Using Newton's Nook Designs' Holiday Tweets to Embellish Birdseed Bells

Hello Everyone!  Today it is my turn to be featured on the Newton's Nook Designs' Blog - YAAY!  Today I decided to share an ornament/tag I originally tried to complete for Tracey McNeely's 25 Days of Christmas Tag Event (of which Newton's Nook Designs is a sponsor I might add) using NND's Holiday Tweets set:

I decided to create a pretty tag for a Birdseed bell that could easily be taken off and used as an ornament on your own tree after the birdseed bell is hung outside to feed our feathered friends.

I stamped the image and colored it with my Copic markers, punched it out and adhered it to a little nest I found at Michaels (which was tricky).  I attached some sparkly red berries which I cut from a Christmas pick I found on 80 or 90 percent clearance after Christmas (GREAT time to pick up photo props for the following year!).  I stamped the sentiments and attached them to one another using some twine (I liked the 'dangley' effect of it) and thread some holiday colored yarn through the opening on the top of the Kaytee Honeyseed bell.  Now all my neighbor, who is also a fan of birds and has multiple feeders around his yard as well, has to do is just untie the yarn at the top and tie it to the branch of his favorite tree and our little feathers friends are sure to appreciate the tasty meal (if the squirrels don't get to it first).  Then he can hang the nest tag on his own Christmas tree inside if he wants to, as an ornament!  I couldn't resist adding one of those birdies (my favorite is the Chickadee since it is the Massachusetts state bird, but I must admit, since goldfinches seem rare I do get pretty excited with I see little 'Yellow Fellow' as I call him at one of my many feeders.  Am I the only papercrafting birdwatcher out there?  Just curious.  Watching them fly about and eat and sing just brings me such joy.  I have to warn my neighbors every time we move that if they see me in the backyard with a pair of binoculars that I really am just looking at birds, LOL!  I hope they believe me, because it is the truth.  Got to see a cool close up of a downy woodpecker and a white throated sparrow with them!  In addition to my perceious chickadees and cardinals, which I am totally taking advantage of seeing while living in Virginia - it used to be such a rarity to see one, a BIG deal as a child, now it is like 'oh, another cardinal, now pretty' instead of 'LOOK!  LOOK! A CARDINAL!!'  LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I appreciate you taking the time to look at my work and appreciate every comment.  Have a great week!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Noook Designs' November Release ~ Serene Silhouettes

Welcome back to last day of Newton's Nook Designs' November Release - and this is going to delight you silhouette stamp lovers, and critter lovers like me!, with a set perfect not only for winter/holiday cards, but friendship and fun as well -- Introducing 'Serene Silhouettes'  and its purr-fectly coordinating dies:

Those of you who already own Whispering Pines will be happy to know the images in this set coordinate perfectly by scale!  WOO HOO!  Don't you love it when that happens?!!  I sure do!  Here is my card:

I just HAD to get the bunnies in there.  I really wanted to use ALL the cute critters in the set, but there just wasn't room on this A2 sized card (one that fits in a business envelope though....  hmmm...).  I just love the look of birch trees in the winter too, don't you?  I see so many possibilities for this set - and I love using that white pre-glittered paper as the snowy ground for them too.

Would you like to win the “Serene Silhouettes” Stamp Set?

This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team blogs (please see the list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog release posts. Make sure to 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 Wednesday, November 23rd at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Thursday, November 24th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs
Lydia Evans
Jess Gerstner
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Naki Rager
Kimberly Rendino
Yukari Yoshioka

Stephanie Muzzulin is the next stop on the hop, I am sure she has created something special just for you!   Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you liked my card!  I hope all my friend who celebrate Thanksgiving have a happy one - I am grateful for ALL of you, and all of my wonderful NND Teammates, and The entire Jackson family as well.  I count you all in my blessings, this time of year and always!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs November Release ~ Fireside Friends & Sweater Weather

Welcome back for the second day of Newton's Nook Designs' November Release!  Today Jen has TWO fun sets to delight you!  I just adore the first set because it incorporates a PUP as well as two cute kittens all cuddling together in front of a cozy fire, which to me embodies the spirit of peace on Earth and good will towards mankind this time of year, though it is versatile and can be used year round, especially in states & countries up north where the winters begin a little earlier and last a little longer.  Introducing 'Fireside Friends':

It was SUPER fun to color too!

I wanted to give my card a more rustic feel, so I used a kraft cardstock base for this one layer card, and colored the adorable image with my trusty Copic markers and framed the sentiment with an EK Success punch and enhanced the country feel using NND's Pines & Holly die set.  It might not show up well in this photo, but I adhered some of Martha Stewart's rectangular shaped glitter in gold and copper to parts of the flames of the fire so it would really sparkle IRL.  

Our next set features several of Jen's signature critters modeling some of their most adorable sweaters and matching accessories (which I think provides a purr-fect opportunity to combine this set with NND's Tag Sampler set if you knit or crochet gifts for family or friends or sell them at craft fairs).  Feast your eyes upon NND's new 'Sweater Weather' and purr-fectly coordinating dies:

When I saw the mitten image I was instantly reminded of some Recollections patterned paper I had that matched so closely - so I used it and tried to match the color combination in my card:

The design that most closely resembled Jen's mittens image was pink & red so I used the kitty image, even though they are ALL adorable.  Since the kitty was wearing pink I gave her little eyelashes and have her holding her mittens (remember that nursery rhyme about 'the kittens who lost their mittens?'  LOL  Not this kitty!) with a piece of twine.  I had fun creating the background paper using the mitten & snowflake images as well.  Do you like creating your own background papers with smaller images in sets?  I do!  

Would you like to win the “Sweater Weather” or the "Fireside Friends” Stamp Set?
Today we will pick two lucky winners, one to win each set!

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team blogs (please see the list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog release posts. Make sure to 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 Wednesday, November 23rd at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Thursday, November 24th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs
Lydia Evans
Jess Gerstner
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Naki Rager
Kimberly Rendino
Yukari Yoshioka

Stephanie Muzzulin is the next stop on the hop, I am sure she has created something special just for you!   Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you liked my cards!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs' November Release ~ Joyful Tags

Hello everyone!  Welcome to the first day of Newton's Nook Designs' November Release and today Jen has a set that will coordinate puur-fectly with her Tags Times Two Die set but looks great on cards too - introducing 'Joyful Tags':

Lately I have been loving the trend of black backgrounds for holiday themed cards and merchandise, so I incorporated that into my card using the 'Merry & Bright' tag design:

I added some die cut sprigs and a pine cone using NND's Pines & Holly die set as well as an accent and though the gold foil paper from American Crafts would really make the black stand out and I thought this was the PURRFECT opportunity to use some of my favorite tartan red plaid patterned paper!  I added an eyelet (anyone else still use their eyelets?  I still love 'em and enjoy using them on cards).  I threaded a wee bit of white & gold twine through it to complete the look.

Would you like to win the “Joyful Tags” Stamp Set?

This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team blogs (please see the list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog release posts. Make sure to 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 Wednesday, November 23rd at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Thursday, November 24th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs
Lydia Evans
Jess Gerstner
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Naki Rager
Kimberly Rendino
Yukari Yoshioka

Stephanie Muzzulin is the next stop on the hop, I am sure she has created something special just for you!   Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you liked my card!

~ Crafty Math Chick

25 Tags of Christmas 2016 ~ Newton's Nook Designs

Welcome!  Today is the third day of the '25 Days of Christmas Tags Blog Hop' organized by Tracey McNeeley.  There are a lot of amazing sponsors who generously stepped up to sponsor this fun event to inspire you to get a head start on your holiday tags before the holiday chaos has set in (see below) but today Newton's Nook Designs' is the proud sponsor - WOO HOO!  Let's hear it for Jen & Jeff!

And here are the other amazingly kind sponsors too!

Impressive no?  For more information, stop by Tracey's blog.

I decided to make some tags to accompany the blankets and curly cat toys I crochet (and knit, but mostly crochet) for the dogs & cats at the local animal shelter so they will have something soft and warm under their paws to snuggle up to which often can help calm them or make them happy and increase their chances of being adopted!  (If any of you happen to be knitters or crocheters and are interested in some patterns or organizations you can get involved with, let me know!  I am always happy to share.)  So, without further ado here they are:

The tags, which were all created using NND's Tags Sampler stamp set and Tags Times Two die sets, are leaning against the doggie blankets and the red, white & green curly things on the sides are the curly cat toys - I found out about them from the nice lady who runs the 'Mats for Cats' group on Facebook - they are wicked easy to crochet and take only about 20 minutes each (when you aren't on pain meds anyway).  If you were hoping for close ups on the individual tags, you are in luck!

First, here is the puppy:

He is from NND's Flaky Family set.  I still remember how ecstatic I was when Jen revealed a snow puppy and snow kitty were included with this set!  I outlined him with loose glitter using a Quickie glue pen and added a few glittery embellies.  The 'Happy Howl-i-days' sentiment, the I LOOOOVE was stamped using Memento markers from NND's Canine Christmas set.  

For the middle tag I really just focused on using the elements in the Tags Sampler set because I was OVER THE MOON when Jen said she was including not only knitting in the set but crochet as well (THANK YOU JEN!  YOU ROCK!) The little die cut candy cane is from the recently released Ornamental Newton stamp and die set and the paw print shaped rhinestones were by The Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby.

And lastly everyone's favorite kitty, in snowman form, also from Flaky Friends.  His sentiment is from Newton's Holiday Mischief stamp set.

I just LOVE how SO MANY of Newton's Nook Designs' stamp and die set coordinate with one another!  Don't you?  

Thanks so much for stopping by, I always appreciate your time, attention and kind comments.  Have a great day!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs' Inky Paws Challenge #37 ~ Cozy Plaids

Hello!  Today it is my turn to be featured on the Newton's Nook Blog - yaay!  I decided to play along with the current Inky paws Challenge - Cozy Plaids since I missed the deadline in my medicated state.

I REALLY LOVE plaids!  In fact, I have so many styles it took FOR-EV-VER to decide on one to use because I had already decided on the layout and that I wanted to make a masculine holiday card using the Splendid Stags die set and wanted to make sure the buck stood out.  So I settled on a subtle plaid and here is the final result:

I am pretty happy with it.  I decided to dress up the Handsome Hunter cardstock a bit so I stamped some snowflakes from NND's 'Fox Hollow' set (which I also LOVE), which is where the sentiment came from as well.

Hope you will play along with our Inky Paws Plaid challenge too - the deadline isn't until this Friday, November 4th at midnight CST.  You have a chance of winning a $10 credit to the Newton's Nook Designs Store and Jen will give away TWO store credits if there are more than 15 participants and at the time I am typing this up there are already 15 so yours could be the one to put them above the requirement! WOO HOO!  You MUST use a Newton's Nook Designs image though - don't have one yet?  Jen has some digital freebies you can print out and use HERE.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you had a safe & happy Halloween!

~ Crafty Math Chick