Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day!

Hello friends and followers!  I hope you are enjoying this wonderful day that honors those who serve this amazing country in which we live, past and present.  I have two cards for you today.  The first is for Skipping Stones Design Sketch Challenge 77, here is the sketch:
And here is my case based on it:
Get it?  'No see' with a super shaggy and adorable puppy?  BWAHAHAHA!  The cool thing about this card, other than the face that it is dog themed of course, is that I won it by participating in a past SSD sketch challenge (pretty good incentive to start playing along huh?  You could win cool stamp sets like this one!) AND this is a sneak peek because the set I used, Dogs Vol. 1, has not even been released yet!  How cool is that?!!  So make sure you keep your eyes peeled on the SSD blog for its debut.  At the top I actually punched three silver 'tags' using Stampin' Up!'s tag punch held together with a silver eyelet courtesy of my Crop-a-dile, but they didn't fan out as much as I thought they would as I accidentally squeezed it too tight.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following additional challenges:
Crazy Challenge 69 - Pets, and 
Fab 'n Funky Challenge 74 - Cute & Cuddly. 


My second card was for Giovana's Release Party Challenge over at Stamp TV to make an all black and white card:
I used Gina K. Designs' Fine Furnishings Additions set and paper pieced some Making Memories patterned paper I got on sale at Tuesday Morning (SCORE!).  Rather elegant no?  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:
Tuesday Throwdown 50 - make a card with stripes, and
Stamp Something Challenge - stamp something with a sentiment.


Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you are enjoying your day!
~Crafty Math Chick

Thursday, May 26, 2011

WD & TE

Hello friends & followers.  I hope you are well.  Today I have two cards for your viewing pleasure.  The first was created for Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge 53 using the colors sand, light blue and light green inspired by this picture:

Here is my card:
This card is special to me because I won the stamp set I used to create it, Nautic-COOL by Wilson Designs by competing in last week's Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge and I really, really like it!  So I hope this encourages you to enter some of the OTWC challenges yourself so that you can win some cool prizes too, I think Kim even gives you a second entry if you use Wilson Designs stamps (SWEET!).  The sails and boat were paper pieced from a retired Stampin' Up! hostess patterns pack.  The entire panel is raised on Pop Its and then the little life-preserver (isn't it darling?) further raised up - I used a 1/4" circle punch to carve out the center and weave this cool, thick jute cord through to secure it for a further Nauticool effect.  ;)  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:
Wee Memories Challenge 57 - Stamp It! (images were stamped),
Paper Sundaes Challenge 70 - Pop It Up! (I used two layers of dimensionals here), and
Charisma Cardz Challenge 21 - Boy oh Boy! (make a card for a man or a boy).

My second card was created for Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge 138 over at Splitcoaststampers.  Here is the sketch:

And here is my card based on it using TE's 'For the Love of Cupcakes' set:
That adorable patterned paper is by Doodlebug (I am pretty sure I got it from one of TE's cool kits that they sell with coordinating papers, ribbons, glitter and other embellishments years ago).  I added yellow and cotton candy Stickles to two of the cupcakes and attached petite rhinestones using a craft knife to the last one.  I thought a little celery button tied with some pink twine would be a nice accent for balance at the bottom corner with the sentiment.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges as well:
Karen's Doodles Challenge 64 - Make it Sparkle!,
inky Impressions Challenge 16 - Shine On! (use sparkly or shiny elements), and
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge 155 - to make a birthday card.

Thank you for stopping by to view my creations and read my ramblings.  I hope you have a wonderful evening!
~Crafty Math Chick

Monday, May 23, 2011

Skipping Stones Design Sketch 76

(If you are looking for Jessica's Birthday Blog Hop, please scroll down)


Hello friends & followers!  It's a big birthday week it seems among my friends in the crafting community!  Today I have another birthday card for you, this one using Skipping Stones Design Sketch 76 by Danielle Flanders and SSD's 'Grey Hares' set:
And here is my card based on it:
For two of the squares I substituted the cute bunny from 'Grey Hares' and decided to give him a bright white coat for a change to contrast against the dark yet colorful background DP and had him holding onto some balloons from the set connected by several different colors of yummy Twinery twine.  I turned the rest of the squares into presents by punching out several 3/4" squares in various primary colors that matched the DP and tying them up with more Twinery twine in different colors.  Everything except the sentiment flag is popped up with dimensionals.


