International Ambassadors Informal Blog Hop

Hi Everybody,

Welcome to the sixth Informal Blog Hop from the International Ambassadors.

We have really been enjoying these Hops and it's lovely to see new people joining all the time.

For this one we decided to use the Victorian Garden Collection  and this is my card for this Hop

I chose to work with the Decorative Fancy Diamonds  and the matching plain set  Fancy Diamonds from Spellbinders as they are so pretty

I also dressed my card with flowers from the same collection and they are Flower Bundle which makes lots of pretty blooms for you to use.

Each of the other Ambassadors has made a card for you to see in our own individual styles ...  so why don't you pop along and visit each one of them.

Here are the links to the wonderful team for you to visit

Christine Emberson
Christina Griffiths  (You are here)
Linda Lucas 
Yvonne van der Grijp 

We are so happy if you  leave us a comment so that we know you have been and please join us again the next time we go hopping  around the world !!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Here's the Video ...

Hi Everybody,

The other day I showed you a pretty pink pearl card and I  promised you the video on the making of this card with   Oval Regalia.

We have bought a new lighting system and so hopefully the picture quality of the film will be better ...but I tell you it takes up so much room there won't be any space left for me

I am also including links in the description box under the video on my YouTube  channel for people to see the supplies I have used.

There are some slight differences in the card ... not in the way it is made but with the things I have added to it.

The blue one has lace on it and the flowers are a different arrangement on them but both are created the same way

But I think they are just as pretty as each other.

The video will take you through the steps I took to get the look and I hope you will enjoy it.

Make a cuppa, sit back, click the link, which will take you to a new page on my website Card Making Magic,and relax  Aaaahhhh !!

  Spellbinders Oval Regalia

I am using the new Sapphire die cutting machine but unless you got yours from Create and Craft then you won't be able to get it any where else just yet as C&C have exclusivity  

It will be back on C&C as they sold out last time it was on.

If you managed to buy  one I am sure you will agree what a fantastic little machine it is and takes up next to no space on your work top.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

And the winner is ...

Hi Everybody,

It's a lovely day here in the North West and I will be going out into the sunshine later today ... after the housework has been done .. of course.

But the ironing, well that's another story and will probably be put off for another day, I hate ironing !!

The draw for the card was the first thing done today and a winner has been chosen from the comments.  And so the winner of the peach oval card is you ...

Pattyb ...

please email me 

christina@card-making-magic.com

with your postal address and the card will be on it's way to you

I don't mind where you live I am happy to send the card to you and you have 48hours in which to claim it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In tomorrows post there will be the link that I promised earlier this week to the tutorial with the

  Oval Regalia  from Spellbinders

And have I got a treat for you in next weeks Friday Freebie ... TEN BLUE cards for TEN winners so please come back and check that out next week. 

 You will need to be a follower and leave me a comment to be in with a chance to win one of the cards

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 063

Hi Everybody,

I love this shade of peach and the card is very pretty with all the flowers on it.

It is created with  Heirloom Oval from Spellbinders Victorian Collection and that is one of my favorite collections.

It is so feminine and frilly and I use it a lot in my designs.  The card it creates is not very big and so will fit into a standard sized envelope and so save on postage

The flowers are a collection of Camelias, Roses, Rosebuds and Apple Blossom and they are all from Wild Orchid Crafts

If you think that the packs are too large for your personal needs than please don't forget that there are  Flower Starter Packs  that contain mixed sizes of flowers and some centrepieces for your bows and they are a really good price.

Now if this is a card that you would like to have then join the group of followers and leave me a comment at the bottom of the page.  A name will be drawn at random and the winner announced in tomorrows Blog post.

Please come back and check if you are the winner as you only have 48 hours in which to claim the card

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Water Colored Card

Hi Everybody,

Here is my latest purchase and it is Aqua Tints from Spectrum Noir and I have to say that I love them.

I have dabbled with oils and been a card maker for a good few years now but this is my latest foray into something new.

So the colors I have used on this card are from the Bright and Beautiful  Aqua Tints  and I bought them from Crafters Companion

I stamped and embossed my sentiment and then water colored over the top to give me the background.

I stamped and embossed the flowers in gold embossing powder and then used the same background colors to paint them.

The stamp and matching die set are from Heartfelt Creations and this is the Sunkissed Fleur  and I am very happy with the finished card.

It is bright and beautiful ... just as the paints I have used to create it ... and I will be playing with some of the other shades in the Aqua Tints again.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Pink Pearl Birthday Card

Hi Everybody,

Once again I am back to pink and I have edged the whole card in a pearl string from Wild Orchid Crafts

I added it to the card with a hot glue gun to make sure it stayed put and I think it looks really pretty.

The card is created by simply cutting an A4 card in half and   Creating A Hinged Card

I have made a pink and then another white layer and cut the aperture with Oval Regalia and this part was  embossed and then added with foam tape

I glued the detailed panel flat to the card so that it looks sunken and then embellished around it with flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts

Notice the Gypsophila  framing the Oval  ... I just love this flower addition to WOC

The centre panel is raised with foam pads and Sentiments Three  cut several times and glued together than added to the card

The satin ribbon is from MeiFlower  and is added to the flowers with a pretty acrylic flower over the knot.

