Author: tinstar05

Hey there! I’m a card-making enthusiast with a passion for creativity that knows no bounds. Currently, I’m fortunate to be a part of four fantastic international card design teams, where I get to explore my craft and connect with fellow artists from all corners of the globe. It’s amazing how the world of card making can bring people together, and I’m constantly inspired by the diversity of styles and ideas that come my way. Beyond my card-making adventures, I lead a pretty busy life in the learning and development field, where I work full time as a Learning Lead. I thrive on helping others grow and reach their full potential, and it’s a role that keeps me on my toes and constantly learning. When I’m not immersed in the world of work or crafting, you can find me on the netball court, coaching and sharing my love for the game with a bunch of amazing individuals. So, whether I’m crafting, guiding professional development, or coaching on the court, I’m all about embracing lifes colorful and creative possibilities! Thanks for stopping by my corner of the web, and I hope you enjoy exploring my card creations and more.

1 Card for 3 Challenges

I’m hiding in my craft room this long weekend avoiding trying to stay cool and avoiding the heat. I was looking around at some of my favourite challenges and sometimes the stars align, I found 3 challenges to inspire me that worked for 1 card design.

One of my favourite card marking techniques is heat embossing. So I heat embossed the flower from the SSS “Beautiful Flowers’ stamp set with some gold embossing powder. I then loosly coloured it with some purple and green water colour inks and then fussy cut it out. I used the Stamping Up ‘Exposed Brick’ embossing folder to add some texture to my background panel and some twine to ground the floral image and popped the sentiment on top.

I’m pretty happy with how this turned out and hope I’ve inspired you to join in these challenges with your own card.

Thanks for looking and enjoy your weekends.

AAA Cards #306 – Follw the Lead – Francesca

Hello there, it’s time for another challenge over at AAA Cards and we are being asked to follow the lead of Francesca!

I like the text panel with the dies cut elements on top with the right aligned sentiment. I used the retired Stampin Up ‘En Francais’ stamp set for the text panel. I roughly water coloured and fussy cut out one of the cats from the Tim oltz, Crazy cats’ stamp set. I really like how this card came out.

Come join in the fun; we’d love to see how you were inspired. Check out the projects that the other artists at AAA Cards have created, take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us. You have until Saturday 31st January to link up your project.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

Just Add Ink #777 – Just Add Something Seasonal – Blog Hop

Hello there, it’s time for another Just Add Ink Challenge and it’s a BLOG HOP challenge!

My somthing ‘seasonal’ is Summer – I love wearing my thongs (flip flops) and walking along the beach. I used a retired stamp set from Fresh Squeezed Stamps ‘Beachy Keen’ and I coloured all the elements with my Stampin Blends.

Come join in the fun; we’d love to see how you were inspired.

Hop along with the other artists: next up is Tina Gillespie

You have until Wednesday, 27th January at 7pm (AEDT) Australian Eastern Daylight Time to link up your project.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

5 Cards for 5 Challenges

Finally some cooler weather after the super hot week we’ve had, which I took advantage of to get crafty.

Today I’ve played along with 5 different challenges.

First up is Freshly Made Sketches #718. I flipped the sketch and folded over some burlap DSP to form a pocket for my tag. I added a die cut flower from the Stampin Up ‘Hand penned petals’ die set with a sentiment from Uniquely Creative over the top of a strip of stampin Up ‘Sweater weather’ DSP.

Next is a card for the Global Design Project #529, which is a great colour combo challenge. I used strips of the challenge colour and stamped one of the floral images over the top from the stampin Up ‘Dainty Delight’ stamp set.

Next is a card for the Paper Craft Crew #655, which is a great sketch. I used a couple of DSP panels, the sentiment from Stampin Up ‘Charming sentiments’, a couple of glossy dots and an unknown die for the frame.

Next is a card for the Little Red Wagon #840. Their key word is NEW. I used a new technique on my card – a bow fold. I used some DSP from Stampin Up ‘First Frost’ which has beautiful images on both sides and works really well for this technique. The sentiment is from Uniquely Creative, along with some pink twine ans pastel pearls.

Lastly is a card for Just Us Girls #805 – Encouragement. For my background, I inked up the inside of the woodgrain embossing folder before I ran it through my Big Shot. I then added two DSP panels from my scrap stash and two die cut circles for my sentiment. I stamped, coloured (Flirty Flamingo and Pool Party) one of the flowers from the Stampin Up ‘Memorable Blooms’ stampset. I added some enamel dots and die cut leaves and the card was done.