This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges in addition to SSD76:

Thank you so much for the fun challenges, and thank you all for taking the time to look at my creations.  And please check out my birthday blog hop card for Jessica below if you haven't already. Have a GREAT week!
~Crafty Math Chick

SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSICA!

Today we are celebrating a truly wonderful stamper, person and friend, Jessica Knutsen, owner and illustrator of one of my all time favorite companies, There She Goes Clear Stamps.  Since I am currently not able to bake a cake for Jessica myself, Ty said he would be happy to share his from his birthday with Jessica.  :)  Tomorrow is actually Jessica's special day, but since it is also the start of TSG's new release sneak peek blog hops before the big release party on Saturday night, which I KNOW you aren't going to want to miss, we figured we would start the celebration a day early and hope Jessica would be REALLY surprised!


You should have arrived here from the lovely & talented Corinna's Blog, if not, please start at the beginning at Angela's blog so you don't miss a moment of the celebration.


Here is my card:


I used this week's Card Patterns' Sketch 116 and TSG's Puppy Love (one of my favorite TSG sets) & Make a Wish sets to create this card.  I colored the pup & cupcake with Copic markers and added some yellow glitter to the icing using a Zig 2 way glue pen.  This card also fulfills the requirements of Basic Grey Challenge 44 - Mix & Match - use products from 2 different Basic Grey collections (here the cupcake DP is from BG's 'Nook & Pantry' collection and the background subtle brown DP is from BG's 'Max & Whiskers' collection).
Thanks for hopping by!  Now you will want to hop on over to Danielle's Blog, for something deliciously wonderful (Nom, nom, nom!).


Here is everyone participating in Jessica's Birthday Hop:
Angela
Anita
Ann
Corinna
Crafty Math Chick - Me! <--- You are here
Danielle
Heather
Holly
Iwona
Jackie R.
Jessie
Jodi
Joy & Polo
Judy
Julie
Katie
Laurel
Lisa
Makiko
Michele
Piali
Sandra
Tammy
Theresa,
and last, but certainly not least, TSG's master of Whimsy:
Torico


Thank you all for helping us celebrate Jessica's Birthday!  Make sure you give the birthday girl a little love on her blog too.
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSICA!!
~Crafty Math Chick

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Taylored Expressions May Blog Hop

Welcome to your next stop on Taylored Expressions' May Hop.  You should have arrived here from Amber's Blog, if you didn't, you will want to return to the beginning at Taylor's blog so you don't miss any TE 'Masculine' goodness (that was this month's theme). 

Masculine cards are actually one of my favorite kinds to make, not quite as much as dogs of course, but I do enjoy them.  And the set I am showcasing today, Taylored Expressions' 'Boys Will be Boys' is one of my top Go-To masculine sets for manly card.  Here are two new creations for your viewing pleasure today:
For this card I embossed a sheet of thin aluminum to resemble that texture you see in the construction environment and used some nailhead brads to complete the look.  This card also fulfills the requirements of Pixie Dust Studio's Challenge 74 - to make it shiny and incorporate metal into your project. 

For my second card, I went clean and simple:
I found this cool paper by Making Memories that reminded me of the texture and pattern of a male's shirt so I used that and added some buttons to continue the appearance.  Since I don't need that many Father's Day cards, these babies are both going to Operation Write Home so that some of our active duty service members can send them home to their families.

Since I like this set SO much, I wanted to post some cards I made about a year ago using this same set - I thought of simply recreating them, but figured my followers might like to see something new, but for those of  you who might have missed them, here are some more great things you can do with 'Boys Will Be Boys'.

