Tinstar Designs

Yep, I really need to get a wriggle on with making more Christmas cards. I send out about 100 each year (doing my bit to keep Australia Post in business!) and so far I have 20 cards made plus I have a commission order for 50 cards that I need to get started so the challenges over at AAA Cards #119 Christmas in July and CAS Christmas Poinsettia were timely prompter for me.

I used an old stamp set from Stampin Up called ‘Joyful Christmas’ that I stamped in Momento black ink and masked off the poinsettia and then stamped the leaves. I coloured the image in with my SU Stampin Blends in Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler and Poppy Parade. I stamped the sentiment and popped it up with dimensionals over a bit of the flower.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

That’s what I tell my daughter all the time – that she’s beautiful!

I made this card using Catherine Pooler Designs stamp set called ‘Best in You’, inks Tutti Fruitti, Bellini, Orange Twist, Melon Ice, Garden Party and Lime Rickey with a sentiment from an Altenew set called ‘Simple Flowers’. After I stamped the flowers and leaves out, I fussy cut them and layered them onto my card base.

I used the colour scheme from the current Less is More challenge and the layout from the current Sketch Saturday.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

Today my card is for the following 2 challenges:

• Seize the Birthday – Sequins
• As You Like It – Favourite Celebration

I’m going to have the girls in my monthly card class make these this week.  Some layered stamping, fussy cutting and some sequins make for a gorgeous card.

I love making cards for birthdays as you can personalise the card and make it extra special for the recipient. This card is for a friend whose birthday is coming up next week and I know she loves black and white with pops of colour.

I used stamp sets from Altenew “Beautiful day’ and Birthday Greetings’ and Stampin Up ‘Brushstrokes’ stamped using Stampin Up Granny Apple Green, Cucumber Crush, Pink Pirouette and Lovely Lipstick inks.

I love how graphic this card looks on those bold stripes.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

All is quiet in my household today, mainly ’cause I shut my craft room door so I couldn’t hear anyone – LOL!

As per my usual M.O. I went to my list of challenges for inspiration.

First card off the rank is for The Card Concept, which has a photo of a set dining table for inspiration.

I was inspired by the gold cutlery and the orange flowers in the picture. I used a die from Simon Says Stamp called ‘Cosmo flower frame’ with some gold foil paper. The background piece I created with some alcohol inks on Yupo paper. I opted for no sentiment so that I could use the card for any occasion. I’m really happy with how this turned out.

Second card is for the Paper Craft Crew challenge which is all about By the Sea,

I kept this card simple in blue, black and white using a Simon Says Stamp set called ‘Sailing’. I added a little bit of white puffy paint to look like waves on the ocean.

My third card is for the current MUSE challenge. I loved the card Anita created and set to masking and sponging a panel on my card front.

I used a retired Stampin Up set called ‘Inspired by Nature’ stamped in black ink over my sponged panel in Shabby shutters, Crushed olive and Peeled paint distress inks. I added a little bit of water splatter for a rain drop effect. Another card I’m really happy with.

Well that’s it for todays’ crafting, I’m off to watch a bit of tv with Miss K.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

 

Today I am crafting on my own as Miss K is at her Grandma’s for a few days – school holidays have started here and they love to have time together – yesterday they went to the stage production of Wizard of Oz.

So what’s a mum to do when she has free time? Get crafty of course!

First card up for today fits the bill of 2 challenges:

• Global Design Project #144 – CASE the Designer
• Water Cooler Challenge #176 – Kath’s All About Christmas Challenge

For my card I used the ‘Build a christmas tree’ die from La La Land, some SU ‘Santa & Co’ DSP and a sentiment from Uniko Studio’s ‘Rustic Christmas’ set. This was a nice and easy card to pull together.

Next is a card for :

• CAS Colours & Sketches #278
• CASology #306 – Bear

I used a new to me set from MFT called ‘BB Polar Bear Pals’, that I coloured in with my SU Stampin Blends. I cut the SU Pool Party cardstock with a wavy line and bent the sentiment along the line – this was made easier by using my MISTI.

I love this guy, he’s super cute in his wintery scarf.

Lastly is a card for another 2 challenges:

• The Male Room Challenge #88 – Inspired by a film title
• CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #202 – Inspiration photo

The photo inspired me with my colour theme, as I think fireworks have such beautiful orange and yellow hues. This then lead to the idea of fire and flames and with the sentiment from CAS-ual Fridays ‘Frankly’ had me thinking of Gone with the Wind. I got out my alcohol inks in sunset orange and sunset yellow plus a little bit of gold foil on some the tacky ink.

