Happy Thanksgiving One and All!

...from our family to yours!
Warmest Regards,
     Crafty Math Chick

Poppin' By to Say Hi

Hello friends & followers!  Are you starting to get caught up in the chaos of the holiday season yet?  With shopping for all of your Thanksgiving ingredients, casing out the best Black Friday sales and starting your holiday shopping?  Takes away from crafting a little bit doesn't it?  Today I have a card that was inspired by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Inspiration Challenge 14 based on this photo:

and SNSS' The Sweet Stop Sketch 135.  The Circus theme made me think of elephants, which I adore, but since I don't have any SNSS elephant stamps the next circusy thing that came to mind was POPCORN!  And I just happened to have a digi image of cute little Cocoa mouse peering around a box of popcorn so I used that in combination with some striped DP from Echo Park to create this card:

(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I just love coloring little Cocoa with my Copic markers.  I figured 'Poppin' By to Say Hi!' of something of that nature would be a good sentiment for the inside, don't you agree?  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges as well:

• Shopping Our Stash Challenge - Never Been Inked or Neutral Color Challenge (I went with 'never been inked' as this is the first time I used this digi image),
• Pile It On Challenge 47 - Anything with a 'P' (Popcorn!!),
• Forever Friends Challenge - Something Old, Something New (the image is new, the cardstock and twine I have had for over a year, I hope that is old enough), and
• One Stitch at a Time Challenge - Anything Goes.

Thank you all for stopping by my blog and viewing my creations.  If I do not have the opportunity to post again before Thursday (though I hope I will) I wish you all a very happy, healthy Thanksgiving and lucky shopping on Black Friday!!  :)
~Crafty Math Chick

Waltzing With the Stars

Good afternoon Friends, Followers and Waltzers!  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!  This month's Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz theme is Christmas - my favorite kind of cards to make (well, maybe tied with dog themed cards, LOL).  I decided to finally ink up my Seasons of Love Tags set by WMS and create this CAS number for your viewing pleasure:

I embossed that pretty star shape with silver EP and cut it out (it is designed to fit the Stars Nestabilities set, but I don't have it yet), added a silver eyelet using my Crop-o-dile and some silver cord, which was a little tricky to fit through the opening.  I popped the star tag up with dimensionals onto some red foil paper by American Crafts which I punched at the bottom with Martha Stewart's stars border punch which I matted with shimmery silver cardstock and voila - that is pretty much it.  Relatively easy right?  This makes my holiday card count for the year 50 on the nose.  Still behind where I hope to be this time of year, but not too bad right?  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:

• The Pink Elephant Challenge 125 - Embossing,
• Stamptacular Sunday Challenge 138  - Punch it, and
• Shopping Our Stash  - Never Been Inked (I know, it is so embarrasing that I did not ink up this pretty set sooner!)

     Thanks so much for stopping by to see my creations.  I hope you enjoy your journey along the WMS Blog Waltz.  I am always impressed with the pretty things the other waltzers create with Claire's lovely images.  Have a great day!
~Crafty Math Chick

Taylored Expressions Blast From the Past Blog Hop

Hello Friends, Followers and Blog Hoppers!  Welcome!  If you arrived here from Kary Lim's blog you are on the right track.  This month's theme was 'Thankful'.  While I do have an Autumn/Thanksgiving set from Taylored Expressions I could not use it for today's hop as we are only supposed to be showcasing the 'Blast from the Past'.  So, I got a little creative and used the It's A Banner Day 1 set and die along with the cute cows from TE's Green Acres set to create this thank you card 'from the whole herd' using this week's TESC150 sketch:

I used some denim and handkerchief patterned paper for a farmy feel abd a Martha Stewart punch to create the grass.  In addition to the TESC150 sketch Challenge, this card fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• Fussy N Fancy  - Be Thankful,
• Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays - Thank you,
• Stamptacular Sunday Challenge 138 - Punch It (I used a circle punch, and two different edger punches for the grass and scalloped lace and a It's a Banner Day 1 die as well),
• Creative Card Crew - Thankful,
• Shopping Our Stash - Never Been Inked Challenge (This is the first time I used both Green Acres and It's a Banner Day 1 sets),
• Party Time Tuesdays Challenge 42 - Thank you,
• The Paper Variety - Thanks,
• Inky Impressions Challenge 33 (IIC33) - Give Thanks,
• Stamps R Us Challenge - Crafty Sentiments Bling It On,
• Forever Friends Month's Challenge for November - Something Old, Something New (the patterned papers & rhinestones are old and the stamp sets and die are new), and
• The ABC Challenge - D is for Dazzle (I added several rhinestones to bling up the card).

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you like my card.  Jen Shults' blog is next, I am sure she will have something spectacular for you!  Just click on her name below.





~Crafty Math Chick

The Last of my HYCCT Cards

Hello friends and followers!  It took me so long to upload all my HYCCT cards to SCS that I didn't have time to post them here for you last night, so I am doing so now.  I have five for your viewing pleasure today.  The first was for a challenge to make a card inspired by 'your happy place' - well, to me, that is when I am cuddling the sweetest little dog on Earth so I made a dog card using this adorable 'I Woof You' digi from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps along with the sketch from their release party and some patterned paper from DCWV's Pet stack to create this card:

I really like how my copic coloring came out on this little guy.  I had no idea what to do with this little quarter circle tucked behind the intersection of the two strips so I came up with the idea of having the cute little doggie peek out from behind them.  My husband adores this card.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• Digital Tuesday Challenge 135 (DTC135) - Cute & Cuddly with a digi image,
• The Poodles Parlour Challenge - Let's Hear It for the Boys (to make a masculine card),
• Stamps R Us Challenge - Masculine Theme, and 
• Charisma Cardz Challenge 44 - Cutesty.

     My next card was made for the HYCCT challenge to use paper like it was ribbon.   This was the most difficult challenge for me.  I saw in the SCS gallery that a lot of folks were punching tissue paper with a border punch to resemble lace so that is what I did with some hot pink tissue paper.  It kept jamming my punch and I can't say I will be doing this again anytime in the near future, LOL, but here is my card using the cute There She Goes Clear Stamps' 'Freeze the Moment' set and The Deconstructed Sketch 26:

In addition, this card also fulls the requirements of The Play Date Cafe's Color Challenge 106, to use pink, yellow and grey based on this inspirational picture:

   My third card was for the HYCCT challenge that required us to disguise our stamping style.  I like to think my stamping style is varied and I don't really have one set style, but I rarely do any fancy folded cards so I figured I would go with that and make a center step card using Gina K. Designs' Snow Much Fun set:

This card was surprisingly easy - though it turned out requiring a large square envelope, and I rarely make card that don't fit into the standard A2 envelopes either so - double disguise.  It doesn't show up well int he photo, but the bottom is all pre-glittered paper I used to create snow mounds for this little guy.
     The fourth card was made for HYCCT's challenge to 'send a little sunshine' with a card of encouragement, so I made this one using Gina K. Designs' You Are Not Alone set:

The floral images in this set are really perfect for the thumping technique with markers.  I embossed the background using CB's Birds & Swirls embossing folder and some yummy ribbon from the Offray outlet.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the Stamp-n-Doodle's Emboss it Challenge.  
     That brings us to the last card of the five I have for you this morning, made for the HYCCT challenge to make a card with lots of girlie embellishments.  This was also a challenge for me - I would rather make a masculine card than make one with lots of foofy embellishments any day - but I stretched myself for the challenge and came up with this one using My Favorite Things' Flopsey Flowers and MFT's Gettin' Sketchy Week 44 sketch (I substituted Flopsey in for the oval), some papers from the DCWV's Flower stack, lace, velvet ribbon and prima flowers with rhinestone centers:

