Birthday Blog Hop!

Welcome to stop #13 on the Stampin' Addicts Birthday Blog Hop! This Blog Hop features 24 Stampin' Addicts members. Since we are celebrating the first birthday of Stampin' Addicts, each stop will provide awesome birthday ideas!

If you are traveling forward in the hop, you just visited Krystal's blog "Krystal's Cards and More!" where she showed us some fabulous ideas for tween boys using a surf theme.

Today I am showing some ideas for young boys. The projects I'm showing are also simple--it seems whenever I am running off to a children's party, I only give myself a few minutes to put the card and gift wrap together. So, here are a few quick and easy birthday ideas.


My first project is a card. I pulled this layout from Stampin' Success (a magazine for Stampin' Up! demonstrators) and used the set Happy Moments--a set you can earn for free during Sale-A-Bration. :-)

What I love about this card is that with the go-to layout, the colors (or stamp set) can easily be adapted to any birthday you need a card for--girl, boy, or adult. Here I used the colors Green Galore, Bermuda Bay, and Crushed Curry.

You'll notice I used the card as an inspiration for the remaining projects. Next up is a gift bag; I love how easy it is to personalize gift wrapping! I always keep white gift bags on hand so that I can quickly add a personal touch to a gift. Here I simply stamped along the top of the tissue paper and then added a ribbon and tag.


Next up is this cute little bag. This project was inspired by several different ideas that I saw at the Phoenix Regional I attended in January. I took one of the fabulous Glassine Envelopes (from the Occasions Mini Catalog) and ran it through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder to give it a little texture. Then I created a Bag-a-lope and decorated with lots of punches, ribbon, and a few brads. Note: the scallop circle is from the Pennant Big Shot Die.

I think this would be a fun way to give a small gift or gift card, or a perfect little party favor.


And, last but not least, what is a birthday without a party hat? This party hat is so easy to make using two Pennant Big Shot Dies adhered together at the edges. My friend Cindy recently showed me how to curl paper, so I had to add a few curled papers to the top of the hat to make it a bit more festive. :-) And although it doesn't show in the picture, I sprayed the hat with Shimmer Paint to give it a little sparkle.


Next on the Bog Tour is Joyce over at Stampin' Central. Head on over to see her "sister-practical and pampering ensemble." You won't want to miss it!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope that you've enjoyed these projects.

Custom Texturz

Hello all! Today I want to show you a card that I made for the Stampin Addicts dinner and swap at the Stampin Up Leadership conference that I attended in January. I've had several people request directions, so I guess it's about time I posted this tutorial. :-)

Anyway, it's actually quite easy to create your own custom texturz! How cool is that? This was an idea that I came up with a little while ago and I'm sure I'll be using it a lot. :-)

To start, just take a scrap piece of card stock and emboss the desired image. Here I repeatedly stamped the nuts and bolts images from the stamp set Lots of Bots and then embossed with Silver Stampin Emboss Powder.

Next create the sandwich that will go through the Big Shot. . . . Tab 1, standard cutting pad (works best if you have a new one without cut marks), card stock with embossed image, foil, Silicone Rubber, and then the Texturz Impressions Pad. Basically you follow the recipe for the Texturz plate--just substitute a standard cutting pad for the texturz plate.

So line that up properly, not like in my picture :-), and then run it through the Big Shot. Too much fun!

Hint: When you add it to your project, use the Tombow Multi Adhesive--that way you won't tear the foil apart or smash the image.

Below is a notebook and pencil set that I made for my son using the same technique.

Stamps: Lots of Bots

Ink: Basic Black Craft Ink, Real Red marker, Not Quite Navy marker, Going Gray (with Blender Pen), Versmark

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, foil

Accessories: Clear and Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Mat Pack, Paper-Piercing tool, Corner Rounder punch, Big Shot, Clips Assortment, dimensionals, notebook, pencils, silver brad, Billboard alphabet and Movers and Shapers (Big Shot)