Well that’s it for a very productive day. Thanks for stopping by . Enjoy the rest of your weekends.

Playing with Festive Fridays #200

Two more days of annual leave before returning to work, so I’m making the most of my time in my craft room.

Today I’m playing with the Festive Friday challenge #200. I choose red, yellow, orange and birthday for my card.

I cut my three colours into 1/4 inch strips and mounted them to make them look like they’re floating on my card front. I then die cuty and embossed the Lisa Hoerton Crafts ‘Tea Rose’. The sentiment is from a Uniquely Creative cut apart.

I really like how the floating strips look behind my flower. Thanks for stopping by for a look. Enjoy your weekends.

AAA Birthday #81 – Winter Birthday

Hello there, it’s time for a new challenge over at AAA Birthday and do we have a great theme for you for our first one in 2026!

It was hard for me to feel wintery when making this card, as we’re in the middle of summer here in Australia and it’s a bit of a hot one!

For my card, I went with a retired DSP from Stampin Up called ‘Feels like Frost’ for it’s snowflake design. I then added some vellum over the top to soften the look with some diamantes in various sizes to hide the glue. I stamped up the cupcake from Averyelle ‘Cupcakes’ and used a sentiment from Altenew’s ‘Layered Cupcakes’. I added puffy paint to the cupcake to simulate the frosting and tied it all together with some pretty ribbon and twine.

Come join in the fun; we’d love to see how you were inspired. Check out the projects that the other artists at AAA Birthday have created, take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us. You have until Saturday 31st January to link up your project.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

New Years Day Crafting

Welcome to 2026! What better way to welcome the new year than to get crafty!

I’m playing along with some of my favourite challenges that in 2025 I didn’t have much time to play with.

First up is a card for:

I thought the FMS sketch was perfect for some Stampin Up DSP called ‘Reindeer Days’ that is all about Christmas colours.

My second card is for the Paper Craft Crew Challenge #654 – Inspiration photo.

I was inspired by the falling snowflakes in the photo and knew I had the perfect DSP scrap in my stash that was covered in different sized snowflakes. I mounted the DSP on some light blue cardstock and then onto a dark grey cardbase. I had some grey thread which I wrapped it around for a bow, added a sentiment from Uniquely Creative and some gems to the centres of the snowflakes for that finishing touch.

Thanks for stopping by this new years Day. I hope 2026 is a fabulous one for you and you are inspired to get crafty with these challenges too.

New Years Eve crafting

Getting a little bit of card making in before the end of the year.

First I played along with the Creative Creases Challenge #110 which is anything goes with a fun fold.

I made a double front flap card using Stampin Up products – DSP ‘Beautiful Gallery’, stamp set ‘Special Moments’ and cardstock Basic Beige, Mossy Meadow and Early espresso.

Next up is a card for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #269 and 52 Christmas Card Throwdown #110.

I chose the 52CCT past technique of embossing. I used a Sizzix EF ‘Snowflakes’ for my background and added the Santa and sentiment from the Whimsy Stamps ‘Merry Stressmas’ stamp set that I coloured with my Stampin Blends and added some puffy paint for the cuffs.

Well that’s it for 2025! I’m off to have a glass of bubbles or two. Thanks for stopping by and continuing to support me in my creative journey.

See you back in the blog-a-sphere in 2026!

Just Add Ink #776 – Choose Two or More

Hello there, it’s time for another Just Add Ink Challenge and do we have a great theme for you. You can choose two or more from – trees-twine-stripes-snow-shimmer-stockings!

I used some Stampin Up products DSP Whimsy & Wonder and Stamp/dies Whimsical Trees. The DSP had trees-stripes-shimmer in it which gave me three of the six items listed. I die cut a variety of the trees and then popped some up once and twice to provide some dimension and interest.

Come join in the fun; we’d love to see how you were inspired. Check out the projects that the other artists at Just Add Ink have created, take the challenge and link your creation to the challenge post. We’d love to have you join us. You have until Wednesday, 31st December at 7pm (AEDT) Australian Eastern Daylight Time to link up your project.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

AAA Cards #305 – Anything CAS Goes – opt twist White-on-White

Hello there, it’s time for another challenge over at AAA Cards and do we have a great theme for you!

I love a White-on-White card so went with the optional twist. I used a Christmas tree die to cut out my base panel which I popped up with dimensionals and added a sentiment from Uniquely Creative. Can’t get anymore CAS than that right?!