First, you can distress some newspaper and ink up some crimped kraft cardstock for a cool newsie effect:

And you can flock the 'green' on the gold course for a nice bit of added texture as well, and punch a circle, emboss it with a dots EF and sponge it a bit for a 'par-fect' golf scene, complete with golf ball:
Thanks for hopping by!  Make sure to make your way to Wendy's Blog, she next on the hop.  I am sure she has a treat for you.  Enjoy!
~Crafty Math Chick



Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Ribbon Ramblings

Hello friends & followers.  Some of you may know, I am not much of a purple person, but that didn't stop me from participating in the Play Cate Cafe Challenge 81 - the color combination of grape, lime and grey as displayed in this lovely inspirational picture:
However, I could not decide which purple to use: the retired Eggplant Envy, Rich Razzleberry or Concord Crush.  I paired all of them with Kiwi Kiss, which I selected as my green, and thought the Concord looked best - but what to do about ribbon?  If I didn't have a ribbon to match it would clash, so I got out all of my purple ribbon (not really that much of it in my stash) and luckily the only purple that any of my ribbon were remotely even close to was indeed Concord Crush.  We had a winner!  Then, wouldn't you know it, I forgot to leave space for the scalloped piece which actually contained the ribbon that all the fuss was about at the top:
So I went ahead and made a second card; here is the version with the ribbon and scalloped border:
I almost think I like the 'naked' one better, the flowers stand out more - what do you think?  Which do you prefer?


The floral images are from Stampin' Up!'s Fifth Avenue Floral (a wonderful set for just about any color challenge), and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up!'s Upsy Daisy set.  These cards also meet the requirements of the following challenges:
Thank you for the cool challenges and thank you all for taking the time to visit my blog and see my creations.  Have a great day!
~Crafty Math Chick

May Blog Waltz

Welcome friends, followers and waltzers!  This month's Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Waltz Theme was 'Masculine'.  Unfortunately, I don't have any of Claire's terrific masculine sets in my collection set, so I had to improvise.  I used some images from 'Sewing Box Hugs' and created this card:
I stamped the sentiment and then the star image twice on Brilliant Blue and then white cardstock, cut them out and popped up the blue star with dimensionals.  Then I stamped 5 stripes on white cardstock and cut them out and pretty much is it.  Do you like it?  It is going to be an 'Any Hero' card that is distributed to a member of our deployed military who does not get a lot of personal mail from home with my next shipment of cards to Operation Write Home, which I am mailing out soon.

I am also entering this card in Stamp Something's Challenge in honor of their third anniversary and Whimsie Doodles Wednesday Challenge - No Coloring!

Thanks for hopping by!  Have a grand day!
~Crafty Math Chick

Ribbon Carousel Challenge 3

Hello Friends & Followers!  I was so honored when my friend Corinna asked me to be a guest designer for this week's Ribbon Carousel Challenge 3, which is a CAS theme.  Here is my card using There She Goes Clear Stamps' mini 'Rain & Sunshine' set and grosgrain ribbon in a rainbow of colors:
This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges as well:
Charisma Cardz Challenge 19 - Under the Weather (make a get well card or a card with weather related elements), and
Stamp Something - Anything Goes.

Thanks again for the honor Corinna!  Hope everyone will stop by the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog and see all the new yummy ribbons being added to the store as we speak!  Have a great day!
~Crafty Math Chick

Monday, May 16, 2011

Skipping Stones Duet

Hello friends & followers!  Today I have two cards for your viewing pleasure both using Sketch 75 from Skipping Stones Design

The first uses their 'Grey Hares'set, some pre-glittered patterned paper from Hobby's Lobby's 'Brithday Extravaganza' stack, and EK Success' birthday candle edger punch:
I replaced the tags in the sketch with bunnies peeking from every which way and the sentiment 'Just what you wanted for your birthday... grey hares!' is completed inside.  Since this is a birthday card it also fulfills the requirements of Paper Sundaes Challenge 69.

For my second card I used SSD's 'Margarita Birthday'set:
For this card I replaced the tag shapes with various kinds of libations.  I added some lime Stickles to serve as the 'salted' rim on the margarita glass and popped up the wine glass with dimensionals and created a wine charm bracelet for it around its stem using some wire, some beads and a McGill triple tag punch where I added the "Cheers!" as the charm.  This card also fulfills Stamp Something's Anything Goes challenge, Papertake Weekly's Fancy a Punch? Challenge, and since this is a birthday card it also fulfills Paper Sundaes Challenge 69

So, what do you think?  Which is your favorite?  Thank you for stopping by and seeing my creations today.

