Ribbons and Buckles!

Here's a SUPER SIMPLE Triple-Loop Bow with Buckle Center accent...  another pretty embellishment for cards from Christina! Adding an embellishment of ribbons with a buckle to your design can take it from plain to pretty in a few easy steps.

Watch video on YouTube: HERE

As always, she's shows a beautiful card with the created embellishment on it. This could easily be changed to just a double-loop or even a single-loop bow as well.... :)

*** NOTE - Make sure you pick a buckle (ribbon slide) that's suitable for your theme AND a ribbon that not only coordinates, but that will pass through the buckle and lay flat across it's center bar.

Ruffled Ribbon and Rose

NO SEWING NEEDED!

That's right.... make beautiful ruffled ribbon and rose embellishments for your cards without sewing a stitch! I can't believe how easy this is! 

Watch this great video: HERE

Doesn't Christina make it look so easy to do? I just LOVE this! The satin rose she makes is gorgeous. I'm ready to try them with the other kinds of ribbon.... just have to get more of that super tacky tape! 

COLORING CLASS - Yellows

Here's a new Coloring Class from Christina, using the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink pens in the YELLOW color group (this would apply as well, to any alcohol ink pens like Copics, CTMH, etc).

She colors a couple of cute chubby birds, and shows how to shape round bodies from a flat image! 

Watch on YouTube: HERE

I'm glad I watched this tutorial video and had that rounding kind of 'shaping' brought to my attention, or I may never have figured out how to make their tummies look just right! There are a lot of images that this technique would need to be used on for achieving that curved shape..... some other animals, a round pot or vase, balloons, etc. 

I'll continue to add more of these coloring classes as Christina makes the videos.... so stay tuned! 

Thanks for stopping by :)

COLORING CLASS - How to Blend Colors

In this Coloring Class, Christina shows us several ways to blend colors on to your background papers using blender blocks with pads or felt. She uses both Distress Inks and Alcohol Inks for these ideas.

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Some of these ideas are for multi-color shading around your colored images. Other ideas are for making gorgeous background papers. Christina uses a variety of papers here, including cardstock, acetate, and mirricard. 

Well, this was the final Coloring Class for this series. 
I may be posting more classes in the future, which I will just add with the same 'tag/label', so that all tutorials about coloring will be together under the "Tutorials - COLORING CLASS" label in my sidebar.

I hope this was beneficial to some of you... I know I learned a few things along the way!

Thanks for stopping in and following these coloring tutorials. :)  

COLORING CLASS - Reds

In this Coloring Class, Christina covers the red alcohol ink pens.

Reds can cause problems when coloring because of the vibrancy of the color, so she starts with the lightest color all over each section to wet the paper first. That way, blending the darker colors in will be easier.

Watch on YouTube: HERE

She finishes with making a beautiful decoupaged card.

Well this coloring series is finally coming to a close! The next video will be the last of this series. It covers how to BLEND Distress and Alcohol Inks on different papers for that added touch to your cards.

Hope you'll join me then. Have a great day!

COLORING CLASS - Greens

In this Coloring Class, Christina shows how to
color a GREEN Dragon!

BUT this would also be how to color frogs, reptiles, etc.
AND leaves and foliage! 

She also shows a little bit on how she does 

her cloudy sky background with Distress Ink and template. 

Watch on YouTube: HERE

She finishes with putting her card together.


In the next COLORING CLASS, we'll be going over the
REDS!

COLORING CLASS: ...Browns for Animal Fur

Animal Fur can be a bit tricky, so Christina shows how to do this by coloring a momma monkey and her baby. Since both monkeys are "brown", each section of their bodies are colored in the same way. So once you understand how their bodies are colored, then you can skip ahead to about 10 minutes into the video.....

Watch on YouTube: HERE

At that time, she starts talking about the background. Then she goes into how to texture the monkey's fur.... don't miss that part! A cool technique and it's very easy to do!

Finally, she covers how to make it into a card, by making matching patterned paper to use for the card front.

(Next Color Class will have a video from Annika Ryan,

showing us how to create a Cloudy Sky background!)

COLORING CLASS: ...Ice Greys

In this first 'class' for coloring with the different color sets of the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink pens, Christina, from Card Making Magic, uses the Ice Greys to color a winter snow scene.

These "shadowing" tips really make the scene come alive instead of being just a flat image on the page. See how she does it in the following video:

Watch on YouTube: HERE

I love how great these colors look for shading things that need to stay looking white! And of course, she finishes off with showing how it looks made into a beautiful card.

