24 Projects in 12 - Handmade Birthday Invitations with DIY Stamp

Hurray! I am finally getting around to posting my FIRST Project of my 24 PROJECTS in 12 for 2013. In this post about my Goals & Intentions for 2013 I announced I was planning to complete 24 homemade projects this year - approximately 2 per month.

I look forward to filling in each of the squares on the grid above as I complete and share each project. This graphic will serve as my 24 PROJECT logo and my way of keeping track and documenting my progress.

PROJECT ONE - Lego Ninjago-inspired Birthday Invitations

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you've most likely noticed pictures of this stamp before. It's shown up in my Project Life album and one or two other posts.

It is the first craft foam stamp I made. (For a tutorial on DIY craft foam stamps, go here.) And I created it specifically to make these birthday invitations for my son per his request. We designed them together. Right down to what the Ninjago face would look like.   

As you can see my stamps were not all lined up properly on their wooden handles, so I had to make adjustments as I stamped.

First I practiced with my stamps to get the spacing for the front of the invitation right. And decide what wording we would use. My son vetoed the idea of including the word "party." He wanted it to read:

BRADEN'S 8th BDAY

He was insistent that I don't spell out the word 'birthday'. I am guessing he thinks the abbreviation "bday" is cool for whatever reason.

I started with the letter furthest over on the right of the invitation of the longest word, "BRADEN'S". Then I worked backwards to that my words would always fit.

I set up my assembly line. I have a habit of doing each item one by one - start to finish - which isn't very efficient. I forced myself to do much of these part by part, assembly line style and it went well.

Here I am working hard hand stamping all of the invitations. What I do for my birthday boy!

Here is what the inside looked like.

[BACK STORY: As soon as I filled them all out and into the envelopes, just before sealing them to put in the mail, we realized we scheduled the party for a 3-day weekend! Thinking many people would be out of town, we re-scheduled for the same time one week later. I updated all of the invitations, sealed them, addressed them and then realized we scheduled the party for SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!

Ending time was the same as kick-off!

But, changing the party once was enough. We went forward with it. I know we missed at least one guest because of it, but regardless the birthday boy had a blast! It was the perfect number of 7 & 8 year-old boys!]

And here I had to take a picture of the BEFORE & AFTER of my letter stamping. See how well I got to know my stamps - wonky letter placement & all!? Practice may not make perfect, but it sure makes for a huge improvement.

Such a fun first project and so gratifying to create something totally original (minus the letter stamps). One of the parents even asked me if I was an artist!! Totally made me blush!

Thanks for stopping by! Project #2 to be posted sooner than later since it has been complete for some time and just needs to be shared!

I'd love to know if you have any questions and hear what you think.

To see all of my other homemade craft foam stamp designs go HERE or to see my craft foam stamp tutorial, go here.

Oh and you might be interested in seeing the Ninjago Mini Fig Cake I made. Click here (post on my cake design process coming soon).

Thanks for stopping by!