Friday Freebie 011

Hi Everybody,

Todays card is the silver and white one that I made a few weeks ago in a Tuesday Tutorial 

It really is a pretty card and it has a selection of flowers attached to it 

Click the link above to see how it was made.

If you would like to win this card then all you need to do is leave me a comment.

From those comments a name will be chosen at random and the winner announced in tomorrows blog post.

Be sure to come back and check if you enter that it is your name that is shown as I cannot chase you up. If you don't claim the card in 72 hours then it will be offered to someone else at a later date.

SC&P 161 Magazine Winner 

Cynthia Cole

Email me please with your postal address to

christina@card-making-magic.com

and it will be in the post to your straight away

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Die Cutting Essentials 22

Hi Everybody,

Today this magazine is on sale in selected supermarkets and craft shops or WHSmiths and this is one idea of how to use the really useful Happy Birthday die that comes free with it.

You can also get it direct from this link  

Die Cutting Essentials 22  

In the video I make this card ... and I tell you what I am doing. So for those who prefer me to speak then here it is back to normal

The video is 

Die Cutting Essentials 22- Happy Birthday Die

The lace and flower are from WOC

This pretty round card is using the same die and it looks different when you vary the colours and shapes

This one has been dressed up with flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts

And they have been given the glitter treatment to make them sparkle

The little fabric butterfly is also from WOC

For this one I have used chalks to colour the areas of the die cut.

Don't forget to spritz with a little water to set the chalks or it may rub off the card

All pretty cards and that die cut is a good one to keep on hand for any of your birthday cards

And remember that you can always take your scissors to it and snip away the bits you don't want.

But don't throw them away because they may come in handy on another card

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Magazine Previews

Hi Everybody,

It's time for the new magazines again and this month there are some more fabulous free gifts for you.
The ones shown here will be in the shops on the 23td March

These videos are previews of what you can expect and the format has changed slightly with each new one.  From now forward, at the start of each video I am showing you what the magazine looks like in its wrapper

That way you will be able to decide if this is one that you would like and be able spot it more easily on the shelves.
 I am also giving you the link direct to the order page if you want to buy the magazine:
Simply Cards and Papercrafts 161
Creative Stamping 41

The first video is Simply Cards and Papercraft 161 

I have ONE copy of  SC&P161 with the gift to give away to one lucky reader,  but you will need to buy the dies yourself

These videos are done in my new style solo filming format  but I do talk in these

I have used elements from all the items in the pack and the dies are a special offer at half price from the magazine.

Please don't enter to win the magazine if you already have a subscription or your own  copy 

Creative Stamping 41 is the next video to share with you and this has a really beautiful A4 stamp set in the pack.

There is so much that can be done with this gift and the images are  suitable for male or female

This pretty bird card is created with the feathers from the L'Aquarelle Stamps 

Both cards are 6" squares and the water colours used are Gansai Tambi

The  Water Colour Wednesday card will be back next week and so my apologies that it is missing this week



More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Heirloom Rectangle

Hi Everybody,

Todays card features a die that has been around now for quite some time and you may have this is your personal "stash"   If you do it maybe time to get it out again and try this really easy card. 

 The dies do all the work and the flowers are the crowning glory in soft shades of lilac and white

The card has been created with just the one set of dies

Spellbinders Used:

• S6-016 Heirloom Rectangle
• PL-001 Platinum Die Cutting Machine

Other Supplies:

• Flowers, Glitter ball from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Ribbon from my "Stash"
• Pearls from Want2Scrap
• Card from Papermill Direct
• Glitter from Glitter Magic
• Sentiment from Lili of the Valley

Instructions:

With die #4 and white card cut two layers for the base  and a layer in lilac

With dies #3 and 4 together cut another layer in white for the patterned piece

Create the base with the two white pieces by scoring along one a little way down and gluing them together along the small panel

Add foam to the back of the other two and layer the lilac and patterned pieces together

Wrap ribbon around these layers before adding to the base card

Cut die #2 in lilac and emboss this piece for more texture. Add foam pads to the back and arrange over the top of the ribbon

Stamp the sentiment of your choice and cut out with the smallest die

Cut two more in white and one in lilac

Glue the white ones together keeping the sentiment one for the top. This will give depth to the panel

Cut the lilac one in half and arrange around the sentiment panels to leave a small border.

Attach foam to the back of these

Select the flowers you would like.

From left to right I have used:

Gypsophila, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos Daisies, Tulips, Roses

Arrange the flowers in a pleasing display on your card and dot with glue then sprinkle with glitter.

Add the bow and small pearls around the flowers

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Die Cutting Essentials Special Vol 4

Hi Everybody,

This Thursday the 23rd  March a new issue of 

Die Cutting Essentials Special Volume 4 
will be on sale in your local craft shops and selected supermarkets and  I am so pleased to say that some of  my cards will be one of the features in the pages.  

