My Python game class

Hello friends!
I am so happy to have finished the Introduction to Python class.  I feel like I learned quite a bit.  I got a certificate with distinction with a grade of 95%.  I highly recommend this class if you know anyone who wants to learn Python programming, especially for making games.  See www.Coursera.org for more info.  https://class.coursera.org/interactivepython-002/class/index

I edited and cleaned up the code for the final project, an asteroid game.  I post a link here for you to play.  It plays inside the Chrome browser.  Try open-with and Chrome.
Only works on a full-computer, no iPad or iPhones. :-(

[Sorry, had to take the link down.  I am retaking this class to get the Foundations of Computer Science Signature Track from Coursera.org.  The final project is due this week 5/24/2014.]  If you still want to play this game, email me and I will send you a new link after the class deadline.

Mother's Day card using Music Expressions Stampin' Up! set

Here are a few cards I made using retired Stampin' Up! stamp set Music Expressions. My friend Cami came over and we tried making different designs.  I finished several where I used watercolor brush to color in the violin and flowers.  I accented swirl iron works in green.  Bird has glitter applied.  Card is 5"x7".
(Add blue card image, colored in.)

Quick Valentine's Day Cards

After making some Owl Flip Cards, which took very long time, my friend Sharul wanted to make a few quick cards.  She made 6 gift-tag size cards to include with her treat bags, and I made 4 quick Fancy Heart valentine's cards.

These were super fast to make, about 10 minutes per card.  The tag is just embossed in red and tied with a ridinghood ribbon. Card base is 3.5"x2.75" in textured pink.
For the valentine's card, I measured the Fancy Heart stamp (All Night Media) and cut white card stock (2.25"x3") and rose red matting card stock (2.5"x3.25") to size.  The base is pink pirouette card stock, with a layer of Anna Griffin pink designer paper cut slightly smaller, and accented with ridinghood ribbon.  Sentiment uses Stampin' Up! P.S. I Love You stampset and Modern Label punch.  After everything is cut, the main image is just stamped using craft red ink (not embossed).  Then everything is assembled with double sided tape and some pop-up dots.

Owl Flip Card

Hello Everyone!  Happy Year of the Snake.  February 10, 2013 is Lunar New Year.
I saw this cute owl flip card on YouTube and tried my hand at copying them. Original instructions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3rMNLUxS3c  http://darlenedesign.com/wordpress/?p=3016 .


Basically, cut a letter sized cardstock in half vertically (11" x 4.25").  Then score and fold horizontally in half (5.5"), then fold front again in half (2.75"), then fold front quarter 1" further in (3.75").

Use 3 sizes of Spellbinders Labels 16 dies to cut frame opening and mat.  The largest frame is only partially cut by laying the clear acrylic board to cover only part of the die. I cut the front half first, then back 1/8th in two separate passes through the Big Shot.  Darlene's YouTube video shows how.

You need 3 owls per card.  The front owl's clothes should match back left owl.  And the eyes of the back two owls should look towards each other (i.e., the left owl looks right, and right owl looks left).  The eyes are really difficult to glue on, so I sometimes just drew them on with a marker.  My friend Alisa and Cami came over to help me figure out the cards.  I haven't seen Alisa for almost 2 years, so I was very happy she was able to make it.

The greetings on the left says "Happy New Year" in Chineses characters.  It's a really useful Chinese greetings stampset from StampMagic.com.  I bought the Spellbinders die for $18.50 from ArtFire.com, my first purchase from that site.  A friend who sells crafts online told me about it, and that she likes it better than eBay (less commission cost).  The final two pictures are of my first card, which I made before the Spellbinders Labels dies arrived.  It is possible to make this card using Stampin' Up! Decorative Label punch and a rectangular cutting template and knife.  But it was much more of a hassle, and the cuts were not as smooth.  I think the Labels 16 dies are worth it for this project.  Some more friends came over later to make these cards in red card base for Valentines Day.  They take a long time to make, so I don't think I will be making a lot of them.  But they are very cute!  The coral frame is cut from Paper Company brights card stock set.  It's a lot brighter than Stampin Up's cameo coral paper.

Supplies:

• Stampin' Up! owl builder punch $17; bird builder punch $17 (for leaves)
• Spellbinders Labels 16 nestabilities dies, $18.50 ($25 retail); Big Kick machine
• Score board, optional ($11.50 on sale from AC More)
• Cardstock: green, transparent green (leaves), white, chocolate, cocoa, coral, yellow.  
• Designer Paper: leftover scraps in red and blue.
• Markers: chocolate, caramel (color owl eyes), red (color owl heart), pink (draw owl feathers).

Christmas card designs for 2012

My friend Sharul came over and we made a few Christmas Card designs for this year.  She is going to give the ornament punch card to her in-laws.  I am thinking of making more of the stocking punch cards for this year's Christmas mailing list.

Update: several of my green inkpads dried out and will not give me solid impressions.  This is because my home is very dry during December.  Afterwards, I bought Ranger's ink refresher for $5 in a spray bottle.  This is a money saving tip for those times when the inkpad is just dry and does not need to be reinked.  It may also prolong inkpads for which you don't have a matching reinker.

Juan's custom camera case

   
I made a custom camera case for Juan. Juan seemed happy with the finished product made to his specifications.  It is designed to be used with the case on. Lense cover and viewing front opens selectively. His right hand fits in the right side of camera case (stretches) to fully operate all buttons & dials.  It's also water resistant.
The strap is covered in cushy double layered neoprene. It is machine embroidered with Juan's name.  Embroidery already has a stabilizer backing, and was easy to sew.

It took almost 2 years, because I had to learn about sewing neoprene and had to test several snaps, reinforcement materials, and lots of ribbons and binding materials.  There were a LOT of trial and error!

It uses 3 mm neoprene, Pellon super heavy duty stabilizer (reinforce body), heavy duty snaps and regular sew-on snap for one-side (the original heavy-duty snap was too strong).  Button holes for strap connection were reinforced inside.  Button hole stitching had to be hand reinforced.  The machine will not feed properly on satin stitching due to stretching of neoprene.  All exposed edged were enclosed in ribbon or binding mostly by hand.

I am never making another project requiring intricate sewing using neoprene.  It's fine to make simple bag-type covers for a laptop or a iPhone using neoprene, because it is just one seam and does not have to accommodate differently shaped pieces and different stretch and stiff properties.

Re-purposed Thanksgiving cards

Hello, I needed quick Thanksgiving cards, but was all out of them. I re-purposed existing thank-you cards.

The only additions were the turkey stamp in bronze embossing, then cut to fit inside existing squares, and the "Give Thanks" greetings.  I stamped 3 pumpkins in light color on the last card as a background.  Hope this will give you some ideas on re-purposing cards made for other occasions.  Jennifer. ;-P

Father's Day Card, Sailboat Stamp

Hi, my friend Cami came over and we made 8 father's day cards.  She wanted a sailboat design.

The left two cards use Inkadinkado sailboat stamp $8. Right card uses Stampin' Up! sailboat from Uncharted Territory set $20 (retiring as of May 31, 2012). Quote stamp is also from Uncharted Territory.  It reads, "Life is [an] uncharted territory. It reveals its story one moment at a time. Leo F. Buscaglia."  I liked this quote and bought this set for this quote. The "Happy Father's Day" word stamp is from eBay $4.50, Double D Rubber Stamps. The stamp fits comfortably inside a 1 inch circle punch. This is layered on a Designer Label punch (Stampin' Up! retired) cut piece in ruby red or cocoa.

I used the Top Note die to cut cardstock in white, bashful blue, and pacific point (can cut all 3 layers at once).  Next I stamped the sailboat on the white cut piece. Then I layered the white on top of the pacific blue cut piece, carefully lining up edges, and cut both sheets together on my paper cutter. Then cut off the top and bottom of just the white piece above and below the sailboat (see photos).  Then assemble all 3 layers (bashful blue at the bottom, pacific point next, then white with sailboat on top).  Attach the scallop trim cut from ruby red cardstock.  I used stamp-a-ma-jig to fit the quote below the sailboat after assembly.

I need to make 5 more cards to break even on all stamps used ($32.50).  Supply cost per card is about $1 and uses 1.5 sheets of cardstock. Benefit in excess of supply cost is $2.50/cd x 8 = $20.

All Supplies & Stamps/Dies used:
Stamps: Inkadinkado sailboat $8, Stampin' Up! Uncharted Territory $20, Double D Rubber Stamps "Happy Father's Day" $4.50.
Dies/Punches: Stampin' Up! Top Note die, 1 inch circle punch, Decorative Label punch, and ScallopTrim Border punch.
Cardstock: white, bashful blue, pacific point, ruby red (scalloped trim), cocoa (card base two left), old olive (card base right), and vanilla (inside writing sheet).
Markers: Bermuda bay on sail (left card) and water; pacific point on boat; bashful blue on sail, water, and cloud (using chalk); old olive on sail (right card); ruby red on flag and sail trim; and yellow on sun. Also used white gel pen to highlight boat and sail.
Other Tools:
Big-Shot machine, stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner, black inkpad, tape, pop-up tape, and paper cutter.

Update - Sketch Challenge

Here are two new designs using marina mist and daffodil card stock.  The colors match a knitting needle case I am making for a friend.  Also, I wanted to try a different color scheme using a blue-yellow theme.  Additional cards designed by Stampin' Up! demonstrators in California. They meet with Annette Wen, my good friend, teacher, and demonstrator in Palo Alto, California.  Photos sent by Annette in Oct 2011.

Sketch Challenge

Card with string, vertical lamb.

This is my first sketch challenge.  Annette Wen, my good friend and demonstrator, posted this challenge in October 2011. http://www.stampinwithannette.blogspot.com/2011/10/demonstrator-stamp-n-chat-card.html  I am just now posting my card photos that I made last year.  I used the Hand Knit $15 stampset from Stampin' Up! which will still be available in the 2012-2013 catalog. I made 12 cards and recovered the cost of this stampset.

Sketch template

Card with ribbon, horizontal lamb.

Punches: Decorative Label $17, Modern Label $17, Scallop Trim Border $16, Boho Blossoms $17, and 1/16" circle punch $9 (or push pin).
Accents: silver glimmer cardstock, white 1/4" ribbon, white 5/8" organza ribbon, baker's twine cherry, and wasabi brads.
Cardstock: daffodile, wasabi, and white.

The flowers are silver glimmer cardstock punched using Boho Blossoms punch.  The wasabi "frame" for the lamb is created by punching out a 2nd piece from wasabi cardstock using Decorative Label punch. Then cut it into 4 pieces & stick it to the back of the 1st white Decorative Label piece.  I learned this trick from reading my friend Lynda Lee's blog!  She's an M.D. and loves to stamp.  http://stampingdoc.blogspot.com/