Beautiful Card Designs Made Easy

December 05, 2013

Keepsake Box Tutorial

Hi Everybody,

I have had an email from a lady this week who made the grown up version of the Advent Calendar last year when I first did the tutorial ... and now she wants to do it again.

So here is the tutorial on how I made it and the dies used are listed at the bottom of the page.

It was a pleasure to make and went for storing all a new babys' first in

I wrote "Keepsake Box" on the top and used Distress Ink to color the Centura Pearl card.
The pink one was another version of the box and both have been well loved since they where made.




So take a little "Me Time" and get your cuppa and a biscuit and relax for a short while .... and  I hope you will enjoy this little tutorial and make some of these lovely boxes for yourself.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



December 04, 2013

Green and White

Etsy Shop 
Hi Everybody,

I have made this card to a 7" square using the Grand Squares and then layered it with the Diamond Effects.

I have used small green pearls on the cross sections with a flourish alongside the ribbon.

The sentiment if from Crafters Companions Sentimentals set and I have heat embossed it in silver
The ribbon is from Mei Flower and is tied in a double bow and the pearl and Diamante centre is from The Hobby House

My flowers are a selection from Wild Orchid Crafts
and they have been sparkled with Glamour Dust.

The flourish embossing on the inside is from an 8" folder also from Crafters Companion

The card is much prettier in real life and is one I have added to my Etsy Shop

New Class

My new class ...  Lesson Four with Spellbinders  ... is now available to purchase with The Art Studio.  This class covers three more cards and ideas for you to try and it incorporates the dies that we have already got or have  added to our collection.


More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



December 03, 2013

Festive Wreath

Hi Everybody,

 Did you buy the Cherry Blossoms die when it was first released?

And did you make lots of cards with it in the summer months?

Did you then put it a way thinking you had done with it till next year?

If you did then it is time to get it out again and put it to good use.

Because this easy card is made from that very same die set and I think it looks very festive, and Christmas is not that far off now.

The embossing is done with the 8 x 8 folder from Crafters Companion   and I have embossed both the inside and the front panels.

The lovely holly berries and leaves are from AnnaMarie Designs  and I added in some extra ones after the video was finished.





The tutorial is not long and will show you how I made my card and the ribbon is some that I bought at the craft show in October ... I knew it would come in handy at some point.

Get your cuppa ready, then sit back and relax to watch this short tutorial on how I made this pretty card.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



December 02, 2013

Spellbinders Labels Seven

Hi Everybody,

Today I have used  the Grand Rectangles to create my base but I have still added the hinge at the top.

Labels Seven  forms the book part  and both of these dies are available from   Save On  Hobbies  ... and you will find a new look to their website along with the new dies.

Scott the owner of the website is inviting you to add photos of any cards that you have made with dies that you have bought from him

All you need to do is upload them and add a little message to say who you are and what you bought to ...... support@saveonhobbies.com


The background is Tapestry and it is such a pretty pattern., and is one of the extendable dies from Spellbinders.

I have added tiny gemstones to it for extra effect ... and they and the Diamante strip are from Want2Scrap

The paper is a digital download from a Funky Hand CD and the die cut words are from Tattered Lace








This idea would suit a card for a Christening, Confirmation or even a Sympathy card and the words that you add to your book could be for any reason.

Just make sure that the book pages you use are suitable just in case someone tries to read them .... if you know what I mean ... and I am sure that you do !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx


December 01, 2013

Cream and Gold ...

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is very simple in cream and gold and quite different from  the last few days with the pretty floral cards.

Both of the  cards were only in my Etsy shop for a short while and then they sold.

The dies used for this card are at the bottom of the page.

The gold card that I have used is an Antique Gold from AnnaMarie Designs.  and it is a very muted shade that goes well with just about anything.

The wide satin ribbon is from Mei Flower and it ties beautifully into a double bow using   my  bow maker

I have new videos on the way to you and they will be added over the next few days ... I hope you will enjoy them all.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx



November 30, 2013

Flourish Trim ...

Etsy Shop
Hi Everybody,

This is a pink version of the card I added yesterday ... and that card sold almost immediately from my Etsy shop.

This one has also been added to the shop.

But the tutorial will show you how I made the card and I have used the small die from Spellbinders called Flourish Trim.

I have used a really smooth pink silk card from  Hunkydory  and mixed it with the Dotty card from  AnnaMarie Designs. 











This and the one yesterday are such  lovely cards and I was really pleased with them once  they were finished.

The flowers are a mixture of Tulips, Carnations and Roses from Wild Orchid Crafts   and they have been sparkled with Glamour Dust.

As always my beautiful  Diamante "Bling" is from Want2Scrap and I just love using this stuff as it adds such a touch of luxury to my cards and corsages.  A little goes a long way as they say and I can stretch Bling  a lonnnnng way !!


