(Before I get to the pajama party festivities please let me know if you are interested in helping out little Taco Papacito - see this post here - he still needs a foster home or a forever home and I have heard from several stamping companies kind enough to donate supplies for a fundraising blog hop to help cover his eye surgery - thank you!!)
Today I am playing along with Waltzingmouse Stamps' Pajama Party Challenges (which has been challenging to do with my mind on poor little Taco, so if you think this work is not quite my best, you will know why.) I used my new 'Ocean Bound' set on three of these cards, which I was lucky enough to win as blog candy (Thanks Claire & Lynn!!). The first challenge we were asked to 'tie a knot' so I used some thick, rough twine and created this card:
(please click on the photo for clearer resolution). It is based on this week's 'Seize the Sketch'... sketch
I used a Fiskars wave border punch to create the 'ocean' (stamping the ship underneath first) and added a tag next to the knot. Clap clap - challenge 1 complete!
Challenge 2 was called 'Get Nauty' - anything nautical themed (so I technical could have entered all three of my creations thus far) but you got extra bonus points if you made something 3D, so I scoured my pantry for lifesavers to play off of the 'You're a lifesaver' sentiment but found none (EH! - HEY), so instead I used my MFT lollipop die cut and some Fancy Pants paper from their 'Down By The Shore" to create this little thank you treat with a Tootsie lollipop inside:
I fussy cut the cut lifesaver out and tucked the sentiment underneath and added a little crab eyelet from my stash (GASP - how cute would these be with Lifesaver Lollipops?!! I wonder if they still make them...). Challenge 2 - clap clap complete!
Challenge 3 was a coloring combination based on this picture:
I chose to focus on one of the cute seashorse images from the set to create my own background paper:
The chain links were created with an EK Success edger punch I got on clearance at JoAnn's years ago - cool isn't it? And I stamped off the ship image twice with Pcific Point ink to give it a subtle effect behind the 'Bon Voyage' sentiment.
So, those are my first three cards. There are two more challenges I hope to be able to play along with before the Pajama Party ends - hope you will play along too! Thanks for stopping by!~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello my friends & followers! I wanted to get my entry in for Some Odd Girl's August Sketch Challenge before the window of opportunity was completely closed. Here is the sketch:
And here is my card using SURPRISE! - SOG's Preppy Pups set along with SURPRISE! - My Mind's Eye 'Sunshine' paper collection in my favorite color combination: sky blue & chocolate brown - I used to think this color combo.
looked funny, but after seeing it plastered all over the campus of my alma mater for four years it kind of grew on me and since undergrad was such a positive experience those warm, fuzzy feelings probably seeped into that color combination as well - I am always drawn to it when I see it in products in stores. I used Copic colors E74, E77 & E79 to color in the adorable pup. I am going to start needing refills in my E-family soon with all the pups I color, LOL!
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
I've had some folks inquire about how Taco Papacito is going (for the original story, please see this post). Thankfully, he has found a foster family (even if it isn't mine, sniff sniff!) so he at least isn't living at the vet's office anymore. I am waiting for more information on the cost of his eye surgery so I will know how much needs to be raised and have already had a BUNCH of really sweet ladies representing several stamping companies step up and offer to help with a blog hop and crafty goodies for blog candy - so please keep checking back! And a HUGE thank you to those who have already donated (since Taco is now at a foster, it is probably easier to donate to Jansen's Animal Hospital directly if you are interested in helping out - just ask your donation be put toward Taco Papacito's bill for neutering, shots, and boarding fees). Thanks so much for your concern and support of this sweet little dog trying so hard for a second chance at a happy life!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello friends & followers! You know my blog is called 'Canines and Card Designs' - well, today is all about the CANINES! My friend Kelli Jo posted a link to a video by Laurie Bershin about this little stray she rescued, meet Taco Papacito:
You can watch his adorable youtube video here - I dare you not to fall in love: Taco Papacito.
