Dare to Get Dirty Challenges - Post 8

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:

• Sweet Stamps Challenge - Christmas tags,
• Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - stitching, real or faux, (if you look closely at the mittens you can see faux stitching is part of the image - something I love about this set!), 
• ABC-Challenge - S is for Stitching (see above), 
• Inky Impressions Challenge - Button it, and
• Jellypark Challenge - Christmas in July.   

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:

• Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge - Ode to Sunshine, and
• Charisma Cardz Challenge - Up in the Clouds.  

     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

Dare to Get Dirty Challenges - Post 6

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:

• Die Cuttin Divas Challenge - Anything Goes with die cuts (here the birdies were die cuts),
• Papercrafting Journey - Punches +/or dies (here I used the birdie dies and a corner rounder and scalloped edge punches), and 
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

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:

• Die Cuttin Divas Challenge - Anything Goes with die cuts (the froggie and lily pad are both die cuts),
• Papercrafting Journey - Punches +/or dies (ditto), 
• Dutch Dare Card Challenge - For a Child (this card is perfect for one of my nephews), 
• C.R.A.F.T. challenge - monochromatic, 
• One Stop Craft Challenge - Keep it Simple, and 
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes, 

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:

• Whimsy Stamps Challenge - ribbons and lace, 
• C.R.A.F.T. challenge - monochromatic, and
• Gem of a Challenge - anything pearlescent (I have added pearls and a pearl brad).

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

Dare to Get Dirty Challenge Cards - Post 3

Hello again Friends & Followers!  Thank you all so much for taking the time to visit my blog and leave such sweet & supportive comments - I read & cherish every single one of them!
     Today I have two more cards I created for the DTGD challenges on SCS; each combined two challenges.  The first uses a set I love from the Kim Hughes Collection by Cornish Heritage Farms (before she created Paper Smooches) called 'The Birds & the Bees':

(please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I embossed the beehives with white PE on glossy cardstock and then sponged Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip ink over them and wiped them off with a tissue for a speckled effect.  Then I stamped the bees and tiny heart and colored them with Copic markers and popped them up with Pop Its against the background.  I handpainted a little 'Extreme Glitter' acrylic paint (it is REALLY sparkly when it dries!) over the bees' wings and the heart for an extra touch of sparkle, and VOILA!  Card for hubby for next valentine's day is DONE (unless I make something I like better before then)  ;)
      This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• MilkCoffee's 'Emboss It' Challenge, 
• Craft-Room Challenge - heat embossing, and 
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (I know a ton of folks enter this, but I LOVE Simon Says Stamp, so it can't hurt, right?)

   My second card uses There She Goes Clear Stamps' 'Poultry in Motion' set and Taylored Expressions' 'Ray of Sunshine' cutting plate (which I actually used as a stencil here and sponged summer sun ink over it to create the illusion of rays of sunshine and gave the bottom some style with Martha Stewart's grass border punch:

This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Ode to Sunshine, 
• The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Bring on the Heat, 
• Moxie Fab World's Birthday Card Challenge, and 
• PartyTime Tuesdays - Anything Goes.  

     Thanks again for stopping by!  Stay tuned for more DTGD cards to come!
~ Crafty Math Chick

BDay Card for BIL-1

Hello Friends & Followers (nothing from me in a month and then two days in a row, right?)  Two of my BIL's have birthdays coming up and when I saw this week's color story from the Play Date Cafe Challenge:

I was inspired to make this card using 'Numbered Days' by There She Goes Clear Stamps:

(please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I just love the puffy numbers and happy little accents included with this set, like the smiley face, bow tie and candle melting on top of the number three.  Even the font is cute!  The paper is one of the My Mind's Eye collection (sorry, can't remember which one off the top of my head - will come back and add that in).  I used this week's Sketch Saturday sketch:

Since this is a birthday card I am also entering this card into Moxie Fab World's Birthday Card Challenge (not sure I am quite Moxie-Fab-World-worthy yet, but no harm in trying right?) and Seize the Birthday's 'Anything Goes Birthday' Challenge as well.
     Thanks so much for stopping by to see my creations.  I have another BIL with an upcoming birthday I need to make another card for as well, so don't be surprised if you see a second birthday card post soon!  I hope you have a wonderful evening!
~ Crafty Math Chick

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSICA!

WOO HOO!  Today is a special one my friends & followers because today is the birthday of one of my FAVORITE people in the world - Jessica Knutsen, owner of There She Goes Clear Stamps.  Not only is Jessica wicked talented and uber creative, but she also is a loving, caring wife, mother and friend and has a heart of gold.  To celebrate and let her know how special she is to us, and how much we appreciate her, we have organized this hop - a buffet of birthday cards made with TSG stamps!  
     Indecisive little me took a long time to decide on which set to use (there are SOOOOOO many I LOOOOOVE).  I finally decided to take a classic approach and heat embossed this fun cake image from 'A Little Treat' onto Blushing Bride cardstock and added LOTS of pearls in three different sizes:

I thought the swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder would be a nice compliment to all those pearls, and added some pretty satiny & sheer ribbon.  I hope Jessica will like it when she sees it.
     Make sure you check the list at the bottom of this post below my signature for a complete roll call of ALL the Trendsetters, past & present, and TSG Fans that are celebrating Jessica in this hop.  Thanks for joining us!
~ Crafty Math Chick

Quick 'n Easy Pixie Stix Holders

Hello Friends & Followers!  Thanks for joining me today for the first of three (I KNOW!) posts.  This one is dedicated to TSG's parade of quick & easy treat holders, and it doesn't get any easier than these Pixie Stix holders!  I first got the idea from Jami Sibley in this post.  Here is my version of it with a cute pumpkin from Bugs & Hisses and some patterned paper from the paper Studio:

(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution)  I basically follow Jami's directions to a 'T' for this 7-stix holder (mine only has 6 in it but it holds 7) made from a 4.5" x 5" piece of cardstock scored at 1.25", 1.5", 3.5" and 3.75".  Then you rotate the cardstock 90 degrees and score at 1/4".  You snip the 1/4" scores up to where they intersect the other score lines (this will be the bottom of your pixie stix holder) and secure with super tacky tape or your adhesive of choice.  I actually use scotch tape - it is on the back and the bottom, no one sees it anyway, and it is cheaper than using up my Monomulti.  I think the patterned paper panel ended up being 2" x 4" and then I used nesting circle punches in 1 1/4" and 1 1/8".  It honestly takes just a few minutes to make and you can have a lot of fun mixing and matching different colors, small images and patterned papers.  Kids love them and they can hold pencils just as easily as Pixie Stix for the diabetic trick-or-treaters.
     Be sure to stop by the TSG Blog for more treat holder creations from the talented TSG Trendsetters!  I am sure they will inspire you will all kinds of great ideas.
     Enjoy!  Hope you will stop by for my other two posts later today.
~ Crafty Math Chick
PS - This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• DRS Designs Challenge 44 - Pumpkins, 
• Craft Us Crazy Challenge 27 - Halloween,
• Come and Get It Challenge - Anything but a Card, and 
• City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 128 - An Early Boo.

 Thanks for the fun challenges guys!!

Happy Birthday Jessica!!

YAAY!  Today's post is to honor one of my favorite people in the entire world - Jessica Knutsen, the owner of There She Goes Clear Stamps.  Her actualy birthday isn't for a few days, but since this week is sneak peek week for TSG (make sure you check it out!!  Jessica gives away the set sneaked to a random commenter, isn't she sweet/!!) we are celebrating a little bit early, besides, that makes it feel like your birthday last longer, right?  ;)
     So here is my card for Jessica made with Birdie Wishes and some pretty paper from My Mind's Eye Jack & Jill stack:

I just love the cute birdies in this set, and this patterned paper coordinated so nicely with Ridinghood Red, Daffodil Delight, Soft Sky and Bermuda Bay.  I was going to add some Liquid Pearls or Stickles to the raised dots in the ribbon tag die cut, but I was afraid I would mess it up, so I left it as is, hopefully Jessica will like it anyway.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:

• The Paper Shelter Challenge 64 - Birthday Cards with a Sentiment,
• Crazy 4 Challenges 137 - Birthday Card,
• Paper and Such Online Anniversary Challenge - Make a Birthday Card, 
• Sundays with Crissy Challenge 29 - Things with Wings,
• Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge 169 - Three Things that Begin with the Same Letter (Birthday, Bird, Bermuda Bay cardstock & ribbon)
• Delightful Challenge - Just Add Ribbon,
• Craft Your Days Away Challenge 45 - All Creatures Great and Small,
• Shopping Our Stash Challenge 52 - Bingo  (I went with the 4th column: patterned paper, blue, sentiment, ribbon & tag - the ribbon is threaded through a Nestabilities Ribbon Tag die cut, so I hope that counts, LOL), and
• Whimsy Inspiration Challenge 39 - Anything Goes.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - I hope you will stop by Jessica's Blog and wish her a happy birthday and here is the list of everyone participating in the birthday blog hop so you will know where to head next, and where to begin if you are just joining us...  ;)

~ Crafty Math Chick

TSG Mother of all Blog Hops 2012

Welcome friends, followers and TSG MOABH-hoppers!  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all Mothers everywhere - even if all your children have paws like mine!  ;)  Bet you didn't know that TSG's MOABH was the main impetus causing me to create my own blog did you?  So, I am very exciting to be participating again this year.  I was assigned two sets this year; therefore, I have two cards for your viewing pleasure in this post, the first of which is HSH - Hanukkah Additions - I was SO excited when Jessica created a Hanukkah set (there are not a plethora of them out there) and it coordinated with Home Sweet Home as well - bonus!  I used the Stamp School's Geometry Class Sketch from 5-9-12 to create this card:

(Holiday card count... 7?  Man!  That is just dismal!  It should be six times that by this time of year...  I better get cracking!)  I was really dissatisfied with all of my white inks, I always used to have to emboss to get that crisp white look on colored cardstock, and someone suggested I try Colorbox's Frost White.  So I picked one up from A.C. Moore with a coupon and tried it here - I think it looks pretty good!  Note - this is not a fast drying ink, I heat set it so it would not smudge.  What do you think?  In addition to MOABH & the Stamp School sketch challenge, this card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• The Craft Room Challenge - Emboss It (I used the Swiss Dots CB folder for the background), and
• One Stop Craft Challenge - Monochrome.

     The second set I was assigned is one of my all time favorites, Puppy Love (bet you could guess that considering the title of my blog), being the huge dog lover that I am.  I used May's Sketch for You to Try  (SFYTT) to create this card:

Aren't these puppies sweet?!!  This card may end up being a birthday card or a Father's Day card from Ty to his Pop, so I left the sentiment on the front of the card 'Woof!' offset by tiny bone resins and figured on the inside I could right either "that means Happy Birthday in dog" or "that means Happy Father's Day in dog" depending on which occasion I went with.  The Green Galore background is embossed with the Houndstooth (fitting for a canine card, no?  'hounds-tooth' get it?  Hee hee hee!) CB EF, the colorful paw print paper is from a DCWV dog scrapbook stack and I created a strip of DP using the 4 different paw print designs included in the set as well and put some pretty bone ribbon over it.  Then I added a strip of these adorable paw print satin cut outs by May Arts to complete the sketch.  I can never make enough dog cards...

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

• Craft Your Days Away Challenge 45 - All Creatures Great and Small, 
• Allsorts Challenge - Week 154 - Card for a Man or Boy, 
• Pixie Dust Studio Challenge 126 - For the Boys,
• Totally Papercrafts Challenge 116 - No Pesky Girls Allowed, and
• The Craft Room Challenge - Emboss It.  

   Thank you so much for stopping by and seeing my creations.  Don't forget to leave some love and comment on as many blogs along the MOABH as you can - you never know which the mystery blog will be for the BIG BIG prize - FREE TSG STAMPS FOR SIX MONTHS!!!  WOWIE!!!  GOOD LUCK and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

~Crafty Math Chick

Flashback Friday 22.0

Hello Friends & Followers!  I hope you are doing well.  I don't have something new for you, but I do have a blast from the past with my entry for this month's Flashback Friday Challenge 22.0 - your first card using a die cut.  Here's mine:

Good ole Nestabilities Labels 8 and a fun sentiment from There She Goes Clear Stamps' Craftier Taglines.  All the buttons all over in all different colors just made me smile.  Hope you will play along - you have until April 20th to repost your first creation using die cuts!  Have a great night!
~Crafty Math Chick

Sunny Days

Hello again!  I am back with another card I made for the VSN challenges, this one by Jen to make a card using sunny colors.  Can't get much sunnier than yellow so I borrowed the sketch from Sketch & Stash Challenge 82 and 'Bee Happy' by There She Goes Clear Stamps and some Echo Park patterned paper from their Walk in the Park collection and created this card:

I just love this happy, smiling bee.  I created a short paper pierced flight trail for him and created his hive using Stampin' Up!'s word window punch chomped down a bit, sponged with Summer Sun ink, and stacked thusly.  The ribbon was a freebie thank you gift from The Cat's Pajama's - isn't it perfect for this card?  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:

• Fab 'n Funky Challenge 111 - Mellow Yellow,
• Colour Create Challenge 91 - yellow, grey, black and white (I added a wee touch of grey to the bee's wings and added some shimmer with a Atyou Copic Spice pen, does it show in the photo?),
• The Pink Elephant Challenge 138 - Let's See those Layers, and
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes.

Thanks so much for stopping by to see my creations - I should have more for you tomorrow!  Have a good Sunday!
~Crafty Math Chick

I Have No Witty Title Today...

Hello friends & followers!  Thank you all so much for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers for our Ty baby and his healing.  He does seem to be a bit peppier lately, and in the hopes of preventing him from yelping in pain in the future we placed a baby gate at the base of the stairs thereby restricting him to the lower level, which breaks my heart because my craft room is upstairs and I don't feel right crafting without him keeping me company, so now I am trying to craft when my husband is home and can keep him company on the lower level.  LOL, as I write this he is lying in his sherpa bumper bed on the floor, sprawled on his back with his little front legs folded over his chest, looking at me as if to say 'You are writing about me on your blog again Mommy, aren't you?"  Hee hee hee...
     Today I have two cards for your viewing pleasure, both based on inspiration challenges.  The first is Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Inspiration Challenge 22 over at Splitcoaststamps:

Pretty color combo, isn't it?  I used Sweet Stop Sketch 141 and SNSS' 'Fall Time Cocoa' to create this card:

I paper pieced the pumpkin from some old Stampin' Up designer papers in my stash and colored in little Cocoa mouse with Copic markers.  I really like these colors together.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:

• Karen's Doodles Challenge - Paper Piecing,
• Robyn's Fetish Challenge Blog - Create a Card with Animals, and 
• Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge 24 - Out with the Old (I have had those designer papers in my stash for several years, glad they are finally getting some love).

On to card 2...  which is based on this picture from the Play Date Cafe Challenge (to use burgundy, gold & purple):

I don't know what about this color combination said 'Hanukkah' to me, but it did and I used There She Goes Clear Stamps' "HSH - Hanukkah Additions" to create this card:

I think I might play around with this color combination a bit more, I never would have thought to combine these colors on my own, but I like them!  I think I need to invest in some fine detail EP, my embossing always looks chunky.  Since I used two kinds of embossing on this card, heat embossing and the Swiss Dots CB EF, this card fulfills the requirements of the Digi Doodle Shop's Challenge 90 - Embossing.
     Thanks again for stopping by my blog to see my cards and for your kind thoughts & prayers for Ty baby - keep 'em coming!  That sweet little dog's messed up back needs all the prayers he can get.  Have a great night!
~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 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

The Birds & The Bees

Hello friends & followers!  I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  Today I have three cards for your viewing pleasure, all for Hope You Can Cling To (HYCCT) Challenges over at SCS.  The first was created for Lydia's Pink Critters HYCCT Challenge using The Craft's Meow's October Sketch and CTM's adorable Owl Be Thinking of you set:

The branch takes the place of the ribbon in the sketch and I stamped the 'Save the Hooters' sentiment in the sign image included in the set to take the place of the tag in the sketch.  The letters from PTI's Simple Alphabet fit perfectly in the little sign.  Since it is snowing here I tore a piece of pre-glittered white cardstock to serve as the ground, though the true sparkliness does not come through in the photo.  In addition, this card satisfied the following challenges:

• Our Craft Lounge 89 (OCL89) - Going Pink,
• Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge 141 - Use a tree or leaf element in your card, and 
• The Kraft Journal Make-It_Monday Challenge - Anything Goes with Kraft Cardstock.

My next card was made for the HYCCT Save the Boo-Bees Challenge using this week's CAS-ual Friday Sketch 26 (CFC26) and There She Goes Clear Stamps' Bee Happy mini set:

I substituted the popped up bee in for the circle in the sketch and the dotted 'bee flight trail' for the ribbon element in the middle.  I added petite black rhinestones at the ends of the antenae though I don't bee-lieve they show up well in this photo.  The honeycomb paper is from Echo Park's Walk in the Park collection.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following two additional challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp and Show - One Color (I obviously went with yellow), and
• Pile It On Challenge 43 - Bee Happy.

I had bees on the brain by this point so I decided to use the fancy version of Priscilla Styles' Midnight Madness Sketch 127 (MMSC127) with some bees from Kim Hughes' The Birds & The Bees set from Cornish Heritage Farms for the HYCCT 'Paint Your Heart Out' Challenge - to use paint on a card.  

I used the crayon resist technique (see the white 'highlighting' on the sides of the hives?  that's crayon!) for the background sponged with summer sun, pumpkin pie and close to cocoa ink on glossy cardstock, and stamped the bees separately, cut them out and popped them up with dimensionals.  I painted the bees' wings with Angel Wings Shimmerz paint to give them a glistening, gossamer effect (which doesn't really show up in the photo unfortunately).  This card also fulfills the following additional challenges:

• Shopping Our Stash Challenge 25 - Fall Color (or Halloween, but I went with fall colors obviously),
• Charisma Cardz Challenge 43 - Anything Goes, and 
• Pile It On Challenge 43 - Bee Happy.

Alrightie, that is all I have for you right now.  I hope to stamp the day away tomorrow too and will have more to show you then.  Don't forget to check out my blog candy in my 100th Blog Post: HERE!  Happy Saturday Night!
~Crafty Math Chick

Sunny Birthday Cards

Hello friends & followers!  I hope you are all having a happy Friday and have something fun planned for this weekend.  :)  Today I have two cards to share with you.  The first I created for Skipping Stones Design Sketch Challenge 94 using SSD's 'Margarita Birthday' set and some yummy tropical pre-glittered patterned paper from DCWV's Citrus mat stack:

(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I know these tropical colors are not exactly seasonal at the moment, but they are happy and bright and I like them.  :)  I took the liberty of changing the circle to a margarita glass (LOL!) and the lime wedge takes the place of the star and is popped up with dimensionals (as is the glass).  I added some Stickles (side note - mine are ALWAYS getting clogged - if any of you have some advice on how to unclog them I would be most grateful, inserting an unfolded paper clip into the opening does not seem to be working) to create the 'salt' rim and some seed beads threaded through a thin wire to serve as the wine glass ring.  The inside says "...especially when the salt accompanies a drink and good friends."


My second card was created for There She Goes Clear Stamps Challenge 123 - to create a birthday card with pizzazz in celebration of their 3rd birthday.  I opted for a CAS layout using TSG's 'Make a Wish' set:

(please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  Again, I opted for happy, sunny yellow.  Although, this is Daffodil Delight and the previous card used Yoyo Yellow - can you tell the difference?  Maybe not with monitor distortion.  The cupcakes were colored using my Copic markers and I have to say, my friend Lee might faint, but I liked the way they looked before adding the glitter.  I thought the glitter was required for the challenge when in actuality the little heart shaped rhinestones I added to three of the ROYGBV cupcakes (I love color, LOL!) would have been sufficient to meet the challenge requirements.  I just really liked the shading I did with my Copic markers and the glitter hids it a little.  


Well, that is all I have for you right now, I might have something more to see this evening - I need to find something to take my mind that I have to wait one more day for TSG's Release Party (Saturday Night 9 pm EST - be there or be square!) and to fill my time since there is no Friday Night Chat at TSG this evening.  (insert melodramatic sigh here).  Have a wonderful Friday everyone!!  :)
~Crafty Math Chick

Happy September! (and blog candy alert!)

Hello friends & followers!  Happy September!  I am so exicted for fall, it is my favorite season.  What is yours?


Today I am reposting a card a made last year, before I started this blog, using HSH - Hanukkah Additions by There She Goes:

(Please click on photo for clearer resolution).  So why am I re-posting this card at the present time?  Other than I really like it and this set?  Because my friend Michele is giving it away on her blog as blog candy!  But hurry - you only have until Friday to comment: ON THIS POST!  Good luck!  And Happy September!  Hope everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day Weekend!  :)
~Crafty Math Chick

First Two VSN Cards

Good evening friends & followers!  I am so excited because it is VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) Weekend at Splitcoaststampers - where you have 45 minutes to make a card according to the parameters of the challenge before moving onto the next one.  Never played?  Check it out here - you have until Monday to upload so there is plenty of time to get on board!


The first challenge was to incorporate real or faux stitching on a card.  Since we only have 45 minutes and I don't know how to sew with a machine yet, I went with faux using There She Goes Clear Stamps "In Stitches" set to stamp cross-stitch squares in the background and the sentiment 'hi' using this week's TSG Inspiration Challenge:

and this week's Card Positioning Systems Challenge 232 sketch:

So, LOL, here is the card:

(please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I used the pink, turquoise and grey color combination from the pajamas and since I don't have any hippo images that I can think of I went with this adorable little ellie from TSG's 'Polka Dot Pals' set, using polka dot ribbon and popped up polka dot ears for the ellie.  This card also satisfies the following challenges:

• Pal's Paper Arts 108 - Soften the Edges (I rounded the corners and added bling to the corners of the image, and
• Crafty Creations Challenge 133 - It's a Jungle Out There! - Show us your inner animal (I used an elephant).

The second card was for a 'make a gatefold card challenge.  I drew inspiration from This Week's Tuesday Trigger photo at MoxieFabWorld:

I went with Cath's pink, black and gold color palette and her 'Girly & Gutsy' theme and used 'Bra's Vol. 1" by Skipping Stones Designs for the main image inside a black circle mat to mimic the mirror and was drawn to the little diamond shapes that were created by the reflection of the candlesticks on the table and embossed some gold diamonds from SSD's 'Pumpkin Seed Sentiments' set.  (The inside of the card says 'thanks for your support' - HA!).

Alrightie, it is late and I still have to upload these photos to my SCS Gallery, and there are more VSN challenges to be announced tomorrow so I need to get some sleep and re-energize.  Thanks so much for stopping by to view my creations!  Sweet dreams!  Hope those of you affected by Hurricane Irene stay safe from her wrath.
~Crafty Math Chick 

Keeping it Simple with Navy & Coral

Hello Friends & Followers!  I have two cards for your viewing pleasure this evening.  I was inspired by the color combination of the last (hopefully just for a while) Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge 58; 

Kim, the owner of Wilson Designs and hostess of the OWTC Challenge Blog needs a little 'Kim time', so I wish her well and keep my fingers crossed that things settle down and she is back to it soon.  ;)  So naturally I had to use her 'Nauticool' set by Wilson Designs to create this CAS card:

(Please click on the photos for clearer resolution).  I was having so much fun with this color combination (and I have officially used Cameo Coral more this week than I have perhaps in my entire life put together) that I went on to create this card using 'Dance' by There She Goes Clear Stamps (who is having sneak peeks and a release party Saturday night BTW...) that I was having fun with the other day:

My original intention with this card was to use it for a 'not more than 1/3 of the white space covered' challenge, but the mathematician in me could not in good faith enter it, I just sense I've covered more than a third of the white cardstock.  ;)  I didn't have any navy pearls (DOH!) so I took a marker and colored in a white one (note - if you plan on doing this too - I recommend waiting until the card is finished otherwise so as not to smear the color off the pearls, or onto anything else, as you attach it to the base).  This card also fulfills the requirements of Really Reasonable Ribbon's Challenge 30: 'Keep it Clean' (with ribbon).


Well, that is about it for the evening.  I am getting all excited for Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoaststampers - if you haven't played before it is wicked fun and I highly recommend it!  It is a great way to jump start your mojo and add a ton of cards to your stash in a short period of time and meet a lot of nice stampers too, I myself have made many a friend via VSN at SCS.  Note to self - clear a space in the spare bedroom to set up the photo cube for the weekend... charge camera battery... clean scrubber... but you don't need to listen to me think aloud.  ;)


Have a great night!!
~Crafty Math Chick

Late Night Sunday Card

Good evening my friends & followers!  I hope you had a good weekend!  I could not let this week's TSG Challenge - the colors baby pink, coral & black slip away without participating, so I borrowed this sketch from Pals Paper Arts' Challenge 107:

and created this card using 'Dance' (a stamps for a cause set created by Jessica in loving memory of her friend Linda who passed away from Amyloidosis) and 'In Stitches' both by There She Goes Clear Stamps:

(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I dressed up the edges using Martha Stewart's Cornice edger punch and punched the blooms out off center so they looked like they were dancing themselves and added coral colored pearls to their centers.  The 'hi' sentiment from TSG's 'In Stitches' was the perfect greeting for an any occasion card and it fulfilled Fab n Funky's 'Stitch in Time' Challenge 68 (to use real or faux stitching on a card).  


I hope you all like this sweet & simple beauty.  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a good week!
~Crafty Math Chick