Notebook and Box

Hi Everybody,

Today's offering is a little "To Do" notebook that I have made to fit inside the box and I have used the Emerald Box set.

At the moment this set is out of stock but if you leave your email address then Craft stash will notify you once it is back on their website.

To make the pattern on the front of the booklet I have used the stencil Bird and Bloom  and finger daubers to sponge the inks in place.

It gives a very light pastel effect and the alphabet was the stencil from Card Making Magic with a magazine a few weeks ago.

I don't have many cards to show you at this time as I am busy making samples for next weeks Hochanda shows. But once the shows are done I can show you some of the makes from them.

I will be back on Hochanda with the One Day Special this coming Sunday and Monday so I hope you can join me then. It's always nice to know that you are here.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Purple Bauble

Hi Everybody,

This little card for Christmas has used some Distress Oxide Inks for the background and I have used clean water to blur the look.

The bauble on this was from a stamp that came with a magazine some time ago and it was given away in a previous Friday Freebie.

I will continue with the FF in the coming new year, and there will be more lovely gifts coming your way, so please keep adding your names and comments each week.

I can't believe that Christmas is nearly here again and although this has been a tough year for me I have been trying to keep my mind occupied as best I can.

I have brought you lots of new dies and stamps to add to your Card Making Magic collection and there are lots more to come. 

Some will be on Hochanda again too in the very near future so I hope you can join me there.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Magazine & Gift Winner

Hi Everybody,

So guess who forgot to alter her clock this morning ???  Yep that was me ...

I got up at 8.30 am to have coffee and breakfast and get ready to go walking with Ruby only to find that the clocks had gone back one hour and it was only 7.30.  

Now there is only one 7.30 on my clock on a Sunday morning and this one was at the wrong end of the day. I was really annoyed with myself but we then had lots of time to have some breakfast and start the day.

And eventually I have got round to  doing the draw for Fridays magazine and gift that was from Card Making Magic and I am so sorry to keep you all waiting.

 But at long last here I am and the name this week is ....

Gaynor Elder

so if you could email me your postal address to 

[email protected]

I will get the gift in the post to you as soon as I can.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Holly & Ivy from CMM

Hi Everybody,

Here is a fabulous gift from Card Making Magic that was with Die Cutting essentials not long ago.

I am offering it as my Friday Freebie this week complete with the magazine, which is always a good read.

The die is so useful all year round and the video will show you some of the ways that I have put it to good use Holly & Ivy  and if you would like to have this as part of your collection then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME

Be sure to come back and check over the weekend to see if it is your name that is listed as you will have 72 hours in which to claim it.

Good Luck everybody

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Die Cutting Essentials 58 - Exquisite Edges

Hi Everybody,

This months magazine from 

Die Cutting Essentials

 has a lovely 2 piece die set attached and this will create some really pretty borders for you.

They will suit any occasion and can be used all year round.

Make the colours applicable to the season for a really lovely look and don't forget the Flowers, Ribbons and Pearls that you can add to make it even more special.

The video is not a long one but may give you some ideas that you may like to try.

But playtime is the best option and see what you can come up with.

Make the die work with others in your collection too, to create frames for some of your coloured and stamped characters

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

My Design Team ....

Hi Everybody,

Last week I showed you on Hochanda some of the ways in which you can use the new dies from Card Making Magic.

Here are some of the ideas that I took with me and they are much prettier in the hand than a photograph shows.

This is mine with layered leaves to build the wreath, and bright gold on the top layer

This Emerald shaped pearly box is from Kim and she has used Centura Pearl to create it and the flowers, with the addition of bright gold

It is really lovely and quite a sturdy box to hold your gift. This one originally had chocolates inside ... but not when I got to the shows !!

This rich red card is from Joanna and she has used the embossing folder to create the design on mirror card.

It looks really elegant and the layers make it stand out even more.

I would be more than happy to get a card like this for Christmas.

It sounds so grand saying Design Team but they are really special and friends who have agreed to help me out whenever there are new dies,  to give you the best possible ideas of how you can make them work for you.

We all have totally different styles and maybe you have another that you like to use for your creations.  

But I hope you have enjoyed these cards and can maybe use some ideas to help you further.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card & Magazine Winner

Hi Everybody,

Well here I am late as usual but time just seems to run away from me lately. 

Thank you if you joined me on Hochanda last week, we had some really good shows and I enjoyed working with Ruth. 

We stayed in a lovely place and we had fun. I don't think we stopped talking and giggling in the two days we had together. It was just what we both needed.

So a big thank you to Ruth for making it so enjoyable and another to you if you purchased from the shows.

But I have now done the draw for Fridays gift and the winner this week is ...

Elly Booij

would you send me your postal address please to

[email protected]

and they will be on their way to you.

Please let me know that you have the gift safe and sound and I hope you enjoy playing with it.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Winter Wonderland from Simply Cards& Papercraft 182

Hi Everybody,

A few weeks ago I gave away a gift called Winter Wonderland and although this one has the same title it is not the same gift.

This one has an A5 stamp plate and two dies to cut the birch trees out and there is also a stencil in the pack too.

I will also send you the magazine but there is no card to go with it this time. The video will show you how I used the set 

Winter Wonderland from SC&P 182

So if you would like this gift then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME.

From those comments one name will be chosen at random and listed in a blog post over the weekend.

Be sure to come back and check if it is your name that is shown  and you have 72 hours to claim the gift.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Gift & Magazine Winner ...