And I have a video to give you a sneaky peak of  DCE Special Vol 4  and show you some more ideas that I have designed

There is also a beautiful paper pack that you can use with some deep and dramatic colours in the mix.

The video will show you exactly what is in the pack and I am sure that you will have fun playing with it.

My flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the pearl flourish is from Wnt2Scrap

The ribbon on the hearts card is also in the pack and is a vibrant shade of pink

If you wanted this special edition you can get it HERE

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Spellbinders Graceful Fans (Video)

Hi Everybody,

Thank you all for your feedback on my new style videos and they have had a real mixed response. Some like it and others don't but a lot of people say they didn't like the music.  So in this one I have  toned it down to a more gentle tune.

I won't be doing all the videos like this just the occasional one with a quick card. It keeps things fresh and interesting to change them around a little. I am very flattered that many of you like the sound of my voice (I hate it)

There have recently been a lot of new border dies from the wonderful Becca Feeken and they are all intricate and a pleasure to work with .

And so I thought that a video was in order to show you how I made this really pretty card

This link  Spellbinders Graceful Fans   will take you through to the video and the steps needed to make this top card.

I hope you enjoy this new style video more

The bright gold card is part of a pack from Craft Stash and it gives a real luxury look to the white card and it is easy to cut

The ribbon I already had in my supplies and I used it to create the double bow.

So there are a couple more ideas using the exact same items just arranging them in a different way each time

The way I tie the  bow is shown in the video Tying A Bow  and it is quite easy to do.

Once you get to play with these dies I am sure that you will come up with lots more ideas for yourself.

But as you can see they are very versatile and the gold card sets them off beautifully

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Graceful Fans Card Creator Amazing Paper Grace by Becca Feeken Etched Dies	Christmas Mixed Mirror Card	Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear Glue	5x7 Matting Basics A
5x7 Matting Basics B	PICK & MIX	Platinum Die Cutting and Embossing Machine

InLinkz.com

Card Winner today ...

Hi Everybody,

Hope you are all well and enjoying the weekend.

 It's pouring down here and Griff was going to take Ruby for a walk but only got as far as the end of the street and turned back.

Both are soaked already.

I have done the draw for yesterdays blue card and the name chosen today is you ...

Pat S Witney

please email me with your postal address to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and it will be on its way to you.

I hope you will like it and please let me know that you have it safely.

Thanks for all your feedback on the new style videos I have done.

 Tomorrow I am adding another and this time I have toned down the music as some people said they didn't like the whistling tune. 

The new one is more calming and the card is lovely once completed.

Please give me your opinions on this one. 

I have done another after this with a magazine freebie that will be going out in a couple of weeks and in that one I talk to you and show you the magazine covers so that you know to look out for in the shops.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 010 - With Love

Hi Everybody,

This weeks card is pretty in blue and white and the finished size is 5x7.

I have used the blending Dotty and Striped card from AnnaMarie Designs  and the  Modern Stationery  die from Spellbinders

The delicate Sentiments has been cut twice ... once from card and the other from foam and glued together to create a thicker look

If this is a card that you would like to have then all you need to do is leave me a comment. 

From those comments a name will be chosen and announced in tomorrows blog post. Please be sure to come back and see if it is you.

You will have 72 hours to claim the card and then it will go to someone else at a later date.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tonic Studios - New Style Video

Hi Everybody,

If you have had a good look through my blog pages and my website then you will be familiar with the hundreds of videos that I have done over the years.  These videos have been done with the filming and editing from my husband ... affectionately called my "Film Crew"

But a little while ago I suggested that maybe I should learn do more by myself because although he is semi retired he does like to do some jobs occasionally for family and friends.  On those days instead of putting things on hold for later I could simply get on with it and make my own films

I also mentioned this to a new friend that I have made,  through blogging and filming, and I asked her advice. Christine Smith has a fabulous YouTube channel at  Crafti Potential    and she has been really supportive  and encouraging in this my new adventure. 

So with the help that I have had from these two people ... whose opinion I do respect ... I have made a start to make my solo films. The very first one was for the new Club Create 2017 that I added to the blog on Saturday

This one is different again and an experiment to see how it goes Let me know what you think of this new style video ... and I have my fingers crossed that you will enjoy it.

 I will still be doing some the other way when Griff is free but I will be doing a lot more the new way. Here is the video ...

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Water Colour Wednesday - Poppies

Hi Everybody,

This is another image from the Just Inklined CD called The Next Big Thing and I know that many of you already have this in your collections.

But how long is it since you got it out and had a real good look at what is on the disc. 

There are a wealth of images for you to print off and colour and this is one of my all time favorite CD's

So this is Poppies and it has been coloured with Gansai Tambi Water Colours.

Then simply matted and layered with stripy card onto the A2 sized base card

I stamped and embossed the sentiment onto a banner shape of the stripey card and added it with foam underneath, then added in some  enamel dots 

And last but not least I used a glue pen to add some detail and allowed it to go tacky. 