I hope you agee with me that this looks a bit like fireworks exploding in the sky.

Well, thanks for looking and have a great day.

Today I’m back with a couple cards inspired by a variety of challenges. I’ve had a super busy week and next week is going to be no different. I have 2 major work projects coming to a head that I’m getting a bit nervy about so my best medicine to relax my mind is sitting in front of my craft desk creating. A bonus today is I had my friend Michelle over to share in this activity.

My first card is for the current Flower Challenge which is to use a previous challenge from their blog. I chose a challenge from August 2017 which is to focus on background stamping.

I used a background stamp from The Ton called Blossom Garden’ which I heat embossed in black and then used alcohol inks to colour the flowers, leaves and sky. I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out but I’m really please with the final look. The sentiment is from CAS-ual Fridays called ‘Frankly’. This card will go into the collection of thank-you cards I am making for my mum to give to all her friends who have been helping her with all her cancer medical appointments.

Next up is a fun card inspired by 3 challenges:

• Muse Challenge #271
• The Card Concept #95
• Just Us Girls #446

I was inspired by the multi-stamped dog image used by Kim on her card and decided to switch up the animal based on the owl images in the Card Concepts and JUGS challenges. I used a stamp set from Katzelkraft called ‘Les Piafs’ which I masked to stamp each different bird in a layer, which I then watercoloured. the sentiment is from a Tim Holzt set called ‘Handwritten Thoughts’.

Aren’t these birds cute? Miss K has decided she wants this card to give to a friend.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

 

I love a bit of rainbow action on a birthday card and when I saw the current challenges over at CAS(e) this Sketch and Addicted to CAS I knew exactly the card I wanted to make!

I recently bought the Bundle of Balloons card kit form My Favorite Things and that kit just screamed rainbow. I love the balloon dies in that kit that can make your sentiment or be just plain balloons.

So I went to town with my Big SHot and die cut  10 balloons from rainbow card stock, hand drew on the balloon strings and added a sentiment from Altenew’s ‘Label Love’ set and I was one.

I love this sketch and think I’ll be using it for quite a few more cards.

Thanks for looking and ave a great day.

Today I’ve been playing with my distress markers and water on a background stamp from Penny Black called ‘poppy pattern’. I love colouring directly on the stamp, spritzing with water and then placing my cardstock on top and seeing what you get. It really gives you a deconstructed look to the stamp with very soft edges and blended colours.

I used Candied Apple, Peeled Paint and Black Soot on this image and you can see how the black after mixing with the water and red have now made a darker red in the centre of the flowers.

I got my inspiration from these challenges today:

• Muse #270
• CAS Colours & Sketches #276
• Just Us Girls #445

I like how Tracey in her card used 2 main colours and I have adopted that same idea with the red and green on my card along with the flower being the central focal point.  I changed the sketch up to be horizontal, mounted my floral piece on a black panel then attached both to a white card base, along with one of my favourite sentiments from the Altenew ‘Label Love’ stamp set.

I thought about adding some twine or sequins but then decided not to and keep the focus on the flowers and colours.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

 

I struggle with masculine cards so love when I find a challenge that pushes me down that path with my design. The current challenges at The Male Room and Freshly Made Sketches certainly made this next card an easy one to make!

I decided to flip the sketch around and make the sentiment panel vertical rather than horizontal. I used a sentiment from CAS-ual Fridays ‘Shenanigans’ and the elephant and safari guy are from Gerda Steiner ‘Go Wild’ that I roughly water coloured.

I love how the elephant is hiding and peeking out from behind the edge of the sentiment panel.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

 

As you can tell from past posts, I’ve been having some fun with my alcohol inks. I’ve been trying the foiling on the tacky inks and now I’m combining that with some colours that make the final piece look like a beach scene.

I was inspired to try this look by a paper crafter I admire – Gayatri who has been making beach scenes with alcohol inks.

I thought with this inspiration that my card would be a great entrant for the current challenge over at Seize the Birthday which is all about a Beachy Birthday!

I used alcohol inks in turquoise, aquamarine, pebble, espresso and snow cap with some rose gold deco foil on top. I die cut the palm trees and hammock from black cardstock and stamped the birthday sentiment from Altenew ‘Birthday Greetings’ around the edges of the alcohol panel piece.

I am super happy with how this card came our and can picture myself relaxing in the hammock for my birthday.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.