'Girlie' enough for you?  LOL!  This card also fulfills the requirements of the Forever Friends Bling-Bling Challenge - to use rhinestones with a cute & cuddly animal image, and I for one certainly think Flopsey is cute & cuddly.  That's it - all 33 HYCCT challenges complete!  Now to mail all of these to their new home at the UT MD Andersen Cancer Center where I hope they will spread some joy...
   Well, that is all I have for you this morning, I hope to do some stamping later today but am not sure if I will have much time after straightening up my craft room, I have a few scraps to organize and put away.  Thanks so much for stopping by and seeing my creations!  I hope you have a wonderful week!
~Crafty Math Chick

Still More HYCCT Cards

Hello friends & followers!  I have been busy in my craft room all day stamping away trying to complete the remaining Hope You Can Cling To (HYCCT) challenges over at Splitcoaststampers (SCS).  I have five more for your viewing pleasure today.  
     The first card is for Judy's HYCCT challenge to create a card with yummy edibles and a splash of pink.  I decided to use Peachy Keen Stamps Sketch 64 and Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' So Sweet Cocoa set paired up with some patterned paper from DCWV's Sweet mat stack to create this card:

This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Inspiration Challenge 12 - the sprinkles on the cupcake in the picture made me instantly think of this image of Cocoa mouse peeking out the middle of the donut,
• Paper Cupcake's magical Monday Challenge - Trick-or-Treat or Something Sweet (I obviously went with 'something sweet'),
• Forever Friends Bling Bling Challenge - to use rhinestones with a cute & cuddley animal,
• The Ribbon Carousel Challenge 27 - Anything Goes with Ribbon or Twine, and 
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes plus a Bit of Bling.

     My next card was for Jami's HYCCT challenge to make a holiday card where pink is the predominant color.  I used Sketch TESC149 by Taylored Expressions and their adorable new Woodland Winter set which was a birthday present from my 'deer' friend Barbie (THANKS BARBIE!!) and came up with this card:

The sweet little woodland critters are colored with Copic markers and I tied a bit of green & pink twine at the top in a bow for a little fun.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - to choose a favorite sketch and make a holiday card using it,
• Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge 35 - make a Christmas card and use ribbon, and
• The Ribbon Carousel Challenge 27 - Anything Goes with Ribbon or Twine.  

     My third card was made for Beate's challenge to make a circle card.  I used a cute digi image called 'Cocoa with a Cause' from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, some nestabilities die cuts and some punched hearts from my heart trio punch from Stampin' Up! to create this card:

I decided to leave Cocoa white here.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• Allsorts Challenge Week 128 - to make a card that is 'anything but a square', 
• Digital Tuesday Challenge 135 - Cute & Cuddly with a digi image,
• Charisma Cardz Week 44 Challenge - Cutesy, and
• Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Release Party Challenge #3 - to make a card using at least 2 die cuts or punches.

     My fourth card was made for Cathleen's 'Thank a Caregiving' HYCCT challenge using the clean and simple version of The Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge 128 (MMSC128), Doctor Hanna by Hanna Stamps and some yum-MAY S.E.I. paper from their Charlamagne collection with glossy raised embossing on it:

This card also fulfills the requirements of two additional challenges:

• Do You Stack Up Challenge 44 (DYSU44) - To Use Teal in your card, and 
• One Stop Craft Challenge - To Use 3 of something in honor of their 3rd Birthday.

     My last card was made for Lisa Lara's HYCCT challenge to make a CAS card with a splash of pink.  I figured Skipping Stones Design's Birthday Purses would fit the bill perfectly:

Just five more challenges to complete and I will have finished all 33 HYCCT challenges!  Wish me luck!  Have a great weekend!  And thanks for stopping by!!  :)
~Crafty Math Chick

Viva la HYCCT (and Verve!)