These tips and techniques would be the same with any brand of alcohol markers, including Copics, CTMH, and other similar pens. Watching Christina actually coloring and blending these images, gives me much more confidence that I can master coloring with alcohol ink pens, too!

Next up is a tutorial on coloring and texturing animal fur, in the video COLORING CLASS - Browns! Don't miss it!

COLORING CLASS: ...Jeans

Create the everyday outfit of blue jeans and t-shirts on your images, especially on cards or projects for teenagers or when needing something for the masculine gender.

In Christina's video tutorial, she shows how to do this... even gives the jeans a little "washed-out" faded look. 

Watch on YouTube: HERE

I just love the way she shades things that are supposed to be white, so they aren't just flat on the page!.... Speaking of that, in the next Color Class, she will be covering the Ice Grey's pen set. She makes a beautiful snow scene come alive with her shadowing techniques.... don't miss it! 

COLORING CLASS: ...Darker Skin Tones and Curly Hair

Christina from Card Making Magic, shows how to color darker skin tones in this 2-part video tutorial. It's done almost exactly the same way as the pale skin tones, just using different colors, plus a final all-over blending to eliminate any blotches.

In the first video, she also covers the technique to coloring CURLY HAIR. And in the second video, both a baby boy and a baby girl card are finished up so we can see the final projects!

Watch Part 1 on YouTube: HERE

Watch Part 2 on YouTube: HERE

I hope you are getting the hang of coloring with alcohol markers/pens. In the next video post on July 1st, Christina covers how to color blue JEANS! Hope you'll come back to see it :)  

COLORING CLASS: ...Backgrounds

Create stunning marbled backgrounds to compliment your images using the same color of alcohol pens you've used on your image! Or use some complimentary colors to the cardstock you will use if the image is mainly white, like for the blue/green card in the video.

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Christina, from Card Making Magic, shows how to do this in the video tutorial..... You just need some acetate, blending solution for alcohol inks, and a few cotton balls. (And you can add stamped images with Stazon ink if you'd like, but it's not necessary)

I love this technique. The backgrounds are so beautiful. What wonderful additions to those handmade cards.

The next tutorial, in 2 days, will cover coloring DARKER SKIN TONES and CURLY HAIR... see you then!  

COLORING CLASS: ...Clothes

There are 2 video tutorials from Christina covering this section on how to color 

CLOTHES! 

The first one covers creating folds and shadows in clothes, even on a plain white dress! Then how to turn a white image into a polka-dotted fabric or a solid colored fabric.

Watch Part 1 on YouTube: HERE

The second has some more tips on how to alter the fabrics - making stripes and dots (or any other design you'd like) - using the Blender Pen. Also learn how to "ground" the image, so it's not just 'floating' in mid-air!

Watch Part 2 on YouTube: HERE

I hope these videos are helping some of you, as much as they've helped me!

Please be sure to come back in 2 days for the BACKGROUNDS! 

We are getting close to finishing off this particular card, but after we do, there will still be several more coloring videos to come!

COLORING CLASS: ...STRAIGHT HAIR

We are now up to the video on coloring STRAIGHT HAIR with alcohol ink pens!

In this video tutorial, Christina shows us how to color and create lovely effects in the straight hair of our chosen character images..... with just a few simple strokes! 

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Doesn't get much easier than that!

She includes how to color CURLY HAIR in her 2-part video tutorial on coloring darker skin tones, which I'll post later this month... so be watching for that post in a few days!

Meanwhile... see you in 2 days for how to color CLOTHES!

COLORING CLASS: ...Pale Skin Tones

In this second video of this series, Christina from Card Making Magic, starts teaching some coloring techniques. She is beginning with images that have pale skin tones.

Watch on YouTube: HERE

I'm so glad I found these videos and saved them in these blog posts. Before watching this series on coloring techniques, I was so intimidated by coloring with alcohol pens. Christina's way of teaching is not only calming, but her technique really makes me think that ANYONE, including me, can learn to color images for creating beautiful cards, etc. She really shows just how simple coloring these images can be. Thanks Christina!

Stay tuned for the next coloring video in 2 days, covering how to color STRAIGHT HAIR!

COLORING CLASS: ...Spectrum Noir Alcohol Pens - Introduction

This is the first video in a series introducing Spectrum Noir alcohol pens..... and this will start off the section of tutorials for coloring with these alcohol pens called... COLORING CLASS!

*** NOTE: In this video, Christina even covers what paper and inks to use for stamping/coloring images, and how to print off digital images so that the images won't 'bleed' when using any brand of alcohol pens, YAY!!!

