and it is wire edged which gives it more shape.

The flowers and leaves have been created from the  Accents set... and the background has been embossed.

The centre button is from Creative-Studios  and the Diamante Swirl is from Want2Scrap

So it's now time for me to get back to work on the website as I want it to be the best experience for everybody whenever they visit.

Please take a peep and tell me what you think about the new look ... the link is at the top of the page.

Hugs xx