Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge for Dr. Cameron, Veterinarian

I love Paper Smooches stamps and don't use them nearly enough, so I was determined to play along with this week's Paper Smooches Sparks 'Picture Perfect' Challenge. When I saw this inspiration photo:

I decided to use all those vertically piled stones and use lots of cute pet images from Kim's Woofers & Tweeters, Nine Lives & Santa Paws sets along with some festive red paw print patterned paper by American Crafts to create this Christmas card for her:

I colored the doxie in the middle like my Ty Baby.  I hope Dr. Cameron likes it.  I honestly believe she is the best veterinarian in the world - she always went above & beyond to take extra special care of my Ty baby, and I wanted to let her know how much I appreciate it even though we have moved away and we can't visit her any longer. 

Speaking of Ty Baby, he is not doing very well right now.  We are not sure what is wrong.  There were no masses or fractures in the x-ray our local vet in our new location took, so he suspects it is referred nerve pain for a swollen cervical disc but that can't be diagnosed without an MRI and he doesn't have that machine.  So Ty is on a course of steroids, muscle relaxers and meds for nerve pain, but he seems to be getting worse rather than better.  I had hoped we could avoid an MRI and potentially another back surgery, but I don't know what the future holds.  If you happen to know me at all you know Ty means the world to me and that thought of him in pain and me unable to help him destroys me.  If you are the praying type, it would mean SO Much to me and to little Ty if you could offer up a prayer or two, positive energy and good thoughts, that he get well and feel better SOON!  Please?!!  Yes, I am so desperate for him to feel better I am begging for prayers on the internet.  :'(

Thanks for stopping by my blog to see my card and for prayers offered for Ty Baby.

~ Crafty Math Chick

Barbie's Christmas Card with Newton's Nook Designs

Hello!  Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish visitors and can you believe it is less than a week until Christmas?!!  Such a fun & happy time of year!  If you have visited my blog before you know I am a HUGE dog lover.  Several of my friends are as well and I LOVE making dog themed holiday cards for them!  Here is one I made using 'Canine Christmas':

for my friend Barbie, who has been a doggie Momma to many a black Labrador Retriever over the years:

Black is challenging to color with Copics IMHO!  LOL!  But I did my best with Black 100, W9, W7 and W5.  I love the traditional bold bright colors in Doodlebug's 'Northpole' collection and used some big rhinestones to complement the bold polka dots in this paper.  I hope Barbie likes it...

Challenges in which I entered this card:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes (did you know that Simon Says Stamp sells Newton's Nook Designs too?  They do!!), 
A Random Fan Challenge 21: anything goes (with a hand colored image) (I used Copics), and
SugarPea Designs Challenge 12: Anything goes.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday season!

~ Crafty Math Chick

For our neighbor with Newton's Nook Designs

Hello everyone!  Today it is my turn to make something crafty for the Newton's Nook Designs Blog, so I decided to use Newton's Holiday Mischief:

To make a card for our neighbors, who owns a pretty grey kitty:

I created the door by dry embossing some pieces of kraft cardstock with a woodgrain pattern and then sponging some Crumb Cake ink around the edges to add some additional depth & texture and added a big brad as the doorknob.  Cutting Newton (here Newton is dressed as 'Nigel' kitty, who is grey) out was a bit tricky, but once that was accomplished I hung his wreath from the door using a smaller brad and thought since his tail was curling that would be a cut way to attach the sentiment dangling by some sparkly twine as a sign with the sentiment stamped & punched out with a word window punch.  I hope they will like it!  They don't know I stamp.  A lot of folks find out this about me at Christmas, LOL!  

