Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Yipes! Stripes! With Newton's Nook Designs

Welcome!  I have to admit, the day Jen sneaked 'Wild About Zoo':


That little zebra instantly reminded me of the colorful zebra from Fruit Stripe gum.  Don't remember Fruit Stripe Gum?  Curious as to what it is?  Here are some links to fill you in: 1970's commercial & 1990's commercial (you have that in your head now, don't you?).  It is difficult to find in stores, but you can find it at specialty candy stores online if you do a google search for it.  One of these days I will buy a brick of it and come up with some cute treat holder for it.

Anyway, that was my inspiration for today's card:


The cute little zebra's tails was difficult to fussy cut around, so I gave him a rainbow one instead created by 6 strands of embroidery floss twisted together in shades that matched the brightly striped paper.  I think this will be a perfect card for Operation Write Home for a deployed service member to send to his or her daughter back home.  

I am also submitting this card for Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: Anything Goes (did you know Simon Says Stamp also sells Newton's Nook Designs?  They do!!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a bright & colorful day!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Friday, February 20, 2015

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge #18: One Layer Cards

Hello Everyone!  I hope everyone in cold corners if the world is warm & safe today.  Time for a new Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge!  This time Jen has chosen: 'One Layer Cards'!


Easy peasy right?  So you have no excuse not to play along!  I decided to use the cute koala bear from 'Hanging Around' for a support card for a recovering friend:

Flocked koala card by Crafty Math Chick | Hanging Around set by Newton's Nook Designs

I added flock to the koala bear (and his tail and the leaves) to make him extra soft, see?

Flocked koala card by Crafty Math Chick | Hanging Around set by Newton's Nook Designs

To create the illusion of another layer I punched an oval shape from a piece of scrap paper and sponged some Pool Party ink in the cut-out center and then stamped the sentiment in the middle of it - pretty cool huh?  

Additional Challenges:



Check out the Newton's Nook Designs Blog for the details of you how can play along with our challenge, how you can WIN a gift certificate to NND, and for more inspiration from my talented NND teamies.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!
~ Crafty Math Chick 


Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

Good morning!

Today is a special day! And in honor of this special day - the Newton's Nook Design Team is throwing a surprise birthday blog hop in honor of our fearless leader (also known as the creater, owner, designer and heart of Newton's Nook Designs) Jennifer!

Jennifer is one of the kindest, talented and most considerate person ever, and because of that (and a million other reasons!) we wanted to help make her day as special as she is!


I still remember the day I received the email from Jennifer being invited to join the NND team - I stared at it in disbelief, over and over, double and triple checking to see if it was really meant for someone else and was sent to me by accident.  She is such a sweet, fun, kind, WONDERFUL person to work for!  I feel so blessed to have the honor of working with her - Jennifer, I hope your birthday is as FABULOUS as you are!

I thought I would honor Jen's birthday revisiting a card made with the first NND set I ever purchased, before I was even a member of the design team, 'Just Say Cheese!'




So, without further ado, please follow along on this Birthday Hop and leave some love and birthday wishes for Jennifer! Who knows, there may even be a GIVEAWAY to one lucky person who comments along!*

*Spoiler alert - there is a giveaway! Ha! One lucky person will a stamp set of their choice from Newton's Nook Designs!  :D

Be sure to head over to the 
Newton's Nook blog where you will find all of the details! And check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:


Happy Birthday Jen!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Newton's Nook Designs' February Release ~ Day 2


Welcome back for the second day of the February release for Newton's Nook Designs.  Today's set will delight all of you Newton fans and kitty lovers, introducing 'Naughty Newton':


As a person who has lived with ulcerative colitis for many years, the image of Newton all wrapped up in toilet tissue with the 'Not feeling well?' sentiments spoke to me.  Here is my card:

Naughty Newton TP card by Crafty Math Chick | Naughty Newton by Newton's Nook Designs

I used the faux leather technique to create the background, which is supposed to look like torn pieces of TP like Newton is playing in, only I used white ink instead of brown ink.  I think if I do this again in the future I will use white EP as well rather than clear as instructed in the tutorial.  I tried to be playful and wanted to create a little roll of TP with the sentiment stamped on it, but it was a little long so I don't know if my intention is lost in the execution, what do you think?

