My Undefined Playstation Controller Birthday Card

 My son Tyler is going to a birthday party of a friend who is a gaming crazed teenager- wait, that's my son, too!  I wanted something game related but did not have a stamp for it so what did I do?  Took out my son's playstation controller and drew it out and carved it from my Undefined carving kit of course! I drew it up, and rough carved it and then stamped as I continued to carve to make sure I got the image I wanted and it turned out pretty cool, if I say so myself. It took less than 30 minutes!

 I stamped it on whisper white using versamark and heat embossed it with black embossing powder then cut it out.  I stamped Happy Birthday from Bring on the Cake (sadly on the retired list- so if you need it, get it now while you still can! ) on a piece of whisper white and diecut it with On Film framelit and colored the words in with Bermuda bay, Strawberry slush, Crushed curry, Smoky slate, and pumpkin pie markers.  I then cut a piece of 3 1/2x 3 1/2 Kaleidoscope DSP and layered it underneath it.  I dry fitted the controller I cut out to see where I wanted it then used the black  marker to draw the "cord"  then mounted it using dimensional.  Stamp small Simply Stars (also on retired list) with Strawberry slush and cut out and mount with dimensionals.  Celebrate from Starburst sayings diecut with coordinating Starburst Framelit Die.

 I think it does make sense that the kids want cash since giftcards are usable at certain stores and can easily be forgotten and lost, but I still want to give it to them in a special way.  The envelope liner framelit die to the rescue!   The smallest liner is perfect for trifolded cash- Makes it a little more classy then just money folded inside the card.  Used another sheet from Kaleidoscope DSP to make the envie.  Added the Happy birthday banner from Itty Bitty Banners, diecut with Bitty Banners framelit and reasonably easy - but I hope he thinks Spectacular- card.


Things you need to make this card:
Paper:     Whisper white  CS    100730           $8.50 (40 sheets)
               Kaleidoscope DSP    132995          $10.95 for 12 sheets

               Bermuda Bay  CS      131197          $6.95 (24 sheets)  

Stamps:  Undefined stamp carving kit            Kit 133402 / refill kit 134808

               Bring on the Cake      128490Wood  $38.95        121958 Clear $27.95  

               Simply Stars              130889 Wood  $13.95        130892 Clear $10.95

               Itty Bitty Banners      132022 Wood  $15.95        126257  Clear $11.95 

               Starburst sayings       133182  Wood  $25.95        133185  Clear $18.95

Ink:     Bermuda Bay              131171 

            Versamark              102283

            StazOn Jet Black      101406

            Markers: Strawberry Slush, Pmmpkin Pie, Smoky Slate,  Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry     

Tools:  On Film Framelits     132969   $29.95

            Bitty Banners framelit  129267   $14.95

            Starburst framelit  132967  $26.95 

             black embossing powder     109133     $4.75

Envelope Liners Framelits Dies   132172   $26.95   (type in the name in search and you will find it in the store although it does not come up automatically when you look in the framelit section)

Dimensionals                                       104430            $3.95 (300 dots)

Multipurpose Liquid glue                   110755            $3.95

You can buy any and all of what you need at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/lyndalee

A teenager Birthday

 I can't believe my son is now officially a teenager. I remember when I held him in my hand the night he was born. His whole body just fit on my hand and forearm and now here he is- riding his bike to his friend's house alone, eyes rolling at things I say, embarrassed by me kissing him in public and a total gamer.

This was a set I got a long time ago for such an occasion from PTI.  I embossed Real Red CS with the start EF from CB then mounted the Brocade Blue CS (retired SU) stamped with versamark and heat embossed with white EP with dimensionals.  Finally a layer of Whisper White CS and then the game controller heat embossed with black EP cut out and mounted with dimensionals again.

I added some color on the inside using the sentiment embossed with white EP and a strip of DSP.  I took the color cues from the DSP for the whole card in case you are wondering why I used retired color- besides the fact that I have 3 shelf-fuls of papers.....

