It's a puzzlement.
How do you wish a ninja happy birthday?
Do you say, "Happy Birthday and may you find much gold as you kill people this year"?
The reason I was wondering this today was that today was Will's birthday. Yes, the boy with the wayward finger is getting older at a rapid rate.
For some reason, which I cannot fathom, Stampin' Up! has not come out with any ninja stamps! What is up with that, eh? It is a puzzlement.
So, when making a card for a ninja lovin' boy, what do you stamp?
I decided, after noodling this for a while today, that my best bet was to make a punch art ninja, in particular, Hiro from Will's favorite Wii game, Mini Ninjas.
Mini Ninjas is a totally addictive role-playing game that has really fabulous graphics and a cast of extremely cute little ninjas. It's a game I have been playing too, just because a) I am a kid at heart and b) it's what Will is into right now. He has finished the game a number of times already since Christmas, so he enjoys mentoring his much more inexperienced mother in the intricacies of the game.
So after much fiddling around to get something that looked decent, I finally achieved a decent looking Hiro. Lookie:
Ingredients: Stamps - Inspired by Nature; Paper - Green Galore, Real Red, Basic Black, Blush Blossom, Going Grey, Basic Grey, Brushed Silver; Ink - Green Galore, Glorious Green; Other - Basic Grey Taffeta Ribbon, Basic Black & Creamy Caramel markers, white gel pen, dragonfly brads (dunno source); Punches - Notch Corner Punch (retired), Small, Large, and Wide Oval punches, 1 1/4 & 1 3/8" circle punches, Large Flower punch, 1/2" circle punch, Curly Label punch, Round Tab Punch, Butterfly punch, Photo Corner punch
Was William impressed by this amazing feat of punch art skill?
I'd have to say, "not really." The first thing he did when he opened it was to shake it and see if any money fell out. Yep, he's a ninja all right. There is no money in there, young ninja. Otherwise, the horrible carpet you are kneeling on would have been replaced a long time ago. Children are expensive, especially around their birthdays. So after spending all the money on your presents, there is none left to buy carpeting or put inside of cards. But, as you can see, if we had had new carpeting a few months ago, it would have gotten nasty blue ink spots on it anyway. Because of some ninja with a marker who wanted to know what was inside it. Ninjas are curious that way. Might as well wait to buy carpeting until the ninja is not so curious.
However, the ninja was much more pleased by the presents he opened after the card, especially this one:
For those not in the know, it's a Nintendo DS lite, a gizmo Will has been campaigning for for many months now.
He was excited.
For those not in the know, this is what a ninja looks like when he is about to jump for joy.
I foresee that this is going to be a good thing, particularly since the accessory kit we bought for it has headphones.
'Cause I don't know about YOUR ninja, but mine can be pretty darned loud, when he's not in stealth mode.
And he's almost never in stealth mode. But that's okay. I love him just the same. Observe the hair. Nice and clean and free from inhabitants. Observe the fingers, none wayward, all standing nicely in a row. Dang, he's cute.
And all I can think of is how much he looks like my dad.
Dad is the kid with the big grin, third from the left in the middle. And yes, those are all his brothers and sisters. Grandma was a woman of character and great fertility. There are two sets of twins in that picture.
I can't imagine thirteen kids, especially if they were all as loud as this one.
But at least he's quiet...for a little while.
Life is good. Ta!
ohmygosh! your punch art Ninja is 'da bomb' Jan!!!
I think it may be the best punch art I have ever seen! I love visiting your blog for the chuckles and the awesome inspiration! Keep it comin'!!
~ Lee
Posted by: Lee H. | January 29, 2010 at 09:49 PM
Lovin' the punch art, Jan!
And Happy Birthday, William!
Posted by: Trina Caraway | January 29, 2010 at 09:52 PM
Hi Jan,
My 16 yr old son said to tell you that your punch art Ninja was most excellent! He said you did a fantastic job!
I think you did a AWESOME job too!! I would be interested in getting the direction on how to make your Ninja punch art!! Thank you for being so CREATIVE!!!
Posted by: Kori Christensen | January 29, 2010 at 11:27 PM
Jan,
Can I campaign to SU! with you to come out with a Ninja stamp (preferably before March!)? My son is totally into Ninja Warrior on G4...ever heard of it. It is more obstacle course than ninja, but I guess getting through the course requires Ninja skills. So I am tasked to come up with a bday invite related to Ninja Warrior! Your ninja turned out incredibly cute...how do you figure that out?...but not sure I want to make that for an invitation. Ahh what to do...if you decide to help ponder this for me, let me know!!!
Andrea
Posted by: Andrea Vernagus | January 29, 2010 at 11:41 PM
Jan, love love LOVE your Ninja card since I too have a Wii warrior at home! I can always count on you for inspiration, as well as a good chuckle when I need one. Thanks, and keep it up!!
Posted by: Paula Geier | January 29, 2010 at 11:57 PM
You bring a smile to my face, woman! What a good Mama you are. Will and the girls are lucky to have YOU!! :)
Posted by: Wendy W. | January 30, 2010 at 12:02 AM
You are so clever - just about the cutest thing I have seen. My boys were also into Ninjas, but that was about 15+ years ago, and it was the Mutant Ninja Turtles back then (and somewhere in my storage are all the Mutant Ninja Turtle figures - some 30-40 of them). Love your work and your stories.
Posted by: Yo Glenn | January 30, 2010 at 12:50 AM
Jan, your ninja totally ROCKS and shows what a great mama you are. I too would be very interested in a tutorial for this one ... pretty please with lashings of chocolate on top? TFS
Posted by: Kez | January 30, 2010 at 05:43 AM
............thud. You are a genius, woman! How on earth do you come up with these things?
I am in awe of your creativity - thanks so much for sharing it.
Posted by: Kay | January 30, 2010 at 07:51 AM
jan that is awesome card!! Very clever! Glad William had such good birthday! Wow that was a lot of kids in your dad's family! Dang
Posted by: Holly/catrules | January 30, 2010 at 08:59 AM
HOLY COW! That is one awesome punch ninja! I'm bowing to your greatness...
Posted by: Marilyn Goodrich | January 30, 2010 at 09:58 AM
Wonderful card. Will probably is very pleased ... though will not say ... that's the Ninja way you know.
Posted by: Betty Murphy | January 30, 2010 at 10:17 AM
You are hilarious! Love, love, love your card and your blog. Thank you and happy birthday Will.
Posted by: Terry J | January 30, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Holy Cow Jan, this is a terrific card. So maybe this nija of your didn't quite understand the process his mother went through. He will when he's about thirty!! I promise you, he'll shake his head and say WOW. (of course you'll have to remind him several times. LOL)
Posted by: marsha williams | January 30, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Your Ninja is fantastic!! Very clever, and oh so unique!
Hope you post instructions...soon!
Posted by: Kim P | January 30, 2010 at 11:17 AM
Wow! Wow! Wow! That punch is why WE love you! You, Jan, are the Ninja punch art Master!
Can you make a video or demo on this? Please, Please, Please. Little boys (and their moms)around the world are crying out "WE WANT A NINJA CARD, TOO!
Sore subject alert....
And again I scratch my head as to why you are not the artisian award winner! I hope you are trying for it again this year.
Posted by: Sharon | January 30, 2010 at 11:49 AM
Was the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen" based on your dad's family? LOL. Holy Cow! I only have two girls and can't imagine 13 kids. Yikes!
Love your ninja soooooo much! So much detail in it that it blows my mind. I thought the little ninja I received at convention last year was cute. No way! Your's ROCKS!!!!
Posted by: Jackie Barfield | January 30, 2010 at 03:12 PM
My 10 year old ninja said WOW - that's from Mini Ninjas as soon as he saw it :)
Then he went back into stealth mode with his game.... but I'm still impressed. lol
Posted by: Adriana B | January 30, 2010 at 03:54 PM
Your card is sooo cute!!Even though your Ninja didn't jump for joy when he saw it, this blog-follower appreciates it very much.I so love your sense of humor.Your description of Will, hair without inhabitants and no wayward fingers is hillarious.So nice of you to share your family picture.That is precious beyond measure.Treasure it always.
Posted by: Mitzi | January 30, 2010 at 08:35 PM
Killer ninja!
Posted by: Lynnette | January 30, 2010 at 11:57 PM
Your son looks like you :-) I have three boys, they all look different, none look like me. Sometimes I wonder if there was a mix up at the hospital...all three times???
Your card is wonderful! Amazing work, as always.
Posted by: Carmen | January 31, 2010 at 01:51 AM
Absolutely amazing punch art. Surely you'll frame it for his room, right?
Posted by: LuRae | January 31, 2010 at 09:28 AM
Love your Ninja card Jan, you did a fabulous job of it! I also have a son - he has just turned 11 and has had a DS for a few years now. It does captivate them and make them much more docile. I find the similarities alarming though. My carpet is in about the same condition. It is 31 years old and has many marks and stains on it. However my child has a DS, Wii, Gameboy, and Gamecube, and many many games to go along with those, as well as many accessories. Oh, gee, I forgot, this Christmas he got a PSP...
Now dangit, I have a link to the minininjas site which I had never heard of before. I will be forced beyond my control to show it to my 11 year old.. lest he 'miss out' on a much needed computer game.. :)
I hope Will had a great birthday. You're creating lifelong memories, you know...
Posted by: Debra | January 31, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Oh Jan, your boy looks just like you! What a sweet innocent face he has, that boy with the wayward finger! Heehee... Happy Birthday, dear William! And you can tell him that a 57-year-old SU demo in the Chicago area bought herself a DS about a year ago! Don't have the Ninja game, though - just the Brain Age ones! Heehee...
Hugs,
Susan
Posted by: Susan | January 31, 2010 at 11:59 PM
Great card, great Ninja! I have to have a pattern so I'm amazed, but not surprised knowing what you create!
You're right your DS does look like your dad!
Posted by: Gail S. | February 01, 2010 at 12:53 AM
I love punch art and this one blows me away. Looks complicated, but effective.
Posted by: Trina | February 01, 2010 at 08:21 PM