Challenges entered:

• Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: Christmas/Holidays.  (Did you know Simon Says Stamp also carries Newton's Nook Designs?  They do!  You can always check them if a set you want is temporarily sold out on the website!)
• A Random Fan Challenge 20: Christmas with a Hand-colored image (Newton is colored with Copic markers)

I hope you like my card and I hope I have inspired you to continue (or start...) your holiday cards and projects... unless you are finished already.  I am finished with Hanukkah and started my holiday & Christmas cards long ago, but still have quite a few more to complete before the holiday.  Don't forget - any Christmas themed cards or projects you make using NND stamps you can enter in our current Inky Paws Challenge running through Friday, December 12th at midnight CST as well!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Blog Hop by Newton's Nook Designs

Welcome to another stop on the Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Blog Hop by Newton's Nook Designs!  I hope you have been enjoying the visual delights my fellow Teamies & special guests have created for you on this fun hop indented to inspire you for your holiday projects.  I decided to create a card using a set I begged Jennifer to illustrate because it had a SNOW PUPPY in it so I could customize it for my family (as you can for yours!) -- Flaky Family:

I depicted Ty, my hubby, and myself using the cute snow family images in this card:

I did a little bit of masking to get the family to huddle together like this and added some loose, sparkly, iridescent glittery touches to them with a glue pen.  I paired the cute snowman family with some whimsical smiling snowmen paper from Doodlebug's 'Northpole' collection (am I the only one who has trouble cutting into Doodlebug paper collections?  They are ALL SO CUTE and I just wanna hoard them!  LOL!) and tied the pennant with some rich green baker's twine by Martha Stewart, which I purchased years and years ago during an after-Christmas sale before using twine on cards was all the rage.  Fellow Teamie Tessa has used a similar layout on a few occasions with this BIG pennant die, I wanted to give it a try myself, I really like it!  Not too fussy, but not too simple either - what do you think?

ENTER TO WIN!

We will be choosing TWO lucky winners to win a $10 store credit for Newton's Nook Designs' online shop!  To enter, just leave comments on the Design Team Members & Guest blogs (see list below).  Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs in the blog hop.  Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win! You will not know which blogs have been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning!  You have until Sunday, December 7th at 9 pm CST to comment -- winners will be announced on the NND blog on Monday, December 8th.  Good luck!!

Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Blog Hop:

Newton's Nook Designs 
Nichol Magouirk
Jennifer McGuire
Amy Sheffer
Laura Bassen
Heather Hoffman

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick (That's me!!)

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Since this card also has snowmen, I am entering it in Mod Squad's 'Snowmen' Challenge as well!  Shellye's blog is next on the hop - I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy - and thanks for stopping by!

~ Crafty Math Chick

PS - 

Newton's Nook Designs ~ Inky Paws Challenge #16

Hello everyone!  It's time for another fun Inky Paws Challenge from Newton's Nook Designs!  Jen is in the holiday spirit a little early and has picked this fun theme for our latest Inky Paws Challenge - Christmas!!

(isn't that wreath pretty?)  I decided to begin on Ty's yearly holiday doggie treat for his neighborhood doggie friends:

Petco has these CUTE doggie treats that look and smell like real Hydrtox cookies.  I first found out about them when Ty was a prize at this year's 'Pooch Plunge'  - they were SO cute!  I was excited when I learned that that came in festive holiday colors this time of year, perfect for puppy gift giving!  I created this little goodie bag using some of last year's collection of MME's holiday 12 x 12 stack and tried to position the 'Noel' in the middle and the 'Happy Howl-i-days' sentiment underneath it using a Word Window punch.  I paper pieced a portion of the paper that has a heart on it for the body of Ty's sweater and thought it would be cute to have him resting on the 'NOEL'.  I took a snowflake wooden  veneer and dragged it across my Ridinghood Red inkpad a few times to give rustic look that matched the treat bag a little better, and stuck a gold pearl by Queen & Co. in the center.  Popped the treat inside and tied the bag up with some Ridinghood Red ribbon and sparkly golden twine and VOILA!  Done!  Now to make about 10 more of these - I need more puppy Oreos too!  LOL!  

Of all the dogs in Jen's CUTE doggie sets, I think this little pup from Canine Christmas looks the most like Ty (though ALL of her pups are wicked cute!!):

Hope you will play along with us!  Jen is giving you THREE weeks to play along this time for a chance to win a gift certificate to the NND store, and if there are more than 15 entries she will pick TWO winners!! - how generous is that?!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Can't wait to see what you create!  

Since I have used Jen's cute critters in my Christmas themed creation I am also entering this goodie bag in Naughty or Nice Challenge's 'Festive Furballs' Challenge (mine is 'nice' - don't you think?).  

