Newton's Nook Design's Inky Paws Challenge #38

Hello Everyone!  Time for another Inky Paws Challenge from Newton's Nook Designs!  This month Jen has picked out a fun & festive color challenge to inspire us for the Inky Paws Challenge #38  inspired by this lovely photograph:

Since I am WAY behind on my Christmas card stash for the upcoming holiday, I decided to go with a traditional Christmas card that was CAS yet elegant at the same time using NND's Beautiful Blizzard and Beautiful Baubles stamp sets:

I added some rhinestones and silver sequins here and there and VOILA!  Card complete!  It really is easy to make such pretty cards that are elegant AND mailing friendly with these sets (and that is SO important as the holiday nears closer and closer!).

Now, the question is what will YOU create with this color combination?  I can't wait to see and hope you will play along with us too because the Challenge winner will receive a $10 store credit to our online store and a Inky Paws Challenge Top Pick Badge to add to your blog! AND - If we get more than 15 participants, we will choose two winners so be sure to tell your friends to play along! 

You have TWO WEEKS to play along - until Friday, December 16th, 2016 at Midnight CST to enter. The winners will be announced on the NND blog.  Good luck!  And have a great weekend!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Welcome back!  Today is the third day of Newton's Nook Designs' June Release and you gardeners are going to love what Jen is revealing today, introducing -- Vegetable Garden stamp set:

Aren't Jen's illustrations gorgeous?  I really loved the font she used on this set too (is that weird?).  The peppers were my favorite image so I focused on them with this CAS card with a bit of masking:

I could totally see folks using these pretty images to label starter seed sets and gardens outside stamped with permanent ink on wooden stakes, creating pretty signs for farmer's markets, scrapbooking pages of your gardening efforts or farmer's market trips, making embellished recipe cards... 

Would you like to win a 'Vegetable Garden' 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 Gerstnet is your next stop, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy and be sure to come back tomorrow for more NND crafty goodness!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Welcome to the last day of Newton's Nook Designs' March Release!  Today everyone's favorite kitty returns sporting some international flair -- introducing 'Newton Dreams of London' and it's purr-fectly coordinating dies:

Seriously - HOW adorable are these images?!!  And didn't Jen really outdo herself with Big Ben (am I the only one who hears 'Parliament' afterwards from the National Lampoon movie?) and the phone booth and bus and the Guard hat?!!  OMG!!  

I decided to keep it CAS and have some fun with Memento Markers and the 'I {Heart} London' stamp and made this birthday card: 

I hope the recipient likes it - I know she loves London even more than Newton kitty does!

Would you like to win a 'Newton Dreams of London' 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 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, March 17th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- the winner will be announced on the blog post on Friday, March 18th. 

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
Kelly Latevola - Guest Designer

Jess is the next stop on the release hop - I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy!  Have a great day - and thanks for stopping by!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs' March Release ~ Day 1

Greetings!  Welcome to the first day of Newton's Nook Designs' March Release!  Jen has created some adorable sets for you (doesn't she always?) starting with 'Hello Spring':

Some images of our cute soon-to-be-named bunny, some chickies , flowers, Easter eggs, butterflies - something for everyone!  I decided to show some of the little chickies some love with a CAS card:

It doesn't show up well in the photo, but my friend Anna (who happens to raise chickens) taught me this technique using a ruler and a tracing wheel to create a faux stitched border around the outer edges of the card - the sponging really accentuates it, I love the effect!

Would you like to win a 'Hello Spring' 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 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, March 17th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- the winner will be announced on the blog post on Friday, March 18th. 

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
Kelly Latevola - Guest Designer

Jess is the next stop on the release hop - I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy!  Have a great day - and thanks for stopping by!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs' September Release ~ Day 1

Welcome to the first day of the September Release for Newton's Nook Designs!  All of you coffee lovers are going to want to POUNCE on today's reveal -- 'Newton Loves Coffee':

Aren't these seriously the most adorable coffee loving designs?  Personally, I am not a coffee drinker (I just heard a deafening collective 'GASP!!' from all of you, LOL!) but I do enjoy hot chocolate, cocoa and vanilla chai tea, so a lot of these images are perfect for us tea & hot chocolate lovers as well!  

I picked Newton clinging to the to-go coffee cup for my card since it coordinating purr-fectly with this embossing folder by Tim Holtz for Sizzix:

I went CAS on this one as I am recovering from surgery, besides, Newton is so cute he really steals the show anyway!  ;)  I am sure it will make one of my coffee loving friends happy on their birthday.

Would you like to win 'Newton Loves Coffee' 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 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, September 24th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- the winner will be announced on the blog post on Friday, September 25th. 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
Simon Hurley - Guest Designer
Amy Tsuruta - Guest Designer

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Jess Gerstner is the next stop on the hop, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy!  