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Over this series, Christina, from Card Making Magic, will show how to color images - including skin, hair, & clothes. Also how to create backgrounds, adapt ribbon & embellishments to match color schemes, and finally put together the complete card made from all the parts done in the previous videos. 

The Spectrum Noir Colouring System was introduced by Crafters Companion in 2011. These are alcohol pens that blend together to create beautiful effects on your colored images. They are also refillable! And they are much less expensive than Copics, too!

(I'm sure these techniques would be the same for any alcohol pens, like Copics, ProMarkers, or Close To My Heart.)

I hope you enjoy this coloring with alcohol pens series. I will be posting a new video every 2 days until we get through the entire COLORING CLASS series! The next one will cover how to color PALE SKIN TONES. I hope you will join me on this journey. 

Card Making - Just the Basics - Tying Bows

In this final segment for this section of Card Making - Just the Basics.... at least final for now --- I reserve the right to add to this series later, if needed, lol!.... the topic I'm posting today is on tying bows for embellishing your cards.

Christina, from Card Making Magic, teaches a very easy way to make bows..... skinny and wide bows... one, two, and three layered bows.... scruffy, twirled and vintage bows! Lots of great and easy ideas in this video tutorial:

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Now in the next tutorial section, we'll cover coloring your images... either stamped or digital. These tutorials will be covered in the section called "COLORING CLASS".... (Christina uses the Spectrum Noir Alcohol Pens in her coloring video segments, but the same rules apply to any alcohol pens, including Copics.)

I hope you'll stay tuned for these informative COLORING CLASS videos. They will begin on June 19th! Have a great day!

Card Making - Just the Basics - Creating Card Stands

In this video tutorial, Christina, from Card Making Magic, shows how to make card stands for displaying the beautiful card creations that you give to others. Each version will fold flat for fitting into the envelope/box with the card.

The stands are created in several different ways.... both attached to the card and as separate stands. Watch how easy this is to do:

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Card Making - Just the Basics - Adding Texture

Adding texture in the background of your cards results in a wonderful effect.... and can be done in different ways.

You can create striped lines by just using a score board and scoring tool. Or even use metal embossing plates with a design to dry hand-emboss. But the most popular these days is to use embossing folders and a die-cutting machine. There are so many designs out there on the market for embossing folders, that you're sure to find some to your liking.

In this video tutorial, see how the pretty embossed background makes such a statement, rather than if the paper was just left plain. 

As an added bonus, Christina shows how to make a card stand to display the large card. (A separate video on making different card stands will follow this post in a couple days.)

Watch on YouTube: HERE

*** NOTE: When purchasing embossing folders, you can choose  from other companies than from just the same brand as your die-cutting machine.... just be sure that the size of the folder will fit through it. I have a Cuttlebug with both the regular plates and the extended length plates, so it will fit any folder that is not more than 6" wide!

Card Making - Just the Basics - Matting & Layering

This is just a personal choice, but to me store bought cards are only good for one thing... some of the wonderful or funny sentiments on the inside! 

So you can tell, as far as for me, handmade cards are the way to go. Although I have seen some strikingly beautiful clean and simple handmade cards, which are great for mailing, most of the "flat" cards can be... well... let's just say "plain & ordinary!" I prefer cards that "stand out" from the crowd!

In the following video, Christina shows how to use mats and layers on your cards to make them go from boring to WOW!

Watch on YouTube: HERE

Did you notice how different the card looks once she was done with it, compared to the "flat" version at the beginning? Mats and layers, along with some dimensional foam tape at times, can make all the difference in the world!

Card Making - Just the Basics - What Adhesives to Use?

There are many adhesives on the market, and it can be very confusing as to what to choose. You may think that only one is necessary, but which one?

Well, actually each kind of adhesive is good for specific items. If you watch this video from Christina, you'll have a bunch of questions answered about wet and dry adhesives:

Watch on YouTube: HERE

As far as the double-sided paper tapes in different widths, 

Scor-Tape is very popular and easily tears with your fingers. 

Low-tack tape is like the blue painter's tape that is removable.

Pinflair glues (the 'wet' glues Christina uses) are not sold in the States, but the company will ship here..... it just can be a little expensive on the cost and takes much longer to arrive. You can find their products here. There are many 'wet' glues available in the US.... some dry quicker than others.

Also that Quickie Glue Pen from Sakura (that she wrote with and glittered).... it is great for when you have something very skinny to glue down, like flower stems. I love it!