I am preparing to video the making of this card so watch this space ...

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Classic Scallop Edgeabilities

Hi Everybody,

Today I am using an older Spellbinders die set and this one is the Classic Scallop.  It creates a lovely fancy edge to your cards but today I am going to show you how to it to use it in a different way.

The card is a 5x7 card and I have used lovely teal card in two different patterns - spots and stripes

Spellbinders Supplies:

• E8-001  Classic Scallop
• S6-001 5x7 Matting Basics A
• S6-002 5x7 Matting Basics B
• S2-139 Sentiments Three
• GC-200 Grand Calibur
  

Other Supplies:

Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearls from Want2Scrap

Instructions:

From Matting Basics A #7 cut two white panels for the base card and Hinge together

From Matting basics B #7 cut a colored panel 

From Matting Basics A #6 cut a patterned price of card and emboss 

 (Please remember that the smallest die is always #1)

These are the dies in the Classic Scallop set and it shows clearly the cutting edge to the die at the bottom. The other two are inserts that will give you the pattern that you want in your scallop. 

I am using the middle one for my card

To a piece of the colored card that is about 3 1/2 " (9cms) wide I have taped the cutting edge and the scalloped detail die and run it through the Grand Calibur

Then once this has been cut and embossed I have taken a piece of patterned card and trimmed it to the width I want. Mine is about 5cms (2")

Lay it onto the colored card and place the two dies at the other side and when you have it as you want it to look remove the patterned card and tape the dies in place and run them again through the Grand Calibur

Glue the embossed patterned and colored layers together but don't add them to the base card yet .

Add the patterned strip to the Classic Scalloped panel with foam pads in between them and  trim to fit the front of the card 

Plait some white ribbon through the scallops and then glue the ends in place neatly on the back

 Add this to the larger mats with foam tape to give dimension and then add all of these layers to the base card

Cut the With Love Sentiment several times and glue them together one on top of the other to create a nice thick wording. I have trimmed mine down a little and added it to the card in a central position.

 

Add a little Rose to the bow at the top of the card and three small pearls to the bottom right hand corner and there you have another pretty card to add to your repertoire 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

The Wednesday Card Class

Hi Everybody,

These are some cards that I wanted to show you and they have been done by the ladies in my Wednesday Card Class

One week we prepared the modelling paste background for the cards and we then had to leave it to dry until the next weeks class.  So when they came back the following week we got busy and made these cards.

As usual there interpretations are completely different and each has made a card in her own style. From the masks that they chose to use to the colors of the cards is all their individual taste.

The cards on the right are the ones that Brenda has created and she used pretty shades of lilac for one and a vibrant turquoise for the other.

The ones on the left are from Mary and she opted for a very lively orange and yellow for one and a lovely muted gold for the other

Haven't they done well making some very lovely cards

I really like the look of all these cards and the ladies went away happy after that weeks class.  I take photos each week of the cards we do as a record of the progress they have made

We have been working together now for over a year and we looked back at some of the cards we had down in that time and they are really pretty.

It has been a real pleasure to work with them and we have some fun along the way too ... Long may it continue

The flowers are as always from Wild Orchid Crafts and the glitter I use is from Glitter Magic.  The ribbons are from Mei Flower 

More tomorrow...

Hugs xx

Sweet Pink Flowers

Hi Everybody,

This card is created in the Hinged Card Style   and I have used 5x7 Matting Basics A&B to give me the layers

The top layer has been embossed with the 8x8 Folder from Crafters Companion  called Elegance

I have stamped and embossed the sentiment into the channel on the folder before I emboss and then I am sure that it is in the correct space

The flowers are a mixture of Roses, Chrysanthemums, Tulips and Cherry Blossom from Wild Orchid Crafts   and I have sparkled them with Glitter Magic 

But the flower I have really fallen in love with from WOC and I am using it a lot is Gypsophila   This is such a pretty flower and so versatile.

I curve it around some of my sentiments or,  as here in this photo,  just draping it from the corsage,  but I love it ...look out for it in other floral displays I do you are sure to see it !!

I have added the flowers to Labels Thirty Three  using the #4 die and then cutting a Faux Nestie  around it ... and if you click the link the video will show you how to get this result for yourself

The card is lined and the butterflies are from my "Stash" with butterfly trails with Diamanté from Want2Scrap

(Any of the colored words are links to other pages ... all you need to do is click them and  a new window will open for you)

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

FF winner ...

Hi Everybody,

It's blowing a gale here in the North West ... sunny but very windy and later I have to go shopping and then it will be playtime with Isabella.  At least the rain will hold off  and we can play in the Playhouse.

But for now the draw has been done this morning by my "Film Crew" and the name picked to win the pretty pink card is ...

Vicki ...