This poor little man has vet bills that are really stacking up and needs to have surgery left eye. I implore you - please do what you can to help Laurie care for this little guy, share his story on your blogs and on FB and Twitter, if you tweet. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated and can be made to the vet's office (Dr. Sauer at Jansen's Animal Hospital in Torrance, CA - just tell them to add it to Taco Papacito's account) directly over the phone at 310-328-0380. A bunch of kind stampers and stamping companies have been kind enough to donate products and design digis for an upcoming fundraiser to cover his expensive eye surgery - so stay tuned for information on that. Please help Taco get healthy and find his forever family (I want him in MINE but hubby is still saying 'no' sniff sniff), he is such a sweet little boy. Thank you all for your love, concern and help, from the bottom of my heart!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Happy Friday Friends & Followers! I hope you have some fun things planned for your weekends! Today I have two cards that I created for some of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' release day challenges over on Splitcoaststampers.com. Ceal's challenge was to create a card where the sentiment was featured. I took this as an opportunity to make some stick pins (LOOOOVE making stick pins for my cards!) in some happy yellow colors and let a warm sentiment from SNSS' 'True Friend' set shine:
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). I love big bold striped patterned papers like this, so classy - if you know of any collections with them I'd always appreciate a heads up in the comments! I used a large EK Success punch to punch out the sentiment and punched a black circle behind it to make it stand out a bit more, and an EK Success Anthus Leaf border punch for the horizontal strip that I tied some satin & sheer Offray ribbon over from the days when I was able to road trip to the Offray Ribbon Outlet in Hagerstown, MD (if you live within an hour or so - DC, Carlisle PA - it is worth the trip if you like ribbon or have a function like a wedding coming up!). I made the stick pins with some beads from a pretty yellow collection at Walmart believe it or not (it is difficult to find yellow beads for some reason). I added a little golden bling to the outer edges of the sentiment as well. I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
Korin's challenge was really pretty - to stamp a silhouette image behind the sentiment. I always love the way this looks when it see it in other people's projects, but I never remember to do it so I appreciated the incentive. I don't have many silhouette images in my collection (I think I love to color too much) so I stamped some paw prints from SNSS' 'Woof You' set, stamping off once to give the ink a more subtle look and created this card, with another sentiment from 'True Friend':
The layout was inspired by the sketch in A.R.T. Challenge #10:
I also entered this card in the following additional challenges as well:
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello Friends & Followers! Today I have a retirement card based on this week's sketch from Sketch Saturday:
I used Papertrey Ink's 'Polka Dot Parade #3' stamp set & dies paired with a retirement sentiment from their 'On the Links' set to create my card:
(please click on the photo for clearer resolution). At first I was going to use the same colors I used in the card I created yesterday, but then I decided how the yellow looked in place of the tangerine for the particular recipient of this card. Isn't the little recliner image cute? Hee hee! Since my card is CAS I am also entering it into My Crafty Spot's Clean & Simple Challenge as well.
Thanks so much for stopping by - feels good to be creating again on a regular basis!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello Friends & Followers! I really enjoyed AShley Cannon Newell's video on this week's Make It Monday Challenge - Stamping Random Backgrounds, looked like a fun way to make a quick, easy & colorful card. I selected 'Boy Basics: Rock On' and used the little music notes for the background:
(click on photo for clearer resolution please). Isn't this color combination cool? It's pink passion, tangerine tango, tempting turquoise and black. The 'Rock On' sentiment was actually stamped on a sun die cut from heart-2-heart #6, I popped the pink guitar (I made this card for my best friend's daughter's birthday - she plays the guitar - the inside says 'Happy Birthday' in a 'Guitar Hero' type font) with dimensionals and added a big shiny music note brad for a little balance. Like it? Hopefully she will too...
