Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

April 29, 2014

The Coronation Street Tour ...

Hi Everybody,

What a good day out we have had and the weather has been glorious.

Griff and I both took pictures and here are some to show you what was there.... they will bring back memories especially for those who used to live in England ... and maybe in the North West.

Here is my "Film Crew" outside the Rovers Return and as always with trusty camera in hand ...

We saw the inside of the bar as a separate scene but you are not allowed to take photos inside   ... only of the actual street
So here is the front of the pub in all it's glory.

It seemed really strange to be sitting in the one of the booths in the Rovers and see where all the filming has been done for years.

But of course the whole set has now been re built in another location.

So this tour of the old studios is only available for the next few months and then it will be gone .... forever.

 Here is the Kabin where Rita and Norris work and the window is full of really old fashioned stuff.

You can't actually go inside these buildings but there are areas that you can get to round the back of some of the houses.

Kevin and Tyrones garage is full of graffiti and looks really small.

It is right next door to  the factory called Underworld.

And of course Gails house has to share the same area at the front.

One of the sets we saw was the inside of her house and that too is really small.
Roy's Rolls where poor Hayley has just died.... and there was her flowery coffin on display on one of  the sets inside.

And if you watched those episodes of Hayley I bet you cried ... I know I did ... but behind the cushion so Griff  couldn't see me.



And last but not least here is me outside Audreys Hair dressers shop waiting to get my hair done .... but she wasn't there today !!

All in all a really good day and then home for a salad tea and to find that the postman had left me ...  lots of lovely new Sue Wilson dies.



So I guess that after my Card Class with my two lovely ladies tomorrow ... I shall be busy for the rest of the week playing with dies.


More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Scheduled Post ...

Hi Everybody,


Todays post is a scheduled one because as you read this I will be doing the Coronation Street Tour in Manchester  and having a fabulous time with my "Film Crew"

I have wanted to do this for so long because this  street set  is closing down now that it has moved to new premises.

I will take some photos to show you for those who love to watch the programme.

But in the meantime here is todays card.... and it is a white on white theme.
The background is created using the 3D M-Bossabilities folder Framed Labels Eighteen  which has been Letterpressed with cream embossing powder

The pearls are from Want2Scrap  and match the Fancy Tags Three with the sentiment in it

The flowers and the  sparkly centre to the bow  are from   Wild Orchid Crafts

And once again I have added in a beautiful Hatpin ... and there is a tutorial to show you how I made some of this style pin  a few years ago ...  Decorative Hatpins 

So another card will be added tomorrow on my return from a lovely day out .... just hope it doesn't rain

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx





April 28, 2014

Tibetan Silver ....

Hi Everybody,

Do you remember me telling you that I had ordered a lot of Tibetan Silver from China to make my hatpins with ???

Well here it is and if you look carefully at the label you can see that I got stung by the Customs charge ... and had to pay another £28 on top of the cost of the items and postage.

I was not a happy bunny I can tell you.
Once the box was opened this is what I have and it was like Aladdins Cave.

Silver filigree beads and bead caps and spacers and pearl beads .... Oh it was fabulous.

So of course I just had to have a play with it all and see what goes with what.

The pins I used for this are 4 1/2 inches and they are from The Sparkles Group  and they are complete with end protectors.

These are just an idea of what I can make and they look really pretty.

In the box was also some beautiful glass beads as well as the pearl ones.

I am going to really enjoy making these hatpins up into lovely collections for my Etsy Shop.

There is one more box on its way and I just hope the customs man keeps his charges to himself on the next one.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


April 27, 2014

Spanish Collection - Seville (The Box)

Hi Everybody,

Here as promised is the box that matches the card I showed you yesterday and it is such a pretty combination.

 It stays with the Sue Wilson Craft Dies from the Spanish collection - Seville.

The die is available from JGDCrafts  and they have the full range of the new dies

I have added in the video to take you step by step through the making of the box and of course you can decorate yours any way you wish.

It just makes your card something really special to give and if you added in one of the Decorative Hatpins as well then  it is a gift as well as a card.

I have used some really lovely striped pink card that is 240 gsm for both the card front panel and the box lid.

It is a good weight to use and gives some structure to the lid when you start to die cut it.

Keep the fancy card for the top and use a plain white for the base of your box .... I used the same card for my cards base and it is from Papermill Direct




I have lined the box with pink tissue paper to keep the card clean and I must admit that I really do like this little card.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx






April 26, 2014

Previous students of The Art Studio ...

Hi Everybody,

This is important for previous students of The Art Studio ...
so please read it carefully 


Some time ago I had to tell you the The Art Studio was closing down.    As this was the website that was offering my videos for sale it was quite a shock ...  I can tell you...  but it was something that I had no control over as it was not my website

So that other people would not buy any more videos from the  TAS   website I removed their  button from my side bar.   And I had to try and find a means to store the videos so that they could still be offered for sale as there is now no access to their pages

Over the last few weeks  Griff and I have been  re editing the tutorials  and moving them  somewhere else so that I have control over them and this has been a  major task and learning  curve all over again ....  I am pleased to say that it is now partially completed ...  but for now I have only been able to move the Spellbinders  Classes. 

I have asked for a list from   TAS of the students  that have already  purchased the  classes but as yet  I have not received one ...  and this leaves me with a big  dilemma. 

The classes were  sold on an  unlimited service with access  to the  videos  24/7  but  I have very limited knowledge  as to who has  purchased what.

So can I ask you please to let me know if you where one of the people who bought a class before
The Art Studio closed  down.

If you can email me ... christina@card-making-magic.com ... with any receipts that you had for the purchase ...  which class it was that you bought and when ...  and your full name and the customer number that you were given at the time ... then all this will help me to find you.

Together we can sort this out but it is in the early stages yet and so I ask that you be patient with me until all the glitches are sorted out ..... Thank you !

Hugs xx