More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx




November 29, 2013

Dotty Blue ...

Etsy Shop
Hi Everybody,

This is a really pretty card and such a lovely shade of blue .. and is much better in real life than the photo shows.

It is another Hinged Card  made from an A4 piece of white card  and it is lined inside.

Somebody asked me the other day what was the benefit of making this style of  card as opposed to simply  folding it in half

Well the simple answer is I add a lot of weight to the front of my cards and they won't free stand if I  have the fold on the side ... but they will display beautifully with the fold at the top.

And adding the hinge means I lose nothing off the size of the area on which to add everything.

The ribbon is a lovely soft Grosgrain and it ties easily into a double bow.

I have added a pale blue embellishment to the knot .

The flowers are a selection from Wild Orchid Crafts

The pearly swirl is called  Frilly Flourish and it is from Want2Scrap

It is a large flourish but I cut it up and use portions of it on several cards.

The website is well worth a visit at present as they are having a half price sale on everything.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx




November 28, 2013

Yellow Rose

Hi Everybody,

This image has been coloured with Spectrum Noir and I really took my time with this one.

The image is from "The Next Big Thing" by  Just Inklined and this is a disc I turn to time and time again for the lovely and varied images on it.

The colors used ...
CT4 GB5 OR1 OR3 DG2 DG4 CG2 IG1

The CD covers a multitude of subjects and it such a pity that it has been discontinued.

But if you are lucky enough to have one then take a fresh look at it all and you are sure to find something that you would enjoy coloring.

Just a thought ....

As an accredited instructor with Spectrum Noir and as a member of the design team .... I do regularly create video tutorials for the Spectrum Noir website.  I also add tutorials to Card Making Magic and I teach with The Art Studio.

But I was thinking of starting something on a more personal level and inviting people in the Blackpool area to join a color class with Spectrum Noir pens.

There would be about 6/8 places and the day and time would be decided if I get any response from this post.


So if you live in the area and would be interested in coming to a coloring class ... where we can learn and share ideas then please email me ...
 christina@card-making-magic.com 


I have many digital images and stamps for you to choose ... so I would provide the images on quality card for you to color and give the tuition.

I will provide tea/ coffee and maybe a biscuit or two .... but you will need to bring your own pens.   The class could run for a couple of hours with a break in the middle.

Now I shall cross my fingers and hope that maybe someone would like to join the class ...

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 27, 2013

Parchment Card ...

Hi Everybody,

A few weeks ago I added a card with a parchment front to it and I had several emails asking me how I did it.

So guess what ..... here's a video tutorial to show you the steps I took to create the card.

The original card is the lilac one that you can see in the film but this is another color way and I have used Centura Pearl card for the background.

The card and the large A4 embossing folder are both  from Crafters Companion  and the embossing folder is called Ornate Butterflies




The parchment is from AnnaMarie Designs and it is quite thick and it cut really well.

But when you are folding if to create the butterflies to decoupage be careful as it will split on the embossed lines if you are too rough with it.

I have shown you how different it can look using a colored and a white background to it ... but both are really pretty

All self respecting butterflies need a trail and these are provided by pearl flourishes from Want2Scrap

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx




November 26, 2013

Little Shoes

Hi Everybody,

This is a fun card that the children will enjoy making  .... if you let them use your Spellbinders that is

It only takes one set and that is Labels Eight but you could adapt this for any similar shape that you have in your collection.

Your children could use it for party invitations or just to wish their friends a Merry Christmas .. but they will enjoy making it I promise.

It is a good one for using up all the bits of left over card that you may have lying around and it is quick and easy to do.





More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

November 25, 2013

Tattered Lace Mask ...

Etsy
Hi Everybody,

This beautiful mask is another delicate die from  Tattered Lace

They can be purchased from  Crafting.co.uk     and they have most of them in stock.




The card is a 6" square ... just to give you some idea of the size of the mask.

I have added silver edged ribbon through each side.

 The black pearls on the sentiment and the  Diamante are  from Want2Scrap 


The sentiment itself is from the Sentimentals collection from Crafters Companion   and I have embossed it in silver.

Quite a dramatic effect

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx




November 24, 2013

Pale Yellow ...

Added to Etsy ...
Hi Everybody,

Todays card is created from a pale yellow Centura Pearl  from Crafters Companion

It has been layered with the Grateful Lattice behind the sentiment

It is much prettier in real life than the photo and I have to say that yellow is not my first choice to make a card.

The Carnation is from Wild Orchid Crafts and it has been sparkled with Glamour Dust.

The layered bow has been created with my bow maker.

And there is a glimpse of the inside of the card with the same ribbon around the panel.



The sentiment is from the Sheena Douglass range and there are many lovely words to choose from and they are the kind of verses that make a statement on your cards and they can all be bought from Crafters Companion.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx