Viva la HYCCT (and Verve!)

Hello friends & followers!  I have three more cards for your viewing pleasure as I slowly but surely catch up on my HYCCT challenges.  The first was for HYCCT1116 - to make a card using a pink ribbon.  I borrowed Verve's Viva la Verve sketch for Week 4 of October to create this card:

There is no actual stamping on this card - the BIG 'i' & 'u' are die cuts from Verve called 'I Heart U'.  The heart is from a heart trio punch by Stampin' Up!  The patterned papers are all from retired SU hostess stacks.    This card also fulfills the requirements of Wags n Whiskers Challenge 66 since I used ribbons & the color black.  
   My second card was for HYCCT1113 - to make a card with a butterfly on it.  I used Verve's Viva la Verve Week 1 October sketch and their Blue Skies set to create this card:

I added pearl accents to the butterfly's body and the tips of its antenae.  This card also fulfills the following additional challenges:

• Wags n Whiskers Challenge 66 - To use the color black plus ribbons or pearls (I used both in this one), 
• Our Craft Lounge Challenge 89 - Going Pink, and
• Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Challenge - Monochromatic.

     My last card was for HYCCT1125 to make a birthday card, which I did using Verve's 'Big Wish' set and Viva la Verve's October Week 5 sketch:

The papers are from Basic Grey's Indian Summer collection (I think they work great for autumn too!) and I colored in the cake with markers and adds rows of pink rhinestones around the top & bottom edges of the cake for a little sparkle.  This card also fulfills the requirements of Basic Grey Challenge 56 - Anything Goes with a Basic Grey Product, and Dolce Stamps & Cards Challenge to make a square card with at least one die cut.
     Well, that is all I have for you so far, but I have a lot of stamping in my future as I still have several HYCCT challenges upon which to catch up, so please keep checking back!  Have a great day!!  :D
~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

We Have a Winner!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:6Powered by RANDOM.ORG

(I do not know why it says '100' here - my search parameters were 1 through 7... strange...)
TA DA - Makalah - it's you!!  Please PM me your mailing address at SCS (my username there is the same - Crafty Math Chick) so I can get your goodies in the mail to you.  If I don't hear from you in a few days I will draw another name.  Thank you all so much for being my loyal stamping friends & followers!  Off to create... I have some HYCCT challenges to catch up on!

~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

Berry Thankful

(If you are looking for my Blog Candy post - HERE is the link to it)

Hello friends & followers!  I hope you are all doing well.  Today's card was created for Cathy Tidwell's Free-for-All Friday Challenge at Stamp TV to CASE DT member Donna Baker by taking a card from their gallery and changing at least two things on it.  Here is Donna's original card that I decided to CASE, and here is my card based on it:

I used the same image from The Enjoy The Sunshine Stamp TV kit, the same papers and the same embossing folder (Swiss Dots) and layout, and changed (1) the mat Nestabilities shape is a small scalloped rectangle rather than the bigger scalloped rectangle die, and (2) I substituted black brads for the silver ones Donna used.  Other than that, it is a pretty close CASE.  I had fun coloring these ripe strawberries with my Copic markers.  In addition to the Stamp TV challenge, this card also fulfills the following challenges:

• HYCCT1119 - Give 'Em a Squeeze - to use dry embossing on a card,
• Karen's Doodles Challenge 86 - Emboss it,
• Sundays with Crissy Challenge 21 - Make a Thank you or a Thanksgiving card (I went with thank you in this one), 
• One Stop Craft Challenge 154 - No Designer Paper, and
• Charisma Cardz Challenge 43 - Anything Goes.  

I am hoping to get crafty a bit more this evening, we will see whether that comes to fruition or not.  Either way, thanks for taking the time to stop by and view my creations.  Have a great night!
~Crafty Math Chick

My 100th Blog Post!!

Hel-LO Friends & Followers!  I have a mini milestone celebration today - this is my 100th blog post!  And YOU are here for it!  YAAY!  (blowing a teenie tiny noise maker horn, LOL)  If you had told me a year ago I would be blogging I would have told you that you were crazy... apparently not because here I am!  And I really want you all to know how much your visiting and your comments have meant to me - it really has just given me a warm fuzzy watching the number of my followers grow and the kind, supportive, and sometimes flattering things you all write to me make me smile.  So, as part of my mini celebration and to say thank you to all of you I thought it would be fun to give a little blog candy away.  On that note, a little ribbon anyone....?

I have not measured it all, but there is quite a bit here.  Mostly grosgrains and satins of different widths, but a few sheers are in the mix as well.  I think they are all solids rather than patterns.  All you have to do is be one of my followers (if you are not already, easy enough to sign up by clicking the Blogger link on the left), and leave a comment and - TA DA! - you are entered.  Let's see... I'll leave this open through... Halloween and I'll pick a random winner on Tuesday, November 1st and announce it here on my blog.  Commenting will remain open until I pick & post a winner (please, only one post per person).  Alrightie!  Have a great day and thanks again for visiting!!  I appreciate you!!  :)
~Crafty Math Chick

More Hope You Can Cling To Cards

Hello friends and followers!  Today I have three cards for your viewing pleasure, all for the Hope You Can Cling To (HYCCT) card drive for the patients at the UT MD Andersen Cancer Center and their families to use during their stay.  The first is based on Skipping Stones Design Sketch 98 using their Chic Martini set:

(You can tell that the big olive circle and the small olive circle are supposed to create a great big olive, eight?).  I found this cool DP from the Paper Studio's Birthday Extravaganza Mat stack from Hobby Lobby and thought all those different sized circles went well with the two forming the olive, and added some Offray ribbons to hold the sentiment highlighted with a few petite rhinestones.  This card also fulfills the following additional challenges:
HYCCT1121 - Big or Small Save 'Em All (use two sizes of any geometric shape, I obviously chose circles), and
Wee Memories Challenge 73 - Free for All (anything goes).
My next card was created using a Stamp TV Release Party sketch by Theresa Momber and Holly's HYCCT Challenge to make a supportive card featuring the color purple.  Here is what I came up with using Gina K. Designs' Many Wishes set and a Kaleidoscope spectrum ink pad:

(This picture really does not do this justice - there are lots of rich purple and lilac hues in this card, for some reason the photo washes them out, it is much more vibrant in real life).  The flowers are velvet from an old Stampin' Up! kit with black brad in the center.  This card also fulfills the following additional challenges:

• Paperworks Friday Recipe #20 - You Float My Boat - Use an image that floats (the dandelion seeds here are floating through the air), ribbon (check) and brads or eyelets (I have just the one in the center of the velvet flowers),and
• One Stop Craft Challenge Week 154 - No Designer Paper.

My last card was created for another Stamp TV Release Party Challenge to use Pink in a card with Gina K. Design stamps and I decided to combine it with the HYCCT Challenge to create a collage card to create this card:

Personally, I am not a fan of collage style cards, it just is not my taste, but since beauty is in the eye of the beholder I am hoping that one of the patients at the hospital or a family member will like this card and it will make them smile.  I used a lot of different GKD stamp sets to create this card: Little Tees, Many Wishes, Timeless Textures, and You Are Not Alone and various shades of pink and tan ink.  In addition this card fulfills the following additional challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp and Show - One Color (! obviously went with pink), 
• Creative Inspirations Challenge 134 - Monochromatic, and
• One Stop Craft Challenge Week 154 - No Designer Paper.

Thank so much for stopping by.  You know... my next blog post will be my 100th... might just have to have a little bit of blog candy to celebrate...  ;)
~Crafty Math Chick