~Crafty Math Chick

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Flashback Friday 11.0

Hello friends & followers!  I hope you had a good weekend.

Today I have my submission for this month's Flashback Friday Challenge 11.0.  The challenge was to re-post your first wedding card.  Here is mine from May 18, 2008 (well, the first wedding card I photographed anyway) using Stampin' Up!'s Cause for Celebration set (I need to show that set some love, haven't used it in ages and it is so sweet), the D'Vine Swirls embossing folder, some gold metallic ribbon and a pink Spica pen to add a little sparkle to the hearts on top of the cake:
Thank heavens for Photoshop, which I didn't know how to use back in 2008 when I took the original picture in my SCS gallery.

Thanks for the fun challenge Amy - and thank you to everyone who takes the time to stop by and look at my cards.  Have a great week!
~Crafty Math Chick

Friday, May 13, 2011

Happy Endings - Take Two

Okay, I have NO IDEA where the original post for this card went!  I KNOW I had it up Wednesday evening!  :(  So, I thank you if you commented before and apologize if your comment is now gone.  Kind of beyond my control..

Here is the card I made for Sketch 137 from Taylored Expressions on SCS using TE's 'Cuppie Love Scenes' images and some cool popcorn DP by the Paper Studio:
And here is a view of the inside of the card:
I used Stampin' Up!'s Heart-to-Heart punch to get all of those hearts embellishing the inside of the card.  Let's see if I can remember all the challenges I entered this card in, as the links that were previously entered are now invalid...
  • The Paper Variety - Lights, Camera, Action! - create a card with a movie theme,
  • Papertake Weekly Challenge - Fancy a Punch?  (I used the Heart-to-Heart punch for the hearts on the inside of the card and a Marvy Uchida Mega oval punch for the image on the front),
  • Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 133 - Dust Off Your Stash - These adorable cuppies images had not seen love in many, many months I am sorry to say, and I was hoarding the popcorn DP (I love popcorn!), and lastly
  • Creative Inspirations 111 - decorate the inside of your card.
Okay, think that was everyone.  I hope I don't get in trouble with any of the challenge sites for double posting when in reality I am just trying to fix blogger's erasure of my post.  LOL, I am new to blogger - does this happen often?  I KNOW - we can chalk it up to Friday the 13th right?!!  Hope your weekend is luckier than your Friday.  ;)
~Crafty Math Chick

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Happy Endings

Hello friends and followers!  If you are here looking for my Mark's Finest Papers Day Two Blog Hop card, please scroll down to the previous post.  I have another treat for you today.  I created the following card using Sketch 137 from Taylored Expressions' Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers.com:

I rotated this sketch 90 degrees to the right and this is what I came up with:
.. and here is the inside...

When I saw this image from Taylored Expressions' 'Cuppie Love Scenes' I knew I had to have it because my hubby and I enjoy watching movies together so much with POPCORN of course - thus the perfect DP.  I thought this would make a good anniversary card (if he doesn't sneak onto my blog and peek at it ahead of time).  Since my husband likes chocolate cake best, I made sure he was the chocolate cupcake in the image of the two cupcakes enjoying a movie and some popcorn.  The layers of red scalloped punched paper at the top is supposed to symbolize the curtain that opens when the movie begins.  In addition to the sketch challenge, this card fulfilles the requirements of the following challenges:
That about sums it up for this evening.  Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog and view my creations.  I hope you have a good night!
~Crafty Math Chick