Blast off make and take

This is a make and take from my workshop.  The basecard is Midnight Muse with a layer of bashful blue. Stamp the rocket with Midnight Muse on a whisper white CS, Create a reverse mask with 1 1/4 inch circle punch on a scrap and then positions the open circle over the circle of the rocket and stamp the little astronaut in black stazon- then color the face with blush blossom.  Cut it out.  Punch 3 clouds from the cupcake builder punch and tape in place. Stamp the sentiment in Midnight Muse and add dimensionals to adhere the rocket.  Stanp the the tail fire with real red and the front of the card is done.

I don't like a dark interior so I added a piece of whisper white on the inside and stamp the sentiment in red to match and an easy and fun make and take.

Blast off in flight

The base card is Midnight Muse and everything was stamped with versamark and embossed using pewter, turquoise, tangerine and gumball green one at a time.
I then stamped the astronaut in black on a scrap piece of whisper white with staz-on and then colored the face with blush blossom marker, punched it out with a 1" circle punch and another easy card.

Blast off birthday

 I've been making sketches of this set and how I wanted to play-
I took a Night of Navy Cardstock as a base to create outer space then diecut two  3 1/2 circles from Summer Starfruit nd then punched a bunch of circles using bunch of different circle punches  I had, sponged the solid circle and mounted the one with holes onto the one without holes bt sponged to make a moon.

I then stamped the shooting star and the saturn like planet with versamark and embossed with tngerine and turquoise embossing powder

. separately.  then I used the versamarker to add some dots with tails to create some more shooting stars.  Stamp the little astronaut in tangerine on a scrap piece of whisper white and the color the hair and eys using softsuede marker.  Color the flagpole with Midnight Muse marker and stamp the sentiment along the side of the pole. Cut out a shown.  So fun!

Blast Off Tent card

 It's not that I've been dawdling - I am totally EXHAUSTED watching the Olympics!  I have been crazy with this set too- I've been dreaming cards with this and I am busy making samples with it - some for my stamping party I will share later. 

I made this card as a challenge to CC386 (color challenge- Primrose, Summer starfruit and Baja Breeze)  and CAS181 on splitcoast to make a tent card.  I changed the dimension to make a square 4 1/4 inch card with left over to make the "legs".  Cut a cardstock longways to make 2 4 1/4x 11 inch pieces.  cut to shorten to  8 1/2 inches and score into 1/2 at 4 1/4 inches.  Reserve the little piece left over.  I cut the center out with a circle cutter. Stamped the words in primrose on the cardstock, and then the rocket on white.  I stamped the fire in calypso coral and the little astronaut in baja blue then used blender pen to remove the ink from the face and used starfruit and primrose pen to color the face.  I then used 1 1/4 inch hole punch  using a scrap piece to make a circle, put it over the hol on the rocket to reverse mask the little guy into the window.  Punch some clouds using the cupcake punch with white and use dimensionals or gluedots to adhere.  I covered the inside using starfruit and then punched some more start fruit circles in 5/8 inch and 1" and sponged them with starfruit to make it look like a planet through the hole, added some bling to the rocket and really easy peasy card.

You will have2- 2 1/2 inch x 4 1/4 strip left over after cutting the card.  Score that strip 1/4 inch, 1 1/4, 2 1/4  along the 2 1/2 inch side and you will have the "legs" of the card. fold it to make a W and adhere sticky strip to the 1/4 inch sections and adhere to the front and back of the card as shown on the bottom of the card on the left.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Under the Big Top- Celebrate

There are some stamps that I just can't resist- sewing stamps, furniture stamps and circus stamps.  I don't know why but I swear I have every sewing body mannequin stamp and die manufactured.  So when SU came out with Under the Big Top and Big Top Birthday DSP I had to have it.  I just love it- I think it is the little kid in me and fascination with all the amazing things that go on and things the human body is capable of- Love Circ de Soleil, Pickle family circus, need I go on?

I was sad to hear that this cute little set was retiring so I had to make a card with it to show people what a cute set it is....   The color combo came from the DSP itself (as usual- the thinking has been done FOR you!)  Take a base of whisper white.  Add the 2" strip of Big Top Birthday DSP on top. Take 2" wide real red CS and run it through the stripe EF. Because I wanted the stripes to go up and down in this orientation, I had to run it through twice but because the stripes line up so easy, was no big deal even at my workshop.  Run tempting turquoise and shimmer white through the framelit die to fit your image.  I then stamped the elephant and colored him with watercolor crayon in sahara sand and used markers, daffodil, turquoise and real red to color in the rest.  I had separated the words from the image and used a black marker to stamp just the 'celebrate' from the words and used a 1 1/4" circle punch to punch it out and then tuck it under the yellow scallop edge.   Mount  the framelit die cuts with dimensionals to raise it up.  I will probably have to wait couple of years for the next set of clown stamps, oh well.  They seem to come out with one every 2-3 years. I have the old Clowining Around set that I unmounted now in the same stamp case. 
I thought this would make such a fun birthday or any fun occasion card for any young boy or man.  Enjoy!

Lynda

Totally A-mazing

I think this set is so cool- I have been collecting stamps of all kinds for years now and I have never really seen a set like this one before so I had to have it of course. I bought a whole bunch of the mazes that match the stamp so perfectly and at $2.50 for 4 it is cheap! for such a cool toy! So, for my last stamping party I brought it all out and had a ball with it. This was the project. Base card is pool party with a piece of Lucky Limeade embossed with the adorning accents EF. Then layer some DSP- this one from Sweet Shop which has raised polka dots and heart- too cool! I stamped the maze in Wisteria and the heart in red and then punched it out with the 2 1/2 inch circle punch that fits the maze perfectly (do you even doubt that there are higher powers at work here?) Remove the backing to the maze (careful with the little metal balls) and replace it with the stamped version. I used glue dots on the 4 corners that hold the paper in to secure the maze to the background.

Take a 3 inch piece of wisteria ribbon and poke a hole in it and the limeade CS and put the brad throught it( Jelly Bean Brad from the Occasion Mini ).

Stamp the sentiment using Wisteria ink and punch out with modern label punch and adhere using dimensionals.

A little tricky but a cute card for maybe one of my boys!

Reminder to self: buy more mazes in case it does not make it into the main catalogue next year!

Wishing you an a-maze-ing day!

Lynda

Jungle thank you

I needed a thank you card for the my two monkeys to send out and

searched through all my monkey stamps (and believe me I have quite a collection) but decided the SU ones really had the best expression so here it is.

The base card is whisper white with poppy red layer stamped with versamark using animal stripe stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms that I got before they closed- with sentiment from A note of thanks - a simply sent kit -retired - layered with chocolate chip then white - stamped the monkey twice using chocolate chip - stamped the bellies with simple alphabet from PTI and the branch from the Bird Builder punch.

Super easy card- I wanted a "swingin' by to say HI" or THANKS or something like that but couldn't find an appropriate sentiment- I'll just have to keep looking for next time.....

Lynda

SCS Color Challenge -Marina Mist, Cherry cobbler and Wild Wasabi

The SCS color challenge this week was the new colors from Stampin Up- wild wasabi, cherry cobbler and marina mist. Extra bonus if you make it a boy themed card. I have been hoarding a bunch of Billy stamps from Pink Cat Stud*os because I just love Billy - being mother of 3 wild boys, just can't help it!- and I had to use it for this card.

Base card is Cherry cobbler - ran it through my big shot using the bubbles embossing folder from Cuttleb*g. A strip of wild wasabi with background from Frog Billy. Stamped Frog Billy in mement* black tuxedo and colored it in with my Cop*cs that match the colors from SU. Used the colorless to create stripes after coloring to create a little extra texture. Hoppy birthday from the same set colored with whatelse but cherry cobbler and wild wasabi markers, punched out with large oval punch and accented with wild wasabi in scallop oval mounted with dimensionals.

I am really pressed for time these days and have vowed that the cards I try to make must not take more than 10 minutes real time once I sketch it out in my head or paper. I hope this works for you. It's a simple sketch that could be used for any single large image and small sentiment. Thanks for looking! Lynda

CSC CAS64 and TLC270

This is a little challenge to ramp it up- I made the card on the left for Tyler's signature thank you card in yoyo yellow. The clean and simple card challenge was to make an orange card- here Only Orange- yes another retiring color with yoyo yellow, green galore and real red blocks- the block size had to be changed a bit to allow it to stack- 1 3/8 by 11/16 - which is one notch shy of 3/4- thus the card to the right- The card on the right uses a sentiment from a little birthday cheer set.

There are so many variations on this card that I sketched up but not enough time to make it all!

Make a little boy happy with a Lego card!

Lynda

Tyler's Lego Thank you

This is a simple Lego thank you card I made for Tyler- He wants them now in orange, green galore and brilliant blue- all the colors that are retiring- I guess I am going to have to order a bunch more- the twins wants their own after seeing this.

This is pretty straight forward- I started using the 1 3/8 inch square punch then trimmed it down to 3/4 inches to make 2 rectangles. The circles are made with 1/4 inch circle punch.

I tried different ways to add the dots but the easiest was to put mono multi glue in 8 dots as shown then add the circle using tweezers and to dab lightly and position them - I eyeballed them and that was just fine-

This is what it should look like- the card stock add just enough shadow to look 3 D.

I added half of a dimensional on each side to lift it up and make it look like a low profile Lego.

It raises it up just enough to make it look like a Lego. I may have to make a Lego stamp if they don't come out with one. Maybe some company will look at this and take me up on it?
Thank you sentiment is from the retired Take Three Set.
This was made with real red on Yoyo yellow- but it would be pretty on Green Galore, Brilliant Blue or Only orange given their bright colors and match to the Lego blocks.
Lynda

Tyler's 9th Birthday party favors

Tyler said he wanted his birthday party at a miniature golf course but then he wanted a lego theme. Then he went and picked out a army tank and little men cake after we decided that we were going to send out Blast off cards with rockets for invitation- to say the least I was a bit confused about the theme. But I guess the little guy has a right to pick whatever he wants for his birthday.

Anyhow, my DH found little Lego figurine keychains - which was not cheap mind you- so it was hard to stay within budget for favors, so I added little Lego candies I found at D*ddums and a space pencil I had planned after he picked the space theme at the beginning- I guess it could be construded as a Star Wars, Lego theme, eh?

Well, after he said he wanted a lego theme, I looked high and low for any Lego stamps that I could use to no avail. So I took one of their Lego plates that are made for a base of a building to see if I could get an impression. I tried paper and although this was the thinnest Lego plate I could find, it CS went to shreds no matter what paper I used and even when I wet it. So I gave up on that idea and just tried some heavy duty aluminum foil that comes with food delivery for the metal lego blocks accent I have to use a empressor to make the bumps look more like the lego bumps but I did not think it looked too bad. You can even see the name Lego on the bumps if you look close enough. But the layers through the big shot has to be done carefully so it is not such a hard impression that it will cut through the bumps.

This is a detail of the favor- The stamps are from Her* arts I got many years ago.

My little take on the thank you cards tomorrow.

Lynda

Mickey Birthday

I love Disney. When EK came out clear stampsets of all the heroines- Jasmine. Cinderella, I had to have it and searched high and low until I found it. Never mind that I have only boys and not sure when I will ever get a chance to use them! I then saw a similar Mickey card at a LSS and cased it for this card- I thought the image would be perfect for a little boy's card. I took Mickey ( they also have another set with Minnie, and another with Donald, Goofy and Pluto ) and stamped him in black pigment ink on white CS and then embossed him. Colored him in with blush blossom, real red and curry markers. The scallop image is a retired SU called so many scallops that matches the punch perfectly. Colored the stamp using red inkpad then used blender pen to take off the ink on the candletop then colored it in with the curry marker(Easy technique to get a little different color on a larger stamped image). It was raised up with the dimensionals and tied a little natural cord to make it look "balloonish". The Mickey paper I had for a long time, not sure from where though and the ribbon is from Creative Imag*nation from the Disney line also. The whole thing is mounted on a textured red cardstock. A little three year old boy got this card for his birthday- Happy birthday Marcus!

Lynda

Birthday invitations and Thank you for Dylan and Kyle

We had a blast at my boy's birthday party at a local park few weeks ago. We had a bicycle rodeo and everyone brought their bikes, and I provided decorative tinsel, tape, garland, rolls and rolls of crepe paper in all different colors and people had a ball. We followed this with a lady clown who came and did body painting- the kids loved the dragon, the sparkly unicorn for the girls and some balloon making that followed. We Had pizza delivered and then broke open a pinata, then had cake. This was all topped by a race around the park with those finishing getting a gold medal and a goody bag to follow and it really was a blast. This was the invitation that I made using real red CS and an old retired vellum from SU- (many seasons past) - used some star studded wire from local Mike's and had it printed from my home computer. Stamped and embossed the bicycle from PTI from Nichole Heady in red. The stamp was designed to use buttons and I tried it but it just seemed too fussy and I was really pressed for time so I used some glittery self adhesive paper in red and silver and it was so pretty and sparkly, I knew it was the ticket. I stamped the envelope with a burning wheel from a set I do not have name of company on- sorry! and it was a really easy super simple invitation that you can adapt for any occasion.


I also wanted to give out things that had our personal touch so I got bubbles in bottles, wrapped some hot wheel paper around it and stamped the label and names using a set from again PTI and gave one to everyone to play with at the party and it really filled some of the gap in time at the beginning while some people were still decorating their bikes.



















This is the thank you card I made - that I made the kids sign - using the Just Riding set from SU and extreme elements for the stars and thank you kindly for the sentiment. I inked the stars using the bashful blue ink then again onto a glue pad then sprinkled on the glitter for that extra sparkle. the bike was inked in red then used the black marker to ink up the wheel, handle bar, pedal and seat. I did emboss the helmet for the accent piece.

All in all it was a great time- and for those of you who know my pet peeves- it was outside, physical, no arcade games, and minimal sweets. Tyler even asked on the way home, if he could have a part JUST LIKE THAT! If only I can guarantee no showers in April......

Lynda

metal embossing

I had requests for bridal cards from both my sister and my stamping group and I was thinking about a design and I thought silver and blue would be so pretty. When I tried to use brushed silver paper it was just a little too "flat" for the delicate background I wanted then I remembered aluminum foil embossing so this is the final card that came out. The dress template was made up by folding a paper in half and playing with the cut until I thought the dress looked not too skinny and not too fat- it took a little doing but at least now have a pattern that I can use over and over again.

The dress is also made using a texture plate- cut the design out first in shimmery white CS and then place on texture plate face down so that it would be a symmetrical pattern, wrap a little piece of blue taffeta ribbon and glue dot down a flower from the pretties kit and a half dome pearl from the same kit. Place on card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from All Holidays set, stamped in Bliss Blue on white, word window punched and then mounted on Bliss blue CS punched with the new modern label punch from SU and accented with a clear rhinestone brad.

The foil embossing is easy peasy- I would recommend that you cut the piece of heavy duty foil to the size neede so you manipulate as little as possible after embossing. It is a little too thin to emboss as is and does better with a piece of CS on top before layering as instructed and shown.

This is what it looks like after you run it through the Big Shot. All the wrinkles will magically disappear. Just lick your finger and slide the paper off the texture plate. Have your mounting surface all ready and put the tape onto the paper you will mount the foil. Be generous with the tape and I would use SNAIL or some smooth tape as one of my stampers found out with one of her "bumpy" adhesives left little bumps on the foil after mounting. This is a very delicate card and the foil can be marred with lots of handling.

This is what the final card looked like. It is really fun and easy project that looks like a million bucks. I've seen cards with less work on it at stores selling for upwards of $8 plus.

