One for the Men ...

Hi Everybody,

I am often asked for ideas to make cards for the men in our lives and being a frilly flowery kind of card maker I sometimes find it hard .... sorry guys !!  But pink and flowers maybe wouldn't suit many of you

This card uses the Sheena Douglass stamp set called  Destination   and is excellent for many occasions.

I colored it with the Spectrum Noir Aqua Tints   and you need very little to get a good result.

The sentiment stamp  is one of the Altenew  Sentiments and Quotes   and I have stamped it onto some Kraft card and layered it on to blue

The background to this piece uses the Caught In Crystal Technique   which has been around for a long time.

This is so effective and very easy to do that I had my Wednesday Class ladies try  it.

I will show you my ladies cards once they are made up as you need to leave it to dry for a good few hours.  I think a tutorial would be in order for this technique

I have layered the image on to blue card and then onto some Kraft card for a really lovely effect that should make any of the men in your life happy to receive.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Ten Blue Winners ...

Hi Everybody,

Thank you for such a great response to the Friday Freebie yesterday. I am very flattered that you would want one of my cards.

The names for the ten blue cards have been drawn and I hope you won't be blue when you get them delivered. They are all pretty cards and each is in cellophane to keep it clean.

So here is the list of names ... look carefully to see if your name is on it and you have 48 hours in which to claim your card.

Marilyn Virella

Betty McAllister

Debbie Busst

Dani

Christi

Mary O'Leary

Pharmacy Michelle

Lucy Spence

Patricia

Lisa ...

Please email me 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and the cards will be on their way to you.

I hope you like them when they arrive

More tomorrow ... 

Hugs xx

Ten Blue Cards - Ten Winners

Hi Everybody,

Last month in the Friday Freebie I gave away ten cards all in one go to ten individual winners.  They were all pink cards and this month I am giving away ten cards in BLUE  to ten more winners.  If you would like to win one of them then join the group of followers and leave me a comment

From those comments ten names will be picked at random and notified in tomorrows blog post.  The cards will be given at random so please don't select one ... it will be pot luck as to which one you will get. 

They are all different sizes and techniques and they are not finished on the insides. But they are all in cellophane bags to keep them clean and that it the reason that the picture is not clear ... soreee!!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Magazine Freebie ...

Hi Everybody,

Yesterday my monthly subscription of 

Simply Cards and Papercrafts  

fell through the letterbox and the free gift this month was a beautiful Roses embossing folder.

And so out came the Spectrum Noir Pencils  to see what I could do.

I embossed a piece of parchment ... layering the parchment between copy paper to stop it splitting. I use the quite thick parchment from   AnnaMarie Designs

I colored it in on the raised side and I used the pinks and yellows from the Floral set and the greens from Nature and blended them as I went along

The parchment was attached to the base with little dots of Cosmic Shimmer Dress Clear and then I covered over the spots with the pearls.

But to be honest the Cosmic Shimmer dries so very clear that they didn't show up anyway under the parchment.

The base card was created with white  255gsm Hammered card from the Papermill Direct and using the  A2 Matting Basics A&B from Spellbinders

The addition of a little sentiment and the card is finished.

I enjoyed the coloring as I haven't used the pencils for quite some time and I ended up with a soft and pretty card that I am quite happy with ...  and the folder was F.R.E.E.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Another Watercolor Card ...

Hi Everybody,

So here I am again with another attempt at water coloring with  Spectrum Noir Aqua Tints

For this particular one I have used the Bright and Beautiful set and   Neena Classic Crest  and both products are from Crafters Companion

The stamps and sentiment are from Altenew and this is the Peony Scrolls.

It also has a matching   Peony Scrolls Die set  so cutting out the flowers is easy.

The sentiment is from many on one sheet of Sentiments and Quotes 

And while you are on their webpage have a look at some of the beautiful samples in the Gallery and you are sure to be inspired.

The card is created with  A2 Matting Basics A&B from Spellbinders as they gave me the size I wanted to use for my card and layers

I will be playing a lot more with these Aqua Tints and I really like the results.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Labels Forty Six

Hi Everybody,

When it comes to collecting Spellbinders I have always said that if you are buying Labels dies then also look for one of the fancy ones that will work with them.  That way you know that they will work together and you will have lots of choices in how you make the card. 

For this card I have used Labels Forty Six to create the base of my card and the Decorative Elements to give me the layers I need to build it up.  I always use foam tape or pads in between the layers as this will  create shadows and depth and add more interest to any of your designs. 

Spellbinders Supplies:

• S4-494 Labels Forty Six - Decorative Elements
• S4-488 Labels Forty Six
• S2-155 Sentiments Eight
• GC-200 Grand Calibur

Other Supplies:

Bakers Twine
Flower Charm
Pink Pearls 

Instructions:

With the #3 die from Decorative Elements cut two pieces in white for the base card. Score and fold one of them over by about 1" and glue the two together.  Place to one side as you work on the layers first.    (Please remember that #1 is always the smallest die)  

From Labels Forty Six and your chosen color cut one piece from die #6 and another from die #3 giving you two layers of different sizes

 

Cut a decorative layer from #2 and carefully open up the petals in the flowers around the edge and into the centre of each flower add a small pearl. 

Alternate these three layers together with foam pads in between to give height and wrap all of them with Bakers twine.  I added in a small charm to my card

I chose the "You're Invited"  from Sentiments Eight as this could be used for a really pretty Wedding Invitation.  So I inked up the die with Distress Inks and cleaned of the edges of the die with a cotton bud. Once it was cut and embossed I added foam tape,  cut to fit the back. 

When you have all the layers in place you can add them to the base card .... I kept the hinge to the top of the card. Add the sentiment and there you are a neat little card for any occasion.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

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