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs March Release ~ Day 3

Hello everyone!  Welcome to the last day of sneak peeks for the March release of Newton's Nook Designs!  Today everyone's favorite kitty returns with another birthday set, Newton's Birthday Flutter:

As a bird lover/watcher with lots of feeders around my property, the idea of Newton even trying to hurt the birdie upset me (LOL!  Jen assured me the 'keep missing you' sentiment meant that Newton DIDN'T catch the birdie, LOL!), so this one little birdie just spoke to me and I decide to let him & his balloon take center stage in this CAS card:

I added some glossy accents to the balloon and a twine string for a little pop & touch of texture.  

Would you like to win 'Newton's Birthday Flutter'?
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)!  The winner 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 Thursday, March 19th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- the winner will be announced on the blog post on Friday, March 20th.

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 Moyer
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Kimberly Rendino 
Yukari Yoshioka
Wanda Guess (Guest Designer)

Jess is the next stop on the hop - I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy!

~ 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

Little Tangles Challenge 42

Hello everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start!  While playing along with the DTGD challenges on Splitcoaststampers.com I decided to play along with Little Tangles' Challenge 42: Happy Birthday using their Party Dots set:

I was really happy with how this came out - gold embossed on white with gold sequins scattered about, but I do have to give props to Chari Moss who made a card with this set with a very similar layout but different colors, she is such an inspiration to me!

Additional Challenges in which I am entering this card:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Make it Sparkle,  

WOW Embossing Powder's August Challenge: Monochrome, and
Art Impressions Challenge 141: Embossing.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!  :)

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs June Release - Day 1

Hello Friends & Followers!  Time for another great release from Newton's Nook Designs, WOO HOO!  Today we are previewing 'Chicken Scratches' a fun country set with lots of cute chicks:

I wanted to emboss that chicken wire pattern in silver EP but all my EP was already packed up for our move (which we will be in the middle of by the time you read this) so I opted for a CAS style card with a Mama hen and her brood of baby chicks:

(kinda reminded me of the Partridge Family - you have 'Come On Get Hap-py' playing in your head now, don't you?)  If I could make this card again I would have offset the last little chick who is looking down at the ground a bit more, so it looked like it was lagging behind.

Would you like to win 'Chicken Scratches'?
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 Thursday, June 19th at 9 pm Central Daylight Time to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, June 20th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs
Taheerah Atchia
Christine Drogt
Samantha Mann
Larissa Heskett
Crafty Math-Chick (<-- you are here)
Danielle Pandeline
Valerie Ward
Tessa Wise
Ria Montefalcon  - Guest Designer
Donna Idlet  - Guest Designer

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have fun hopping to Danielle's blog, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Newton's Nook Designs February Release!

It's that time of the month again friends & followers!  Newton's Nook Designs is release more sets - YAAY!  And trust me when I say that are adorable!

The sneak peeks begin with an adorable new set featured our recently named bear - Winston!  I decided to take the CAS approach for a change and used the balloon image in the set to make a simple yet colorful birthday card:

I found out the hard way that rub-on alphabet letters don't always stick to paper that has been colored with alcohol markers, so instead I used a Memento Tuxedo Black marker to ink up only one letter at a time to spell 'h-a-p-p-y' on the balloons (I had to get creative - the 'p' is actually the 'd' of 'birthday' stamped upside down).  This also was my first time coloring with Chromatix alcohol markers; I will do a review of them in the weeks that follow, so stop back by for that.  Here is what the full set looks like with adorable, newly-named Winston bear and all his accessories:

Now on to the fun part...

Would you like to WIN Winston's Birthday?

This set will be given away to TWO lucky winners!

Here's how to win:
Comment on the NND blog and the Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below).  TWO winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs' February release posts.  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 Thursday, February 20th at 9 pm Central Standard Time to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, February 21st.

Please check out all these awesome blogs to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs
Taheerah Atchia
Christine Drogt
Samantha Mann
Larissa Heskett
Crafty Math-Chick (<-- you are here)
Danielle Pandeline
Valerie Ward
Tessa Wise
Debbie Owens (Indy)  - Guest Designer
Chrissie Tobas - Guest Designer

~ Crafty Math Chick 

Sweet 'n Sassy Release Day Challenge Cards

Happy Friday Friends & Followers!  I hope you have some fun things planned for your weekends!  Today I have two cards that I created for some of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' release day challenges over on Splitcoaststampers.com.  Ceal's challenge was to create a card where the sentiment was featured.  I took this as an opportunity to make some stick pins (LOOOOVE making stick pins for my cards!) in some happy yellow colors and let a warm sentiment from SNSS' 'True Friend' set shine:

(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I love big bold striped patterned papers like this, so classy - if you know of any collections with them I'd always appreciate a heads up in the comments!  I used a large EK Success punch to punch out the sentiment and punched a black circle behind it to make it stand out a bit more, and an EK Success Anthus Leaf border punch for the horizontal strip that I tied some satin & sheer Offray ribbon over from the days when I was able to road trip to the Offray Ribbon Outlet in Hagerstown, MD (if you live within an hour or so - DC, Carlisle PA - it is worth the trip if you like ribbon or have a function like a wedding coming up!).  I made the stick pins with some beads from a pretty yellow collection at Walmart believe it or not (it is difficult to find yellow beads for some reason).  I added a little golden bling to the outer edges of the sentiment as well.  I am also entering this card in the following additional challenges:

• Paper Playtime Challenge - lots of yellow, and
• Card Makin' Mamas Challenge - black, white & one other color (I obviously went with yellow).