If you want something more heavy duty, I would consider using heavy tin or here I used a soda can that I cut out with my heavy duty craft scissors. Wash out the can and cut out the side of the can. I've been flattening it out under my old sizzix and a year later, it still has quite a curl. Oh well.

This is so thick that texture plate does not do well with it but with the embossing folders, it does a beautiful job that really holds its shape and is perfect for rough handled cards.

This is what the embossing folder did to soda can tin to the left and aluminum foil to the right. I like the heavy duty aluminum foil with texture plate because it really smooths out the wrinkles and if you screw it up, run the same foil in the texture plate and it will come out new. But with embossing folders, there are still lots of wrinkles which I did not like as much although in a pinch I would not complain- it's still pretty cool.

This is what the back of the embossed can looks like- I have no bad habits except for one can of diet Dr Pepper that I have every morning. I tried to give it up once after reading that aspartamate may convert to neurotoxic chemicals that can aggravate migraines but my migraines were no better and I REALLY like it so I am back- just could not save enough cans to get ready for my stamping workshop to have one for everyone. Take caution- the edges are sharp and you can cut yourself if you are not careful.

This is my card using the embossed soda can with the cuttlebug Embossing folder. Base card is the new In-Colors from SU- soft suede stamped with same color with the nuts and bolts from the set Lots of Bots. Mount the embossed metal with lots of sticky strips. Crushed Curry strip stamped and edge sponged with soft suede again. Circles cut out with the new circle cutters and I used paper piercer to add a little extra detail. The screw brad on the side from Michaels.

Give this a try- it is SO MUCH FUN!

Lynda

Cake pop up Die- Max's Birthday Card

I got the brand new cake pop up die from SU.
It is a brand new release from Sizzix and exclusive to SU for right now. As someone who is just crazy about pop ups, this is a must have. I already made birthday cards for several people - I will post theirs as soon as I believe they have received it.....

For Max's 4th birthday, my son Tyler made the cover - writing in white Sharpie marker on night of navy cardstock base.

The theme of the party was space. His mom made the most adorable invitation card ever using the viewmaster card idea with the rocket from pun fun stampset and the wheel, when turned showed the earth, the sun, stars and moon. It was a definite WOW card.

The inside of the birthday card has the cake die pop up using whisper white CS for cake layers and the
Delicate Dots Designer Paper for the layers. The cake top was stamped with happy birthday and his name using the Papertrey -It's a celebration set and simple alphabet.




I stamped the rocket image on bashful blue in black and highlighted parts with the white sharpie and glue dotted it onto the card.

All my boys signed it even Dylan- I can see that he is coming along and can see that he is proud that he can sign his own name now- He wanted to make the N really big- he said.

The die comes with instructions on how to put it together and having done a bunch of pop ups I know how difficult it is to do one of these- my Christmas card was 8/10 - this would be 2/10. It comes with all the pieces all cut and scored and hole placed in all the right places- I LOVE IT! I will show you more samples using this die- weddings, birthdays- any kind of celebration would be perfectly appropriate.

Happy Spring!

Lynda

Sock Monkey Birthday

This set is one of my favorites from the 2008-2009 Fall/Winter Stampin'Up catalogue- who can resist that cute mug- I am always calling my kids little monkeys so had to have the set- made this little card for my swap for convention- stamp hat - mask and then the Sock Monkey on very vanilla CS in choc chip ink then mask the cheek, legs and butt and stamp again with canvas background stamp- here's the hardest part for those of us who flunked scissors 101 in kindergarten- cut the monkey out - and color in the hat and butt with pumpkin and rose red and bordering blue- stamp balloons on pacific blue, Baja blue and ridinghood red CS and again- cut out- -mount monkey on tangerine CS and balloons with dimensionals and draw lines of the balloon with black marker- sharp end- stamp cumcakes all over on 8 1/2 x 11 summer sun CS folded in half with tangerine ink and stamp just for you in black ink and punch out with word window punch- Voila the card is finished!