Since this card features Newton kitty, I am also entering it in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: all creatures great and small (Simon Says Stamp carries NND too - did you know that?)

Would you like to win 'Naughty Newton'?
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, February 12th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, February 13th (guess it will be a lucky day for at least two people!).

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



Next on your hop is Jess Moyer, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you.  Enjoy!


~ Crafty Math Chick

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Newton's Nook Designs February Release ~ Day 1


Hello everyone!  Welcome to the first day of Newton Nook Designs' February Release.  Today's set is perfect not only for Valentine's Day, but for Anniversaries and any time you want to share a little love, introducing 'Bunny Hop':


Who doesn't think bunny butts are adorable?!!  So I of course chose this image for my card:

Bunny Butt card by Crafty Math Chick | Bunny Hop Stamp set by Newton's Nook Designs

I created a larger bunny for the Newton bunny to snuggle with using shapes from circle punches and gave him a sparkly pom pom tail and added some sparkly flock to Newton bunny's tail with a quickie glue pen.


Since this card features two widdle bunnies I am also entering it into Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: 'all creatures great and small' (did you know that Simon Says Stamps carries NND?  Cool huh?)

Would you like to win 'Bunny Hop'?
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, February 12th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, February 13th (guess it will be a lucky day for at least two people!).

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



Next on your hop is Jess Moyer, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you.  Enjoy!

~ Crafty Math Chick

Monday, February 2, 2015

Newton's Nooks Designs' Sweet Treats Blog Hop


Hello everyone!  Welcome to the 2015 Newton's Nook Designs' Sweet Treats Blog Hop!  Jen thought it would be fun to inspire you all with some homemade treat holders featuring her adorably illustrated stamps just in time to whip up some Valentine's Day Treats!

Since I LOVE making treat holders, I have created a variety of styles for your viewing pleasure today.  The first, one of my favorites, the Ghirardelli box  - perfectly designed to hold 3 decadent Ghirardelli chocolate squares:


I stamped and cut out the wagon from NND's Wagon of Wishes set


and loaded it up with lot punched hearts in assorted shapes & sizes with a few teenie heart-shaped sequins thrown in for a touch of shine and added the 'loads of' sentiment on the outside and 'love' from the NND Flirty Flamingo's set on the inside.

For my second treat holder, I went with the tried and true mini pizza box  - which is perfect for holding treats of all shapes & sizes:


This cute little raccoon from NND's Sweetheart Tails


hides lots of Lindor truffle hearts inside with 'You stole my heart' stamped on the rim (thought it was cute that the candies were shaped like hearts for this sentiment).

My last creation was made with folks who might think non-candy treats are far more sweet - people who are diabetic perhaps, etc.  I made a pencil holder using some pencils from a cute Valentine themed $1 pack and the cute owl from Sweetheart Tails as well.


The sleeve also holds 8 or 7 Pixie Stix quite nicely, I described how to make these in THIS POST.

Since my projects feature animals I am also entering them in this week's Mod Squad's 'All About Animals' Challenge

Know what the greatest thing is about all the treat holders in my stop on the hop?  They are ALL WICKED EASY to make!  Seriously!  Each one was cranked out in a matter of minutes, then you just spend as long as you like embellishing them up!  

Would you like to win a $10 gift certificate to Newton's Nook Designs?
We're giving them out 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 blogs have been chosen, so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning!  You have until Wednesday, February 4th at 9 pm CDT to comment -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Thursday, February 5th.

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


Crafty Math-Chick (<-- You are here)

Jess Moyer is the next stop of the hop, I am sure she has created something spectacular for you to see!  Enjoy - and good luck!

~ Crafty Math Chick