Over the top I rubbed some silver foil to bring out the shape of the petals.

Simple card for any occasion with just a little water colouring in the process.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Two Way Street

Hi Everybody,

A pretty floral card is the order for today and this is using dies that I have used before so if you have them it's time to get them out again.

Matting Basics are always useful dies to have in your crafting collection and I use mine regularly

Spellbinders Supplies:

• S6-001 5x7 Matting Basics A
• S6-002 5x7 Matting Basics B .
• S4-710 Two Way Street
• S5-187 Labels Thirty Three
• PL-001 Platinum Die Cutting Machine

Other Supplies:

• Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
• Ribbon from Mei Flower
• Glitter from Glitter Magic
• Lace and Dazzler from WOC
• Pink and Cream card from Papermill Direct

Instructions:

With die #7 from Matting Basics A cut two and create a cream base card

With die #7 from the B set cut one layer in pink

With die #6 from the A set cut another layer in cream

With die #6 from the B set cut another layer in pink

Cut one layer with the Two Way Street die

Stamp and heat emboss your sentiment onto some cream card and  with die #4 from Labels 33 cut two layers one from the cream sentiment card and the other in pink.

Cut the pink one in half as shown

Arrange around the cream sentiment layer so that a small border is created at the top and bottom

Layer the Two Way Street on to the pink layer with dots of glue 

Add both to the cream layer and wrap these with lace and ribbon 

Add some foam pads on the back 

Layer the next pink layer onto the base card and then add the previous step to the top

Use foam under the sentiment label and add centrally to the card

Glue a small bow in place along the bottom left of the sentiment

Arrange the flowers on to the card as you like and sprinkle them with glitter for a lovely effect.

These are the flowers I have used. Starting from the ;left they are ...

Gypsophila, Chrysanthemum, Carnation, Roses in three sizes 5/10/15 mm

 2 Tuscany Rose buds and a Tulip

Anemone and Cherry Blossom

I have two tutorials that maybe can help you with flower arranging 

Adding Flowers to Cards

Small Flower Corsage

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Pretty Butterflies

Hi Everybody,

This is one of the cards that I featured in the

 Hydrangea Video 

It was using the die that came free with Simply Cards and Papercrafts 160 a few weeks ago

There are lots of ways to use this pretty free gift and in the video I tried to give you some options.

I used coloured inks to create the background using the stamps and then I stamped extra butterflies onto a separate piece of card and fussy cut them out

They have been added to the card just gluing along the body line and raising the wings slightly

The pearl flourish from Want2Scrap has been used to make the butterfly trails from each one

I matted the panel onto some black card and then layered it to an embossed panel before adding to the base card

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Ruby Update ...

Hello Everyone,

S'me Ruby here and I am now fully recovered from my operation and back to mischief again

I have discovered that I am now big enough to climb onto the back of the chair and look through the window.

And then I have a lovely time watching the world and barking at everybody who passes my house.

It doesn't matter who is sat in the chair ... I will climb on top of them to see what is going on outside.

I am so pleased to be able to play with my best friend Dougal again

He is a Cockapoo and he is alomost the same age as me.

He has just been to the groomers and had his hair cut and I think he looks really handsome

We play together really well but we get a bit noisy and rough sometimes

Our mums take us in Witch Wood and we love it in there.

It is full of delicious smells and trees and bushes that we can run through.

When it has been raining it gets really muddy and Dougal and I love to run in it and we roll each other over.

So when I get back home I have to have bath and this is me after my bath

I am having a snooze on my mums knee in my lovely warm coat and I snore like a train!!

Lots of people have been asking my mum about this coat and so she has added a link for you to see them ....Ruff and Tumble Dog Coats

More next time ...

Bye for now xx

Card Winner and a Video

Hi Everybody,

The pretty card yesterday was one of several that I made using that technique and I did them all in different colours. Over the past months I have given them all away as Friday Freebies and I hope you have liked them if you where one of the winners.

So this one will find a new home with YOU

Pearl Hudson

would you email me please with your postal address to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and the card will be on its way to you straight away.

Please let me know when it arrives with you.

New Craft Club ...

In many of the craft magazines there has been an advertisement for a new club from  Practical Publishing and they have asked me if I would do a video to show you what is in the first kit. 

The items will change every three months and they will be quality crafting goods that are better priced than buying them individually.

Here it is and all the information to join the club is in the video ... It is only open to UK residents at present.
 Here is Club Create 2017

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie 009 - Happy Birthday

Hi Everybody,

So here we are with another of those Ombre cards created with the waste left over from the Grate Effect die from Spellbinders

It is a really easy way to use up what would otherwise have been discarded and the effect is lovely

There is a tutorial on the Tuesday Tutorials page to show you how Using the Waste  can be put to good use.

Now if you would like to have this card then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post,

From those comments a name will be chosen at random and the winner announced in tomorrows blog post.

You will need to come back and check for yourself if it is yours as you will only have 72 hours in whcih to claim the card

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx