Being Creative ...

Hi Everybody,

Today I am using up all the little left over die cuts that I have sitting around in my craft room and making four cards with them.

 These are all extra pieces that are left over from making cards with my own collection and I cannot throw them away.

So a video as in order to show you how I used them all up and made a lovely background to go with them all.

The video is here for you to view

 Being Creative Using Left Over Die Cuts 

and  these are just two of the cards.

I hope you will have time to watch in this busy run up to Christmas and it's not long I promise you.

Just enough time to have a brew and relax for a little bit

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Bumper magazine freebies ...

Hi Everybody,

This months issue of Die Cutting Essentials 32 is a bumper issue of goodies just for you.

Not only do you get the free gift of a seven piece Woodland Friends die set but there are also stamps with it too. They can help you to make cards like the one on the right.

You also have the opportunity to download some woodland themed papers and I have used them on the featured card

Then on page three of the magazine you can choose one of the four dies on offer and all you need to do is pay the postage of £2.49

There are three sentiment dies to choose from in that offer and they would make an excellent accompaniment to any design.

The video for this gift is here for you to view and in it I make a Shaker Card ...

It's not a long video and I hope that you enjoy it.

The magazine will be on  sale tomorrow the  21st December 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Layered Butterflies

Hi Everybody,

For today's card I am using the Layered Butterflies from my own "Christina Collection" that is available from Craft Stash.  I have used Teal and Pink with a White base for my design and the ribbon is from my bits & bobs

Supplies Used:

• Complete Card & Box dies set
• Layered Butterflies Dies
• Layered Butterflies Stamps
• Layered Butterflies Stencils
• Fancy Flourish Stencil
• Cosmic Shimmer dries clear Glue
• Foam sheets
• Distress Oxide Inks - Peacock Feathers & Worn Lipstick
• Pink ribbon
• 10mm roses from Wild Orchid Crafts 

Instructions:

Create a top folded base in white by folding the A4 card in half and placing the three cutting edged die with the non cutting edge over the open ends and die cut.

Score one of them about half an inch down and add glue to this narrow strip.

Adhere the two pieces together to create the base

Cut another mat in white using the stitched edge die and this is the layer we are adding the design too

Hand cut another mat in teal to fit between these two layers

On the white mat randomly stencil the tiny butterflies in Peacock Feathers

Lightly Stencil the Fancy Flourish to one side

Using the largest butterfly stamp and the two inks add the pattern over the card leaving some to overhang. Add to the teal mat once the ink is dry and wrap these layers with pink ribbon

Cut in Teal and Pink the other elements that you need and layer up the butterflies gluing along the body line only to allow the wings to be free.

I decided to leave out the two small tags and I cut two of the larger labels in White and Teal 

I cut the Teal one in half and created a shadow around the sentiment

The butterflies are dressed with tiny 10mm pink roses and they are then glittered for extra sparkle

This could be for any occasion by simply changing the sentiment

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Copic Colouring

Hi Everybody,

I have been Copic Colouring again and this is one of the images from Saturated Canary.

This beautiful image is called Eggstra Special  and at the moment the stamp is on special offer.

She was a delight to colour and it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

There are many images for you to choose from so it's worth having a browse around their website.

This card is a 5x7 so quite a large one to send but it still fits inside an envelope for easy posting

Another one was this lovable Elephant from Whimsy Stamps  and the completed card is a small A2 size

Both of these images will be linked below so that you can take a look at them

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Wonky Stitched Dies

Hi Everybody,

As promised yesterday I have two new videos for you to view over the weekend.

The one yesterday featured the Wonky Stitches - Nesting Hexagons

They are some of the new dies in at
Craft Stash and they are part of the
 Wonky Stitches Collection  

This one is the Ovals and this is always a useful shape to have in any collection.

There is a lot that can be done with any type of Nesting Dies from creating frames and layering to making a stunning focal point for the card and maybe adding flowers to it.

Both are dies that will be used time and time again and they are not expensive either which makes them a great way to build up your own collection with basic shapes

Take a look at the Craft Stash website for other dies in the same vein, to help you make some really lovely cards

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card & Gift Winner ....

Hi Everybody,

Hope the weekend finds you all well and keeping warm. It's sunny but cold here in the North West and I have a filming day ahead and so it won't really bother me.

The draw for the card and gift from yesterday has been done and this one is going to Spain ... to you

Val Jones

so would you send your postal address please to me

christina@card-making-magic.com

and both will be on there way to you straight away.

Over this weekend I have two new videos for you and these are featuring some of the newest dies in at Craft Stash called Wonky Stitches.  The first one is Hexagons and in this I have used the Stamps Monster Madness to make a fun card.

In tomorrows post I will add in the Wonky Stitches Ovals to show you another look from these really useful dies

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Safari friends

Hi Everybody,

Safari Friends was one of my favourite gifts when it was offered with 

Papercraft Essentials 145

It was another one that I enjoyed playing with and it is great for children's cards.

The video is here to show you what I did with this fabulous gift 

Papercraft Essentials - Safari Friends 

Is this a card and gift that you would like ??

If so then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post and a name will be drawn from those comments and announced in tomorrows blog post.

Some people seem to be a little confused and email me saying they would like the card but that is not how it works.  You need to add your comment here to be in with the chance. And please add your full name as there could be three or four people with the same first name as you.

Good Luck everybody 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

The Greatest Gift

Hi Everybody,

A little while ago I was asked by a USA company if I would like to take a look at their product.  The Greatest Gift   is a journal that you fill in secretly with all the things that make you appreciate one special person.

  

I am a great believer in showing Gratitude for all the good things that come into my life and just being thankful for the people who are there for me everyday and all the things that they do.

But not being a journal writer or even a scrapbooker I thought that this was something I may struggle with. 

Never the less I agreed and Amir sent me the parcel and the resulting video is what I found 

I was really pleased when I opened the box at the quality and so I did a video to share with you.

It doesn't do the gift justice as the quality is really excellent. And there are pages for you to add photos as well as write about the experience. There are lots of inspirational quotes, stickers and labels for you to add to your pages, as well as frames and picture corners to dress up the book.

I have someone in mind that I would like to create this Gratitude Journal for but it will take me a while to do so. But as I say in the video there is no time scale. You can take as long as you need to complete this really special gift.

You could give this to anyone you appreciate  ... friends, family,  work mates and the booklet inside will give you ideas and inspiration on every page so that you will never be lost for words.

Maybe you are not a journaller either but as a crafter you will have lots of ideas on how to fill your own journal.  Use your stamps embellishments to make this truly unique.
Or maybe you know someone who likes to keep a journal.... and Christmas is on the way. This would make an excellent gift for them to use for some one that they appreciate.

The Greatest Gift 
This link is an affiliate link so for every one you buy it gives me a small percentage at no cost to you.   Also every purchase will go towards helping someone else so that they can benefit too.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Papercraft Essentials 154 - Heart & Flowers Embossing Folder

Hi Everybody,

Issue 122 of Papercraft Essentials sparked off a whole new range of items from the embossing folder that was given free with it.

It was called  "All Occasions" and I did some videos using it.

It was so popular it sold out time after time, and now there are dies, stamps and even more folders in that collection

Did you get "That Embossing Folder" ?

Well here is the opportunity for you to expand your collection because another one is being given away this month.

The video ...   The Hearts & Flowers Embossing Folder & Stamp Set  will show you how I made this card and there are lots more ideas for you to try inside the magazine

It will be on sale tomorrow the 14th December so keep a look out for it as it is surely going to sell out quickly.  

And pop over to Craft Stash to see the other items in this ever growing 

All Occasions Collection

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Tuesday Tutorial - Muscle Man ...

Hi Everybody,

Today's Tuesday Tutorial is in the form of  a video and I am keeping with the male theme that we have been using for the last few days.

This one is using the Masculine Additions from the "Christina Collection" and it is another one that I hope you will enjoy

It is easy to do and uses a technique that we have used in the past. And Blue Print Sketch is fast becoming my "go to" shade of blue 

It also blends really well with the new shade of blue card that is with Papermill Direct called Marine Blue

This is definitely a card for the men in your life and would be really well received by the gym enthusiasts 

It's not a long video and I will move onto a more feminine theme soon but I hope you have enjoyed the ideas for male cards as I know it is something I get asked about quite regularly

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

You're a Star ...

Hi Everybody,

Here is another card from the Masculine Additions that are with the "Christina Collection" that is available with Craft Stash

Now although this would make an excellent card for the men in your family it could equally as suitable for the females too.

So this is quite a versatile collection to have and you can dress it up any way you wish and the video

Masculine Additions - You're a Star 

shows you how I made this one 

I have simply done a starry backdrop to the card and used bright silver mirror card for the centrepiece.

I hope that with this run of male cards that I have given you some ideas for your own designs and how to adapt them to suit the recipients that you wish to send them too

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Another for the men ...

Hi Everybody,

Seems I am not alone when it comes to making cards for men and many of you struggle with them too.

So here's another that is especially for them made with the Masculine Additions to my new collection that is available with Craft Stash 

This one features the dies and I have added them to the Cube Trellis background

You have the choice when you are making this card of dark glasses or regular spectacles which is what I have done for my card

I thought it was pretty cool once it was finished and as Griff has a moustache and glasses he liked it as well.

Below is a list to all the supplies I have used over ALL the masculine cards I have done the videos 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card & Gift Winner is ...

Hi Everybody,

It's very cold here today and I am going to snuggle in the warmth this afternoon. Got some shopping to do and then I am hibernating for the rest of the day.

 And I might get the chance to do some colouring in the process. Bliss !!

In the meantime the draw for yesterdays card and gift offer has been done and the name drawn this time is yours

 Vicki L Phillips

would you let me have your postal address please to 

christina@card-making-magic.com

and they will be on their way to you straight away.

As an added bonus today I am adding two videos that would make ideal cards for the men.
They are using the new Drinks Trolley Collections from Craft Stash

So I hope you enjoy them as you sit and relax this afternoon ... maybe with a cuppa and a biscuit !

I hope you enjoy both videos and the items I am using are only a small part of the big collection of the Dies, Stamps Stencils and Embossing Folders in the new Drinks Trolley Collection available only at Craft Stash

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Sending Christmas Wishes

Hi Everybody,

I thought that maybe this week was a good time to give this away with Christmas fast approaching.

 But it can be used all year round and is especially good for male cards.

It is the gift that was free with Papercraft Essentials 151 and there are dies, stamps and an embossing folder with it.

Here is the video to show you how I used it 

Papercraft Essentials 151 Sending Christmas Wishes

If you would like to have this gift then please leave me a comment at the end of the post.

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

So be sure to come back and check if it is your name as you only have 72 hours in which to claim it.

Good Luck 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Cards for men ....

Hi Everybody,

Making male cards is something that many people struggle with ... including my self.

And so to bring out some additions to my own collection that would help with that was blessing

The Masculine Additions were added to the original collection in November and have been really well received.

So over the next few days I am going to be adding some vidoes that will show you the ideas I came up with using the versatile stamps, dies and stencils 

The first one is the card shown here and it is 

Masculine Additions - Dad's Trophy

A quick and easy fun card that could be sent to any of the male members in your family.

I hope you enjoy the little video and the rest will follow this week 

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx