Birthday Box for Lieu

My sister is the best. She's 17 years older than me and is one of the most giving people I've ever met in my life. She gave me her spare car when I needed transportation AND this last Christmas she gave me a Dell laptop (the very laptop I'm writing this!). She is well off and I never seem to have enough money to get her what I truly want to give her, a 5 lb. diamond necklace that spells out her name, Lieu. Tastefully done, of course.

But this year? Ohhhhh, this year I am BOSS.

No, I didn't mine for diamonds or emeralds and become a gemologist. I made her a 'Birthday in a Box'! Woooooo!

I kicked its ass. My cousin, Imalla (or Gabby, as she likes to be called), also, kicked its ass. She created an awesome birthday crown.

Here's a list of what I included in the picture above.

1. Homemade giant card
2. Birthday crown
3. Two tiny champagne bottles
4. Birthday cake bottle topper
5. Sparklers
6. Giant sunglasses
7. Mustache
8. 2 tiny plant pots
9. 5 packets of seeds for flowers and fruits
10. Kinetic sand 
11. 2 white chocolate bars
12. Purple silly straw
13. Mailbox with caramel kisses
14. Paper star
15. Lavender bath salts
16. Incense
17. Homemade pom-poms on sticks
18. Birthday Cake Oreo's
19. Hip hip! Hooray! horns
20. Candles
21. Napkins
22. Paper straws

Phew! That's a lot! Everything cost me under $35. I created everything from spare craft supplies at my home. It's amazing how far spray paint and card stock can go. 

I cut up some card stock into diamonds. Made sure they matched up when folded together.

Spray painted them gold. 

Picked a font and wrote the letters with permanent marker on each side. 

Now take a break from making the banner. It's hard and complicated work, I know. 

Cut out the size of your card. It can be how ever big you want it, obviously, I'm not your boss. You're going to want to get a ruler out and measure the size. It will benefit you in the long run. Once you fold it over, flatten that crease as best as possible. Now cut out a larger size with whatever pattern you want to use. I chose these cute patterned paper rolls from Target. They were left over from when I was making decorations for my close friend's, Holen, birthday dinner delight. They covered my large white blank card perfectly with an inch or two extra beyond the sides. 

I poured Mod Podge on the card stock and delicately placed the patterned paper on top. Only do the INSIDE of the card first. You will need a smooth flat object like a hard-cover book to flatten the bubbles and bulges out. I used an old license plate that was just laying around my house for some weird dumb reason. Then you'll want to cut off the extra paper on the sides. Re-measure if need be. I had to. 

Now, before you glue the pattern to the outside of the card, take your string, whether it be a ribbon, twine, thread, whatever. If it's string-like, pick it up and measure out how much you'll need for the inside of the card. It's all up to you, madam. I know I'm being a little sexist there, but, ya know, come on. Once measured how many strings you'll need and how long, you'll need to make holes into the cards. Tiny ones. You can use a hole-punch or stab it with a sharpen pencil. I used the end of the corkscrew from my wine opener. I would've poked it with my unicorn's horn but he was at the Korean spa. It was his day off. He's been through a lot this week, he deserved it.

After that, pull your string through the hole and tape it on the outside of the card. Test it out by opening it up. This will work out your biceps and deltoids too! Remember, it'll have the little banners added soon so if it's not staying down, it will soon. After that, glue to patterned paper to the outside of the card. Then, wait. Play some soccer, watch a movie, bake a cake, have a threesome, whatever. 

Now you can add the little paper stock banners! I used paperclips to secure the tabs to stay together, like in the picture above. What are those called? Paperclips? Binderclips? Papersnaps? Whatever.

Then, just add stuff. Scrapbook stickers would be great for this. I added sticker stars of different size with gold and silver ribbons attached. Then left her a personal and sweet note on the bottom. I know, I'm sweet. So so sweet. Whatever.

When it came to the box, I just spray painted the inside (I cut it and flipped it). It was something used from a previous project. Pistachio. Love that color.

I sprayed perfume on it a day later so she wouldn't pass out from the toxic fumes when opening it. Then I took paper tissue and made a fringe, little tassles, pom poms, and chevron designs to decorate the inside flaps of the box. She'll open it and BAM! Right away, there's pizzazz! There's glamour! And best of all, there's no glitter. Because I don't hate my sister.

Anyways, it took a long time and it should have arrived today. Tomorrow will be the grand unveiling. I asked my nephew to video her opening it. I. Can't. Wait. 

I finished writing this blog post in bed next to Andrew and he noticed I don't curse as much in my blog. He has a vast vocabulary and I caught him using the word 'ostensible' instead of the word 'obvious'. I think he sounds pretentious when using large words I can't understand. -_- He says I use the word 'fuck' too much in my speech. So, just for him... FUCKING SHITTING MOTHER FUCKER PUSSY. 

Btw, I do condone readers and articulate people. I just like fucking with him. Plus, I love the word fuck. 

G'night ya'll!