Hello friends & followers!  I have three more cards for your viewing pleasure as I slowly but surely catch up on my HYCCT challenges.  The first was for HYCCT1116 - to make a card using a pink ribbon.  I borrowed Verve's Viva la Verve sketch for Week 4 of October to create this card:

There is no actual stamping on this card - the BIG 'i' & 'u' are die cuts from Verve called 'I Heart U'.  The heart is from a heart trio punch by Stampin' Up!  The patterned papers are all from retired SU hostess stacks.    This card also fulfills the requirements of Wags n Whiskers Challenge 66 since I used ribbons & the color black.  
   My second card was for HYCCT1113 - to make a card with a butterfly on it.  I used Verve's Viva la Verve Week 1 October sketch and their Blue Skies set to create this card:

I added pearl accents to the butterfly's body and the tips of its antenae.  This card also fulfills the following additional challenges:

• Wags n Whiskers Challenge 66 - To use the color black plus ribbons or pearls (I used both in this one), 
• Our Craft Lounge Challenge 89 - Going Pink, and
• Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Challenge - Monochromatic.

     My last card was for HYCCT1125 to make a birthday card, which I did using Verve's 'Big Wish' set and Viva la Verve's October Week 5 sketch:

The papers are from Basic Grey's Indian Summer collection (I think they work great for autumn too!) and I colored in the cake with markers and adds rows of pink rhinestones around the top & bottom edges of the cake for a little sparkle.  This card also fulfills the requirements of Basic Grey Challenge 56 - Anything Goes with a Basic Grey Product, and Dolce Stamps & Cards Challenge to make a square card with at least one die cut.
     Well, that is all I have for you so far, but I have a lot of stamping in my future as I still have several HYCCT challenges upon which to catch up, so please keep checking back!  Have a great day!!  :D
~Crafty Math Chick

Still Working on HYCCT Cards

Hello friends & followers, I hope you are all doing well.  I have two more cards to show you, both were created for Hope You Can Cling To (HYCCT) challenges over at Splitcoaststampers.com (SCS).  The first uses Teresa Kline's 'Viva la Verve!" Week 2 sketch - I thought it was a really challenging sketch that perplexed me for weeks so I am proud of myself for finally seeing a way to utilize it - along with Eva's HYCCT1129 Challenge over at SCS, to make a card that focuses on words of encouragement; I knew There She Goes Clear Stamps' Angel Mail set would be perfect for this challenge:

I used some heart shaped Marvy Uchida punches and some patterned papers from retired Stampin' Up! hostess stacks and cut the wing images out by hand.  I added a piece of twine purchased from Home Depot and tied a knot in the end to match the 'tie a knot and hang on' sentiment - and now it fulfills the requirements of Challenge TSG128 - Au Naturale - to use twine, burlap, hemp, etc. on your card, and Dolce Stamps & Cards Challenge - make a square card with one or more die cuts.  


My second card was designed using Skipping Stones Design's Sketch 100 and their Bra's Volume 1 set to create this card for Tammy's Bosom Buddies HYCCT Challenge - to make a card that incorporates pink, ribbon and a friendship theme.  

This card also fulfills the following additional challenges:

• Stamp Scrap and Doodle - Monochromatic, and 
• Our Craft Lounge 89 (OCL89) - Going pink.

Thanks so much for stopping by to see my creations - I am way behind on my HYCCT challenges so plan on seeing a LOT more cards from me in the next few days.  Thanks again!  :)
~Crafty Math Chick

We Have a Winner!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:6Powered by RANDOM.ORG

(I do not know why it says '100' here - my search parameters were 1 through 7... strange...)
TA DA - Makalah - it's you!!  Please PM me your mailing address at SCS (my username there is the same - Crafty Math Chick) so I can get your goodies in the mail to you.  If I don't hear from you in a few days I will draw another name.  Thank you all so much for being my loyal stamping friends & followers!  Off to create... I have some HYCCT challenges to catch up on!

~Crafty Math Chick