I am also entering this card in the following additional two challenges:
Thanks for stopping by to see my card. Hope the upcoming week is a great one for you!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello again friends & followers! I had a lot of fun today participating in the first challenge presented by a new company: Newton's Nook Designs ~ I really like their cute images (and yes, I have already been hinting on their FB page how little Newton kitty needs an image of a puppy friend to keep him company, heh heh heh). I like my new stamps so much that I created two cards with their sketch for their first Inky Paws Challenge:
My first card uses some cute kitties in their 'Newton's Antics' set and some papers that I LOVE from 3 Bugs in a Rug (I LOVE the papers from this company!):
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). See? Told you they were cute!I paper pieced the kitties with papers that had more subtle designs so their features would not get lost and left the cute kitty patterned paper for the background.
I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
For my second card I used their 'Just Say Cheese' set. I opted for coloring with my Copic markers and using dry embossing instead of paper piecing and patterned papers for this card:
The background Spots & Dots embossing reminded me of the holes in the swiss cheese image, and then I embossed some silver cardstock with my Swiss Dots EF and cut it at an angle and added a little 'handle' from scraps at the top to make the shape resemble a grater rather than just a plain rectangle. Unfortunately, it was too difficult to save the cute little mouse's tail in the process of cutting him out, so I gave him a tail made of a short piece of grey embroidery floss tied at one end so it wouldn't fray.
I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
So, what do you think? Do you love Newton's Nook Designs as much as I do? You can play along with their challenge too! There is a freebie digi image on their site you can use, so why don't you join us, you still have the rest of the day and most of the evening to play along... hope you will!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Welcome back Friends & Followers! I DID IT! I finished ALL 42 DTGD Challenges before the deadline - WOO HOO! Never done this before, it feels GREAT and I have a nice collection of cards for my stash as well - SWEET! Enough babbling - let's get to the cards! The first one combined 2 challenges and uses images from Holiday Baskets by Melanie Muenchinger of Gina K. Designs:
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution if necessary). The background was created using the polished stone technique for Stamp TV's Chat & Challenge to use the polished stone technique - never done it before, it calls for metallic reinkers, which I do not own, so I used Yoyo Yellow, Summer Sun and Pumpkin Pie instead. Since they had a fall feel to them I combined them with some sunflowers stamped on summer sun cardstock and cut out by hand (ouch) and popped up above the basket which is embossed with Brownie EP by Zing! directly onto the glossy cardstock base. I added some Cinnamon Stickles to the centers of the sunflowers for some extra sparkle and pizzazz. In addition, I have entered this card in the following additional challenges:
My second, and final DTGD creation, doesn't have any stamping or embossing at all - just adhesive - check it out:
The 'joy' is die cut from WPlus9 Designs' 'Season Sentiments' die set which was run through my Xyron (do you have one of these things? If not - you gotta get one! They have three sizes for every crafter and you can use a half off coupon from Michaels the next time they come around - Easy way to apply loose glitter without messy glues!) on both sides - one side I sprinkled red glitter over, the other was peeled off and adhered to the card. Then I attached a snowflake rhinestone cluster to the center of the 'o'. Easy peasy lemon squeezy right? I am entering this card into the following additional challenges as well:
Thanks so much for sharing my DTGD journey with me and joining in the celebration that I finished them all! WOO HOO!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello Friends & Followers! So nice to have you back again to see more of my cards created for the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges on SCS. Since the deadline is this evening, they will all be finished before midnight. My first card allowed me to use my new-ish 'Glimpse Inside' set from Taylored Expressions along with all the CUTE coordinating dies like the arched window and the window accessories (and I got to COLOR - WOO HOO!)