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs November Release - Day 2

Hello Everyone!  Welcome back to the second and final day of Newton's Nook Designs' November release.  Today we are sharing a beautiful snowflake set that Jennifer illustrated inspired by quilling techniques, aptly named 'Beautiful Blizzard':

I SO wanted to quill on my cards using this set!  But alas, I cannot find my quilling kit since our move, so instead I decided to make a pair of CAS cards, the first uses Pool Party, Lost Lagoon and Certainly Celery (and tons of sequins, pearls & rhinestones from a variety of companies):

And the second uses Eggplant Envy, Wisteria Wonder, Pale Plum & Basic Grey:

Then I decided to make a few using an emboss resist technique - I heat embossed several of the snowflake images with white embossing powder on glossy cardstock and then sponged inks of the same color combinations over the top and wiped the excess off with a paper towel.  Here is the one with the aqua color combination:

And here is the one with the purples:

Both of these are actually much more vibrant in real life.  I plan on donating them for Vera's Caring Hearts Christmas Card Drive, collecting cards for residents in nursing homes who might not have much family left or get any cards for Christmas.  

Would you like to win 'Beautiful Blizzard'?
This set will be given away to TWO lucky winners!!

Here's how to win:

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)!  Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs' release posts.  Make sure you check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win.  You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning!  You have until Tuesday, November 11th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Wednesday, November 19th.

Check out all these awesome Design Team & Guest Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs
Taheerah Atchia
Lydia Brooke
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Shellye McDaniel
Jess Moyer
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Tessa Wise 
Donna Mikasa (Guest Designer)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, your comments mean to much to me.  Shellye's blog is next on the hop, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you!  Enjoy!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs November Release ~ Day 1

Hello Everyone!  Welcome to the first day of Newton's Nook Designs November Release Sneak Peeks.  Today we are sharing creations with an fun new winter animal set - 'Winter Tails':

I saw Winston on that big snowball and perhaps it was the two little curves to the right of the image but I instantly thought 'SPINNER CARD'!  (I thought I was so original but apparently a few of us had the same idea, great minds think alike huh?)  So here is mine (I included three pictures so you could 'see' the movement but Newton and his bunny pal weren't blocked):

My little nephew's brrr-thday is in December, so this card will be perfect for him!  Instead of using the word window punch to create the slot as I have in the past I used a curvy die and simply separated the top and bottom pieces and used some pom poms to create little snowball piles to keep Winston from rolling right off the card, LOL!  I added touches of iridescent glitter glue to the snowball and snowdrifts and in real life, they really sparkle!  I hope you like it!

Would you like to win 'Winter Tails'?
This set will be given away to TWO lucky winners!!

Here's how to win:

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)!  Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs' release posts.  Make sure you check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win.  You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning!  You have until Tuesday, November 11th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Wednesday, November 19th.

Check out all these awesome Design Team & Guest Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs
Taheerah Atchia
Lydia Brooke
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Shellye McDaniel
Jess Moyer
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Tessa Wise 
Donna Mikasa (Guest Designer)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, your comments mean to much to me.  Shellye's blog is next on the hop, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you!  Enjoy!

  
~ Crafty Math Chick

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge with Newton's Nook Designs

Hello!  A cool announcement - Jennifer of Newton's Nook Designs is sponsoring this week's Cupcake Inspirations Challenge, so I certainly hope you will play along for a chance to some NND crafty goodness!  Here is the cool inspiration pic:

To me the cupcake tops reminded me of heat embossing, so I used NND's Falling Into Autumn set:

To create this card:

I decided to keep this one simple & elegant.  I never seem to have enough 'thank you' cards in my stash, so I was inspired to use 'grateful' as my sentiment.  I embossed the pretty silhouette oak leaf image using Tangerine Tango embossing powder with Versamark (which seems to work MUCH better than the embossing pad I was previously using on projects!) on Chocolate Chip paper and created a simple scalloped punched border to frame the panel before adhering it to a Close to Cocoa (MISS this color!) card base.  

Hope you will play along with us!  And just a heads up - keep your eyes open for sneak peeks of NEW NND sets coming up Monday!!  Happy weekend!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Decorated Glass Magnets with Newton's Nook Designs

Welcome!  Today it's my turn to make a creation for the Newton's Nook Designs blog and I decided to share a tutorial with you on how to make some decorated glass magnets using NND's Falling Into Autumn stamp set

along with its own little homemade box.  I should note that I first got the idea for these magnets from my friend Emily almost two years ago, but I created the box on my own from measuring the dimensions of the glass stones I used for the project.  Here is a list of the supplies you will need:

• Newton's Nook Designs 'Falling Into Autumn' stamp set,
• large glass gems (they sell them for $1 at Dollar Tree - I try to find the clear ones that are not iridescent so the images show through more clearly),
• Glossy Accents or some other kind of glue that dries clear,
• round magnets - I used 5/8" diameter magnets and they held just fine, 3/4" would work great as well,
• 1 1/4" circle punch (and a 1" circle punch if you choose to mat them as I did), 
• stylus or bone folder (something to score with),
• inks in colors of choice (I selected Dandelion, Ladybug, Potter's Clay and Rich Cocoa by Memento)
• 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" piece of paper for the box, 
• patterned papers for side panels if desired (front, back, bottom and top are 4 1/4" x 1 1/4" mats and 4" x 1" DP; sides are 1 1/4" square mats & 1" square DPs), and 
• scissors.

First, select the images you want to use and the colors you like best and stamp them.  Since these glass gems had diameters of 1 1/2" I needed to make sure the images were smaller than that:

Since the images I selected were on the small side, I punched them out using a 1" circle punch and then punched mats for them in coordinating colors using a 1 1/4" circle punch:

I also did a set with the images embossed in bright colors on a dark background to see how they'd look for comparison:

Next I applied a dollop of Glossy Accents to the center of the flat side of each glass gem about the size of a dime, maybe a little smaller:

Then I applied my stamped circles face down into the glue:

Apply another dollop of Glossy Accents to the centers of the paper circles just slightly smaller than the diameter of the magnets (the glue will spread as the magnet is pressed into the glue):

Gently press the magnets into the glue.  

Set them aside to dry a bit while you create the box.  Take a 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" peice of cardstock.  On one side, score at 1/2", 2", 3 1/2" and 5".  Rotate the cardstock 90 degrees and score 1" in from each side (left & right).  Position the square so that the thin 1/2" scored section is at the top (that will be the little flap that fits inside the top to close it) and remove the top two sections on both the left & right sides.  Cut in 1" along the score lines as indicated in the picture below: 

Attach strong adhesive to the three flaps on the left & right sides:

 Fold & adhere:

Now decorate the holder any way you like!  I stamped images from 'Falling Into Autumn' on the 4" x 1"  white strips for the top, front & back (didn't see the point in decorating the bottom of the box, LOL!) and 1" squares for the left & right sides, and matted them with 4 1/4" x 1 1/4" strips & 1 1/4' squares of Yoyo Yellow cardstock:

Adhere to the box and you're done - TA DA!  

Here is a close up of the magnet on my fridge:

Thanks so much for taking the time to view my tutorial.  I hope you are inspired to give these a try yourself sometime - they are an inexpensive & easy way to make lots of personalized gifts for friends, neighbors, teachers - anyone!  Enjoy!  Have a great day!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge #15

Hello everyone!  Time for another fun Inky Paws Challenge by Newton's Nook Designs!  For this challenge, Jen wants to see your Newton's Nook Creations SPARKLE!

I decide to go with a halloween theme before the holiday arrives and is gone before we know it.  

I knew I wanted to use the cute ghost kitty image from Boo Crew. So I stamped him and added a little creamy orange and light pink to his paws, tail & ears.  To make him stand out I created a bat shape using a circle punch for the body and a smaller oval punch for the wings.  I cut a banner from some orange pre-glittered paper from an older 4" x 12" stack by Martha Stewart Crafts (seriously, I think I purchased it in 2010, at the latest!) and finally got to use some of my neon amber Zing! embossing powder that I found at a Tuesday Morning last year (Score!) for the sentiments.  Finally I attached a few shiny black bat sequins that I got from Michaels last year during Halloween clearance.  TA DA!  Card complete!

I hope you'll play along with us - one lucky participant will win a $10 gift certificate to Newton's Nook Designs, and if more than 15 people play along Jen will select TWO winners!  (Is she generous or what?!!)  So join us - no NND images?  No problem!  Jen has some freebies for you on the blog as well.  So join us - get SPARKLY!    And good luck!

Additional Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes (did you know Simon Says Stamps now sells Newton's Nook Designs?  They do!!),

Papertake Weekly Challenge: Black, white & 1 other color (obviously, I used orange), and 

Kitty Bee Aloha Fridays Challenge: Halloween

~ Crafty Math Chick

Healing Thoughts Recessed card

Hello!  Lately I have WAAAAY too many friends hurting themselves or getting sick (I need my friends to stay healthy and stop hurting themselves already!  Poor things!!) so I have quite a few 'get well soon' cards to make.  This one I made for a friend I originally met on youtube, and got to know a little better on FB, for her hubby that had a horrific accident (he is going to be fine, but he is pretty banged up and broken for a while until he heals).  I got the idea for it from Stamp TV's October Release Party Challenge - to make a recessed card.  Haven't made one of those in a while.  

The teddy bear isn't too childish for a grown man, is it?  I used the teddy bear image from 'Under the Weather' by Gina K. Designs and paired it with the above sentiment, which I thought was more appropriate for someone who was not sick per se, but healing... a lot...  I colored the bear with my Copics (E59, 57, 55) and paper pieced his paw pads & bandages using some papers from Gina's 'Poolside' collection.  In retrospect, I wish I had used teenie wooden buttons instead of the black rhinestones, more masculine.

Additional Challenges:

Creative Knockouts Challenge: animal friends, 
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge 76: for the boys, and

Kitty Bee Designs Aloha Friday Challenge #34: dies or punches (I used a die to cut out the recessed window)

Thank you for taking the time to look at my card!  Have a great evening!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs October Release - Day 5

Welcome back to the fifth & final day of Newton's Nooks Designs' October Release Reveals.  Hasn't the release been AMAZING this month?!!  The final October set will delight dog & cat lovers alike - introducing 'Christmas Delivery':

Isn't this set SOOO CUTE?!!!  I certainly think so!  Allow me to show you where my quirky brain went with this adorable image:

LOL, I have NO idea why that is my I imagined the pets were thinking!  I colored the image with Copic markers, and the background is simply a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder.  Not sure it shows in the photo, but the pup's Santa hat has sparkly fluff added to the brim & a pom pom added to the tip to add a little texture.  

Additional Challenges:

Creative Knockouts Challenge: animal friends

Polkadoodles Challenge Week 42: Christmas Fun

Crafty Bloggers Network October Challenge: Christmas

ABC Challenge: V is for Vibrant colors (I think the image is colored vibrantly)

And I wanted to show you I am capable of making classy cards as well, so I made this one too:

Here I just focused on the pretty scripty sentiment which was embossed in silver on red cardstock and then punched with an ornament shaped punch and 'hung' with some sparkly twine.  I felt the card needed a little 'something more' so I added the Fiskars punched border and a portion of a glittery sticker from K.I. Memories that is pre-glittered red ornaments.  

What do you think?  Which card do you like better?

Would you like to win 'Christmas Delivery'?
This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner!!

Here's how to win:

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)!  One winner will be chosen at random from the collective blogs listed below.  Make sure you check out each blog and comment for your chance to win.  You will not know which blog will be chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning!  You have until Friday, October 17th at 9 pm Central Daylight Time to comment -- winners will be announced on the NND blog on Saturday, October 18th.

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs
Taheerah Atchia
Lydia Brooke
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Shellye McDaniel
Jess Moyer
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Tessa Wise
Heather Hoffman (Guest Designer)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog to see what I created for you.  I really do enjoy doing it.  Next stop on the hop is Shellye McDaniel I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see - Enjoy!  Happy Hopping!

~ Crafty Math Chick