Monday, May 9, 2011

Rainbow Donut

Hello friends & followers!  I hope you had a good weekend and that your week is off to a good start.  I have two colorful cards for your viewing pleasure today.  The first I made for Skipping Stones Design's Challenge 74.5 - where we were to pick a sketch and make a card based on it rather than being provided with one.  Since I liked the SSD Sketch 74 from the week before so much I used it again in conjunction with SSD's cute Birthday Donuts set:
(the inside says 'sometimes it is best not to know how many you've had' - BWHAHAHA!)  I had so much fun coloring the donut with Copic markers and making the jimmies (that's what we call 'sprinkles' back in Massachusetts) all different colors like the dots on the patterned paper from Paper Studio's 'Birthday Extravaganza' mat stack.  I am also entering this card in Wee Memories Challenge 55: C.R.A.F.T.S. - color, ribbon, acrylic, floral, twine & stamps - we were required to use at least one of those, I used three: color, ribbon & stamps, as well as Paper Play Challenge Week 18 - Show us your style - my favorite style is coloring with Copic markers and incorporating lots of bright colors.  :)

My second card was completed for the first ever Ribbon Carousel Challenge.  RRC1 was an inspiration challenge based on the ribbon carousel itself in this picture:

Yummy isn't it?  I was inspired by the spools and spools of PTI ribbon, and since I have been hoarding a bunch for a while (it's so pretty) I decided this was the perfect occasion to give it some love paired with a cute mini set from There She Goes Clear Stamps called 'Rain & Sunshine':

I wish I had been able to fit more than six colors of ribbon on the card.  Do you see the ten different colors of rhinestones at the bottom?   Each tucked inside its own little scallop?  Aren't they sweet?  This card also satisfied the requirements of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 133 - to 'dust off your stash' (in my case, of ribbon, this little mini set had not seen love in a while either), as well as Wee Memories Challenge 55: C.R.A.F.T.S. - color, ribbon, acrylic, floral, twine & stamps - again, I used the same three: color, ribbon & stamps.  :)

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog.  I hope you have a wonderful evening!
~Crafty Math Chick

Saturday, May 7, 2011

TSG's MOTHER OF ALL BLOG HOPS!!

Welcome, welcome friends, followers and TSG MOA-BLOG HOPPERS!  WOO HOO!  YES!  It is finally here!  The event I wait for all year long - The 2nd annual Mother of All Blog Hops sponsored by There She Goes Clear Stamps.  Two fun-filled days of TSG AWESOMENESS!!  Bet you didn't know that the 1st MOABH was largely responsible for me finally starting my own blog, did you?  ;)


If you arrived here from the blog of our fearless & talented leader Jessica Knutsen, you are right where you are supposed to be.  If not, you will want to start back at the There She Goes Team Blog to find out the blogging order and what you need to do to be eligible to win some prizes (that's right ladies & gentlemen, prizes, and AMAZING prizes at that!).

The TSG set I was assigned was 'Snowy Days' which I LOVE LOVE LOVE for many reasons, including the little adorable dog in the set.  Torico, the set's illustrator, is truly the master of whimsy, is she not?  (Psst - Torico, if you are reading this, Ty would LOVE to be your next model - pointing up towards my blog header suggestively).  I created three cards for this hop using this set.  Here is the first:

This cute little guy is colored with Copic markers.  I wanted to add a subtle sparkle to the snow on the trees and ground, and to Polo's (winking at Joy), I mean the pup's sunglasses as well, so I went over them with Spica pens.  The papers are The Paper Studio's 'A Heartwarming Holiday' collection.  This card also fulfilled the requirements of the following challenges:
Crafty Catz Weekly - use a quote or sentiment, and Winter Wonderland - the colors of Christmas, and

On to card two...

The snowman and pup were once again colored with Copic markers, and I accented the corners of my Nestabilities Labels 3 die cut with petite red rhinestones which continued down the snowman's front as well.  The papers in this card are from Hobby Lobby's 'Magic of the Season' stack.


My last card not only uses the tree & pup image and sentiment from 'Snowy Days,' but also images from TSG's 'Home Sweet Home' (HSH) & "HSH - Holiday Additions' as well to create this cozy little Christmas scene.  I do not know if you can tell, but the stockings, the fire inside the fireplace, the pine garland and the milk & cookies left for Santa are all separate images that I added.  If I had to pick a favorite of these three, this last card would probably be it.  Do you have a favorite?  (Note: Holiday card count: 31)  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:
All Sorts Challenge 102 - stamp a lot (to use at least 3 images on a card, I used... nine, and Paper Play Challenge Week 18 - Show Us Your Style - I LOVE Copic coloring with lots of color and holiday cards are my favorite kind to make.