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). I wish I could remember who made that cute red woodgrain paper (Studio Calico perhaps?), I know the paper pieced wallpaper is from that Season's Greetings stack by Echo Park that I have been using so much lately. I added some Queen & Co. brick red pearls as the tree's glass ornaments and add some sprigs using Martha Stewart's punch to the little window box. I do like how this one came out. I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
When I saw the patterned paper I used in the second card I have for you in this post I knew it would make a pretty card with Asela Hopkins' 'Pretty as a Peacock' set.
and I love the colors in it (it is really so vibrant IRL - I paired it with Eggplant Envy, Lucky Limeade, and Bermuda Bay) and I know I will be using this color combo again! The sentiment and peacock were heat embossed with black EP and I sort of spotlighted the square with Bermuda bay. I am also entering this card in Crafts and Me's Anything Goes challenge (I think it is just too pretty not to show off).
Alright friends & followers - I have one more DTGD challenge cards post later this evening for you, so I hope you will revisit tonight or tomorrow to see them!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello again! I thought since I had a total of four projects to post this evening I would break it into two posts, make it easier to read or something (do you mind posts with a big string of cards? Let me know!). The first is actually a tag rather than a card, using There She Goes Clear Stamps' 'Warmest Wishes' stamp set and coordinating dies and some designer papers from Echo Park's 'Season's Greetings' stack (LOVE that collection!):
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). I just love the rustic look of these colors and papers, so I thought the tiny wooden buttons would be the perfect accents for the mittens with a little twine here, little bling there. I am entering this tag in the following additional challenges:
My second card uses Papertrey Ink's Heart-2-heart #6 collection:
I used the rays of sunshine cutting plate by Taylored Expressions' as a template for the sun's rays and sponged some soft sky ink at the edges of the clouds (I am still 'on cloud nine' myself after realizing I have cloud dies in my collection and no longer have to cut them out by hand, YIPPEE!). I am entering this card in the following additional challenges:
Thanks so much for stopping by again this evening! I appreciate you taking the time to view my creations and read my ramblings. Have a wonderful evening!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello Again Friends & Followers! The first card I have for your viewing pleasure this evening was created for one of the DTGD Challenges on SCS (yes, just ONE!). I used the adorable little sheep from Taylored Expressions' 'Hello Spring' set, some sun rays cut from TE's ray of sunshine cutting plate, and some clouds (I DO own some cloud dies!!) from Papertrey Ink (heart-2-heart #6 dies to be exact) to make this card:
See? I told you the sheep were wicked cute (Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). I also used a Martha Stewart border punch for the grass and I felt the bottom was incomplete so I added a little green & white twine down there. The sentiment inside says 'I hope brighter skies come your way soon.' I thought that was nice. I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
The second card I have for you in the post should be nice when a more formal thank you is needed:
I really love block greetings like this (even if I don't get the opportunity to color on them) ;)
Thanks so much for stopping by - I have a few more to upload this evening and then a post or two tomorrow since the DTGD challenges wrap up around midnight.
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello Friends & Followers! I'm back with more for you! I have three cards for you in this post and (GASP!) NONE of them involve coloring (I KNOW! and I LOVE to color!!) First, a card that fulfilled 4 of the DTGD challenges over on SCS that uses WPlus9 Design's Love Birds stamp set and coordinating dies:
(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution). I created the pink heart background using Papertrey Ink's Background Basics: Hearts set. I am entering this card in the following additional challenges:
My second card only met the requirements of one DTGD challenge, but I really like it just the same:
I used Papertrey Ink's Frog Hop stamp set and coordinating dies and kept it simple with just Lucky Limeade and Garden Green cardstock & inks. I think this will make a nice birthday card for one of my numerous nephews! I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges as well:
This brings me to the last of the three cards I have for you today - this one satisfied FIVE DTGD challenges (I think that is a record for me... not sure though...). It uses the cute little bunny from There She Goes Clear Stamps' 'Good Times' set and some more DP from MME's Sunshine stack (I think that stack is becoming one of my favorites, I am going to be sad when it is all used up!):
Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me NOT to color this bunny? LOL! I need to learn that sepia coloring technique where you are shading with lots of shades of brown - that would have looked nice on this card. I aged the Very Vanilla cardstock with some Memento Rich Cocoa, Crumb Cake and Close to Cocoa inks and sponged some on the ivory lace I used too. That paper& ribbon flower accent could not have been possible without the use of glubers (which I actually got in this cool Cosmo Cricket paper kit I saw at Tuesday Morning, which I had originally purchased because I loved the stamp set in it, LOL!) This card actually is not very 'me' at all - lots of challenges that aren't my style, but that is why they call them'challenges' right? I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
Thanks again for stopping by - I will have more for you to see tomorrow, so you all come back now, 'y hear? ;)~ Crafty Math Chick
Good Morning Friends & Followers! I hope you have a fun weekend planned. Here are some more projects I created for the DTGD challenges on SCS. The first is a little Ghirardelli treat box (tutorial can be found here on SCS - they are WICKED easy to make and recipients have always loved them) that satisfied the requirements of two DTGD challenges:
(please click on the photo for clearer resolution). Experience has taught me that the easiest way to keep the flap of the box closed is to find some cute image, label or tag (I used one from Stampin' Up's retired 'Cute & Curly' set along with their curly label punch) and pop it up with foam tape and then thread a piece of twine or ribbon through the space and tie it on top - festive no? This cute little guy hold 3 Ghirardelli chocolate squares in flavors of your choosing - YUM! I am also entering this Ghirardellia chocolate box into Moxie Fab World's Holiday Food & Treat Wrap Challenge (they allow entries posted within 4 weeks).
The next card satisfied the requirements of three DTGD challenges on SCS:
(the inside says 'the more you have, the harder it is to find your keys - LOL!) I had fun paper piecing the purses from Skipping Stones Design's Birthday Purses set and used a CB 'Houndstooth' EF for a patterned background. Not sure I love the colors on this one - I had pictured it coming out a LOT differently in my head... but it satisfies the requirements of the following additional challenges as well:
Thanks for looking - should have more for you to see later today (have to make some serious progress on the remaining DTGD challenges - there are 42 total and I have only completed 20 of them so far, EEK!) Wish me luck!
~ Crafty Math Chick
Hello Friends & Followers! I cannot tell you how good it feels be to crafting again! I made three cards and one treat box today, but I just don't have the energy to post them all, so I will post two tonight and two tomorrow, along with whatever else I create then. Here is a card I made which satisfied four different DTGD challenges at SCS with Cocoa's Christmas and A Cocoa Kind of Christmas:
(please click on the photo for clearer resolution) I had so much fun coloring little Cocoa mouse, though separating the snowflake bling (it came packages on a long chain I had to separate with a craft knife)... not so much. I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
- Stamp and Create July Challenge - Christmas in July,
- Jellypark Friends Friday Challenge - Christmas in July,
- Totally Papercrafts Challenge - Inspired by a Song (when I was considering the layout of this card and saw the sentiment I ended up using, I kept hearing 'We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, good tidings we bring to you and your kin...' ... you have that song in your head now too, don't you?),
- MilkCoffee Challenge - Show off those coloring skills,
- Whimsical Designs Challenge - use a bug or an animal (I'm pretty sure little Cocoa Mouse counts),
- Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (why not right?), and
- Crafts and Me - Anything Goes.
And this is my other SNSS card that I made today using Love from Rhubarb and this week's SNSS Sweet Stop sketch 221:
I colored him red because it reminds me of my first teddy bear that I had since I was little that used to sit on my dresser, it was red and I loved how unique it was. I know it doesn't show up well in the picture, but I used some Studio G glitter glue (which is just as nice as Stickles if anyone was curious, and might even come out in a finer line...) on his wings to make them sparkly - it's really pretty, sort of a red holographic glitter. I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:
Thanks so much for stopping by to see my creations and read my ramblings. Have a great night! I will be back tomorrow with more!
~ Crafty Math Chick