     Korin's challenge was really pretty - to stamp a silhouette image behind the sentiment.  I always love the way this looks when it see it in other people's projects, but I never remember to do it so I appreciated the incentive.  I don't have many silhouette images in my collection (I think I love to color too much) so I stamped some paw prints from SNSS' 'Woof You' set, stamping off once to give the ink a more subtle look and created this card, with another sentiment from 'True Friend':

The layout was inspired by the sketch in A.R.T. Challenge #10:

I also entered this card in the following additional challenges as well:

• Art Impressions Stamps Challenge - for the love of cats & dogs,
• JellyPark Challenge - cuddly wuddly, and 
• Whimsy Inspiration Challenge - CAS.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
~ Crafty Math Chick

CAS Retirement Card

Hello Friends & Followers!  Today I have a retirement card based on this week's sketch from Sketch Saturday:

I used Papertrey Ink's 'Polka Dot Parade #3' stamp set & dies paired with a retirement sentiment from their 'On the Links' set to create my card:

(please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  At first I was going to use the same colors I used in the card I created yesterday, but then I decided how the yellow looked in place of the tangerine for the particular recipient of this card.  Isn't the little recliner image cute?  Hee hee!  Since my card is CAS I am also entering it into My Crafty Spot's Clean & Simple Challenge as well.
     Thanks so much for stopping by - feels good to be creating again on a regular basis!
~ 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

(I KNOW!) I FINALLY stamped!

Hello friends & followers!  I am sorry for my long hiatus, had some health issues I have been dealing with.  They aren't completely worked out (won't burden you with the specifics) but I was missing making cards SO much, I couldn't stay away any longer.
     Here is a baby card I made to welcome my newest little nephew who graced us with his presence about a month ahead of schedule:

(Please click on the photo for clearer resolution).  I used Lawn Fawn's 'Plus One' set and ended up stamping the cute little stork twice, once to create the feet, and once on white cardstock to shade with Copics, then stamped the little bundle again on some bashful blue cardstock with white dots on it.  I selected some contrasting white cardstock with light blue dots on it and cut out some clouds freehand (I really need a cloud punch or some cloud dies!) and sponged some bashful blue ink on the ends to make them stand out against the white background.  The sun is an embossed Spellbinders Nestabilities die.   Played around with the arrangement a bit and - VOILA!  Card complete.  
     This card was inspired by the following challenges:

• Lawnscaping Challenge 62: Paper Piecing (the bundle was paper pieced onto the stork's body and that that was paper pieced onto the stamped image on the card base to create hit feet),  

• CAS-ual Friday's Challenge 109: Polka Dots on a CAS card, and

• Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Release Party Challenge #1 over at Splitcoaststampers.com: to use a sun or yellow in a creation. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and for not giving up on me during my little break from stamping as I tried to heal and get well.  Cheers!
~ Crafty Math Chick

My 200th Blog Post!

Hello Friends & Followers!  Can you believe it - 200 posts!  From the girl who thought she'd never have a blog no less!  I think a little candy might be warranted... do you?  ;)
     While I am mulling that over, let me show you the two quickie cards I created today (I KNOW!  NOTHING for the entire month of January and now - BOOM! - two in one day!).  Both were for Papertrey Ink's 6th anniversary celebration sketch challenges.  The first was for Sketch 1:

(Shoot!  I just realized the sketch was in portrait and my card is in landscape - sniff sniff... does it still count?)  

I used PTI's 'Sign Language' for the little boxes which were punched with a 1" square and matted with a 1 1/8" square and popped up with dimensionals, and 'Simple Valentine' for the sentiment.  Added a large heart shaped rhinestone and VOILA - clap clap, done!  The second card is based on Sketch 5:

(Oh thank goodness, got the orientation right on this one!  Goodie!) 

The geometric elements are from PTI's 'Dot Spot' and the sentiment is from 'Think Big Favorites #7' (I really need to get some more of these big bold sentiments for my collection, I have a precious few).  Colorful and postage friendly - two good things right?
   Alrightie, back to the issue of celebrating my 200th post.  Since I used PTI this week and they are celebrating their anniversary, why don't I celebrate with a PTI prize?  One person who leaves a comment on this blog post will be randomly chosen to win PTI's Life stamp set (unfortunately, with the increase in postage rates I cannot afford to ship  overseas anymore, so I have to limit the celebration to USA residents & APO/FPO addresses only, I feel very badly about this, but just can't afford the shipping with my tutoring sessions being so few and far between at the moment, I hope you understand and can forgive me).  
     Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope your weekend was wonderful and that you have a terrific week ahead!
~ Crafty Math Chick