Hi Everybody,

It's a beautiful Saturday morning and I still have lots to do to be ready for Monday and Tuesday when I will be on Hochanda with the One Day Special. I hope you will be able to join me at 6pm and 8pm on the Monday or 9am 1pm and 5pm on the Tuesday, it will be lovely to have you there.

I have lots to show you and my new "Design Team" of Kim and Joanna have been busy making things as well. It sounds really grand having a Design Team but they are friends who have offered to help me make samples to highlight the new dies and stamps in the new Christmas Collection

So onto the winner of yesterdays gift and the name this week is ...

Sue Williams 

would you email me please with your postal address to

[email protected]

and the gift will be on its way to you.

I hope you will enjoy the set and be sure to let me know when it arrives with you.

I hope you can all understand why I ask for your FULL NAME because I have four Sue's who visit my blog and add comments and imagine the confusion if I just added Sue as the winner ... nobody would know which one it was.

 So FULL NAME please every time or your comment will not be added to the draw Thank You!

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Ring of Roses

Hi Everybody,

A Summery kind of gift is being given this week and this one is from Joanna Sheen and the video was titled  Ring Of Roses

The link will take you to see some of my ideas with this stamp and die set but sadly there is no card to go with it this week.

There are however some of the downloadable papers with it and I am happy to send them to you wherever you live if you are the winner

To be in with that chance all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME and then be sure to come back and check over the weekend if it is your name that is shown.

One name will be chosen and you will have 72 hours in which to claim the gift

More tomorrow ..

Hugs xx

Card Making Magic Box Kit

Hi Everybody,

The next issue of the Card Making Magic box kit is now on Pre order with Craft Stash and once again there are some really pretty dies in the pack.

If you have been building up your collection of these kits then now is the time to make sure that you get this Issue Three as the others went very quickly

There will be lots of ideas inside the magazine that will hopefully inspire you to make a start on your Christmas cards if you haven't already.

I will be showing you this and much more on Monday and Tuesday of next week on Hochanda so I hope you will be able to join me then with the One Day Special

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Not Just for Christmas!!

Hi Everybody,

The Christmas Ornaments  is a 22 piece die set that is new for this season and it is available from Craft Stash.

You can have lot of fun making your cards for this year from this die set, but don't put it away at the end of the year 

This is a set that can be used all year round and the card to the right is just one of those ways.

All I have done is take the round ornament die and cut it three times, and turned it upside down to look like balloons.

Either colour them as I have done or use coloured card to make things easier

I have added hand drawn strings to two of them and the small bows to each string. But to the third one I have used a stamped sentiment as the string.

The inked clouds in the background have tiny birds flying in the sky and I added a little shading to the embellishments cut from the dies and added to each balloon.

This would be a good card for a fun type of man in your life and also one that children would love too. Add their age to the balloons and let them fly high in the sky

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Octagon Box

Hi Everybody,

This is the Octagon Box which is now back in stock at Craft Stash.

It will help you to make some beautiful boxes for Christmas and the rest of the year too.

Decorate them how you wish for whatever season or recipient you have made them for .

And don't forget the Tall Version of this box that I created in a video for you some time ago, that can hold lots of things for your gifts ... especially chocolate !!

The latest Magical Christmas Collection is really exciting and I will be bringing that to Hochanda in the not too distant future.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Bow Birthday Card

Hi Everybody,

We had a lovely day yesterday celebrating two birthdays within my family.  We went out to a restaurant for a Sunday lunch and I am always happy with a roast beef dinner Mmmmm !!

I made a really special card for my granddaughter Ashleigh and if you wanted to make the same kind of card you can, and although it looks intricate it is really quite easy to put together. 

I bought the template for the design online.

It is not expensive and I don't think you will be disappointed with your make either.

Once you have the template you can use it over and over again but please don't share it with any one else.  Point them in the direction to buy their own.

Wouldn't it make a beautiful Wedding card ??

It would certainly be one to treasure for a long time.

I have asked Sandra's permission to video the making of this card so it will be coming to the blog pages in the not too distant future

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Card & Gift Winner

Hi Everybody,

I am so sorry for my absence his week but I have been really busy and left myself no time to blog.

But hopefully things will settle down a little more and I can get back to writing on a regular basis.

I have a lot to do today also but this is more on the pleasure side. 

My grandson's 32nd birthday is today and my granddaughter's 30th birthday is tomorrow and we are going out later to celebrate both of them  Happy Birthday to Jay and Ashleigh. Once I have given Ashleigh her card for her special 30th Birthday I will add some photos to show you what it looks like.

On to the draw for the magazine and gift from Friday and the winner today is ...

Marjorie Bates

would you email me your postal address please to

[email protected]

and I will post them as soon as I can.

I hope you enjoy the magazine and the stamps as they are really lovely and will make some wonderful cards. Please let me know that you have them safely with you.

More tomorrow ...

Hugs xx

Friday Freebie - Winter Wonderland from Creative Stamping 62

Hi Everybody,

There are two gifts in the pack this week as well as the magazine so a bumper gift for someone to receive

The stamps set is a large A4 with several Christmas sentiment on it , but it can be used all year round with a Birthday greeting on there too.

I am also including the Birch Trees embossing folder for some lovely backgrounds to your designs.
Winter Wonderland from Creative Stamping 62

This is a good stamp set to practise your masking techniques with and build up some lovely winter scenes for your cards this year.

So if you would like this double gift in your own collection then all you need to do is leave me a comment at the end of the post with your FULL NAME please. From those comments one will be chosen as the winner

Be sure to come back over the weekend to see if it is your name shown . I also add the winners names to a special page and the link is in the side bar to your left.

More tomorrow ..

Hugs xx