Can you email me please 

christina@card-making-magic.com

with your postal address and I will get the card in the post to you straight away

You have 48 hours in which to claim it and please let me know when it arrives with you and I hope you will like it.

More tomorrow ...  

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 062

Hi Everybody,

These Fridays are coming round very fast and I can't believe we are in June already.

So todays pretty little number is once again dressed in pink but there are no flowers on this one.

Just a really large bow that I have double tied with a large centrepiece as the focal point.  The satin ribbon is from Mei Flower

The sentiment is from Crafters Companion and is part of their  Sentimentals  Collection   and there are lots on one sheet

The smaller pink pearls are from Want2Scrap  and I have added them at all the cross sections to the card and around the sentiment

Now if this is a card that you would like to own then you know what to do .... Join the followers (If you aren't already)  and leave me a comment at the bottom of the page to let me know you have visited.

Then from those comments one name will be chosen at random and the winner announced in the morning.

It doesn't matter where you live and you don't need a blog of your own either ... so what are you waiting for ??? Add your name .... BUT please come back and check in the morning to see if your name is the winner.

You will have 48 hours to claim the card ... Good Luck !

More tomorrow...

Hugs xx

Framed FF Card

Hi Everybody,

I wanted to share this photo,  that was sent to me,  with you as this is what last weeks Friday Freebie winner has done with her card.  Joan Simpson was so pleased with her card that she has box framed it and says she will keep it forever ... and gave me her permission to show you what she did

I think it looks lovely ... and not just because I made the card... but because of the way Joan has made it look really special.  I am honoured that you would think my designs are worth the effort and makes me even happier to be giving them away each week

Thank you Joan ... you made my day and I hope you will treasure the card for years to come 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Woven Card

Hi Everybody,

This really pretty card is created using Creative Expressions-Weaving Dies from Sue Wilson. 

These are  unusual dies and the cards they make are different.

There are two dies in this collection that work together and I bought mine from Joanna Sheen.

I have kept my weaving to plain white and then added in the turquoise for effect.

The base and frame are made with  5x7 Matting Basics A&B from Spellbinders 

I have decorated the edges with pearls from Want2Scrap

The satin ribbon is from Mei Flower  and I have tied it in a double bow.

The flowers and the bows centrepiece are from Wild Orchid Crafts  and the display is added to the top of the card and sparkled with Glitter Magic

This is a card that is much better in real life and I am very pleased with the result.

Please Note: 

For all of you who asked me for the Triple Flip Card in a video ... here it is for you. Click the link to go to my website  for   

Spellbinders Triple Flip Card

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Decorative Fancy Diamonds

Hi Everybody,

Kraft card is often overlooked by the card maker simply because it is inexpensive and we often think that it is not fancy enough. But when it is teamed with white and some really pretty shapes it can make the most beautiful of designs for you and won't cost the earth to produce

Spellbinders Supplies:

• S4-526 Fancy Diamonds 
• S4-527 Decorative Fancy Diamonds
• S6-001 5x7 Matting Basics A
• S6-002 5x7 Matting Basics B
• EL-009 Flora 
• S2-139 Sentiments Three
• GC-200 Grand Calibur

Other Supplies:

• Wild Orchid Crafts
• Glitter Magic
• Want2Scrap
• AnnaMarie Designs  (Kraft Card)

Instructions:

From white card and #7 from Matting Basics A I have created my base card,

With the Kraft card and #7 from Matting Basics B 

Create another layer with white from #6 Matting Basics A and emboss this with any folder that you have in your "Stash"

Adhere the embossed piece to the Kraft layer and wrap ribbon around these two before adding them to the card base with foam tape for dimension

With the detailed dies #2 and #3 from Decorative Fancy Diamonds cut the shapes in Kraft Card

With dies #3 and #6 from Fancy Diamonds cut these panels in white and add foam pads to the backs of all these pieces

Layer these together alternating between the colors

With Kraft card I have cut the sentiment several times and glued them all together ... one on top of the other to create a thick solid wording to add to my card front

Arrange the flowers in a pleasing display and add in some pearls in the corners for the finishing touches.

And don't forget if you line the card to match the front then you will have really pretty card that is strong enough to stand all by itself without the back panel curving

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Fun Foam Flowers

Hi Everybody,

This  is one of the samples that I created from the Victorian Garden Collection from Spellbinders

The flowers are from  Romantic Blooms One   and the leaves are Romantic Vines

I have cut both the flowers and leaves from some inexpensive Craft Foam from Hobby Craft.

There are lots of sheets of foam in the pack in several colors and it is really easy to cut with any of your dies.

I have also used the die to simply emboss the background layer too.

Once matted and layered with the ribbon around them I added it to the base card

I used a hot glue gun to hold the flowers in place and then gently ... and I mean gently I heated the foam with a heat tool.

You need to be very careful with this as they will soon melt away and the card will then be ruined

The sentiment is stamped and added to the card and little embellishments are added to the centre of the bow and the flowers.

Just a little card with a difference and craft foam is good to use in other ways ... like creating your own stamps from your dies

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx