Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day my American Friends!

I know it has been a while since I have posted - sorry!  I had to slow down my creating for a while - I had medical issues and then I was packing to move, then we moved and now we are living in temporary housing waiting for our house to be built since we could not find one that accommodated all of my physical limitations and Ty's.  All of my stamping stuff is still packed up at the moment (sniff sniff), I imagine I will unpack the basics soon but I have been doing some crocheting, and I wanted to share my latest two creations.

The blanket was made as part of Fiber Flux's Springy Stripes C2C CAL (for those of you who aren't crocheters - C2C means 'corner to corner blanket', one that is crocheted diagonally, and CAL stands for 'crochet along' where patterns are released in pieces to play along with).  I used one skein each of the four Red Heart With Love colors.  I made my blanket so that it is a 36 inch square and was happy to finish it for Ty baby before July 4th this year, to help comfort him during the fireworks.  

I had yarn left over so I decided to attempt Sarah Zimmerman's Patriotic Popsicle Crochet Cuddle Buddy ragdoll pattern over at Repeat Crafter Me.  Here directions were really clear and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to finish the little guy in only 2 days!  

Ty is not a destructive pup by any means, but to err on the side of safety I decided to swap out the safety eyes Sarah used for crocheted ones instead (8 sc into a magic ring, easy peasy) and sewed them to the body.  Sarah's came out much cuter of course...  I will keep trying.  I thought Ty could use him as a pillow, but so far, he has not shown much interest.  

Hope all of you are having a happy and safe 4th and keeping your furbabies safe and comforted too.  

Thank so much for stopping by and for not giving up on me - I will be able to post more regularly once we are unpacked in our new home.  

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs' June Release ~ Garden Starter Stamp Set & Garden Window Die Set

Welcome to the first day of Newton's Nook Designs' June Release!  Today Jen is revealing a set that will appeal to all of you floral enthusiasts and the coordinating, very versatile die set -- introducing the Garden Starter stamp set and the Garden Window die set:

I saw those dies and instantly thought 'photo mats'!!  What a wonderful way to share photos with family in friends in cards, to create pretty photo mats, to share school photos or graduation pictures, and the scrapbooking and Project Life and Pocket Pages options are endless!  I took the opportunity to frame one of the many pictures of my sweet pup, Ty:

Isn't that 'Smile' scripty sentiment (I looove scripty words dies!) just PERFECT for Ty?  I certainly think so, because is almost always smiling!  Sigh, my sweet boy.  The double ended flag provides the perfect place for labeling & dating photos too.  Oh, LOVE this die set!!  For those who are interested, the patterned paper is from Wcho Park's Bark collection and the solid colored cardstock, embellished by the NND Garden Starter set of course, are from Stamping Up! - Close to Cocoa, More Mustard and Cameo Coral (yep, I have retired colors to use up  LOL!.

Would you like to win a 'Garden Starter' stamp set?
This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner!

Here's how to win:

Comment on the NND blog and the Designs Team and Guest blogs (see list below)!  The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blogs' release posts.  Make sure you check out each of the 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 Thursday, June 16th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- the winner will be announced on the blog post on Friday, June 17th.  

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

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

Jess Gerstner is next on our hop, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see - enjoy!  And thanks so much for stopping by!  Until tomorrow...

~ Crafty Math Chick

HAPPY ADOPTION DAY TY!

It was four years ago today that the sweetest puppy in the world joined our family and made our hearts whole.  Little Ty, you have been such a blessing to us, you give us such love, such joy and countless happy moments, and I will forever be grateful to you and the wonderful people at the shelter for caring for you and enabling you to join our family and fill our lives and our hearts with love.  
     Ty baby will be celebrating later with the mini cupcakes his Daddy purchased for the occasion, wearing his little Happy Birthday hat his Mommy forces him to wear to create a Kodak moment for scrapbooking purposes and most likely a meal or two featuring at least one of his favorite human foods (steak or a burger).  In honor of his special day we hope you will hug your own furbabies a little longer or a little tighter (not too tight, LOL) and I thought it would be fun to have a little giveaway as well.  Leave a comment with a link to the favorite card or scrapbook layout you have made featuring a canine or other pet you hold dear and I will pick a random entry to win some surprise crafting goodies - how does that sound?  Don't have a pet?  Click on the 'Dogs' link under 'Labels' alongside the right side of my blog and tell me which of my own canine cards is your favorite and why for an alternate chance to win.  Or do both for two chances to win!  Also, if you visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com and/or www.freekibble.com and click there in honor of Ty's birthday to help the sites' sponsors feed shelter pets that would really be a wonderful birthday present for Ty, it is free and you don't have to enter any personal information at all, clicks just donate free kibble to shelters all over the country, and clicks add up, believe me.
     Thank you so much for stopping by to commemorate Ty baby's special day with me.
~ Crafty Math Chick

Blogaversary Prayers

Hello friends & followers, I had originally intended to post a big picture of some blog candy that I was excited to give away in celebration of my first blogaversary today, yep, blogging for a whole year, can you believe it?  But my sweet little furbaby is having some back problems again and I am so worried about him I have not been able to take my eyes off him to take any pictures.  Instead, because he means the world to me, I am going to ask if you are the kind of person that prays, that you put in a kind word for Ty to feel better soon.  We are PRAYING that we can help him with pain management this time and that he won't need more surgery.  Thanks in advance everyone.  I will post some blog candy when he is showing some improvement to celebrate.  I hope you are all well and having a great day.
~Crafty Math Chick

HAPPY ADOPTION DAY TY!

Hello Friends & Followers!  Today is a very special day for me - three years ago today we adopted a little furbaby who is the sun of my solar system and a never-ending source of joy for me, Ty.  Here he is the day we brought him home as we waited for his turn at the PetSmart salon (so that he would come home all clean & sweet-smelling):

And 2011 was a rough year for our little guy when he gave us a scare and needed back surgery:

Thankfully he came through the procedure with flying colors (and an funky haircut) and we will always be grateful to his surgeons and doctors for their wonderful care and expertise so that he was able to enjoy his happy adoption day with us this year:

(Ty loves cake).  WE LOVE YOU TY BABY!!  YOU ARE THE BEST DOG EVER!!  Thank you so much for being the sweet little pup you are and filling your Mommy's life with happiness and love. <3

Have Yourself a Merry Little Puppy!

Merry Christmas to all of our Friends & Followers who celebrate Christmas,  Happy Hanukkah to everyone who celebrates Hanukkah and a joyous winter season to EVERYONE and every pup!  (Woof!)
~Crafty Math Chick

HAPPY JULY!

Hello everyone!  Still here - just packing up all of our shhhhtuff for our pending move (MAN I hate moving - horrible memories of folks taking brand new cardstock out of its wrapping and using it 'for support' and delivering a chest that was not ours and saying 'Would you like it to be?' rather than attempting to find the rightful owner, and the move where we had $2600 worth of damage/loss/theft... sigh...) - I will be back crafting and blogging as soon as I can, BELIEVE ME!!  So please make sure to check back in the middle of July or so for more crafty creations.  Until then, have a relaxing and enjoyable Independence Day and a Happy July!


Here is a picture of our little guy and his funky post-back-surgery haircut, so happy to finally be feeling better:

(If you click on the photo you will see it full size and get a better view of his staples, which were removed on Monday - SUCH a good boy!  Didn't even squirm when they removed them, unlike his Mommy, who passed out cold when hers were removed in January, LOL! as well as his beautiful eyes & smile.  I SO love my little guy!  Thank you all so much for the many thoughts and prayers for his recovery!).  
Best Wishes!
~Crafty Math Chick