This concludes my tribute to TSG's ADORABLE 'Snowy Days' set.  If you want to see more creations using this sweet set, please check out TSG's Gallery, the Trendsetters, the TSG DT, did SUCH an AMAZING job with the sneak peeks for this set, I actually did the hop twice, so it is worth the visit.  Now that you have seen everything I have for your viewing pleasure today, please leave me some looove and make your way over to the blog of the Master Colorist herself, Sandra MacLean, she is sure to have something spectacular for you; she always does.  Happy Hoppin'!
~Crafty Math Chick

Friday, May 6, 2011

April Showers Bring Verve Flowers

Hello friends and followers!  Today I have a CAS card for you for Verve's Diva Dare: April Showers Bring May Flowers.  I used Verve's 'Hope Blooms' & 'Bloom & Grow' sets, the sketch from Clean & Simple Challenge 138, and the colors and inspirational picture from The Play Date Cafe Challenge 80:
Here is my card:
Nice and simple right?  I used PTI's Lemon Tart and Summer Sunrise inks & papers with a little Dusty Durango marker accents.  I love these flowers, so versatile, so many options.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my card.  Make sure you stop by tomorrow for my There She Goes 'Mother of All Blop Hops' creations!  Have a good night!
~Crafty Math Chick

Monday, May 2, 2011

SSD, MFT & OTWC !

(How is that for acronyms?  And they don't stop here...)  ;)  Hello friends and followers!  I hope you all had a good weekend.  I have three creations for your viewing pleasure today.  The first was created using this week's Wednesday Sketch Challenge sponsored by My Favorite Things Stamps (MFT) at Splitcoaststampers (SCS) and the colors and inspirational picture provided by Kim Wilson with her Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge 52:



Here is the card I made using MFT's "Hit the Beach' set - one of the first MFT sets in my collection (but certainly not the last!):

I used some pre-glittered sand colored paper to represent the sandy beach (know how sand has a sparkle to it?) and a piece of Pacific Point cardstock embossed using CB's D'Vine Swirls EF that I tore at the edge to give it the look of waves hitting the shore.  I stamped the images and colored them in using Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun and Pacific Point markers, added a bright blue brad to the beach ball, and popped it up with a dimensional.  This card also fulfills the requirements of Totally Stampilicious' Kickin' it Old School Challenge, to use a stamp set that has not seen ink in over 6 months. Card one, clap clap done!

My two remaining cards were both based on Skipping Stones Design Sketch 74 by Laurie Schmidlin.  Yep, I liked the sketch so much that I made two cards with it.  This first card uses SSD's "Bra's Volume 1' set and some yummy paper from Echo Park's 'Be Mine' collection. 

The fancy bra was a little tricky to cut out, but I liked the effect.  I added a row of petite rhinestones at the bottom and one in the center of the bra itself for a little sparkle.  this card also fulfills the requirements of Cute Card Thursday Challenge 162 - to create a card using a sketch from a sketch challenge (here, SSD74).  Card two, clap clap done.  :)

My last card also uses that terrific SSD sketch but I used MFT images from their Boy & Dog set and a sentiment from their Heart Stripes set for their May Guest Designer Contest in their member forum at SCS.  The theme this month was 'Denim & Bling which always look FABULOUS together, so this is what I came up with:
(Notice the coloring of the little dog?  Remind you of anyone in particular?  wink wink).  I paper pieced the boy's overalls using denim patterned paper which was also used as the main backgroun and incorporated this cool red handkerchief looking ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  For my 'bling' component I created some flourishes in the NE and SW corners of the card, added petite silver domes for the snaps of the boy's overalls, and a petite rhinestone to act as the dog's tag (gotta have a tag!).  Card three, clap clap done.  This card also fulfills the requirements of the following 2 challenges:
Thank you all for the fun challenges and for taking the time to stop by my blog to see my creations.  I hope you are having a great day!
~Crafty Math Chick